New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, accused of being missing in action during a mega snowstorm last winter, was under a microscope before, during and after Hurricane Irene. And clearly he was determined to get it right this time.
Bloomberg took the challenge seriously, announcing in advance that subways would be closed in case of flooding and evacuations would be required in the most vulnerable areas of the City and its Burroughs.
He blew off complaints from residents during the snowstorm—while praising his missing-in-action snowplow crew—but this time Bloomberg erred on the side of caution. It's a good thing, too, because while NYC was not hit as badly as some areas, it was a serious storm leaving a wide swath of property damage as well as lives lost.
And so, as the face of risk management in NYC, Bloomberg, like all risk managers, walks a fine line between making sure lives and property are safe and appearing to go overboard if things aren't as bad as anticipated.
While some may choose to criticize Bloomberg's decisions, I say he was right-on to close subways and evacuate potentially dangerous areas. NYC may not have felt the brunt of the storm, but all residents have to do is look around at the flooding, the destruction and the misery Irene caused in a number of states to feel lucky.
It's the Risk Manager's Mantra: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
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