Let me be very blunt. If your organization is not conducting drills they are not serious about crisis management. It really is that simple. Because while plans and training are very important, only a drill will demonstrate whether or not the policies, plans, people and platform you employ will actually work.

PIER is involved in drills almost continually. In fact, I dare say there are few professional organizations that have been actively involved in more large-scale crisis drills in multiple industries and environments than PIER Systems. This week for example, we are playing a key role in a large scale Navy nuclear accident drill. We're thrilled that someone of Phyllis Mann's stature as head of Kitsap County Dept of Emergency Management would say, "I can't imagine effective communication in a crisis without using PIER."

But the real point is they are drilling. Drilling does two things that are vitally important. It concentrates the minds wonderfully to all in the organization as to the consequences of things going seriously wrong. And that helps to prevent things from going seriously wrong. It limits complacency, and if more managers understood that, they would be very eager to do more drills. But the other thing it does is help prepare to respond.

 I was talking to Harry Rhulen last week. He is the CEO of Firestorm, one of our partners and a leading firm in preparedness planning. Harry was the one called in by President Steger of Virginia Tech following their tragedy. He said they had just done a drill with a major university. A complete disaster. They said they had crisis management plans but the drill showed the complete inadequacy of the plans. And that's exactly what a good drill should do. Every drill is a failure in one way or another--and that is at it should be because it is through failure, not success, that we learn. And real learning leads to success.

I should mention, that PIER Systems professional service staff, along with a whole group of very qualified partners, stands ready at any time to assist you with drill planning, preparation and drill management. We have some of the country's best and most experienced communication managers. It's a valuable resource and it is at your disposal.