Weathering the Storm: Continuous Improvement and Lessons Learned Ahead of Tropical Storm Francine
#StayPrepared #ISO55000 #ContinuousImprovement #TropicalStormFrancine #AssetManagement #Woodhouse
As we prepare for Tropical Storm Francine, it’s a good time to reflect on continuous improvement. The lessons learned from Hurricane Beryl, which left over 2.2 million Houstonians without power in July, are still fresh. With Francine on the way, we’re reminded that improving resilience is an ongoing journey.
Lessons from Beryl: A Wake-Up Call
Hurricane Beryl was a harsh reminder of how critical infrastructure is to community safety, especially for vulnerable populations. In response, we’ve seen upgrades like trimming trees near power lines and reinforcing poles. But while these efforts are important, they aren’t enough.
From Crisis Mode to Continuous Improvement
The key to real change is ongoing improvement. Continuous improvement, emphasized by ISO 55000, focuses on assessing and re-assessing risks, optimizing systems, and learning from each challenge. It’s not just about physical assets—processes and people are part of the equation, too.
Here are three takeaways:
Incremental vs. Breakthrough Improvements: While smaller improvements (like tree trimming) matter, we must also invest in big, transformative solutions to avoid the scale of outages seen during Beryl.
Learning from Experience: Evaluate the data after every storm. This includes reviewing how well our infrastructure held up and how effectively response teams managed the crisis.
Listening to Frontline Wisdom: Frontline workers have valuable insights. Continuous improvement is about empowering these teams to contribute their expertise, helping to shape better strategies.
A Call to Action
As Francine approaches, we have the chance to prove we’ve learned from the past. Waiting for the storm to pass before we act isn’t an option anymore—preparedness must be constant, and improvement must be continuous.
The question is, are we ready to face the next storm better than before?
Need Help with Asset Management?
If you're looking to strengthen your asset management program and ensure your infrastructure is resilient for future storms, we can help. At Woodhouse, we specialize in asset management strategies based on ISO 55000. Reach out today to learn how we can help you prepare for the future.
