Businesses can learn about company survival from the experience of a council hit by a flood.
When a fifth floor water tank burst at Luton Borough Council’s Town Hall extension it rendered a call centre staffed by 42 people unusable.
It could have been a disaster for the unit handling 2,500 calls a day.
The switchboard area and electrical systems had been damaged. But the council had a plan and staff were moved.
Tony Green, Luton Borough Council’s civil protection and business continuity officer, said: “The end result was the minimum of disruption to anyone’s working day, and no impact whatsoever on the quality of service provided to the people who matter most, our customers.”
The council is a partner of Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum (BLLRF) which asks firms what they would do if disaster struck.
BLLRF chairman Chief Superintendent Mike Colbourne said: “We are urging businesses to make sure they are aware of the risks that could affect their operations, and what actions can be taken to mitigate against them.”