IN the bustling world of telecommunications, Keniesha Brown-Plunkett, a senior manager, stands out as a beacon of dedication and resilience at Flow Jamaica.

At the heart of her work is the principle of business continuity management (BCM), a strategic framework that helps organisations prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptive incidents.

While not often the most glamorous of careers, professionals in this area are critical in ensuring that business functions can continue with minimal interruption, thereby safeguarding the organisation’s operations, reputation, and financial stability.

In her own words, “preparation prevents panic” and as a key member of the team leading the telecommunications network, Brown-Plunkett has been instrumental in driving the company’s efforts to maintain world-class services for its vast clientèle, especially in times of crises.

In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, Brown-Plunkett’s expertise, tireless preparations and commitment to honouring established processes were put to the test as Jamaica prepared for the dangerous and fast-approaching Category 4 storm, which impacted the island on July 3.

“I remember when the National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded the area to a 60 per cent possibility on June 26. Even though it was still too early to call, the core team and I started to closely monitor by following the various models via the National Hurricane Center,” she said.

Born in the 1980s, her personal experience with massive storms, she admits, is “limited”, but her training and preparations up to this point bolstered her leadership of a core team of almost 60 individuals, during the throes of the Hurricane Beryl experience.

“At Flow, our BCM processes are perennial — whether there is a crisis or not, we execute a full scale of proactive and routine processes that consider any known vulnerabilities and mitigation plans for the unknown. We work with all our functional areas and make plans for both our people and our plant in the event that we’re faced with a crisis situation,” she highlighted.

“It is truly a well-managed process, and we are supported by a vast number of professionals across our global footprint, thereby ensuring that world-class standards are being fulfilled in our local operations,” she added.

Crisis events are inevitable, so while risks may not be fully eliminated, Brown-Plunkett believes many can be minimised through careful planning and diligent, consistent efforts. Her role therefore became particularly prominent during Flow’s preparatory and post-hurricane restoration efforts.

She remembers being bunkered down in Flow’s Emergency Operations Centre on Carlton Crescent along with other members of the company’s local crisis management team (LCMT), from as early as 7:00 am on July 2 — more than 18 hours ahead of the expected arrival of the storm.

“While for some, the days and hours leading up to the storm’s arrival signal the start of rushed preparations, for us, we were already dispatching resources to address the undoubted impact that the severe weather event would have on the company’s infrastructure,” she recalls.

Flow’s LCMT also played a critical role on the national response team and provided much-needed support, including equipment to agencies such as the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Defence Force, and several other critical stakeholders.

Brown-Plunkett’s role was the rope that bound all stakeholders together — a task she said required intense focus, strong decision-making skills and responsiveness at every step.

One thing that became apparent to her as the heavy winds and rains lashed the island was that “the road to recovery was not going to be easy”.

“I was stunned when I realised the full extent of the storm’s damage, especially because it was not a direct hit. Remaining calm and clear-headed was essential, but the experience became even more intense and emotionally challenging for me when we visited the communities impacted,” she recounted.

In addition to her role in the restoration of connectivity, Brown-Plunkett also played a role in the humanitarian response of the company for both its staff and the most severely impacted communities.

“I was happy to support our people team in our efforts to provide aid to team members who were impacted and, of course, ensuring that team members who were the company’s first-responders had their immediate needs taken care of.”

She recalls two moments that have touched her during the recovery process, which, despite incredible progress being made, continues.

The first was the overwhelming response from Flow staff members who turned up with less than 15 minutes notice in the company’s corporate staff lounge to help prepare care packages for affected persons in St Elizabeth and Clarendon.

“It was incredibly heartwarming to see everyone come together, working in harmony to get the job done,” she reminisced.

The second was the looks of compassion on the faces of technicians hailing from the company’s sister organisations in Panama and Costa Rica who were invited to assist local technicians with recovery efforts in the hardest-hit areas.

“It made me know that we are not alone. We are blessed as a country and as a company to have the support of the region in a time of crisis and this experience really solidified that for me.”

In terms of lessons learnt in crisis management, Brown-Plunkett said, “It [Hurricane Beryl] has emphasised the importance of being adaptable and proactive, as conditions can change rapidly.”

The experience, she said, highlighted the critical role of clear communication and strong teamwork, reinforcing the need to keep all stakeholders informed and engaged.

“It has deepened my appreciation for the crucial role of resilience and effective coordination in managing crises,” she added.

Her learnings in disaster recovery and network resilience have strengthened the company’s ability to withstand future disruptions. She does, however, see opportunities for improvement.

“While I believe we are in a strong position, the critical dependence on data and Internet services has highlighted the need for ongoing improvements. It has become clear that we must enhance our strategies and infrastructure to handle such dependencies during crises.

On a more personal note, Brown-Plunkett reflected on her Hurricane Beryl experience and admitted that her own meticulous preparations at home were critical to remaining present and preserving her state of mind as she got her job done.

“Thankfully Hurricane Beryl didn’t personally affect me or my family in any great way. I believe in being prepared, so I would have already taken steps to safeguard both my home and my grandmother’s. But I must admit, it was difficult to leave my baby girl.”

For persons involved in emergency and crisis management, she said, “Having a strong support system is crucial. My family and village understand and appreciate the role I play and are always ready to support me so I can perform at my best.”