Evil is Powerless if the Good are Unafraid

Why we in the Risk Management industry should celebrate our unsung heroes…

Why? Why? Tell ‘em that it’s human nature…

If you can guess which song the above lyric is taken from then, frankly… I have nothing to say to you!

Joking aside, it was of course the extremely talented and oh so very eccentric Michael Jackson. Not my cup of tea. However, the man sold over 400M records, so he must have a fan base somewhere… just not in the Hardy household. Nevertheless, I find myself thinking about that lyric in the context of recent events…

Unless you have been on The Messenger Spacecraft orbiting Mercury, then you will have heard about the horrific wildfires that are burning in Los Angeles. The seasonal Santa Ana winds, following a very dry few months, are at the heart of this tragedy. The wind rapidly dispersed embers from small wildfires, sometimes carrying them many miles away. With dry bush providing thousands of acres of highly combustible tinder, the result has been the disastrous and uncontrollable spread of wildfires.

The fires do not discriminate between rich and famous or working class. All have been affected. The list of celebrities who have lost homes continues to grow with names like Tom Hanks, Sir Anthony Hopkins, James Wood and Billy Crystal among them. However, their names are simply listed within the growing ranks of thousands of people whose lives were turned upside down in a matter of hours, as what started as a small fire in Palisades became a big one… and then spread.

The fires are the worst in the history of LA. And I am not an expert, but they surely must go down as one of the worst weather events in history. The fires are still not under control. And adverse wind conditions predicted this week mean that the fires are not going to be extinguished any time soon. They might get worse.

The consequent massive destruction of property and loss of life (26 souls at the time of writing) has created apocalyptic scenes. As the President, Joe Biden, pointed out, “LA looks like a war zone.” And this disaster has brought out both the best and the worst of human nature…

Should we be surprised that the first reaction of some has been to turn to looting? That the misfortune of some has been seized upon by others keen to attempt opportunist crime. Police have not only arrested looters, but there is now a curfew imposed every evening and the National Guard has been called in to help police deter and detain looters from general theft and even targeting celebrity houses.

One looter was dressed in full firefighter gear, blending in with the thousands of firefighters risking their lives to save people and protect property, to steal whatever he could. Shameful.

Not so opportunistic were the private drones. Launched in an area that precluded private drones being flown, police found some 31 being flown for various reasons… including to let gangs of looters on the ground know how to avoid police and where the richest pickings could be had.

One such drone smashed into a firefighting aircraft that had been despatched in a desperate attempt to control fires, as a break in the weather over the weekend gave firefighters some glimmer of hope of at least starting to contain the fire. The plane had to make an emergency landing. The drone actually created a hole in the plane’s fuselage.

Criminal acts are bad enough. Those committed to taking advantage of the misfortune of others I find doubly offensive. And yet the very same emergency has not just brought out the worst of humanity, but also the best. Thousands of neighbours banded together to help out. Putting aside their own losses and with the fires still raging in other parts of LA, neighbourhoods have come together to start organising basic services such as essential food, water and accommodation for those amongst them who have been displaced. Tons of food and clothing have been donated by neighbours to help those who fled their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

A centre for expectant women has been set up to provide advice and medical care. The message here is that life goes on and people are trying the best they can to embrace it; including the arrival of newborn children amidst the unimaginable conditions.

Local kennels and pet shops have provided facilities free of charge to the many pet owners who have sought sanctuary for their pets, which they clutched as they ran through the streets. Hundreds of animals have been housed whilst the situation plays out.

Homeowners who have escaped the fires have opened their homes to those who have not been so fortunate. The community has come together in a unified spirit of determination that really exemplifies what the human race can do in times of crisis… the best of human nature. And of course these good acts of kindness will eventually allow for the rebuilding of the community because success is the sum of small efforts repeated day-in, day-out.

In just a few weeks’ time The Pride of Retail Risk Awards will be launched following Retail Risk – London. ASEL are proud joint sponsors of the event along with Smoke Screen. Taking its cue from The Daily Mail Pride of Britain Awards, this new event shines a spotlight on selfless actions, bravery and acts of kindness in our industry.

Eight categories are open for nominations. The security guard who bravely saves the day. The cashier who recognises a victim of abuse and intervenes. The team of fundraisers working towards a charitable goal. These are the sorts of unsung heroes that The Pride of Retail Risk Awards recognises.

You can nominate yourself, a colleague, a team or a business as appropriate. All categories are open to retailers, suppliers, academics and members of our emergency services.

Not surprisingly, given the nature of our industry, too often we focus on the bad side of human behaviour. The Pride of Retail Risk Awards allows us an opportunity to focus instead on the good.

Let’s celebrate the good in people…