Sweating the Small Stuff

Preparing for catastrophes is only part of it. More frequently (albeit less extensively), firms are testing their readiness for water main breaks, subway strikes and power outages.

The recent government interagency regulatory white paper on Wall Street’s business continuity planning has the industry girding for the next "wide-spread regional disruption." The vagueness of the term has the entire financial services industry making plans to respond to the full spectrum of possibilities.

"Some members in the industry [thought this meant] a nuclear attack on New York City, and others took it to mean a water main break next to a telco switch," says Don Kittell, executive vice