May 3, 2010: Water emergency continues

>> Emily: WHEN A TEN FOOT
PIPE CRACKED ON SATURDAY IT SENT
UNSAFE WATER TO TWO MILLION
PEOPLE IN "GREATER BOSTON."
MOST COPED BY BOILING WATER AT
HOME OR BUYING IT FROM THE
SUPERMARKET.
BUT SOME LOCAL BUSINESSES FACED
A MORE DAUNTING CHALLENGE.
WHEN BOSTON'S WATER CRISIS HIT,
LEGAL SEAFOOD TRIED TO ACT FAST,
IMMEDIATELY CHANGING THE WAY
THINK CLEAN AND STORE FISH EVEN
WASH DISHES, SAYS PRESIDENT AND
C.E.O., ROGER BIRKOWITZ.

>> WHEN WE FIRST GOT WIND
SATURDAY AFTERNOON, WE CALLED AN
EMERGENCY MEETING.
WE REALLY HAD TO CHANGE
LITERALLY 90% OF OUR PROCEDURES.

>> Emily: TONS OF ICE USUALLY
MADE IN THE COMPANY'S PLANT ARE
NOW BEING SHIPPED IN FROM
ELSEWHERE.
AND VATS NORMALLY FILLED WITH
CHOWDER ARE BOILING WATER WHICH
IS THEN USED TO CLEAN SEAFOOD
MANUALLY.

>> HOW WE PEEL AND DEVEIN SHRIMP
IT COMES OFF A PIECE OF
EQUIPMENT THAT SHOOTS WATER JETS
THROUGH THERE TO GET THE SAND
VEIN OUT OF IT.
LOT HAD TO GO BACK TO ALMOST THE
'70s WHEN WE WERE DOING THIS
BY HAND.

>> EXCEPT FOR BOTTLED WATER AT
NINE RESTAURANTS, LEGAL
CUSTOMERS SHOULDN'T NOTICE A
DIFFERENCE.
BUT MANY BUSINESSES AREN'T SO
LUCKY.
FOR AT LEAST A FEW DAYS, AMERICA
ISN'T RUNNING ON DUNKIN' AND
RIVAL STARBUCKS IS TAKING A HIT,
TOO.
ACCORDING TO PIRKOWITZ, RELY ON
TOO MUCH ON ONE WAY OF DOING
THINGS YOU RISK GETTING BURNED.

>> YOU CAN'T GET TOO DEPENDENT
ON ANY ONE SYSTEM WITHOUT HAVING
A GREAT BACK UP SYSTEM IN PLACE.
WE ARE SO RELIANT ON THIS ONE
WATER SOURCE, I THINK IT'S NOW
ALMOST A FOREGONE CONCLUSION
THAT IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN, LET'S
TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES.

>> Emily: WHEN THE WATER
CRISIS IS OVER BY WEDNESDAY
EXPECT PLENTY OF OTHER
BUSINESSES TO BE THINKING THE
SAME WAY.
JOINING ME NOW ARE NEWTON MAYOR
SETTI WARREN AND JASON OWENS WHO
COOWNS THE BILTMORE BAR AND
GRILLE IN NEWTON.
QUESTION COOL TO BOTH OF YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Emily: WE WERE SAYING
EARLIER I TALKED TO BOSTON MAYOR
AND SEVERAL OTHERS HOW WELL
ORGANIZED THE WORD GOT OUT AND
SORT OF THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT.
HOW WERE YOU FIRST NOTIFIED, WAS
IT THROUGH HOMELAND SECURITY OR
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE?

>> I GOT A CALL FROM THE MWRA
ABOUT TEN OF 2:00, IMMEDIATELY
ACTIVATED OUR EMERGENCY PLAN --

>> Emily: IT HAPPENED AT
10:00.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.
WE DID GET THAT CALL AT THAT
TIME.

>> Emily: A LITTLE LATE.

>> WE IMMEDIATELY WENT IN TO
ACTION TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
WAS HAPPENING, WE DID THAT
THROUGH E-MAILS, WE DID THAT
THROUGH THE PRESS.
WE DID THAT THROUGH OUR WEBSITE
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL IN THESE
SITUATIONS IS EVERYTHING A GOOD
REVERSE 911 SYSTEM.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERY CITY AND
TOWN TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING.
NEWTON'S WAS TWO YEARS AGO, MY
BUDGET ADDRESS TWO WEEKS AGO I
ACTUALLY PLEDGED TO REINSTATE
IT.
IT'S GOING TO BE UP AND RUNNING
IN A WEEK.
BUT WE DID A GREAT JOB IN
GETTING THE WORD OUT.

>> Emily: A LOT OF CITIES AND
TOWNS DID THAT HAVE THAT, THE
MAYOR TOLD ME BOSTON HAD IT.
I PERSONALLY DIDN'T GET A CALL
A. LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE
CITY DID.
MUST HAVE BEEN WORKING AT LEAST
PARTIALLY.
WERE THERE ANY RAMIFICATIONS,
WHAT KIND OF PHONE CALLS HAVE
YOU BEEN GET IN YOUR OFFICE?

>> AROUND THE SCHOOLS,
YESTERDAY.
OUR SCHOOLS WERE UP AND RUNNING
AS USUAL.
WE GOT AMPLE SUPPLY OVER THE
WEEKEND TO MAKE SURE OUR SCHOOLS
HAD WATER.
THE ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO ARE HOME
BOUND WE MADE SURE WE HAD WATER
SUPPLY FOR THEM YESTERDAY.
AND THEY'RE BEING DELIVERED NOW.
WE DID A VERY AGGRESSIVE CALL
THROUGH FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS.
WE ALSO HAVE WATER STATION
THANKS TO THE NEMA IN OUR CITY
THAT IS GETTING OUT WATER.

>> Emily: JASON, I WAS
FASCINATED BY ROGER BIRKOWITZ'
STORY, I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT
OF THAT EVERYTHING TO CHANGE THE
WAY DO YOU BUSINESS.
WITH THE ICE AND VATS AND
DISHWASHER, WHAT HAPPENED TO
YOU?

>> WELL, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO
CHANGE, AS YOU SAW WITH
BIRKOWITZ HOW WE RUN OUR ENTIRE
OPERATION AND WE HAD TO DO IT
FAST TO BE ABLE TO STAY OPEN.
FIRST AND FOREMOST WE WANTED TO
BE ABLE TO NOT HAVE TO AFFECT
OUR BUSINESS, TO BE THERE FOR
OUR CUSTOMERS.

>> Emily: LOT OF PEOPLE WANT
TO GO OUT SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO
DEAL AT HOME WASHING THEIR OWN
LETTUCE.

>> YOU WANT TO BE THERE FOR YOUR
COMMUNITY AS WELL.
WE HAD TO GOING KIND OF OLD
SCHOOL.

>> Emily: WHAT DID YOU DO
ABOUT STUFF LIKE ICE AND HOW DID
YOU WASH DISHES, WHAT KIND OF
TAP WATER?

>> ABOUT 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON
WE IMMEDIATELY THE STAFF PITCHED
IN TOGED TO GO GET -- BUY WHAT
WE COULD TO REPLACE THE THINGS
WE COULDN'T USE EM SYSTEM THAT A
HASSLE GETTING WATER?

>> ABSOLUTELY.
IN TIMES OF CRISIS YOU PULL
TOGETHER AND YOU MAKE THE BEST
OUT OF IT.
REPLACE OUR SODA SYSTEM AND
COFFEE.

>> ONE OF THE THING ON THE LOCAL
BUSINESS END, MUNICIPALITIES,
BUSINESSES THAT WERE UNDER
DURESS THAT LOST CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF --

>> Emily: STARBUCKS.

>> AND LOST RESOURCES.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH THE SBA IN MY COMMUNITY TO
MAKE SURE THAT THERE NO OTHER
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO
STAY AFLOAT BUT RECOVER THE LOSS
OF DAMAGES THEY HAD.
I'M GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE
STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO
MAKE SURE --

>> Emily: THE FEDERAL STATE
OF EMERGENCY, HOW WILL THAT
AFFECT THE STATE AND YOUR CITY?

>> WELL, CITIES AND TOWNS THAT
HAVE EXPENDED RESOURCES
OVERTIME, PEOPLE, FOR INSTANCE,
PUTTING UP -- PEOPLE WORK AT THE
POLICE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE.
NEWTON, BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR
ACTED FAST, DECLARED A STATE OF
EMERGENCY, THE COMMUNITIES
AFFECTED WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR
THOSE FUNDS.
WE ALSO WILL LOOK IN TO
ASSISTANCE.

>> Emily: DID YOUR BUSINESS
TAKE A HIT AT ALL?

>> IT ACTUALLY DID.
IT WAS QUITE SIGNIFICANT,
ESPECIALLY BEING A WEEKEND WHICH
IS OUR PREMIERE -- BUSIEST TIME.
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY WAS
QUITE AFFECTED.
WE WERE ABLE TO RECOUP AND STAY
OPEN THROUGHOUT IT.
A LOT OF THE THINGS WE HAD IN
PLACE ALREADY WE DO A LOT OF THE
PURIFYING OF THE WATER ANYWAY,
WE HAD A LOT OF SYSTEMS THERE WE
JUST HAD TO GO AND REPLACE A LOT
OF THINGS PRODUCT WISE.

>> Emily: PEOPLE GET NERVOUS
AND CANCEL?

>> THAT WAS A BIG THING.
I THINK THE SCARE AND
INITIALLY -- WE'RE STILL SEEING
IT A LITTLE BIT.
PEOPLE AREN'T SURE THAT THE
RESTAURANTS ARE DOING THE RIGHT
THING.
I DEFINITELY LIKE TO SAY TO
EVERYONE THAT WE ARE, THAT
ACTUALLY THE LOCAL --

>> Emily: VERY IMPRESSIVE.

>> LOCAL LENGTH DEPARTMENT
FORESEES THINGS LIKE THIS
HAPPENING.
THERE'S ALREADY HELD TO A
STANDARD IN CASE THINGS LIKE
THIS HAPPEN.

>> Emily: YOU MIGHT BE
SKIMPING ON BECAUSE NO WAY THE
BOARD OF HEALTH CAN RUN AROUND
TO EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS, GOOD
TO KNOW THAT --

>> YOU HAD TO BE PREPARED THAT
THEY WILL, YOU WANT TO DO THE
RIGHT THING ANYWAY.

>> WE APPRECIATE THAT.
IN NEWTON WHERE OUR HEALTH
INSPECTORS ARE CONTACTING LOCAL
BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE, WE
APPRECIATE BILTMORE AND OTHERS
THAT HAVE DONE THAT.

>> Emily: I SPOKE TO THE
MAYOR ABOUT THIS, I THOUGHT THE
HUNGER WALK, A GREAT CHARITY, I
TALKED TO ALAN PARKER ABOUT IT
SHE KNOWS THE CRITICISM, YOU SEE
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THEY WERE
DRINKING A LOT OF WATER AND
LITTERING, IT WAS COMPLICATED BY
THIS WATER DISASTER BECAUSE
PEOPLE WERE -- EVERYBODY WAS OUT
TRYING TO GET SOMEWHERE, TO GET
WATER OR DO SOMETHING, GET
AROUND THE ISSUE.
WAS THERE EVER DISCUSSION ABOUT
MAYBE MOVING THE EVENT OR
CANCELLING IT FOR THE DAY?

>> WE DIDN'T ENTER IN TO THE
DISCUSSIONS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY INCIDENTS
THAT I KNOW OF.
I MET WITH MY POLICE CHIEF THIS
MORNING OVER THE WEEKEND AND
REVIEWING WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE
WEEKEND.
AS FAR AS I KNOW WE DIDN'T HAVE
ANY REAL PROBLEMS IN NEWTON.
BUT WE SHOULD ALWAYS EXAMINE OUR
PROCEDURES WHEN EVENTS OCCUR
DURING --

>> Emily: PLANNING WAS NO
GOOD.
WOULDN'T YOUR BUSINESS DO WELL
ON THAT DAY BECAUSE SO MANY
OTHER PEOPLE --

>> EVERYONE IS OUT AND ABOUT.
CERTAIN ROADS ARE BLOCKED OFF.
WOULD HAVE BEEN A BUSIER DAY.
I THINK A LITTLE TOO LITTLE TOO
LATE.
WHAT TIME DID IT START?

>> Emily: 8:30.

>> WE DIDN'T FIND OUT --

>> Emily: IT WAS SUNDAY.

>> THE PLANNING IS ALREADY
THERE, FIND OUT LATE IN THE DAY
SATURDAY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY
PLANNED ON WALKING.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

>> Emily: WE GOT THE WORD OUT
ABOUT THE WATER, COULD HAVE
GOTTEN THE WORD ABOUT THAT.
WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?
WHAT ARE THEY TELLING YOU,
SUPPOSED TO BE TESTS DONE SOME
AFTERNOON THEY THINK THEY'RE
GOING TO HAVE THE RIMS TODAY AND
ANY UPDATES?

>> I'M HEARING HOPEFULLY WITHIN
THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS WE'LL
HAVE WATER THAT'S SAFE TO DRINK
AS YOU STATED.
ISSUING TESTING TO MAKE SURE
IT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND.
I DO WANT TO ADD, THE GOVERNOR
PERSONALLY REACHED OUT TO MYSELF
I KNOW AND OTHER MUNICIPAL
LEADERS, MWRA KEPT ME INFORMED
ALONG THE WAY.
I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS VERY
MUCH.
NOT ONLY ATTACKING THIS TO GET
THE PIPE FIXED GET IT UP AND
RUNNING BUT STAYING WITH
COMMUNICATION WITH MYSELF AND
STAFF.

>> Emily: I WAS CURIOUS
WHETHER IT PUT IDEA IN YOUR HEAD
ABOUT FUTURE KINDS OF BACK-UP
PLANS, SOMETHING MORE PERMANENT
IN PLACE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.
ANY TIME YOU THINK IT HAPPENS,
HOW CAN WE MAKE IT BETTER NEXT
TIME.
WE DO HAVE A SYSTEM, CERAMIC
SNOWMAN TYPE THING THAT WE USE
ANYWAY IN OUR DINING ROOM.
WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH OUR
TAP WATER ANYWAY.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME IN
VERY HANDY, PUT IT THAT WAY.
ABSOLUTELY, AS FAR AS BACKUPS OF
PRODUCTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, MAKE
US BE BETTER PREPARED.

>> Emily: JASON OWENS FROM
BILTMORE BAR AND GRILLE AND
MAYOR SETTI WARREN, PLEASURE TO
HAVE YOU.
WHEN WE CONTINUE THE LIFE
SENTENCE FOR JOHN ODGREN.