Preparedness, LLC

NFPA 1600-2010 edition for iPhone

2011-06-30T15:25:00.002-04:00

The iPhone app for the 2010 edition of NFPA 1600 “Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs” is now available in the iTunes App Store

Please note there is a $4.99 fee for this app.

If you want details on NFPA 1600 from the committee chair, go to the NFPA 1600 resource page on the Preparedness, LLC website.

NFPA awarded contract to update FEMA’s Ready Business web content

2011-06-24T11:45:00.003-04:00

June 23, 2011 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has been awarded a contract by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to update the web-based content of Ready Business, part of the Ready.gov website. This effort will bring the content of Ready Business into alignment with the current (2010) edition of NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/ Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs.

The Ready Business website is designed to assist small and mid-size businesses in preparing for emergencies such as natural occurrences, technology failures, and accidental or intentional human-caused incidents. It addresses the concepts of business continuity and crisis management. The current Ready Business content was designed around the requirements of an earlier edition of NFPA 1600.

NFPA president James Shannon said: “We are pleased that FEMA has again chosen to use NFPA 1600 as the basis for the content in Ready Business. It is a unique preparedness standard as it addresses both business continuity and protection of employees – businesses’ and communities’ most valuable resource.”

NFPA 1600 has been recognized in the 9/11 Commission Report as well as the Homeland Security Act and its subsequent amendments, as a national standard for preparedness programs to protect enterprises and people. The FEMA Private Sector Preparedness Program, PS Prep, recognizes NFPA 1600 as a standard to which preparedness plans should be structured and measured. NFPA 1600 is available as a free PDF download or as a mobile app.

Above-Normal Hurricane Season Forecast

2011-05-20T08:39:00.002-04:00

The Atlantic basin is expected to see an above-normal hurricane season this year, according to the seasonal outlook issued by NOAA's Climate Prediction Center - a division of the National Weather Service.

Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is predicting the following ranges this year:

12 to 18 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which:
6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including:
3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher)

Each of these ranges has a 70 percent likelihood, and indicate that activity will exceed the seasonal average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.

"The United States was fortunate last year. Winds steered most of the season's tropical storms and all hurricanes away from our coastlines," said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "However we can't count on luck to get us through this season. We need to be prepared, especially with this above-normal outlook."

Climate factors considered for this outlook are:

The continuing high activity era. Since 1995, the tropical multi-decadal signal has brought ocean and atmospheric conditions conducive for development in sync, leading to more active Atlantic hurricane seasons.
Warm Atlantic Ocean water. Sea surface temperatures where storms often develop and move across the Atlantic are up to two degrees Fahrenheit warmer-than-average.
La Niña, which continues to weaken in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, is expected to dissipate later this month or in June, but its impacts such as reduced wind shear are expected to continue into the hurricane season.

"In addition to multiple climate factors, seasonal climate models also indicate an above-normal season is likely, and even suggest we could see activity comparable to some of the active seasons since 1995," said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.

Are you prepared? Check out the Resources page of the Preparedness, LLC website. These resources can help you enhance your hurricane preparedness and response plan.

Update on NFPA 1600 2013 Edition

2011-04-29T19:38:00.005-04:00

Here is an update on the 2013 edition of NFPA 1600 that I wrote for the "Meet the Experts" column in the April 27th issue of Continuity e-Guide, Disaster Resource Guide.

Work on the 2013 edition of NFPA 1600 "Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs" is well underway. The technical committee met in Orlando in late March to continue the research and development of what will become the sixth edition of the standard. The technical committee is also asking for public input for new content or revisions to existing text.

Technical Committee

The technical committee that writes NFPA 1600 was formed in 1991 by the National Fire Protection Association, a 115 year old non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life. It includes up to 36 principal, voting members plus alternates representing a broad spectrum of private sector companies, and federal, state, and local government. In addition to the principal and alternate committee members, the committee has formed numerous task groups comprised of non-member, subject matter experts to research and develop content for the standard. The standard is written in accordance with NFPA's ANSI accredited standards development process ensuring there is wide participation and consensus.

The committee is sensitive to the balance between writing prescriptive requirements and writing a standard that is widely applicable and not overly burdensome. Achieving this balance has resulted in just over six pages of concise requirements in chapters 1 through 8 and numerous annexes, which provide explanatory and supporting information. This approach continues with the 2013 edition.

Changes for the 2013 Edition

The technical committee has organized 14 task groups to research new content and revisions for the 2013 edition. Task groups are developing new and revised language on family preparedness, information technology, measurement, partnerships, and requirements for small “entities.” In addition, other task groups are working to expand the annexes, which provide nonmandatory guidance for users.

Recognizing that the availability of members of emergency management and business continuity teams is dependent on the preparedness of these employees, their families, and their homes, a task group on family preparedness was organized. The task group has drafted text to address the need for family preparedness (which will probably appear in the body of the standard) and additional explanatory text that will be included in the non-mandatory annexes.

Information technology is essential to every organization, so a task group of IT professionals was organized to review existing text on risk assessment, business impact analysis, recovery strategies, and the annexes to ensure that text adequately and appropriately addresses current and emerging technologies. The task group has submitted recommendations for additional text to be added to the body of the standard and additional supporting guidance in the annexes.

The 2010 edition of NFPA 1600 was reordered to follow a program development and continuous improvement process. A crosswalk between the program elements of NFPA 1600 and the ordering of a management system standard was introduced with the 2010 edition. The committee is taking this effort to the next level by rewriting Annex C to become a standalone management system standard that can be adopted by the entity in place of chapters 1 – 8.

Standards alone do not achieve preparedness. NFPA 1600 calls for the creation of a program committee of persons to develop the program and keep it current. For the 2013 edition, a task group has been researching how to define competencies for persons involved in the program. Another task group is addressing the subject of “measurement,” which is central to the need of determining whether the emergency management and business continuity program meets the needs of the entity. At this point in time it remains to be seen whether the committee will vote to accept substantial changes to the requirements of the standard in these two areas. It’s likely that supporting and explanatory text will be added to one or more annexes to assist the user of the standard.

The need for a “scalable” standard for smaller organizations was identified following the passage of Title IX of Public Law 110-53 and its language regarding small business preparedness. In response, another task group is writing a draft standard for small entities.

Continuing the evolution of the standard, the committee is looking for requirements that are unclear or incomplete, and this is always an area where users can provide input. Terminology is a challenge within the practice of emergency management and business continuity. A definitions task group continues to look at the use of terms within the standard and the need to include additional definitions—even though the committee has generally resisted defining words that are adequately defined in the dictionary. Another area of focus is the definition of planning requirements for all phases of the program. Are requirements for plans and procedures clear? If you don’t think so, let the committee know.

Public Proposals and Comments Requested

Since its first edition, the technical committee has received hundreds of proposals and comments from professionals that use the standard. The committee is soliciting your input on the 2013 edition. The 2010 edition is available for free download. You can submit your proposals and comments by downloading, completing, and return a Document Proposal Form (Microsoft Word format). Instructions for submitting the form via mail, fax, or email are included at the bottom of the form. The deadline for submissions is May 23, 2011.

The first draft of the 2013 edition will be published for public review by December 23. Once published, public comments on the draft will be accepted until March 2, 2012. Following the second round of public comments the committee will meet to finalize and vote on the draft prior to issuance by NFPA as early as November 2012.

New National Terrorism Advisory System

2011-04-25T09:00:00.005-04:00

April 20, 2011

The Secretary of Homeland Security has announced the implementation of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)— that will provide timely information to the public about credible terrorist threats. This system replaces the former five color-coded alert system.

Under NTAS, DHS will coordinate with other federal entities to issue detailed alerts to the public when the federal government receives information about a credible terrorist threat. NTAS alerts provide a concise summary of the potential threat including geographic region, mode of transportation, or critical infrastructure potentially affected by the threat, actions being taken to ensure public safety, as well as recommended steps that individuals, communities, business and governments can take to help prevent, mitigate or respond to a threat. NTAS Alerts will include a clear statement on the nature of the threat, which will be defined in one of two ways:

“Elevated Threat”: Warns of a credible terrorist threat against the United States
“Imminent Threat”: Warns of a credible, specific, and impending terrorist threat against the United States

Depending on the nature of the threat, alerts may be sent to law enforcement, distributed to affected areas of the private sector, or issued more broadly to the public through both official and social media channels—including a designated DHS webpage (www.dhs.gov/alerts), Facebook, and via Twitter @NTASAlerts. NTAS alerts and posters will also be displayed in places such as transit hubs, airports and government buildings.

NTAS threat alerts will be issued for a specific time period and will automatically expire. Alerts may be extended if new information becomes available or as a specific threat evolves.

Our National Preparedness Standard, NFPA 1600 “Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs” calls for conducting a risk assessment to “identify hazards and monitor those hazards and the likelihood of their occurrence.” It also calls for “a process to monitor the identified hazards and adjust the level of preventive measures to be commensurate with the risk.” The National Terrorism Advisory System is an example of monitoring terrorism and the likelihood of occurrence. Each organization’s emergency management and business continuity program should identify actions that will be taken to enhance security and protect personnel, facilities, and business operations when advisories are issued. Guidance can be found on the "Resources Page" of the Preparedness, LLC website. We have developed customized action plans for many of our clients.

Submit Proposals for 2013 Edition of NFPA 1600

2011-03-28T15:40:00.000-04:00

The National Fire Protection Association is in the process of developing the 2013 edition of NFPA 1600 “Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs.” Originally published in 1995, development of the 2013 edition (its 6th edition) is well underway.

We encourage our readers to review the 2010 edition of NFPA 1600 and submit suggested revisions to NFPA. You can submit your suggested additions or revisions online via NFPA’s Online Submission System (see links below), or you can download and complete a Document Proposal Form (Microsoft Word format). Instructions for submitting the form via mail, fax, or email are included at the bottom of the form.

The deadline for submissions is May 23, 2011.

The NFPA 1600 technical committee will meet over the summer to review all submissions and issue a first draft of the 2013 edition. Committee action on your suggestions will be published for public review. Following publication of the first draft, there will be a second opportunity to submit commits before the 2013 edition is published around the end of 2012.

Questions

If you have questions, please contact Mr. Orlando Hernandez, NFPA’s staff liaison to the NFPA 1600 technical committee. He can be reached at (617) 984-7482 or ohernandez@nfpa.org.

FBI Official Sees 100% Likelihood of WMD Strike on U.S.

2011-02-20T09:17:00.001-05:00

Global Security Newswire, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011. A senior FBI official said there is a 100 percent chance that the United States at some time will be attacked with a weapon of mass destruction, Newsmax reported on Monday (see GSN, Feb. 14).

"The notion of probability of a WMD attack being low or high is a moot point because we know the probability is 100 percent," FBI Assistant Director for the WMD Directorate Vahid Majidi said. "We’ve seen this in the past, and we will see it in the future. There is going to be an attack using chemical, biological or radiological material."

Majidi said the expected WMD attack could be carried out by an international terrorist group, a lone actor or a criminal operation. An incident would be expected to feature a weapon less devastating than a nuclear bomb due to the difficulty in preparing and transferring such as device.

Protective Actions for Life Safety

2011-01-26T10:56:00.002-05:00

There are many goals for a preparedness program—property protection, business resiliency, environmental protection, and protection of an organization’s brand, image and reputation. The first goal of a preparedness program should be the protection of life safety.

There are many hazards that could jeopardize life safety. Fires, severe weather, a spill or release of hazardous chemicals, an act of terrorism, or an act of violence in the workplace are just a few examples. Development of the preparedness program should include a risk assessment to identify possible hazards, their probabilities of occurrence, and the vulnerability of people, property, the environment, and the entity itself (NFPA 1600: 5.4).

The emergency operations/response plan should include actions to protect life safety from credible hazards identified during the risk assessment. Protective actions for life safety include:

Evacuation
Shelter-In-Place
Lockdown

In this eNewsletter, we will explore the basics for each of these protective actions.

Download the eNewsletter in Adobe PDF format …

Read other Preparedness, LLC eNewsletters ...

OSHA proposes $233,500 in fines against Home Goods for exit hazards

2010-02-02T07:43:00.002-05:00

OSHA proposed $233,500 in fines against Home Goods for exit access, fire and crushing hazards at its Commack, N.Y., store. Responding to an employee complaint, OSHA found exit routes that were too narrow for passage, blocked by stock and equipment, or hidden by stacks of material. Other hazards included blocked access to fire extinguishers, workers not trained in fire extinguisher use, and boxes stored in unstable 8-foot high tiers. OSHA had cited Home Goods in 2006 and 2007 for similar conditions at the company's Mount Olive, N.J., and Somers, N.Y., locations. “It's been 99 years since the fire at The Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York City took the lives of nearly 150 workers and almost 19 years since two workers were killed when they were unable to exit the McCrory’s store in Huntington Station, N.Y., during a fire,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels. "Blocked fire exits can be deadly. It is that simple." For more information, read the OSHA news release.

Requirements for the number, capacity, marking, illumination, and arrangements for exits (also referred to as “means of egress”) are specified within building codes and the Life Safety Code®. Requirements for maintenance of means of egress and emerency planning are included in fire prevention codes.

OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910 Subpart E – Means of Egress (Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, and Fire Prevention Plans) prescribes requirements for exits. Section 1910.35 states:

“An employer who demonstrates compliance with the exit route provisions of NFPA 101-2000, the Life Safety Code®, will be deemed to be in compliance with the corresponding requirements in §§ 1910.34, 1910.36, and 1910.37.”

One of the fundamental aspects of an emergency response plan is the ability to safely evacuate occupants from a building. The ability to detect a threat or hazard, warn occupants, and then take protective action (e.g., evacuation, lockdown or shelter-in-place) is critical.

Review your emergency plan. Can you promptly detect an incident, warn occupants, and move everyone to safety? Take a look at the planning guidance on the “Resources” page of the Preparedness, LLC website for more information.

NFPA 1600-2010 Edition Released

2010-01-19T13:41:00.007-05:00

The 2010 edition of NFPA 1600 “Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs” has been published by the National Fire Protection Association. Download the 2010 and 2007 editions from the NFPA website.

The 2010 edition has undergone significant revisions as a result of the record number of public proposals and comments and committee activity. Changes include:

The standard has been reordered following a program development process. Chapter 4: Program Management, Chapter 5: Planning, Chapter 6: Implementation, Chapter 7: Testing & Exercises, and Chapter 8: Program Improvement.
Many new definitions have been added
Program management has been expanded to address Leadership and Commitment, Performance Objectives, and Records Management.
Planning now includes a separate section on Business Impact Analysis.
Chapter 6, Implementation, has been expanded to include a new section on Employee Assistance and Support. Existing sections of this chapter have been expanded.
New Chapter 7, Testing & Exercises, expands significantly on the requirements for exercises.
New Chapter 8, Program Improvement, expands on the requirements for program reviews and corrective action.
The annexes now include a self-assessment checklist and a crosswalk to management system guidelines.

Additional information on the latest edition of NFPA 1600 can be found in our eNewsletter. Also, check out the "NFPA 1600" page on the Preparedness, LLC website. Resources to help with the development of your emergency management and business continuity program can be found on the “Resources” page.

NFPA 1600-2010 Edition Effective December 5, 2009

2009-12-10T08:37:00.003-05:00

NFPA 1600-2010 edition has been forwarded to NFPA’s Standards Council for issuance and will carry an effective date of December 5, 2009. NFPA advises me that the 2010 edition will be available for free download probably by the second week in January.

For updates on NFPA 1600 and to learn about the 2010 edition, please check out the “NFPA 1600 Resource Page” on the Preparedness, LLC website.

Podcast on NFPA 1600-2010 Edition

2009-12-03T16:57:00.002-05:00

Don Schmidt, Chair of the NFPA Technical Committee on Emergency Management and Business Continuity (NFPA 1600), discusses the 2010 edition of NFPA 1600 and the Department of Homeland Security's intention to designate it for use in the Public Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification (PS-PREP) program.

http://www.garageband.com/mp3cat/.UZCPZSyG56Gn/01_December_2009.mp3

NFPA 1600 and 14 NFPA first responder codes and standards receive DHS designation as “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology”

2009-11-20T16:52:00.002-05:00

November 20, 2009 – NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs and 14 other NFPA codes and standards have been designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology” (QATT) under the Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act). This is the first block of standards to receive this designation by DHS. Under the provisions of the SAFETY Act, these standards were also certified as “Approved Product(s) for Homeland Security.”

In September of 2008, NFPA was the first standards development organization to receive this designation for its codes and standards development process.

According to DHS, the SAFETY Act encourages the development and deployment of new and innovative anti-terrorism products and services by providing liability protections. Designation as a QATT and certification as an approved product for homeland security under the SAFETY Act provides legal protections for the NFPA codes and standards development process and now these 15 individual codes and standards as applied to anti-terrorism.

The 15 standards are listed in the NFPA press release linked to the title of this blog. They address emergency preparedness, first responder competencies and professional qualifications, personal protective equipment and specialized tools. NFPA 1600 is also one of three standards that DHS has announced it intends to adopt for application to the PS-Prep Program, a voluntary private sector preparedness program designed to improve the ability of private sector entities to withstand and recover from disasters including terrorism.

“NFPA is pleased to have these standards recognized as anti-terrorism technologies which are important in protecting first responders to terrorist events and also in improving the ability of our infrastructure to mitigate and recover from such events while protecting people and property,” said James M. Shannon, NFPA president.

Federal protections under the DHS designation and certification are retroactive and recognize NFPA’s technologies “earliest date of sale” as September 11, 2001.

All NFPA safety codes and standards are developed through a process accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The more than 250 technical committees responsible for developing and updating all 300 codes and standards include approximately 4,000 volunteers, representing enforcing authorities, installers and maintainers, labor, research and testing laboratories, insurers, special experts, consumers and other users.

NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

DHS announces intent to adopt NFPA 1600 standard for the Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program

2009-10-28T16:20:00.005-04:00

"October 28, 2009 – NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs has been designated for adoption under the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program (PS-Prep).

DHS/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has published a request for comments in the Federal Register seeking public input on NFPA 1600 and two other standards that it intends to use as the criteria for certification of private sector preparedness programs as mandated by Congress in legislation that implemented the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations. The agency considered 25 standards and selected three based on scalability, balance of interest, and relevance to the PS-Prep program. NFPA encourages all interested parties to provide input to DHS/FEMA concerning the selection of standards for the PS Prep Program and to support the use of NFPA 1600 for this national program.

NFPA has made NFPA 1600 available for free viewing and PDF downloads. Since making it publicly available in 2005, there have been over 120,000 PDF downloads. It is also available as a free iPhone application.

Please submit your comments to FEMA by November 16, 2009. An electronic comment form and instructions are available at http://www.regulations.gov/ in Docket ID: FEMA-2008-0017-0100. Additional information on the PS-Prep program is available from FEMA.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, NFPA 1600 was endorsed in the 9/11 Commission’s report. The 9/11 Commission’s recommendation on private sector preparedness and NFPA 1600 was reiterated in Public Law 108-458 in 2004 and most recently in Title IX of Public Law 110-53. Title IX calls for the voluntary certification of private sector preparedness programs. In addition to the endorsement of the 9/11 Commission, NFPA 1600 has been adopted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the category of Incident Management System Standards along with 26 other NFPA standards.

Development of NFPA 1600 began in 1991, and the first edition was promulgated in 1995. New editions have been published in 2000, 2004, and 2007. The 2010 edition has just been completed. Throughout its history, NFPA 1600 has been developed by subject matter experts from both the private and public sectors. Private sector input has come from a broad range of industries including those that control our nation’s critical infrastructure.

NFPA 1600 addresses emergency management, business continuity, crisis communications, and recovery in a holistic framework that includes organization, management, risk assessment, prevention, mitigation, resource management, response, continuity, and recovery. NFPA 1600 is aligned with the Disaster Recovery Institute’s 10 Professional Practices for Business Continuity. The standard recognizes and provides the flexibility entities need when developing individual preparedness programs and does not preclude the use of corporate or industry best practices.

The Canadian Standard Association’s Z1600 standard correlates with NFPA 1600 and was developed under license from NFPA to be used as the national preparedness standard in Canada. Besides becoming the most widely used preparedness standard in North America, NFPA 1600 has gained significant attention in Latin American and Asia. Most recently NFPA 1600 has been adopted as the national preparedness standard in Argentina. It is translated and used by national standards bodies in Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Korea, Thailand, Tobago, and Trinidad. It is also being used by European insurance companies.

Links to Title IX of Public Law 110-53, NFPA 1600, the designated standards, and resources for development of your emergency management and business continuity program can be found on the Preparedness, LLC website.

Proposed Standards for Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Certification Program Announced

2009-10-16T07:36:00.002-04:00

WASHINGTON—Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced new proposed standards for a 9/11 Commission-recommended program for the private sector to improve preparedness for disasters and emergencies.

“Preparedness is a shared responsibility and everyone—including businesses, universities and non-profit organizations—has a role to play,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Ensuring our private sector partners have the information and training they need to respond to disasters will strengthen our efforts to build a culture of preparedness nationwide.”

DHS published a notice in the Federal Register today seeking public comment on three new standards identified for adoption under the Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program (PS-Prep). PS-Prep is a partnership between DHS and the private sector that enables private entities—including businesses, non-profit organizations and universities—to receive emergency preparedness certification from a DHS accreditation system created in coordination with the private sector.

The notice proposes new PS-Prep standards to enhance operational resilience, business continuity management, and disaster and emergency management among participating private sector partners.

NFPA 1600 “Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs”
BS 25999
ASIS SPC.1

The proposed standards, developed by the National Fire Protection Association, the British Standards Institution and the ASIS International, were selected based on their scalability, balance of interest and relevance to PS-Prep from a group of 25 standards proposed for consideration following the publication of a Federal Register notice in December 2008 announcing the program.

In addition to the standards in the notice posted today, DHS is establishing classifications and methods of certifications that recognize the unique needs and characteristics of small businesses.

Individuals wishing to submit comments on the proposed standards, recommend additional standards for consideration or comment on other programmatic aspects of PS-Prep may obtain a comment form and instructions for submission online at www.regulations.gov, in Docket ID: FEMA-2008-0017. DHS requests comments by Nov. 15, though it will accept submissions at any time thereafter.

For more information, visit http://www.fema.gov/privatesectorpreparedness/.

As chair of NFPA’s Technical Committee on Emergency Management and Business Continuity, which is responsible for NFPA 1600, I have been involved in the PS-PREP program since the legislation was been written by Senator’s Lieberman’s staff. I have posted links to all of the related documents and organizations to the "Standards" and "Public Law 110-53" section of “Resources” page of the Preparedness, LLC website. In addition, I have posted a self-evaluation checklist on NFPA 1600 to the website.

After the 30 day comment period is over, DHS will finalize the list of standards. ANAB now has to finalize the accreditation rule and begin the process of certifying third parties to evaluate private sector programs. Only then can the certifying bodies begin evaluating any programs.

BrightTALK's Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Summit

2009-10-01T08:25:00.002-04:00

Checkout BrightTALK’s Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Summit on October 6. This summit will feature leading experts exploring strategies and tactics to build a strong business continuity and recovery plan within an enterprise, the right technology choices for business recovery and best practices and tips to develop a strategy and architecture to meet 24/7 availability and recovery requirements.

I will be presenting at 3:00 PM Eastern Time on the subject of “Enterprise Preparedness Using Our National Preparedness Standard.” I will be discussing the essential elements of an enterprise preparedness program and provide information on NFPA 1600’s current edition and the upcoming 2010 edition.

Click here for a link to the full program or to my webinar session.

Atlantic Hurricane Forecast Update

2009-08-05T16:15:00.002-04:00

Forecasters William Gray and Philip J. Klotzbach of Colorado State University have adjusted their forecast for the Atlantic Basin hurricane season.

“Information obtained through July 2009 indicates that the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season will be less active than the average 1950-2000 season due largely to the development of an El Niño. We estimate that 2009 will have about:

4 hurricanes (average is 5.9)
10 named storms (average is 9.6)
45 named storm days (average is 49.1)
18 hurricane days (average is 24.5)
2 major (Category 3-4-5) hurricanes (average is 2.3)
4 major hurricane days (average is 5.0)

The probability of U.S. major hurricane landfall and Caribbean major hurricane activity is estimated to be below the long-period average. We expect Atlantic basin Net Tropical Cyclone activity in 2009 to be approximately 85 percent of the long-term average. We have decreased our seasonal forecast slightly from early June.”

Unfortunately, it only takes one severe, landfalling hurricane to cause a lot of damage (Hurricane Andrew in 1992 for example). Monitor the weather forecasts and make sure your hurricane preparedness plan is ready.

NFPA and DRI International Partner to Offer Preparedness Program Auditor Training

2009-07-25T12:52:00.004-04:00

Boston, MA / New York, NY; July 22, 2009 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI) have joined forces to create an education and certification program that will qualify participants to audit disaster/emergency management and business continuity programs against existing standards and regulations. Certifications available are: Certified Business Continuity Auditor (CBCA) or Certified Business Continuity Lead Auditor (CBCLA).

NFPA, the authority on fire and life safety, and DRI, the leading certification and education body in business continuity planning, today announced a new interactive certification program that provides training, tools and hands-on experience. Through the program, participants will be able to apply the key components of disaster/emergency management and business continuity, the relevant standards, laws and regulations, the process of risk assessment, vulnerability analysis, loss prevention, risk mitigation, and develop, implement, test and maintain their plans and procedures.

“Professionals dealing with the growing need for disaster management and business continuity planning have been clamoring for a turnkey solution to help them measure the level of their organization’s preparedness against appropriate standards and regulations, and this certification program answer that call, “ said NFPA’s Bob Vondrasek, vice president for technical projects “This unique interactive program uses tools that allow novice and experienced corporate planners, internal and external auditors, and those interested in self-assessing their programs, or their clients’ programs, to perform an audit to better measure their state of preparedness.”

Course materials delve into existing legal and regulatory requirements by industry and country, as well as emerging requirements including: NFPA 1600, DRI International’s professional practices, financial services, insurance, healthcare, utilities, public sector guidelines and many others are explored. In addition, careful attention is given to the processes by which disaster/emergency management and business continuity programs are initiated with an eye toward corporate governance, policy, and procedures.

“Education is the key to success for professionals working in environments where they are expected to be well versed in the ever growing set of regulatory requirements, and laws and standards,” said DRI International Executive Director Al Berman. “This certification gives participants the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, experience to help entities assess their preparedness programs, which is something that is increasingly needed.”

At the end of the course, a qualifying examination is conducted and individuals who have passed will be eligible to apply for certification as a Certified Business Continuity Auditor (CBCA) or Certified Business Continuity Lead Auditor (CBCLA). The certification level (CBCA or CBCLA) will be granted based upon the amount of demonstrated audit experience of the applicant. Those seeking the CBCLA designation will be required to provide references to verify that they have at least five years of active audit experience. The certification will be granted by DRI International, the largest business continuity certification organization in the world. DRI International has certified over 12,000 applicants in over 90countries in its 20 year history.

National Fire Protection Association

DRI International

Thunderstorms, Lightning & Tornadoes - eNewsletter

2009-07-23T09:51:00.003-04:00

Summer is thunderstorm season, and thunderstorms bring lightning, heavy rainfall, hail, and tornadoes. Resulting fatalities, property damage, and losses from business interruption are significant. Natural hazards can’t be prevented, but emergency management can protect life, mitigation can reduce property damage, and business continuity planning can speed recovery and reduce operational impacts.

What is the potential impact on your business from a lightning strike or surge? What would you do if a tornado warning were issued?

Review this eNewsletter to learn more about the hazards of thunderstorms, lightning, and tornadoes. Identify mitigation opportunities and considerations for your emergency management and business continuity program.

http://www.preparednessllc.com/enewsletter/enewsletter_home.html

NFPA 1600-2007 Edition iPhone Application

2009-07-13T10:00:00.005-04:00

The National Fire Protection Association, an ANSI accredited standards developing organization, has made the 2007 edition of NFPA 1600 "Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs" available as an application for your iPhone.

Through this application NFPA 1600 is fully searchable and is equipped with active links as well as phone numbers for NFPA and other agencies involved with emergency management programs, risk mitigation, and response.

A link to download the application, an introduction to NFPA 1600, the history of NFPA 1600, news, resources to assist with implementation of NFPA 1600, and other information can be found on the Preparedness, LLC website.

NFPA 1600-2010 Edition "Report on Comments" Posted to NFPA's Website

2009-07-10T16:52:00.002-04:00

NFPA's Technical Committee on Emergency Management and Business Continuity, which is responsible for NFPA 1600 "Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs," met in St. Louis March 17-19 to act on a record number of public comments. The committee's report (known as the "Report on Comments") developed during the St. Louis meeting has been posted to the NFPA website. The "Report on Comments" incorporates the technical committee's actions on the public and committee comments, and it includes a "preprint" edition of the 2010 edition of NFPA 1600.

An introduction to NFPA 1600, the history of NFPA 1600, news, resources to assist wtih implementation of NFPA 1600, and other information can be found on the Preparedness, LLC website.

Hurricane Preparedness

2009-05-28T13:48:00.004-04:00

Hurricane season begins on June 1 and forecasters predict an “average” or “near normal” season. Fewer hurricanes, however, do not necessarily mean a lesser threat of disaster. Records for the most intense U.S. hurricane (1935 Florida Keys hurricane) and the second costliest, Andrew in 1992, occurred in years which had much below-average hurricane activity.

A recent survey of business leaders also indicates businesses may not be as prepared as they should be. Interviews of 100 U.S. and Canadian financial executives from large U.S. and Canadian corporations for the FM Global commissioned 2008 Natural Disaster Business Risk Study found that 48 percent are not well-prepared for a hurricane.

2009 Hurricane Season Forecast

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasters predict a near-normal Atlantic hurricane season is most likely this year. Forecasters say there is a 70 percent chance of having nine to 14 named storms, of which four to seven could become hurricanes, including one to three major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5).

In their April 7 forecast Professor William Gray and Philip Klotzbach at Colorado State University foresee average activity for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. “We anticipate an average probability of United States major hurricane landfall.”

The Colorado State University scientists are forecasting:

12 named storms
6 hurricanes
2 intense hurricanes (category 3, 4, or 5)
54% probability of at least one major (category 3-4-5) hurricane making landfall in the United States

Professor Mark Saunders and Dr. Adam Lea from the Aon Benfield Hazard Research Centre at the University College London predict an active hurricane season with a “high likelihood that activity will be in the top one-third of years historically.”

Hurricane Hazards

Hurricane hazards include damaging wind, hurricane-spawned tornadoes, flooding from heavy rainfall, and coastal flooding from storm surge. Cascading impacts result from damage to critical infrastructure including electrical power, telecommunications, and transportation. Hurricane Katrina proved that these cascading impacts include widespread supply chain disruption.

Wind

High winds from a tropical storm or hurricane can damage buildings in many ways, and roofs are particularly vulnerable. Perimeter flashing can be loosened or removed. Failure of perimeter flashing allows wind to lift a portion of the roof covering and insulation. The covering may peel back, and roof deck panels may be dislodged.

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) and equipment, antennas and satellite dishes, stacks, vent pipes, sky lights, and other fixtures and equipment on top of the roof may be damaged by the wind or by windblown “missiles”—objects or debris carried by the wind.

High winds and windblown debris also break windows and window assemblies, open poorly secured doors, and blow wall cladding in or out. When high winds are able to penetrate a building envelope, they increase internal building pressures that can result in structural damage to walls and roofs. Openings in walls or the roof allow rain to enter causing water damage to building contents.

Flooding

High winds may not be the most significant hazard from tropical cyclones. Heavy rainfall associated with a slow moving or stalled tropical system can cause regional flooding. A large portion of the damage in four of the twenty costliest tropical cyclones (1851-2006) resulted from inland floods caused by torrential rain. Tropical Storm Allison (2001) produced rainfall amounts of over 30 inches in portions of Louisiana and southeast Texas. The Houston tunnel system, depicted in Figure 2, was inundated with water.

Storm Surge

Storm surge is water that is pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds swirling around the storm. The advancing surge of water combines with the normal tides to create a hurricane storm tide.

The storm surge can increase the mean water level to heights impacting roads, buildings, and other critical infrastructure. In addition, wind driven waves are superimposed on the storm tide. This rise in water level can cause severe flooding in coastal areas, particularly when the storm tide coincides with the normal high tides.

In 2008 Hurricane Ike made landfall in Texas as a Category 2 hurricane. Although only a Category 2 hurricane (on a scale of 1 to 5), hurricane force winds extended as much as 125 mi from the center, and this large storm created a peak storm surge of 15-20 ft. By contrast, Hurricane Charley, which had Category 4 storm force winds extending only 25 mi from the center, had only a 6–7 ft. storm surge.

Because much of the United States' densely populated Atlantic and Gulf Coast coastlines lie less than 10 feet above mean sea level, the danger from storm surge is tremendous.

Tornadoes

Tornadoes are often produced by and embedded in hurricanes causing pockets of heavy damage. They are most likely to occur in the right-front quadrant of the hurricane, however, they are often found embedded in rainbands well away from the center of the hurricane.

Tornadoes can develop at any time of the day or night during landfall. Tornado production can occur for days after landfall when the tropical cyclone remnants maintain an identifiable low pressure circulation.

Studies have shown that more than half of the landfalling hurricanes produce at least one tornado; Hurricane Buelah (1967) spawned 141 according to one study.

Hazard Mitigation

Hazard mitigation can substantially reduce the damage caused by hurricanes. Property insurer FM Global compared the loss history of its policyholders that implemented its loss prevention recommendations with those with outstanding recommendations to complete. FM found that those policyholders that fully implemented its preparedness recommendations had on average 75% to 85% lower dollar losses than those policyholders that did not implement such measures [FM Global data provided to InterCEP ].

Prior to hurricane season survey the entire property and inspect all buildings to identify vulnerabilities. Begin at the roof level and inspect the flashing along the perimeter. Repair loose or damaged flashing and ensure sufficient mechanical fasteners are used.

Inspect the roof covering for evidence of ponding, blistering, alligatoring, delamination, surface erosion, or cracks that could result in tears or leaks. Verify that all access panels and doors to mechanical equipment and roof hatches have been properly secured. Confirm that all antennas, satellite dishes, and other appliances installed on the roof have been securely anchored.

Inspect all exterior walls for openings that could be penetrated by wind and evaluate methods to protect when a storm watch is issued. Consider installing glazing rated to withstand debris impact, hurricane shutters, or pre-cut plywood for protection of exterior glass that is especially vulnerable. Check all exterior doors—especially loose fitting, large overhead doors. Make exterior doors weather tight and equip them with secure latches.

Inspect exterior storage, tanks, equipment, signs, and vehicle storage and verify they are properly anchored to withstand expected wind forces. Identify what can be moved inside a building or removed from the site, if a storm watch is issued.

Focus on critical building areas, equipment, and utilities including data centers and process systems. Evaluate means to protect against damage from water entry in the event of structural damage or flooding.

Hurricane Preparedness & Response Team

Organize a hurricane preparedness and response team and appoint a person in charge. Assign responsibilities to each department head and ask each department to prepare a plan for preparing their department.

Department heads should become part of the team that directs hurricane preparedness activities when a hurricane watch is issued. They should meet periodically to manage preparedness efforts until the watch is rescinded or upgraded to a warning. This team also manages recovery after the storm.

Appoint staff for safety, crisis communications, liaison with external service providers and other company facilities. Assign responsibility for planning, logistics, and finance/administration in accordance with the Incident Command System.

Resources

There are many resources needed for hurricane preparedness. First, identify the complement of staff, including contract employees, needed to prepare your facility in the available time between a hurricane watch and hurricane warning.

Procure materials and equipment to prepare the facility including storm shutters, plywood, sandbags, and the power tools, equipment, and supplies to install them. A supply of tarpaulins and plastic sheeting can be used to cover valuable furnishings or equipment and provide temporary protection after a storm. Service pumps and emergency generators to ensure they are in good condition, and calculate the required quantity of fuel for each.

Procure weather monitoring equipment and ensure reliable access to broadcast and internet weather reports including forecasts from the National Hurricane Center. On-site weather monitoring equipment enable you to monitor local wind conditions and rainfall.

Evaluate communications capabilities assuming that landline telecommunications will be interrupted. Test communications equipment including two-way radios and satellite telephones. Evaluate how communications equipment could be used if roof mounted antennas are damaged.

Stockpile supplies for cleanup and repairs. Don’t forget food and water for employees restoring the facility.

Arrange in advance for procurement of equipment, supplies, and contractors from firms located well outside the immediate area for cleanup, repair, and restoration of buildings, equipment and stock. Establish mutual aid agreements with other company facilities outside the storm’s potential impact area.

Hurricane Preparedness Plan

Write a hurricane preparedness plan that includes multiple phases:

Before hurricane season
Tropical Storm or Hurricane Watch
Tropical Storm or Hurricane Warning
During the Storm (only if personnel must and are authorized to remain on-site during a storm)
After the Storm

Watch and warning phases can be expanded to include additional actions when a major hurricane has been forecast and to address a facility’s vulnerabilities to hurricane hazards.

Before Hurricane Season

Preparedness prior to hurricane season begins with conducting or reviewing the facility’s hurricane risk assessment, which is the basis for the hurricane plan.

Contact public officials to obtain the latest information on wind fields, storm surge, and flooding, which should be incorporated into your plan. If available, obtain official credentials for managers that will enable them to re-enter your facility after a storm but before the area is opened to the general public.

Walk the entire site and facility top to bottom to evaluate vulnerabilities and hazard mitigation. Complete hazard mitigation activities as soon as possible.

Review property insurance coverage including flood coverage, which may require a special endorsement. Evaluate business interruption limits especially if multiple facilities may be impacted by a single storm.

Verify that all resources required for preparing the facility for a hurricane are available and in good condition. This includes all pumps, generators, communications equipment, personal protective equipment, hand and power tools, and supplies.

Conduct training of all staff, so they know their role and responsibilities as defined in the plan. Conduct a tabletop exercise to familiarize the leaders of your hurricane preparedness and response team with the plan and identify any gaps or deficiencies.

Storm or Hurricane Watch

When a hurricane watch is issued, hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours. This section of the plan should detail all facility preparations.

Hurricane Warning

When a hurricane warning is issued, sustained winds greater than 74 mph or higher associated with a hurricane are expected in a specified coastal area in 24 hours or less. Preparations must be rushed to completion before any mandated evacuation order is issued.

After the Storm

A damage assessment protocol should be developed and assignments made to quickly assess the condition of infrastructure, buildings, utilities, furniture, equipment, and supplies. Prior to conducting the damage assessment, identify hazards such as downed electrical lines, leaking hazardous materials (e.g., liquids and gases), broken glass, and collapse hazards. Prohibit entry into unsafe areas.

Employee Family Preparedness

In addition to planning for your facility, be sure to provide preparedness information for employees to share with their families. Distribute information from Ready.gov and your local emergency management agency.

Ask all employees to develop a family disaster plan that includes a communications plan. Encourage them to prepare a family disaster kit. Make sure that you have emergency contact information for all employees, which includes the name and telephone numbers for a distant relative who can be contacted if the employee has evacuated.

Business Continuity Planning

Business continuity planning is in some ways easier with a forecasted event such as a hurricane. Data and paper records can be backed up offsite and systems can be shutdown without data loss. Relocation and or protection of raw materials, finished goods, equipment, supplies, and vital records can be accomplished before damaging winds or flood waters arrive.

However, a regional event such as a hurricane may impact a wide area that encompasses more than one company owned facility. Planning must address all facilities potentially impacted by the storm. Competition for resources including computer “hot sites” may be keen forcing some users to relocate great distances to available backup data centers or worksites.

Business continuity plans must be based on a business impact analysis that identifies the potential impacts from damage to or loss of all facilities within the path of a hurricane. Strategies must be developed to ensure the continuity of critical functions, processes, and services. Sufficient resources, outside of the area impacted by the storm, must be available even in the face of competition—even competition from government authorities. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, generators brought into storm damaged areas by private businesses were redirected by public officials and never reached their intended facility.

Plan for the Challenges

Hurricanes pose numerous challenges for emergency planning. Forecasting the intensity and landfall of an approaching storm is extremely difficult. Over the past 25 years “no statistically significant improvement or degradation is noted for landfall position forecasts. Time of landfall forecasts indicate significant improvement for the 19–30-hr period.” . Public officials have to be conservative and issue warnings sufficiently in advance of predicted landfall to allow residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate to safety inland. Mandatory evacuation orders may require completion of preparedness efforts earlier than expected.

Coordination with emergency management officials is essential to ensure you have the latest forecast, are aware of the timing for issuance of mandatory evacuation orders, and understand the time needed to safely evacuate on crowded roads.

The availability of resources to prepare a facility becomes limited when a hurricane watch is issued as businesses and citizens compete for materials and labor. Employees have to prepare their own homes and ensure the safety of family members.

A hurricane plan that accurately identifies the resources and time needed to prepare a facility has the greatest chance of success. Procuring necessary resources before hurricane season and arranging in advance for labor to assist with hurricane preparations is essential. Providing resources to protect the homes of managers will allow them to focus their attention on preparing your facility.

Build a project management plan that defines major tasks and the resources and time needed for completion. Use the timeline to calculate when preparations must begin, so they are completed before a mandatory evacuation order is issued.

Planning Resources

Numerous links to online planning resources can be found at the Preparedness, LLC website.

Natural Gas Explosion in Forestville, MD

2009-05-08T13:30:00.006-04:00

Having served as a firefighter in Prince Georges County, MD many years ago, my interest in a television news story was peaked last night. Firefighters in PG County responded to a natural gas leak and moments after evacuating the strip mall, it exploded.

Here is the accounting from PG County Fire/EMS:

"At 12:54 PM on Thursday, May 7, 2009, Prince George’s County Firefighter/Medics were dispatched on a call that no one is soon to forget. Firefighters were alerted to respond to the Penn-Mar Shopping Center, a large 1-story strip mall, in the 3400 Block of Donnell Drive in Forestville and arrived at 12:59 PM. First arriving crews initiated an investigation into a strong odor of natural gas inside the businesses. Firefighters evacuated 5 of the 6 stores that were in the area of the odor, a sixth store was vacant. Forty-five people were evacuated from the 5 stores and firefighters then started ventilation efforts and called for assistance of the Washington Gas Company. Firefighters discovered natural gas bubbling up from the ground on the exterior rear of the vacant store and minutes later reported that there was a fire on the interior. Within a minute, at about 1:20 PM, a massive explosion occurred. A MAYDAY call was sounded and additional resources including paramedics and a second alarm of firefighters were summoned to the scene."

Take this time to think about your facility. What if someone smells gas? What are you going to do? Take the time now to review your emergency plan to ensure it properly addresses gas leaks. Ensure the plan addresses:

prompt alerting of the public fire department and gas company
warning occupants to evacuate using travel paths that are away from the source of the gas leak
assembling evacuees at a location safely away from the potential blast zone (the North American Emergency Response Guidebook calls for isolating the leak area for at least 100 meters (330 feet) in all directions.)
and shuting off the gas (who should shutoff the gas, when is it safe to do so, where is the wrench, and how do you do it).

Video of the incident is linked to the Fox Television in Washington, DC. A YouTube video is also available. A brief audio from engine 826 is available from the PG County Fire/EMS website linked to the title of this blog article.

Pandemic Preparedness

2009-04-30T16:59:00.002-04:00

The World Health Organization has raised the current phase of pandemic alert to 5. “Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.”

The number of infections and severity of illness of this influenza outbreak is hard to estimate at this time. Therefore, it is prudent to review and update pandemic preparedness plans written years ago. This eNewsletter provides guidance on steps that your organization can take to review, update, develop, and exercise a pandemic preparedness plan.

Program Management

Assemble members of your pandemic preparedness team, and review official reports of the swine flu outbreak, guidance from public health authorities with jurisdiction over your facilities, and the status of existing policies, plans, and procedures. Your pandemic team should be lead by senior management to provide direction and support. The heads of operations, legal, communications, human resources, medical, facilities, supply chain, security, environmental health and safety, emergency management, and business continuity or their representatives should participate.

If pandemic preparedness roles and responsibilities have not been defined within your plan, define them now.

Prevention & Mitigation Measures

Now is the time to promote proper personal hygiene by posting and distributing “cover your cough” and hand washing educational literature available from public health authorities. Consider providing hand sanitizers, setting up hand sanitation stations for visitors and or distributing literatures to arriving guests.

Evaluate methods for “social distancing” that may be needed to separate workers and make them more comfortable in the work environment.

Company Policies & Procedures

Review company policies and procedures including travel, sick leave, family leave, and telecommuting.

Prepare to revise travel policies if governmental authorities issue travel advisories. Recognize that employees may resist assignments requiring travel to areas perceived to be at greater risk.

Review sick and family leave policies. Employees that are rewarded for not using sick leave may come to work even though they are ill. Review family leave policies regarding time off to care for sick family members. Consider employees needing dependent (child and elder) care when schools or other facilities are closed.

Test the ability to support large numbers of telecommuters and verify that employees have secure connectivity to work remotely.

Pandemic Preparedness Plan

The pandemic preparedness plan should align with the U.S. and WHO pandemic alert phases. Preparedness activities should be commensurate with the current alert level. Review your planning assumptions and discuss the implications of scenarios that are more severe than the assumptions used for development of your plan.

Pandemic preparedness plans should address the following planning tasks.

Succession of management; transfer of authority and responsibility
Coordination with government officials
Business continuity: Identification of essential business functions and minimum resources to support them; maintenance of supply and distribution chain
Infection control in the workplace
Surveillance of employee health; forecasting employee absences
Sustaining essential employees; employee family care requirements
Risk communications

Review the succession of management, supervisory and operations staff and your organization’s governance requirements. If managers, supervisors, or key employees are sick or unavailable to work, who can assume their job duties? Review cross training and documentation needed for substitutes to assume the responsibilities of absent employees.

“the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.” WHO

Assign staff to monitor official instructions from public health and governmental authorities to ensure you have the latest and most accurate information. Subscribe to government mailing lists to receive their latest broadcasts.

Review your business continuity plan to identify critical business functions and the internal and external resources—including people—needed to support them. Evaluate critical suppliers and vendors and their ability to provide continuous service during a pandemic. Carefully scrutinize single or sole sources suppliers and identify backups, if necessary.

Monitor the health and well being of employees and their families. This will enable you to forecast absences and plan for the absences of sick employees or those who must care for sick family members or who must remain at home because of the lack of child or senior care. Review guidance documents on how to support the psychological needs of employees.

Communications during any emergency is critical, so implementation of a risk communications plan is essential. Consider all of the audiences that you need to reach including employees and their families, customers, suppliers, tenants within your buildings, and others. Provide timely, factual information and identify where recipients can obtain additional information.

Training and Exercises

Pandemic preparedness like all aspects of your emergency management and business continuity plan requires training and exercising. Conduct a plan walk-through exercise to familiarize personnel with the plan and their role and responsibilities. Conduct a tabletop exercise to identify any gaps in plans or the ability of team members to carry out the plan. Scribe action items, prioritize, and follow-through to assure that tasks are completed.

Pandemic Planning Resources

World Health Organization (WHO) Swine influenza page, WHO phase of pandemic alert
PandemicFlu.gov, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist, PandemicFlu.gov
HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan Supplement 11 Workforce Support: Psychosocial Considerations and Information Needs
Pandemic Influenza Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Guide for Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources, U. S. Department of Homeland Security
Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic, OSHA 3327
Influenza Pandemic: Continuity Planning Guide for Canadian Business, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters

All of these resources can be accessed here.

Flood Preparedness

2009-04-24T18:16:00.003-04:00

April showers bring May flowers, but they also can cause serious flooding. There have been 1,161 federal disaster declarations for flooding since 1954 and 300 since January 2000. One of six federally declared disasters this decade has been the result of flooding. The economic and human impact is also significant. Flooding causes more damage in the United States than any other severe weather related event—on average $5 billion a year. Over the past 30 years (1978 – 2007), 99 lives have been lost each year in floods.

Flooding is caused when bodies of water (e.g., rivers, streams, lakes, oceans, etc.) overflow their normal boundaries. Flooding can also occur as storm water runoff accumulates in normally dry areas.

Melting snow can combine with rain in the winter and early spring; severe thunderstorms can bring heavy rain in the spring and summer; or tropical cyclones can bring intense rainfall to the coastal and inland states in the summer and fall.

Flash floods occur within six hours of a rain event, or after a dam or levee failure, or following a sudden release of water held by an ice or debris jam.

Flood preparedness begins with site selection. Choose building sites that are not within a 500-year flood zone, not subject to flash foods, and not located where access roads, bridges, and critical infrastructure (e.g., utilities) will be disrupted by flood waters. Flood preparedness for existing buildings includes conducting a flood hazard analysis (risk assessment), mitigating the potential impacts of flood waters, development of a flood emergency plan, and development of a recovery plan to restore damaged equipment and reopen buildings.

Flood Hazard Analysis

There are many resources for assessing flood inundation. Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) can be created on demand from FEMA’s online Map Service Center. Hard copies can be obtained at local municipal offices.

FEMA Flood Insurance Studies provide background information on the development of flood maps and describe the flood history of a community. Consult with local officials about past flooding and development in the vicinity of your buildings. Check the National Inventory of Dams to identify substandard dams that could fail causing flash flooding. Review recent development and changes to drainage or flood control efforts that could increase or decrease the potential for flooding.

The goal of the flood hazard analysis is to identify areas subject to flooding, maximum anticipated flood elevations, and whether flood waters will restrict access to the property or shutdown utilities that are required to run the facility. The maximum flood elevation should be compared to site and finished floor elevations to determine the buildings, storage, machinery, or utilities that could be inundated by flood waters. Keep in mind that flood surveys and flood maps are not perfect, and areas not thought to be subject to flooding are flooded, and “100 year” floods can occur in successive years.

Flood Mitigation

Flood mitigation begins with evaluation of the site’s storm water management. Site layout, grading, and storm-water drainage should be sized and arranged to direct 100 year level flood waters away from important buildings, process equipment, outside storage, and utilities. Protect against soil erosion, and use grates, curbs, or other means to prevent drains from becoming clogged by debris.

Install backflow preventers on discharge lines connected to wastewater and storm-water runoff sewer systems, on floor drains, and any other equipment that have a history of backups.

Protect existing building entry points with barriers to keep water out as long as possible. Install ramps or stairways to go over the barriers. Locate or elevate critical machinery, equipment, and storage above the 500 year flood elevation. Securely anchor outside storage tanks and process equipment that could break away during flooding.

Flood Emergency Plan

A flood emergency plan should be developed for all facilities that are subject to flooding. The plan should address protection of buildings or portions of buildings (e.g., below-grade or first floor) that are below the maximum flood elevation. The plan should also address the relocation, removal, temporary elevation of, or protection in place of raw materials and finished goods, production machinery and equipment, and utilities that could become flooded. Don’t forget to warn employees about the dangers of flood waters and never to drive into flooded roadways.

Ensure that maintenance and engineering facilities, spare parts, and engineering drawings, vital records, and restoration procedures are located in a safe area or relocated prior to a flood. This ensures that resources and information needed to recover from flood damage are immediately available after flood waters recede.

The flood emergency plan should include an organization that vests authority in a leader who is thoroughly familiar with the flood hazard, available resources, and the flood emergency plan. The plan should define roles and responsibilities and actions to be taken when flood watches and flood warnings are issued.

Monitor the National Weather Service’s River Forecasts and local emergency management officials’ forecasts of flooding in the area.

The plan should identify all resources (and how to procure all resources) to prepare for and recover from flooding. This includes the required complement of personnel and material handling equipment to complete flood preparations before evacuation is mandated or flood waters threaten. Periodically verify that all resources are available and in good condition.

The flood emergency plan should include the timing and shutdown procedures for gas and electric utilities, machinery, and equipment and the relocation of movable furniture, equipment, and storage to higher elevation.

A business continuity plan should define strategies and the resources needed to continue critical business operations for the maximum duration of any shutdown.

Recovering After the Flood

The flood emergency plan should also address repair and restoration of damaged buildings and equipment after flood waters recede. Contract for, or procure in advance, generators, pumps, and equipment to remove water, clean up mud and debris, and check and repair damaged utilities and equipment. Document manufacturer’s instructions or best practices for restarting water damaged systems and equipment in the plan, so work can begin as soon as it is safe. Review the “Directories of Products & Services,” “Machinery & Equipment Restoration,” and “Cleanup” resources on the Preparedness, LLC website for access to technical documents and resources.

Comment Period on NFPA 1600 "Report on Proposals" has Closed

2009-04-17T17:52:00.003-04:00

Development of the 2010 edition of NFPA 1600, "Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs" is well underway with an expected publication date of April 2010. NFPA's Technical Committee on Emergency Management and Business Continuity completed work on the initial draft of the 2010 edition at its August meeting. This draft, also known as the committee's "Report on Proposals," has been posted to the National Fire Protection Association's website.

The technical committee met in St. Louis March 17 - 19 to act on a record number of public comments. The committee's report (known as the "Report on Comments") developed during the St. Louis meeting will be posted to the NFPA website late in August. A link will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

FDA Recall: ZOLL Medical Corporation AED Plus Defibrillator

2009-04-17T13:24:00.004-04:00

If you have AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) in your facility(ies), then you should check to see if you have the ZOLL AED Plus Defibrillator manufactured from May, 2004 through February, 2009 and distributed from May, 2004 through February 9, 2009. These models have been recalled by the FDA because the AED failed to deliver the defibrillation energy.

This device is used by emergency or medical personnel, by others who have completed CPR AED training courses, or the public at large. It is intended to treat patients in cardiac arrest. The device analyzes an unconscious patient’s heart rhythm and instructs the user to press a button that delivers an electrical shock to the heart to restore a normal heart rhythm.

The company sent their distributors and customers an initial recall letter on February 12, 2009 by certified mail. This letter instructed customers to replace their batteries every three years. The company then sent their distributors and customers a follow-up recall letter on March 31, 2009 by certified mail. This letter instructed customers to download new software for their devices and to remove any battery replacement reminder labels.

ZOLL will send an email notice to all customers who included their email address as part of their contact information. ZOLL will also publish information about the recall in industry magazines.

Contact Information

For more information about this recall, please see the company’s website at: http://www.zollaedplusbatteryhelp.com/

ZOLL Medical Corporation 269 Mill RoadChelmsford, Massachusetts 01824, (978) 421-9655

Private Sector Preparedness Webinar

2009-04-16T11:43:00.004-04:00

On April 15, the National Fire Protection Association hosted a 90 minute webinar on private sector preparedness. The webinar featured a presentation by Donald L. Schmidt, Chair of the NFPA's Technical Committee on Emergency Management and Business Continuity, who outlined the elements of a comprehensive preparedness program using NFPA 1600 "Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs" as the foundation. The webinar also discussed the voluntary program for certification of private sector preparedness programs called for by Title IX of Public Law 110-53.

Click here for directions for accessing this free webinar.

Business Case for Preparedness

2009-03-05T08:04:00.005-05:00

National standards, such as NFPA 1600, provide the criteria for developing, implementing, and evaluating an emergency management and business continuity program—a preparedness program. One of the most important elements—the foundation of the program—is management support. Without management commitment, direction, and support, the program is apt to collapse over time because the foundation cannot support the structure.

Management will ask “what is the business case for preparedness?” as they assess how much must to invest in the program. The answer to the question is a blend of good governance, effective risk management, and building resiliency into the organization to ensure the organization can grow and compete over time.

There are many reasons for investing in preparedness:

Regulatory compliance
Legal liability
Insurance program requirements
Rating agency criteria
Customer requirements
Competitive advantage
Business “resilience”

There are many regulations that require preparedness. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards require emergency action plans and fire prevention plans. Standards for medical treatment, firefighting, rescue, and hazardous materials response may apply depending upon facility location, hazards on-site, and other factors.

Besides OSHA standards, there are many other regulatory requirements that dictate elements of the preparedness program. These include:

Building codes
Fire prevention codes
Life safety codes
Americans with Disabilities Act and Executive Order #13347
Environmental regulations
Information security and privacy regulations
Industry-specific business continuity requirements
Homeland security requirements

Beyond regulations, there are many industry “best” practices that should influence or may be the basis for parts of your program.

When an incident results in casualties, third party losses, or customer impact, litigation often follows. The legal perspective continues to be written, but it takes into account foreseeability of hazards, the magnitude of potential impacts, and the standard of care exercised by those who could have prevented or mitigated the incident. The evolving “standard of care” is continually redefined by civil litigation and the national standards that the courts have used to render judgments.

If you’re looking for incentives to make the case for preparedness, insurance cost savings may be one. Well protected businesses with large insurable values are often able to qualify for the competitive rates and favorable policy terms of “highly protected risk” insurance underwriters. Smaller facilities that are rated on a grading schedule may also benefit from enhanced protection.

Standard & Poors announced in 2008 that their rating surveys would look at the ability of a company to recover following an emergency. It remains to see whether this will be meaningful as the 9/11 Commission had intended when it endorsed a national standard for preparedness.

The quest for maximum efficiency has eliminated redundancy and excess capacity. Single suppliers are commonplace as businesses attempt to minimize costs and streamline the supply chain. Unfortunately, these efforts have increased the potential for business interruption. Large and medium sized businesses recognize the vulnerability of their supply chains and the need for their suppliers to implement business continuity plans. Preparedness is now a customer requirement and subject to audit.

Business leaders are motivated by their vision for growth and development of their organization’s potential. They must also be concerned about the expectations of stakeholders. Business “resilience” is an increasingly common term used to describe the ability of an organization to continue to meet its customers’ needs even in the face of interruptions or disruptions. The Council on Competitiveness reported[1] “Leading organizations do not manage specific scenarios, rather they create the agility and flexibility to cope with turbulent situations. The investments and contingency plans these leading companies make to manage a spectrum of risk create a capability to respond to high-impact disasters as well.”

Making the Business Case for Preparedness

There are many factors that should be considered when selling management on the need for preparedness. Connect the need for preparedness with your organization’s mission and vision and management’s goals and objectives.

If a company has experienced a significant event in the recent past, that experience often influences management thinking. If a major incident occurred in the past and the current management team is unaware of it, then a carefully crafted review of the impacts of the incident may help them to understand why preparedness is so important.

If your organization has not experienced a major incident, but one has occurred within a peer in your industry, a review of that incident may resonate with your management. Research “lessons learned” to find case studies.

How much should be invested?

How much to invest in the preparedness program is difficult to define. At the very least, minimum regulatory and customer requirements must be met. If you want to be “best in class,” your program must be dynamic and integrated into day to day operations and management decision making.

A careful assessment of the broad spectrum of risks, vulnerabilities, and impacts; prevention and mitigation strategies; and the scope and implementation of your emergency response and business continuity program will provide you the information needed to decide.

[1] The Resilient Economy: Integrating Competitiveness and Security, Council on Competitiveness, 2007

Continuity Insights Webinar: "The Experts Debate Business Continuity Standards"

2009-02-27T16:13:00.001-05:00

Want to know what's really going on when it comes to business continuity standards? Attend this free panel discussion for a behind-the-scenes, straight-from-the-experts look at business continuity standards development. The session will answer questions about ASIS proposed standard, NFPA 1600, DRI International's position on standards development, and ANAB's role in the standards process. This panel discussion will feature Dr. Marc Siegel, ASIS, Don Schmidt, Preparedness LLC, and Al Berman, DRI International.

Emergency Management Forum Hosts Discussion on NFPA 1600 2010 Edition

2009-02-23T19:58:00.004-05:00

Updated, 27 February. The Emergency Management Forum hosted a one hour presentation and interactive discussion on February 25, 2009. The topic was the current status of the 2010 edition of the National Fire Protection Association's standard NFPA 1600. Highlights of the proposed changes were presented by Donald L. Schmidt, chair of the NFPA's Technical Committee on Emergency Management and Business Continuity. A recording of the forum (large Windows Media audio file), the presentation slides (Adobe PDF), links to related information, and a transcript can be accessed from the Emergency Management Forum's website.

FEMA CGC 1 "Continuity Guidance for Non-Federal Entities"

2009-02-13T09:48:00.003-05:00

The Federal Emergency Agency has just published "Continity Guidance Circular 1" (CGC 1) with subtitle "Continuity Guidance for Non-Federal Entities ." "The Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with non-federal partners, developed this guidance document to provide direction for the development of continuity plans and programs for non-federal entities. " "In this guidance document, the elements of a viable continuity capability are identified and discussed. The provisions of this guidance document are applicable for State, local, territorial and tribal governments and the private sector. " The document provides good information, and it's worth a look. Just prepare yourself for the government terminology and view of the world of business continuity.

Comment Period Open for Title IX Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program

2009-01-05T17:53:00.003-05:00

The Department of Homeland Security has posted a Federal Register notice seeking public comments about the Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program. The program is mandated by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to establish a common set of criteria for private sector preparedness, including disaster management, emergency management, and business continuity programs. The goal of this voluntary program is to enhance nationwide resilience in an all hazards environment by improving private sector preparedness.

DHS has posted the Federal Register notice at http://www.regulations.gov/. (Identify Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017.) Comments may be submitted to http://www.regulations.gov or FEMA-POLICY@dhs.gov.

For more information on the program, check out the "Resources" page of the Preparedness, LLC website. It includes links to Public Law 110-53, the ANAB Accreditation Program, NFPA 1600 (the standard recommended by the 9/11 Commission and under consideration for this program), and presentations on what it all means.

I will be testifying on behalf of the National Fire Protection Association at the January 13 hearing in Washington, DC. I will provide updates on the program as information becomes available.

NFPA 1600 2010 Edition Available for Public Comment

2008-12-31T10:32:00.005-05:00

Development of the 2010 edition of NFPA 1600, "Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs" is well underway with an expected publication date of April 2010. NFPA's Technical Committee on Emergency Management and Business Continuity, which I chair, completed work on the initial draft of the 2010 edition at its August meeting. This draft, also known as the committee's "Report on Proposals," has been posted to the National Fire Protection Association's website.

Posting of this draft opens the period for submission of public comments. The comment period closes on March 6, 2009. Following the close of comments, the technical committee is scheduled to meet in St. Louis March 17 - 19 to review and act on all public comments. The document produced from that meeting will also be posted by NFPA late in August.

NFPA and the technical committee encourage all users to submit comments on the latest draft of NFPA 1600. In the past the technical committee has received hundreds of public proposals and comments, input which the committee has used to make the document better. I encourage everyone to review the latest draft and favor us with your comments.

You can submit comments on the ROP draft electronically using the NFPA's online submittal process, via email (proposals_comments@nfpa.org) outlining your comment on the NFPA's form, or via the U.S. Post Service also using NFPA's form.

In accordance with NFPA's regulations, the technical committee must act on every public comment. We can accept or reject. We can also accept in part, accept in principle, or accept in part in principle. It sounds complicated, but the process ensures that your voice will be heard.

I am developing a new page on the Preparedness, LLC website titled "NFPA 1600" to provide detailed information on NFPA 1600. Although a work in progress, I hope it will be helpful to those organizations evaluating or developing their preparedness program.

DHS Announces Revised National Incident Management System

2008-12-30T11:50:00.004-05:00

Following a recognized incident management system is a key to effectively managing the response to and recovery from an emergency or disaster. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) was developed after President Bush issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-5 in February 2003. This press release annouces the latest edition of "NIMS." NIMS is used within the public sector, and private sector organizations should be familiar with NIMS and how to work in cooperation with public sector agencies that may respond to their sites or who they may support during an incident. Links to information on NIMS, the Incident Command System (ICS), and available training can be found on the "Resources" page of the Preparedness, LLC website.

"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today released a revised National Incident Management System (NIMS)-the national standard for incident management. NIMS establishes standardized incident management processes, protocols, and procedures that all federal, state, tribal and local responders will use to coordinate and conduct response actions.

NIMS expands on the original version released in March 2004 by clarifying existing NIMS concepts, better incorporating preparedness and planning and improving the overall readability of the document. The revised document also differentiates between the purposes of NIMS and the National Response Framework (NRF) by identifying how NIMS provides the action template for the management of incidents, while the NRF provides the policy structure and mechanisms for national-level policy for incident management.

"The National Incident Management System has been the single most significant improvement in incident management since the Department of Homeland Security was formed in 2003," FEMA Administrator David Paulison said. "It has enhanced interoperability among emergency responders at all levels of government and is the product of a collaborative effort involving hundreds of emergency personnel from across the nation. We incorporated lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, clarified incident command system concepts, increased emphasis on planning and mutual aid, expanded the intelligence/investigation function, and better aligned the NIMS document with the National Response Framework," said Paulison.

With the oversight of FEMA, the newly released NIMS followed an extensive revision involving over 100 partners from all levels of government, private sector, nongovernmental organizations (NGO), and subject matter experts representing a broad spectrum of emergency management and incident response disciplines. Throughout three official nationwide comment periods, FEMA reviewed nearly 6,000 comments from more than 280 individuals and organizations, including extensive review and recommendations made by the National Advisory Council (NAC).

The basic tenets of NIMS remain the same. There have been several improvements to the revised NIMS document which will aid in readability and usefulness of preparing, preventing, and responding to incidents. For example, the revised document places greater emphasis on the role of preparedness and has reorganized its components to mirror the progression of an incident. Recognizing the importance of private sector partners and NGOs in incident response, FEMA has ensured that those entities have been more fully integrated throughout NIMS. The new document is consistent with the NRF, and together they provide a single, comprehensive approach to incident management."

Improvised Explosive Device Awareness - Course of Actions

2008-12-26T18:13:00.008-05:00

Every facility emergency operations plan should include procedures for bomb threats and receipt of suspicous packages. When I reviewed the following article, I thought it was timely advice worth passing along. The following advice is reprinted from the Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) CIP Bulletin 11-08, December 22, 2008. If you would like to obtain additional resources for bomb threats and suspicious packages, please check out the "Bomb Threats & Suspicious Packages" links on the "Resources" page of the Preparedness, LLC website.

Overview

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) can be arranged in a number of configurations, the only limitation to their design and functionality is the bomber’s imagination. The first action for awareness is identification of the suspect IED. Unattended or suspicious packages or containers could potentially contain an explosive device and should be reported to security personnel immediately. Likewise, individuals behaving suspiciously or vehicles that seem out of place could also represent an explosive threat and should be reported immediately to security personnel.

Preliminary Actions

Authorities, first responders, and citizens should take the following actions to strengthen the existing security posture in the event of a bomb threat:

Most bomb threats are received by phone. Remain calm and try to obtain information necessary for responders. (Be sure a bomb threat checklist like the one available from ATF is posted at all phones that can receive incoming calls--especially whoever answers the main incoming line.)
Preserve any evidence if the threat is received in a note or letter, and do not handle it.
Conduct a cursory search of the venue/facility for items or packages that may be out of place.
Use CCTV capabilities to monitor activities inside the facility, and along the periphery of the building, after notification of a threat.
Follow evacuation procedures keeping clear of the location of any suspected device and assemble at a safe location distant from or protected frm the location of the suspected device.
Check to be sure the pre-designated evacuation route and assembly area is clear of any potential threats, such as a secondary device. A secondary location should be identified in advance, in the event the first site is compromised.
Be vigilant for characteristics of a suspect suicide bomber (e.g., wearing bulky clothing or coat, or attire uncharacteristic for the season; exhibiting nervousness or a distant look; sweating profusely, etc.)

Immediate Actions

Follow these steps when a suspect IED is encountered:

Once out of the immediate area of the suspect IED, call 911 immediately;
Employees should be trained not touch or disturb suspect items in any way;
Immediately evacuate the surrounding area, for small packages (e.g. pipe bomb, briefcases etc.) a minimum of 300 ft is recommended;
Prior to evacuation, check the designated evacuation assembly site, to ensure additional IEDs have not been placed to target those evacuating the venue.
Do not use cellular phones or two-way radios in the immediate area of the device, since this action may cause the device to detonate.
Remain vigilant for any additional suspicious activity.
Identify interdependencies in the immediate area that could compound the effects of a detonation (e.g. gas lines, electric grids etc.), and consider increasing evacuation distances.

Follow On Actions

The following actions are vital, since the possibility for an additional incident cannot be eliminated:

Conduct immediate review of any video or pictures captured by CCTV system.
Attempt to gain information from those evacuated regarding what they may have witnessed.
Immediately record any details from witnesses for law enforcement needs.
Determine if evacuees took any videos or photos prior to the attack, and attempt to obtain that documentation for evidentiary purposes for the authorities.
Look for anyone monitoring the response and notify responding law enforcement authorities of these actions.. (e.g. videoing the site, conducting time checks, taking notes, monitoring radio traffic with a scanner etc.)

Preparing for Arctic Freeze & Winter Storms

2008-12-06T19:33:00.004-05:00

Before the heavy snow warnings are broadcast and the frigid blasts of arctic weather arrive, it’s important to prepare your facility and your employees. Preparations now can save costly damage to equipment and facilities and maintain important fire and life safety systems.

Loss Data

A study by property insurer FM Global[1] for the period 1984 through 1995 revealed over 3500 freeze-related insurance claims. Of these incidents, 42% were due to sprinkler leakage, which accounted for 17% of the gross dollar loss estimate. Process equipment breakdown due to freezing accounted for 10% of the incidents but 26% of the gross dollars.

FM Global’s analysis revealed a pattern of freezing over the Christmas holidays when planned reductions in production, shutdowns, and vacations occur. Idle facilities contributed to reduced space heating, reduced or no heat in production equipment, and few or no people to monitor temperature and respond to freeze conditions.

Winter Preparations

Walk the entire roof and check to ensure roof drains, gutters, and downspouts are clear. Clean any accumulations of leaves or other debris that could be swept into and clog drains. Check all roof mounted equipment to ensure air conditioners, fan housings, antennas, signs, and other equipment is properly anchored and access panels are secure. Check to ensure roof flashing is intact and roof vents are tight. Plan for access to the roof in case the roof hatch is inaccessible.

Evaluate the structural strength of sections of roofs likely to accumulate heavy snow drifts and water. Excessive snow drifts increase the weight applied to the structure and can cause collapse. These areas include intersections of low and high roofs; valleys between two peaked roofs; intersection of roof and roof mounted equipment. Look for bent, deflected, twisted roof members/decks that might indicate susceptibility to overload.

Prepare all sprinkler systems, heating systems, process equipment, emergency generator, and snow removal equipment or service. Check that sufficient heat will be available in buildings protected by wet pipe sprinkler systems. Drain condensate from the low points of all dry pipe sprinkler systems and ensure that heating equipment in valve closets are working properly. Check fire pump house and suction/gravity tank heaters as well. Use approved heat trace on exposed pipes that cannot be drained.

Preparations before the Arctic Freeze or Winter Storm

Determine personnel and resource needs to protect the facility and handle storm cleanup.
Review emergency plans for loss of heat, electricity, and protection system impairments. Assign responsibilities and review alerting and communications procedures.
Test emergency generators under a full load at least annually. Maintain generator fuel tanks ¾ full. Arrange for fuel delivery before a storm approaches.

When an Arctic Freeze or Winter Storm is Forecast

Monitor National Weather Service and local news media advisories.
Have security guards check for low temperatures, open doors, cracked windows, or other openings that can allow the cold to enter.
Check fire protection and life safety systems periodically.
Monitor temperatures in areas with water pipes to detect low temperatures—especially those not normally occupied.
Check exterior windows to ensure they are intact and water tight and doors align with frames.
Prepare to activate your emergency management and business continuity plan and alert staff to respond if called.
Keep driveways clear for emergency vehicle access. Coordinate with your contractor or Public Works as needed.
Clear the exterior of exit doors to allow for emergency egress.
Shovel areas around sprinkler valves and fire hydrants to allow emergency access. Inspect roof drains and remove any debris.
Clear roof drains of ice dams to allow melting snow to drain.
Clear exterior down spouts of snow or ice buildup at outlets.
Stay alert for the beginning of ponding-deflection cycles. As snow compresses, it absorbs rainwater and the increased weight on the roof will create depressions where water will accumulate and not drain. Often this condition worsens and leads to roof collapse.
Remove dangerous snow loads if deemed safe. Priority areas include changes in roof elevation, moderate or low-sloped peaked single gable or curved roofs where winds cause drifting, valleys formed by multiple-gable or multiple peaked roofs, and roofs with multiple projections.
Remove snow from standing seam metal roofs in strips starting at the peak to the eaves alternating side to side to assure the roof load is maintained in balance.
Maintain awareness of surface water flooding caused by poor street drainage. Direct surface water away from the building.

If Heat is Lost and Pipes Freeze

Use only approved space heaters to provide temporary heating. Check with the local fire department to determine what is approved for your area. Kerosene and propane heaters should only be used if permitted and in supervised areas where adequate ventilation and fire protection is available.
Do not use torches to thaw frozen pipes.
Follow insurer and fire department required impairment precautions if sprinkler systems freeze.

This eNewsletter has been published by Preparedness, LLC and is available on our website. You can subscribe to future eNewsletters from the website.

[1] FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheet 9-18/17-18, January 2007

WORLD AT RISK: The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism

2008-12-03T15:41:00.003-05:00

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 I was asked to coauthor a book to provide guidance to the private sector on the subject of terrorism and how to protect employees, facilities, and operations. The book, "Business at Risk How to Assess, Mitigate, and Respond to Terrorist Threats," is still current today and it provides a wealth of information. That's why this report immediately captivated my interest.

Frankly, with the economic climate, businesses are looking to survive financially and are largely unable to focus on the threat of terrorism. I argue that managing the potential impacts of natural, man-made, and technological hazards—including terrorism—needs to be integral to the planning of every business. Sound emergency management, business continuity, and crisis management programs are an essential part of that planning.

If something significant happens, how prepared will businesses be?

WORLD AT RISK: The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism

"The Commission believes that unless the world community acts decisively and with great urgency, it is more likely than not that a weapon of mass destruction will be used in a terrorist attack somewhere in the world by the end of 2013.

The Commission further believes that terrorists are more likely to be able to obtain and use a biological weapon than a nuclear weapon. The Commission believes that the U.S. government needs to move more aggressively to limit the proliferation of biological weapons and reduce the prospect of a bioterror attack.

The Role of the Citizen

A well informed and mobilized citizenry has long been one of our nation’s greatest resources. The next administration therefore should, within six months, work with state and local governments to develop a checklist of actions that need to be taken to improve efforts at all levels of government to prevent WMD proliferation and terrorism. Citizens should hold their governments accountable for completing this checklist.

Insufficient effort has been made to engage the public in the prevention of WMD terrorism, even though public tips have provided clues necessary to disrupt terrorist plots against the homeland. We need to give our citizens guidance on what to expect from their government at all levels and on how to be engaged in the prevention of WMD terrorism.

RECOMMENDATION 13: The next administration must work to openly and honestly engage the American citizen, encouraging a participatory approach to meeting the challenges of the new century."

Impact of Earthquakes on the Central USA

2008-11-24T08:37:00.004-05:00

I just reviewed the following research paper on the potential impact of earthquakes in the Central United States. When we think of earthquakes, we think about the West Coast and California in particular. The fact is that all of the West Coast is susceptible as well as the New Madrid Region of the Central United States where a series of catastrophic quakes occurred in the early 1800's. There are other areas of the U.S.A. that could suffer moderate earthquake damage as well.

The follow abstract of a research study was recently published by the Mid-America Earthquake Center at the University of Illinois. The report is the outcome of one of the largest and most comprehensive earthquake consequence assessment projects fundedby the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The report contains earthquake impact assessments for the 8 central US (CUSEC) states, and lists damage and other consequences to the built environment as well as social and economic impacts. The earthquake scenarios used represent the New Madrid, the Wabash Valley and the East Tennesseeseismic zones. The analysis employs new and more reliable hazard and inventory data that has not been used before.The project is managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers' Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, and the work was undertaken in partnership with the Institute for Crisis, Disaster and RiskManagement at the George Washington University, with contributions forthe 8 State Geological Surveys, IEM, FEMA, US Geological Survey and CUSEC.

"The region of potential impact due to earthquake activity in the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is comprised of eight states: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Moreover, the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone (WVSZ) in southern Illinois and southeast Indiana and the East Tennessee Seismic Zone in eastern Tennessee and northeastern Alabama constitute significant risk of moderate-to-severe earthquakes throughout the central region of the USA.

The hazard employed in this investigation includes ground shaking for three seismic zones and various events within those zones. The NMSZ consists of three fault segments: the northeast segment, the reelfoot thrust or central segment, and the southwest segment. Each segment comprises a deterministic, magnitude 7.7 (Mw7.7) earthquake caused by a rupture over the entire length of the segment. The employed magnitude was provided by US Geological Survey (USGS). The NMSZ represents the first of three hazard events utilized in this report. Two deterministic events are also included, namely a magnitude Mw7.1 in the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone (WVSZ) and a magnitude Mw5.9 in the East Tennessee Seismic Zone (ETSZ) earthquakes.

The results indicate that the State of Tennessee incurs the highest level of damage and social impacts. Over 250,000 buildings are moderately or more severely damaged, over 260,000 people are displaced and well over 60,000 casualties (injuries and fatalities) are expected. Total direct economic losses surpass $56 billion.
The State of Missouri also incurs substantial damage and loss, though estimates are less than those in Tennessee. Well over 80,000 buildings are damaged leaving more than 120,000 people displaced and causing over 15,000 casualties. Total direct economic losses in Missouri reach nearly $40 billion.
Kentucky and Illinois also incur significant losses with total direct economic losses reaching approximately $45 and $35 billion, respectively.
The State of Arkansas incurs nearly $19 billion in direct economic loss while the State of Mississippi incurs $9.5 billion in direct economic losses.
States such as Indiana and Alabama experience limited damage and loss from NMSZ events with approximately $1.5 and $1.0 billion, respectively.

Noting that experience confirms that the indirect economic loss due to business interpretation and loss of market share, amongst other features, is at least as high if not much higher than the direct economic losses, the total economic impact of a series of NMSZ earthquakes is likely to constitute by far the highest economic loss due to a natural disaster in the USA.

The results are designed to provide emergency managers and agencies with information required to establish response plans based on likely impacts of plausible earthquakes in the central USA."

As you conduct your risk assessment to build your risk mitigation, emergency management, and business continuity program, you might want to take a look at this important research report. Take a look at some of the resource links on the Preparedness, LLC website to help you assess earthquake risk and build your program to respond to and recover from and earthquake event.

Office of the Director of National Intelligence Releases Global Trends Projections

2008-11-20T16:42:00.003-05:00

I tend to be optimistic, but my profession tells me to continually evaluate risks so we can prevent, mitigate, and prepare to respond and recover if something bad happens. Well, the following report from the ODNI speaks to global trends and not the good trends we like to see. Food for thought as we look ahead to the future challenges.

"By 2025, the accelerating pace of globalization and the emergence of new powers will produce a world order vastly different from the system in place for most of the post-World War II era, according to a projection by the federal government's top intelligence analysts.

The projection, prepared by the National Intelligence Council of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, was made public by the ODNI today.

The ODNI report, “Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World” projects a still-preeminent U.S. joined by fast developing powers, notably India and China, atop a multipolar international system. The world of the near future will be subject to an increased likelihood of conflict over scarce resources, including food and water, and will be haunted by the persistence of rogue states and terrorist groups with greater access to nuclear weapons, the report says. Widening gaps in birth rates and wealth-to-poverty ratios, and the uneven impact of climate change, could further exacerbate tensions, “Global Trends 2025” concludes.

The report extrapolates from current and projected trends. It is not a prediction, and the authors stress that “bad outcomes are not inevitable.”

“International leadership and cooperation will be necessary to solve the global challenges and to understand the complexities surrounding them,” the report concludes.

“By laying out some of the alternative possibilities we hope to help policymakers steer us toward more positive solutions.” Other projections in “Global Trends 2025”: include:

Russia's emergence as a world power is clouded by lagging investment in its energy sector and the persistence of crime and government corruption.
Muslim states outside the Arab core – Turkey, Indonesia, even a post-clerical Iran – could take on expanded roles in the new international order.
A government in Eastern or Central Europe could be effectively taken over and run by organized crime. In parts of Africa and South Asia, some states might wither away as governments fail to provide security and other basic needs.
A worldwide shift to a new technology that replaces oil will be under way or accomplished by 2025.
Multiple financial centers will serve as 'shock absorbers' in the world financial system. The U.S. dollar's role will shrink to 'first among equals' in a basket of key world currencies.
The likelihood that nuclear weapons will be used will increase with expanded access to technology and a widening range of options for limited strikes.
The impact of climate change will be uneven, with some Northern economies, notably Russia and Canada, profiting from longer growing seasons and improved access to resource reserves.

The Global Trends series examines geopolitical trends and analyzes their likely outcomes, in an attempt to prompt public discussion of possible responses. The projections have covered five-year intervals, beginning with Global Trends 2010 issued in November 1997."

http://www.dni.gov/nic/NIC_2025_project.html

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Standards Adoption

2008-10-30T16:23:00.002-04:00

Ten years ago, the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA), Public Law 104-113, was signed into law, and implemented using Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-119, “Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities.” NTTAA requires all federal agencies and departments to use technical standards, unless their use is impractical or inconsistent with law. NTTAA is the basis for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) adoption of Non-Government Standards (NGS).

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) examined DHS standards adoption and its meaning for the nation’s Emergency Services Sector (ESS). The standards adoption and maintenance program is managed by the DHS Test & Evaluation and Standards Division of the Science and Technology Directorate.

DHS has so far adopted at least 35 responder-relevant standards that pertain to personal protective gear, radiation and nuclear detection equipment, incident management, and biometrics, developed by organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Adopted most recently were NFPA 472, “Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents,” and NFPA 473, “Standard for Competencies of EMS Personnel Responding to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents,” that set minimum requirements for responders to incidents that involve hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

When DHS formally adopts an NGS, it is designated a “DHS National Standard.” Its use is not mandatory, but strongly encouraged. Once adopted, DHS National Standards boost limited federal resources by increasing DHS access to subject matter experts, thus enabling resources that would be devoted to internal standards development to be applied to other critical areas. For responder personnel and other homeland security professionals, DHS National Standards offer best practices that support national initiatives (e.g., the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the National Preparedness Goal) that enable implementing a preparedness and response system that includes a common language and standard operating procedures. By identifying minimum performance and describing best practices, DHS National Standards bolster interoperability of products and practices, as well as interchangeability, durability, flexibility, portability, dependability, survivability, sustainability, scalability, and maintainability of homeland security products and services. For additional information about ESS-related DHS National Standards, visit http://www.dhs.gov/xfrstresp/standards/editorial_0420.shtm.

"DHS designates NFPA codes and standards development process as “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology”

2008-10-24T17:23:00.002-04:00

October 21, 2008 – On September 17, 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards development process as a “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology” (QATT) under the Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act). NFPA is the first standards development organization to receive this designation. Under provisions of the SAFETY Act, NFPA’s codes and standards development process was also certified as an “Approved Product for Homeland Security.”

“NFPA is pleased to have its codes and standards development process recognized as an effective anti-terrorism technology which reflects the openness, balance and fairness NFPA strives to achieve in its voluntary codes and standards development process,” said NFPA President James M. Shannon.

Federal protections under the DHS Designation and Certification are retroactive and recognize NFPA’s technology’s “first date of sale” as September 11, 2001.

Shannon added, “The commitment and involvement of NFPA in anti-terrorism standards predates the events of 9/11. NFPA has long been committed to making its codes and standards development process available for the creation and continual improvement of standards used to protect first responders and the public in terrorist events. We believe we have a world-class system which attracts numerous experts from diverse fields to develop codes and standards that mitigate the effects of terrorism on people and property.”

Title IX of Public Law 110-53: Updated Resource Links and Presentations

2008-10-24T10:24:00.005-04:00

I have updated the Resources page within the Preparedness, LLC website to include links to the text of Public Law 110-53,"Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007," the text of Title IX of the law, DHS/FEMA resources, and a link to ANAB. ANAB is the organization that will develop program guidelines for the "certifying bodies" that will actually evaluate and accredit the private sector preparedness programs.

In addition, you can view PDF copies of presentations to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and the NorthEast Disaster Recovery Information X-Change, which provide background on Title IX of PL 110-53 and NFPA 1600, which is one of the standards that may be used as criteria for evaluation of private sector preparedness programs.

Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation & Certification Program

2008-10-14T10:00:00.003-04:00

Title IX of Public Law 110-53 (“Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007”) requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a voluntary private sector preparedness accreditation and certification program. DHS was charged with tasks to establish the program including:

Designate one or more organizations to act as an accrediting body
Designate one or more standards for assessing private sector preparedness
Provide information and promote the business case for voluntary compliance with preparedness standards

Since the law was passed in August 2007, DHS has designated FEMA Administrator Paulison to administer the program and chair the Private Sector Preparedness Council. The council includes leadership from the Science & Technology Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection, and the Private Sector Office.

DHS has signed an agreement with the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) to develop and oversee the certification process, manage the accreditation, and accredit qualified third parties to carry out the certification in accordance with the accepted procedures of the program.

ANAB has organized its “Committee of Experts” to advise ANAB on the qualifications of the “Certifying Bodies” that will accredit qualified third parties. Don Schmidt, CEO of Preparedness, LLC and Chair of the NFPA 1600 Technical Committee, is a member of the ANAB Committee of Experts along with representatives from other standards developers and private sector industry representatives.

DHS has not yet formally designated any standards for assessing private sector preparedness under this law, although DHS’ Science & Technology Directorate has adopted NFPA 1600. At the October ANSI Homeland Security Standards Panel plenary meeting in Washington, officials stated they are not picking a “winner” and that all reasonable standards will be included. DHS, however, has privately informed ANAB to begin work using NFPA 1600.

DHS has also published an initial draft of their “target criteria,” which will be used to select standards for assessing private sector preparedness. The “target criteria” for selecting standards includes:

A scope and/or policy statement.
Identification and conformity with applicable legal, statutory, regulatory and other requirements.
Objectives and strategies.
Hazard and threat identification, risk assessment, vulnerability analysis, and impact analysis.
Incident management, strategy, tactics, operational plans and procedures.
Communications and warning.
Training.
Resources management and/or logistics.
Assessments, audits and/or evaluation of programs.
Program revision and process improvement including corrective actions.

These “target criteria” align almost exactly to the elements within NFPA 1600. Accordingly, we will discuss each of these criteria within upcoming newsletters.

Although this program is voluntary, businesses are watching closely. Whether they choose to seek certification or not, business leaders are evaluating their preparedness program. In the end, that’s what it’s all about—protecting employees, property, business operations, the environment, and the business entity itself.

Canadian Standards Association unveils new emergency management and business continuity standard

2008-10-09T19:19:00.005-04:00

Toronto, October 8, 2008, Canadian Standards Association - "More than 40 per cent of Canadians say the company where they work does not have an emergency plan in place according to a recent study[1]. Canadian Standards Association (CSA), a leading developer of standards and codes, today officially announced a new emergency management and business continuity programs standard, CSA Z1600, which is designed for private and public organizations of all sizes to use if disaster strikes. This new standard is based on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1600 Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs standard."

As chair of the NFPA 1600 technical committee, I am excited and pleased to see the release of CSA's Z1600 standard. I know that members of the CSA technical committee have worked very hard to produce this standard for Canada. Congratulations to all of them on their accomplishment.

Z1600 is an adaptation of NFPA 1600, which in its 4th edition, is the most widely used emergency management and business continuity standard in the United States. NFPA 1600 is also used in many countries around the globe. The CSA technical committee's work is impressive, and the NFPA 1600 technical committee has taken a liking to the ordering of Z1600. In fact, at the NFPA 1600 "Report on Proposals" meeting in August, the NFPA 1600 technical committee voted to reorder the elements within NFPA 1600 similar to the new ordering of Z1600. The CSA committee builds on the work of the NFPA technical committee, and the NFPA technical committee returns the favor. This is truly a relationship that is productive for both the United States and Canada and a model of how standards organizations can work together to produce quality standards for both private and public sectors.

I will be providing some updates on NFPA 1600 in the coming months as NFPA publishes the official "Report on Proposals" draft of the 2010 edition of NFPA 1600. The ROP draft will incorporate many changes to 2007 edition. I will also provide a link, so that readers can download the ROP draft and provide their comments for the technical committee's action. If you want more information on NFPA 1600 and the handbook written by technical committee members including yours truly, please check out this link.

1 Leger Marketing conducted an online survey among 1,088 working Canadians aged 18+ on their opinions of major disasters in their community. The margin of error for a sample of this size is +/- 3.0%, 19 times out of 20.

Fire Prevention Week, October 5-11

2008-10-03T18:15:00.006-04:00

October 5-11 is Fire Prevention Week, an annual campaign focused on fire safety and promoted by the National Fire Protection Association. Did you know that fire departments responded to nearly 400,000 home fires in 2006? That's why this year's theme is titled "Prevent Home Fires." I strongly encourage you to educate your family about fire safety. Practice EDITH (exit drills in the home.) Make sure everyone knows to get out and stay out if there is a fire in the home. Make sure everyone knows where to meet, so everyone can be accounted for. Conduct a fire inspection in your home to identify hazards--before they can ignite a fire. Make sure your smoke detectors are working properly and that extinguisher, too. As a long time member of NFPA, I can attest to the conviction, expertise, and professionalism of the NFPA staff. I urge you to take their advice to heart. For more helpful information and educational tools, check out the following on the NFPA Fire Prevention Week website:

Protecting the Education Infrastructure

2008-09-26T14:24:00.005-04:00

As reported in the Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) INFOGRAM 37-08, September 25, 2008: "Much effort has been expended to protect the nation’s critical infrastructures, including those of the Emergency Services Sector (ESS). However, Department of Education officials concede that educational institutions are not specifically identified as among America’s critical infrastructure sectors or key resources, which potentially makes soft targets of schools, colleges, and universities. Experts say learning facilities are vulnerable to terrorism, because of the high consequence of an attack against children. The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) gleaned from various case studies that the threat to schools may not be detected or prevented by physical security measures alone. Therefore, the EMR-ISAC suggests that ESS leaders can offer encouragement and assistance to educational centers as they conduct emergency planning and develop crisis action plans. For example, it is important that a school’s emergency plans are effectively integrated with the emergency response plans of the community in which the teaching establishment resides. Case studies further indicate that municipal authorities and their ESS leaders consider the following activities to improve the overall security of the local education infrastructure:

Deliver “all-hazards” awareness training for school administrators, staff, and students.
Train school administrators and staff regarding emergency actions.
Review and validate all school emergency response, crisis management, and communications plans.
Conduct drills and exercises to test and refine emergency response and crisis management plans.
Provide primary and secondary interoperable communications systems for each school.
Implement and test plans to maintain reliable contact with schools and school buses.
Arrange for a “closed-campus” environment with a single point of access for all personnel.
Increase police presence on school grounds by ensuring frequent visits as part of patrol routes.

There are national standards, including NFPA 1600, that address the essential elements of emergency management program. In addition, a new school preparedness standard is being developed in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education. I am principal author of that new standard, and I will provide updated information on the standard when it can be released to the public.

If you are interesting in learning more about school emergency preparedness, check out the resource links at http://www.preparednessllc.com/resources/resources.html.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month

2008-09-25T17:26:00.005-04:00

For the fifth year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Cyber Security Division (NCSD) is spearheading National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a comprehensive outreach campaign to empower all Americans and businesses to take steps to secure their part of cyberspace. During the month of October, events will take place across the country to raise awareness of the growing need to protect the Nation’s critical infrastructures and key resources from cyber threats and vulnerabilities.The NCSD is partnering with the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, along with other government agencies and the private sector. The month's activities include press and media events, educational workshops, state cyber exercises, and lectures hosted by public and private partners, proclamations by state governors, and other stakeholder outreach activities. Here are 10 actions you can take to improve cyber security in your organization:

Use strong passwords at work and at home. Update your password frequently and encourage others to do the same.
Make sure that your anti-virus software and firewalls are up-to-date. New threats are discovered everyday and keeping your software and firewalls updated is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself from an attack. Set your computer to automatically update for you.
Hold an event at your facility designed to increase cyber security education and awareness. Download EDUCAUSE’s cyber resource kit online at http://www.educause.edu/7479.
Reach out to people that you know – your children, co-workers, friends – about good online safety and security habits, including protecting their personal information and their reputation. For more information and tips go to http://www.staysafeonline.org/ and http://www.us-cert.gov/.
Print cyber security posters from http://www.onguardonline.gov%20/ and post them in workrooms, hallways, bathrooms and other employee gathering places. Print and post cyber security tips near your computer at home and at work. Review them with your colleagues, employees and family members.
Create a separate section for cyber security tips on your organization’s web site. Download online buttons and banners about phishing, identity theft, file-sharing, and other cyber security topics at http://www.msisac.org/ or http://www.onguardonline.gov/ and place on your organization’s home page.
Use regular communications – newsletters, email alerts, websites, etc. – as an opportunity to promote your commitment to cyber security. Some newsletter topics to consider include: updating software processes; protecting personal identifiable information; and securing your wireless network.
Subscribe to the National Cyber Alert System from the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team at http://www.blogger.com/www.us-cert.gov. Through the Alert System, you can receive timely information about current cyber security problems to protect home and office computers. This information includes weekly bulletins with summaries of new vulnerabilities, patch information when available, and tips on common security topics, such as privacy, email spam, and wireless protection.
Back up important files. If you have important files stored on your computer, back them up to removal media, to a server, and best yet to an online backup service. Secure your backup media to prevent unauthorized access and store the media in a location where it will not be damaged from a hazard that affects your computer (what if your place of business was destroyed by fire?)
Ask IT security specialists at your workplace to report any potential cyber incident, threat, or attack to the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (USCERT) at 1-888-282-0870 or US-CERT.gov.

These links along with dozens of others that related to risk assessment, hazard prevention, risk mitigation, emergency response, and business contininuity have been added to the growing "Resources" page of the Preparedness, LLC website.

Parents May Not Heed Evacuation Orders

2008-09-15T08:00:00.003-04:00

An interesting survey was published by the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. The 2008 American Preparedness Project: Why Parents May Not Heed Evacuation Orders & What Emergency Planners, Families and Schools Need to Know

"2008 survey data illustrate that in the event of an order to evacuate parents say they are overwhelmingly likely to disregard existing community emergency plans and instead attempt to pick up their children directly from school or day care instead of evacuating separately. Were this to occur in the immediate aftermath of a sudden disaster, chaos would ensue and public safety would be jeopardized."

The studies authors made several important recommendations for schools:

All schools should have "well thought out" emergency plans coordinated with local emergency officials.
Parents need to be aware of school emergency plans and what they should do.

I have worked with numerous school systems over the past 10 years, and here are some specific recommendations:

Schools should conduct a detailed risk assessment to identify hazards that could injure students, teachers, staff, and others as well as damage property or interrupt school activities. The risk assessment should lead to the develop of strategies to prevent hazards or mitigate hazards that can't be prevented. The strategy should be endorsed by the superintendent, school committee, and others who need to provide funding.
Schools should have plans at the Superintendent or district level to manage the overall incident including communications with the community.
Schools should have organized emergency response teams and procedures to respond effectively to the different types of emergencies that may occur. Types of emergencies include the ones we all think of (e.g., fire, medical, act of violence, etc.) Plans should also address regional or community-wide emergencies (e.g., earthquake, act of terrorism, etc.) that are not as probable, but would put the school in the position of having to fend for itself for the initial minutes or hours.
Plans must include detailed procedures for evacuation, shelter-in-place, lockdown, and student/family reunification. These plans must be coordinated with public agencies including fire, law enforcement, and emergency medical services.
All members of school emergency response teams must be trained so they understand and can fulfill their responsibilities as defined in the plan.
Drills (evacuation, shelter-in-place, and lockdown) and exercises (tabletop, functional, and full-scale) should be conducted to familiarize everyone with emergency procedures and identify any gaps in plans, procedures, resources, or the capability of those who have to carry out the plans.
Every teacher should be trained in basic emergency procedures and every classroom should be equipped with a concise list of emergency procedures.
Parents need to be informed through outreach by administrators, PTO, websites, flyers sent home, and by their own sons and daughters who actively get them involved.

A national standard on school emergency preparedness is being written under the auspices of ASTM International, one of the national standards developers. I am one of the members of the committee writing the standard and we expect to present our preliminary draft to the U.S. Department of Education in November.

If you would like more information on Preparedness, LLC's services to public schools, click here.

If you would like to see an example of a school emergency preparedness website, click here.

References & Resources: Links to Helpful Information

2008-09-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

I recently updated the "Resources" within the Preparedness, LLC website. It includes more than five printable pages of references and resources for risk assessment, prevention and mitigation, emergency planning, business continuity, training, and more. There are links for laws and regulations, codes and standards, government agencies, nonprofit/professional organizations, and more. There are also many links to excellent, peer reviewed technical documents that open in HTML or PDF format from their hosted websites. It will always be a work in progress, but I will do my best to keep it updated. If you have suggestions for additons to the page, please let me know.

Copycat White Powder Mailings

2008-09-12T16:00:00.004-04:00

From the Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center, INFOGRAM 35-08 September 11, 2008:

“Various State Fusion Centers and news sources recently reported about the rash of copy cat mailings throughout the nation containing white powder. The letters and packages have been sent to well known political figures and local government offices as well as to the homes and work sites of individuals not involved in public life. Upon reviewing these reports, the Emergency EMR-ISAC learned that to date none of the mailings were determined to be dangerous by responding hazardous materials teams."

Do you remember what happened in October 2001 when Senator Daschle, Tom Brokaw, an innocent grandmother in Fairfield County Connecticut, and others received anthrax laden mail? Thankfully these cases have been hoaxes, but are you prepared if someone reports receiving a suspicious envelope or package. CDC and GSA have some good information to help with planning. The guidance needs to be integrated into an emergency management program that includes people organized and trained to respond.

7th Anniversary of September 11, Remembering Lars, Harry, Sal, and so many others

2008-09-11T08:46:00.003-04:00

Today is September 11, 2008. It’s been seven years since that fateful day.

On September 11, 2001 I lost many good friends and colleagues. We all lost many fine citizens who just went to work that day. We also lost many of New York’s Bravest (FDNY), New York’s Finest (NYPD and PAPD), soldiers in the Pentagon, and those on the doomed aircraft. It’s a day none of us will ever forget.

On September 10, 2001 I was in Midtown Manhattan speaking at a seminar on emergency response and business continuity. The seminar was to be held in the World Trade Center on September 11, but it had to be moved to the Harvard Club and rescheduled because of the number of people who registered. Thank you to all who registered.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was speaking on the same subject, but this time it was in Boston’s Back Bay—at the Bull & Finch Pub of Cheers fame. Around 8:46 AM, I was asking the audience to picture themselves on the upper floor of a high rise building when the fire alarm sounds and they see smoke in the corridor. That was the situation faced by one of my clients when a multiple alarm fire in the Prudential Center ignited below them. That was back in January 1986. My client and everyone else in the Prudential Center evacuated safely—due to the heroic efforts of the Boston Fire Department—there were no automatic fire sprinklers at that time [there are now.]

On September 11, 2001 my friends, colleagues, and many fine Americans were not able evacuate safely. Their evacuation paths were cutoff…

I still see their faces when I pass people on the street. I can picture their faces in my mind and hear their voices in my head. I miss you guys—Lars, Harry, Sal, and too many others.

In the aftermath of 9/11, I had the opportunity to meet with staff of the 9/11 Commission—on the eve of the second anniversary of the attacks. I got to look at Ground Zero and remember everyone who was lost. In our discussion with the 9/11 Commission staff, we talked about preparedness. Emily Walker, the lead staffer from the Commission, relayed her painful discussions with family members of those who were lost that fateful day. She knew something more needed to be done. To condense months into a sentence, the 9/11 Commission embraced a recommendation for enhancing private sector preparedness. That recommendation has been echoed in multiple Federal laws and most recently in Title IX of Public Law 110-53. Let’s be better prepared. We owe it to Lars, Harry, Sal, and so many others.

Work Begins on European Disaster Preparedness Standard

2008-09-10T15:50:00.007-04:00

The list of disaster preparedness standards is growing longer:

"The Brussels Management Centre of CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, is the site of two meetings today that will lead to creation of a new standard for protecting the populace against natural disasters and terrorist acts. CEN, which develops voluntary standards, was asked by the European Community to address this issue, and it formed CEN BT/WG 161, "Protection and Security of the Citizen," to accomplish the task."

In the United States we have NFPA 1600, and in Canada Z1600 (the Canadian standard based on NFPA 1600). ISO published ISO PAS (Publicly Available Specification) 22399 "Societal Security" late last year, and now this new project originates in Europe.

September is National Preparedness Month

2008-09-09T16:31:00.004-04:00

September is National Preparedness Month, and I provide some information from the Ready Business Fact Sheet. A national survey of businesses with 2-999 employees conducted by The Ad Council in December 2007 found:

38 percent said their company has an emergency plan in place in the event of a disaster
59 percent assessed their own business as “very” or “somewhat” prepared in the event of a disaster
55 percent of businesses surveyed said that they had taken either significant or small steps to improve emergency preparedness in the past year
The surveyed businesses said that the most important threats for them to address are fires followed by cyber attacks and then hurricanes, winter storms, tornadoes and terrorist attacks.

It's good to see that work is being done even in these days of a challenging economy, but every workplace needs to have a basic emergency plan in place. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires emergency action plans for companies with 10 or more employees. Fire and life safety codes also require emergency plans.

It's good to see that businesses are focusing on natural hazards. With tropical storm Fay, Hurricane Gustav, and possibly Hurricane Ike, the dangers of tropical cyclones are clearly evident. With the 7th anniversary of 9/11 approaching, it's good to see that people haven't forgotten that terrorism is still a threat. The reality is, however, that there are dozens and dozens of hazards that can impact businesses today. We'll take a look at hazards—natural, human-caused, and technological—and risk assessment in the coming days and week.