Planning & Management Nuggets (2008/09 GUIDE)

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  • St. Louis is Getting Prepared for a Pandemic

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Online

HHS Issues Pandemic Planning Guide

Courtesy of CIDRAP

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has unveiled a comprehensive pandemic influenza guidance document for states.

Three overarching goals
The 132-page state guidance document reflects the input of 14 federal departments and includes suggestions received from several states at five regional meetings that were sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA).

Guidance materials outline three overarching strategic goals that states plans should address:

  1. Ensuring continuity of state government and agency operation
  2. Protecting citizens
  3. Maintaining critical infrastructure and key assets.

Further information is available on several sites.

www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/panflu/news/mar1408states.html

Business Executives for National Security

Business Executives for National Security (BENS), a nationwide, non-partisan organization, is the primary channel through which senior business executives can help enhance the nation's security. BENS members use their business experience to help make America safe and secure.

A few of the initiatives of BENS:

www.bens.org/about-us/mission-statement.html

2008 TISP Corporate, Community, and Government Resilience Day Report

In keeping with the vision, mission, and objectives of TISP, the Corporate Sponsor Advisory Council (CSAC) hosted the Corporate, Community, and Government Resilience Day. This event brought TISP public and private sector members together to discuss national, regional, and local critical infrastructure and operational resilience requirements, and their solutions in a Post-9/11 and Post-Katrina all-hazards environment. This report includes the presentations and a summary of discussions held during the one-day event.

www.tisp.org/publication/pubdetails.cfm?&pubID=1306

National Homeland Security Consortium Publishes White Paper

As the U.S. Department of Homeland Security marks its 5th anniversary, there are 14 national organizations representing several hundred thousand members that have a clear vision for how the nation should address homeland security in the 21st century.

The National Homeland Security Consortium believes the nation is at a crossroads in its efforts to secure the homeland. In its white paper Protecting Americans in the 21st Century: Imperatives for the Homeland, the Consortium calls for acknowledgement that homeland security is a shared responsibility between all levels of government, the private sector and citizens and they should be equal partners with the federal government in setting national goals and their supporting policies and procedures. The aggressive steps that have been taken over the past seven years to protect people, infrastructure, the economy and society continue to evolve and much progress has been made. This progress underscores the Consortium's desire for better and truly comprehensive solutions for advancing preparedness and protecting America in the 21st Century.

Protecting Americans in the 21st Century: Imperatives for the Homeland

www.nemaweb.org

A New Forecast of California Earthquakes

Courtesy of Southern California Earthquake Center

According to the new forecast, California has a 99.7% chance of having a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake during the next 30 years. The likelihood of an even more powerful quake of magnitude 7.5 or greater in the next 30 years is 46%. Such a quake is more likely to occur in the southern half of the state (37% chance in 30 years) than in the northern half (15% chance in 30 years).

The 2007 Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities (WGCEP 2007), a multi-disciplinary collaboration of scientists and engineers, has released the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF)—the first comprehensive framework for comparing earthquake likelihoods throughout all of California. It provides important new information for improving seismic safety engineering, revising building codes, setting insurance rates, and helping communities prepare for inevitable future earthquakes.

www.scec.org/ucerf

DHS Selects ANAB for Preparedness Program

The Department of Homeland Security has named the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board to operate a new program to accredit and certify private sector entities for preparedness.

www.anab.org/HTMLFiles/docs/PreparednessRelease.pdf

www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=45287

California Will Hold Major Earthquake Drill in November 2008

The Great Southern California ShakeOut
November 12–16, 2008
The Great Southern California ShakeOut is a week of special events featuring the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history, organized to inspire Southern Californians to get ready for big earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes.

These activities are based on the ShakeOut Earthquake Scenario, a realistic portrayal of what will happen in a southern San Andreas earthquake.

www.shakeout.org

Golden Guardian 2008
November 13-18, 2008
Under the leadership of Governor Schwarzenegger and direction of his Office of Homeland Security, the nation’s largest state sponsored emergency exercise will take place November 13-18. Golden Guardian 2008 tests California’s capability to respond and recover during a major catastrophic earthquake. The Golden Guardian 2008 full scale exercise scenario focuses on a simulated, catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake along the southern portion of the San Andreas Fault.

www.ohs.ca.gov/hseep/golden_guardian

Business Roundtable’s CEO COM LINKSM

The terrorist attacks on our nation revealed that America needed a way for government and business leaders to exchange information in times of crisis. Coordinated security efforts by government and business will lead to better protection for our citizens, facilities, communities and nation.

To improve collaboration and coordination between government and the private sector, the Business Roundtable has developed and implemented CEO COM LINKSM, a secure telecommunications bridge that enables senior federal officials and CEOs to exchange timely information in the event of a terrorist threat or a crisis. CEO COM LINKSM has been expanded to include representatives from the banking, chemicals and water industry sectors, with other critical infrastructure sectors to be added in the future.

The Roundtable is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to set up a 7x24 real-time system that would be used in an on-going basis by the public and private sectors to coordinate response and recovery.

Special Initiatives

CEO COM LINKSM PRESS RELEASES
4.20.04

CEO COM LINKSM Summary
2.4.04

Questions And Answers On CEO COM LINKSM

Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist

Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist (PDF - 284.24 KB)

In the event of pandemic influenza, businesses will play a key role in protecting employees' health and safety as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy and society. Planning for pandemic influenza is critical. To assist you in your efforts, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed the following checklist for large businesses. It identifies important, specific activities large businesses can do now to prepare, many of which will also help you in other emergencies.

Further information can be found at www.pandemicflu.gov and www.cdc.gov/business.

Checklist Sections

www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/businesschecklist.html

Pandemic Alert System by the World Health Organization (WHO)

WHO has developed an alert system to help inform the world about the seriousness of a pandemic. The alert system has six phases, with Phase 1 having the lowest risk of human cases and Phase 6 posing the greatest risk of pandemic.

The world is presently in phase 3: a new influenza virus subtype is causing disease in humans, but is not yet spreading efficiently and sustainably among humans.

www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en/index.html

7 Organizations Joined Together to Better Meet the Needs of Disaster Victims

Traditionally, relief organizations have worked independently to meet the needs of disaster victims. Galvanized by the events of September 11, 2001 however, seven leading organizations began exploring better ways to coordinate disaster relief and recovery services. These agencies became the founding partners of the Coordinated Assistance Network (CAN):

Why CAN?
Galvanized by the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 seven of the nation's leading nonprofit disaster relief organizations came together to assess the lessons learned from that unprecedented tragedy. One of the most important findings of this assessment was that disaster relief agencies, whether national or local, did not have a unified way of sharing information with one another. While each agency might have a high degree of information management competence within its own sphere, they were not able to fluently share data. Ultimately, this meant that the people who need help the most in the wake of a natural or man-made disaster were left to their own devices to find a way through the web of relief services offered.

www.can.org/about.htm

dPlan: The Free Disaster-Planning Template for Non-Profits

Created by NEDCC

The Northeast Document Conservation Center has created a free disaster-planning template called dPlan™ for use by non-profit organizations. The easy-to-use dPlan™ program automatically supplies language for a final plan. The resulting printed, customized disaster plan includes:

  • disaster response procedures
  • salvage priorities
  • preventive maintenance schedules
  • current contact information for staff and emergency personnel
  • sources of emergency supplies and services
  • insurance checklists
  • electronic data backup and restorations procedures

Once completed, your password-protected plan is stored on a secure server so it can be updated on a regular basis.

To use dPlan™ or to view the introductory demo, go to: www.dplan.org

For more information about NEDCC, visit: www.nedcc.org

Development of dPlan™ was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.

Prepare for Utility Disruptions

Businesses are often dependent on electricity, gas, telecommunications, sewer and other utilities.

  1. Plan ahead for extended disruptions during and after a disaster. Carefully examine which utilities are vital to your business's day-to-day operation. Speak with service providers about potential alternatives and identify back-up options.
  2. Learn how and when to turn off utilities. If you turn the gas off, a professional must turn it back on. Do not attempt to turn the gas back on yourself.
  3. Consider purchasing portable generators to power the vital aspects of your business in an emergency. Never use a generator inside as it may produce deadly carbon monoxide gas. It is a good idea to pre-wire the generator to the most important equipment. Periodically test the backup system's operability.
  4. Decide how you will communicate with employees, customers, suppliers and others. Use cell phones, walkie-talkies, or other devices that do not rely on electricity as a back-up to your telecommunications system.
  5. Plan a secondary means of accessing the Internet if it is vital to your company's day-to-day operations.
  6. If food storage or refrigeration is an issue for your business, identify a vendor in advance that sells ice and dry ice in case you can't use refrigeration equipment.

www.ready.gov/business/protect/utilities.html

DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report

Current Report
August 15, 2008 - DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report, (PDF, 17 pages - 137 KB)

The DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report (Daily Report) is collected each week day as a summary of open-source published information concerning significant critical infrastructure issues. Each Daily Report is divided by the critical infrastructure sectors and key assets defined in the National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets.

Virtual Forum Fosters Regular Dialogue

The Emergency Information Infrastructure Project is a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to enhancing the practice of emergency management, and thereby public safety, through offering professional development opportunities to practitioners and other interested persons. The principal way we work to achieve this goal is through presentation in the "Virtual Forum" of timely, disaster-related topics by experts in their fields, by means of Internet-based 'Live Chat' (text) technology. There is no charge to participants, and all are welcome.

www.emforum.org

FEMA Announces "QuakeSmart" Project For Business Mitigation

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that it is partnering in the development of a new initiative, called QuakeSmart, which is designed to encourage business leaders and owners in areas of the U. S. that are at risk from earthquakes to take actions that will mitigate damage to their businesses, provide greater safety for customers and employees, and speed recovery in the event of an earthquake.

FEMA is partnering with the Safe America Foundation, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that focuses on safety and disaster preparedness, to lead the QuakeSmart effort. The goal of QuakeSmart is to build awareness within the business community of the risk and to educate businesses, particularly small and emerging businesses, on the relatively simple things they can do to reduce or mitigate the impact of earthquakes, and support community preparedness.

The effort will begin with a series of QuakeSmart Community Forums in several cities in the Midwest and on the West Coast. The forums, conducted during a free weekday luncheon, will feature leading national experts who will address topics such as Earthquake Vulnerability-Protecting Your Investment, What a Small Business Can Do NOW, Mitigation Resources for Business, Business Interruption Planning, and more.

For further information about the program or to learn how to register for a forum in your community, contact Henry Munford at henry.munford@safeamerica.org or visit www.quakesmart.net (official launch date is Aug. 1)

FEMA offers online Professional Development Series Independent Study Courses

FEMA has created a free online curriculum designed specifically for the professional sector and emergency management professionals. The Professional Development Series comprises seven Emergency Management Institute independent study courses to help professionals and businesses prepare for, respond to and recover from a disaster.

“The [PDS] provide[s] a well-rounded set of fundamentals for those in the emergency management profession,” said FEMA’s website.

The seven-course battery of detailed studies, examples and worksheets on include:

  • Exercise Design – developing, conducting and learning from disaster recovery exercises and drills;
  • Principles of Emergency Management – fundamentals of an integrated emergency management system;
  • Emergency Planning – essential guide to developing an emergency operations plan for your company;
  • Leadership & Influence – develops skills to lead a team or company before, during and after an event;
  • Decision Making & Problem Solving – examines and gives examples of how to make important decisions quickly and effectively;
  • Effective Communication – covers all aspects of communicating during a disaster from the personal level to equipment needs to handling the press and
  • Developing & Managing Volunteers – advice and actions that help large groups of people function effectively during a disaster.

Each independent study course provides free materials and support online. Participants may take the lessons at individual pace and must score 80 percent of better on a final exam to pass each course. A certificate of completion is awarded for each independent study completed. Students who complete all the courses will receive a PDS Certificate of Completion.

For more information on these or other FEMA programs visit ready.gov or training.fema.gov.

Information courtesy of Susy Phillips, Information Vaulting Services of Arkansas (800)411-7240; sphillips@ivsofar.com

What Are The Costs of Disaster Protection?

Courtesy of FEMA

The following will give you an idea of what it may cost to develop a disaster protection and business continuity plan. Some of what is recommended can be done at little or no cost. Use this list to get started and then consider what else can be done to protect your people and prepare your business.

No Cost

  • Meet with your insurance provider to review current coverage.
  • Create procedures to quickly evacuate and shelter-in-place. Practice the plans.
  • Talk to your people about the company's disaster plans. Two-way communication is central before, during and after a disaster.
  • Create an emergency contact list including employee emergency contact information.
  • Create a list of critical business contractors and others whom you will use in an emergency.
  • Know what kinds of emergencies might affect your company both internally and externally.
  • Decide in advance what you will do if your building is unusable.
  • Create a list of inventory and equipment, including computer hardware, software and peripherals, for insurance purposes.
  • Talk to utility service providers about potential alternatives and identify back-up options.
  • Promote family and individual preparedness among your co-workers. Include emergency preparedness information during staff meetings, in newsletters, on company intranet, periodic employee emails and other internal communications tools.

Under $500

  • Buy a fire extinguisher and smoke alarm.
  • Decide which emergency supplies the company can feasibly provide, if any, and talk to your co-workers about what supplies individuals might want to consider keeping in a personal and portable supply kit.
  • Set up a telephone call tree, password-protected page on the company website, email alert or call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency.
  • Provide first aid and CPR training to key co-workers.
  • Use and keep up-to-date computer anti-virus software and firewalls.
  • Attach equipment and cabinets to walls or other stable equipment. Place heavy or breakable objects on low shelves.
  • Elevate valuable inventory and electric machinery off the floor in case of flooding.
  • If applicable, make sure your building's HVAC system is working properly and well-maintained.
  • Back up your records and critical data. Keep a copy offsite.

More than $500

  • Consider additional insurance such as business interruption, flood or earthquake.
  • Purchase, install and pre-wire a generator to the building's essential electrical circuits. Provide for other utility alternatives and back-up options.
  • Install automatic sprinkler systems, fire hoses and fire-resistant doors and walls.
  • Make sure your building meets standards and codes. Consider a professional engineer to evaluate the wind, fire or seismic resistance of your building.
  • Consider a security professional to evaluate and/or create your disaster preparedness and business continuity plan.
  • Upgrade your building's HVAC system to secure outdoor air intakes and increase filter efficiency.
  • Send safety and key emergency response employees to trainings or conferences.
  • Provide a large group of employees with first aid and CPR training.

www.ready.gov/business/overview/over-cost.html

Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources

Courtesy of DHS

Protecting and ensuring the continuity of the critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) of the United States are essential to the nation's security, public health and safety, economic vitality, and way of life.

  • Critical Infrastructure are the assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, public health or safety, or any combination thereof.
  • Key Resources are publicly or privately controlled resources essential to the minimal operations of the economy and government.

Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 (HSPD-7) established U.S. policy for enhancing CIKR protection by establishing a framework for security partners to identify, prioritize, and protect the nation's CIKR from terrorist attacks. The directive identified 17 CIKR sectors and designated a Federal Sector-Specific Agency (SSA) to lead CIKR protection efforts in each.

Each of the 17 Sector-Specific Agencies developed a Sector-Specific Plan that details the application of the NIPP framework to the unique characteristics and risk landscape of their sector.

Sector-Specific Plans (SSPs) support the National Infrastructure Protection Plan by establishing a coordinated approach to national priorities, goals, and requirements for critical infrastructure and key resources protection.

Why is CIKR Protection Important?

  • Attacks on CIKR could significantly disrupt the functioning of government and business alike and produce cascading effects far beyond the targeted sector and physical location of the incident.
  • Direct terrorist attacks and natural, manmade, or technological hazards could produce catastrophic losses in terms of human casualties, property destruction, and economic effects, as well as profound damage to public morale and confidence.
  • Attacks using components of the nation's CIKR as weapons of mass destruction could have even more devastating physical and psychological consequences.

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 provides the primary authority for the overall homeland security mission. This act charged the Department of Homeland Security with primary responsibility for developing a comprehensive national plan to secure CIKR and recommend “the measures necessary to protect the key resources and critical infrastructure of the United States.” This comprehensive plan is the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP), published by the Department in June 2006. The NIPP provides the unifying structure for integrating a wide range of efforts for the protection of CIKR into a single national program.

www.dhs.gov/xprevprot/programs/gc_1189168948944.shtm

 

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