Firestorm

ASIS 2009 Conference, Anaheim, CA

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:57:23 GMT

ASIS 2009 Conference, Anaheim, CA
Start Date: 21-Aug-09 11:00 AM
End Time: 24-Aug-09 3:00 PM
Speaker: Jim Satterfield

Event Details:

Round Table Speech 11:00am - 12:00pm, August 22, 2009

MidSouth Assoc. of Contingency Planners, Memphis, TN

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:46:19 GMT

MidSouth Assoc. of Contingency Planners, Memphis, TN
Start Date: 12-Aug-09 1:30 PM
End Time: 12-Aug-09 4:30 PM
Speaker: Jim Satterfield

BiNational Forum on Trauma & Disaster, El Paso, TX

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:27:42 GMT

BiNational Forum on Trauma & Disaster, El Paso, TX
Start Date: 7-Aug-09 11:00 AM
End Time: 7-Aug-09 12:15 PM
Location: Undergraduate Learning Center El Paso
Speaker: Jim Satterfield

Undergraduate Learning Center El Paso

PrivateTraining, Chicago

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:05:29 GMT

PrivateTraining, Chicago
Start Date: 27-Jul-09 8:30 AM
End Time: 29-Jul-09 5:30 PM
Speaker: Jim Satterfield, Harry Rhulen

BRPA Meeting, Chicago, IL

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:19:11 GMT

BRPA Meeting, Chicago, IL
Start Date: 21-Jul-09 9:00 AM
End Time: 21-Jul-09 12:30 PM
Speaker: Jim Satterfield

Sandy Springs Rotary Club Meeting, Atlanta, GA

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:00:18 GMT

Sandy Springs Rotary Club Meeting, Atlanta, GA
Start Date: 20-Jul-09 12:00 PM
End Time: 20-Jul-09 1:15 PM
Speaker: Jim Satterfield

CPAC, Columbia, SC

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:38:34 GMT

CPAC, Columbia, SC
Start Date: 8-Jul-09 1:00 PM
End Time: 8-Jul-09 4:00 PM
Location: DHEC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Training Center, Columbia, SC
Speaker: Jim Satterfield

DHEC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Training Center

Firestorm Newsletter 1-Jul-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:00:00 GMT

July 1, 2009

Communicable illness

HEADLINE: Swine flu shot campaign could involve 600M doses

SUMMARY: Health officials are preparing a swine flu vaccination campaign and predict as many as 600 million swine flu vaccination doses may be ready as soon as September. Rapid production, tracking side effects and administering the vaccine are issues still needing to be addressed. Swine flu has caused at least 27,000 illnesses and 127 deaths in the United States.

STORY LINK: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090626/ap_on_he_me/us_med_swine_flu

ANALYSIS: The potential for a deadly strain of influenza that mirrors the 1918-19 outbreak – during which possibly 50 million people succumbed worldwide; 675,000 in the United States alone – necessitates advanced planning for a program of a scope not seen since the polio eradication campaign of the 1950s. Until the virus arrives in its seasonal form, scientists are unsure how many doses would be needed to confer immunity. The possibility exists that every person would need two shots, for a total of 600 million immunizations, some six times more than annually administered in the United States.

Every vaccine carries a risk of side effects and the short time available for development precludes extensive testing. This places public health officials in the position of having to balance the greater threat of a deadly virus with the potential for a vaccine-related adverse event. Given the impact of the 1918 outbreak and the safety record of modern vaccines, the likelihood is immunizations would proceed supported by detailed recordkeeping to track side effects.

The problem arises when other immunizations (including the regular seasonal flu shot) are given during the same time period. It becomes extremely difficult to establish a causal relationship to a particular vaccine when several are involved.

The persistent uncertainty – which will not be resolved until the virus assumes its final form – and the potential danger continue to point to a need for advance planning, emphasis on everyday precautions and awareness of public health guidelines. While unpleasant to consider, the massive disruptions of a national immunization campaign are preferable to the widespread and sudden deaths experienced nearly a century ago.

--Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

HEADLINE: Will two flues mix in Indonesia? Experts worry

SUMMARY: The first cases of the H1N1 swine flu in Indonesia have raised concerns that it could combine with the entrenched H5N1 avian influenza to create a more lethal strain. H5N1 has been circulating in Asia for years and has hit Indonesia harder than any other country. Although it only rarely infects people, it has killed 262 out of 433 infected globally since 2003, with 141 of those cases in Indonesia. "We are scared because we are the warehouse of the world's most virulent H5N1," Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari said.

STORY LINK: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSJAK461726

ANALYSIS: The potential for resorting of H1N1 and H5N1 in Indonesia into a more virulent strain is only the most dramatic possibility of a naturally occurring process, given that the two strains have been the focus of intense interest over the past decade. In reality, the current, novel H1N1 can interact with any number of extent strains around the globe and is itself a product of this process. There is no way to predict if this will happen or what the result would be.

What is certain is there will be a seasonal influenza, millions of people will be infected, and tens of thousands will succumb to flu-related complications. This by itself should be sufficiently ominous to prompt advanced preparations. Should a new, more deadly strain emerge, the plans and processes designed and practiced today will help determine the outcome.

Preparedness is elemental – we do what we know. If you wait until the disease arrives, the opportunity to stay ahead of the outbreak will already have passed.

--Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Economic crisis

HEADLINE: Poison control at risk in California, other states

SUMMARY: Budget cuts may make California the first state to lose emergency poison control services. Closing the call centers would save almost $6 million a year. Poison control cases would be directed to 911 or local emergency rooms for assistance. The move could have a domino effect throughout the country, with other states already forced to downsize poison control services.

STORY LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/25/AR2009062500797.html

ANALYSIS: You are your own first responder. We have seen the increase in suicides and workplace violence because of the economic crisis. The elimination of critical services like poison control services is a secondary impact. The economy will continue to increase pressure on each person and firm to assume responsibility for their individual preparedness as the level of governmental support continues to decline because of budget constraints.

Unfortunately, we have entered a period of increasing hazards and rapidly declining government-response capabilities. You are your own first responder. Identifying vulnerabilities, monitoring and having a plan is more critical now than ever. Have you updated your plan in light of today’s economic realities and increasing uncertainties?

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Data security

HEADLINE: Secret U.S. data found on cast-off hard drive

SUMMARY: The dangers of failing to properly dispose of computer hard drives were apparent this week. A team of students in Ghana bought a pre-owned hard drive for $40 which contained confidential contracts between the Pentagon, DHS and military contractors. Also on the hard drive were credit card numbers and information on hiring practices. Northrop Grumman has acknowledged it is looking into how its hardware and data ended up in Ghana, a major dumping ground for cyber waste.

STORY LINK: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/655048

ANALYSIS: There are ample stories concerning loss of control of confidential data when used computer equipment is sold or trashed.

Sometimes the culprit is a simple misunderstanding of how to delete information. It’s not uncommon to think that simply hitting the delete key removes information from a computer’s memory and hard drive. Technologists understand that more often than not, it is fairly simple to re-access such data. True deletion involves an often lengthy process of writing digital ones and zeros over the data, or more simply physically destroying the medium.

Often, however, the root cause is lack of ownership in controlling electronic confidential information. When businesses upgrade personal computers, the focus is usually on implementing an upgrade process that minimally impacts the productivity of those using the computers to be upgraded. The user is immediately focused on the new equipment as the old stuff is carted off by somebody. It is not a huge leap to see that often the original user assumes that somebody will ensure that the data on the old machine is adequately disposed. On the other hand, somebody may just as easily assume that the user ensured that any confidential data was erased. This may sound farfetched, but it happens often, and the end result can be heinous costs and publicity for the business associated with such an incident.

So, what to do? I strongly recommend three things for every business that electronically processes any information that would cause harm if published in the newspaper or media:

1: Before used computer equipment is disposed of, hard drives should be properly erased or destroyed. Generally I have found that it is cheaper to take the drive out and physically destroy it than to take the time to effectively erase the data. A good hammer will do the trick.

2: Data encryption software has become less expensive and much more business- and user-friendly. My second recommendation is to require confidential data be encrypted at all times. Software that encrypts the entire hard drive eliminates having to decide which data is confidential.

3: I continue to be surprised at how many businesses do not have an information retention and destruction policy. Ensuring that needed information is retained should be an obvious need. Many businesses fail to recognize, however, that storing information that is no longer needed is expensive and can create unwarranted liability. Smart businesses determine what information is needed for how long and properly dispose of everything else.

--Al Kirkpatrick, Firestorm Chief Information Security Officer

1-Jul-09 2:00 PM

Firestorm Newsletter 26-Jun-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:00:00 GMT

June 26, 2009

Communicable illness

HEADLINE: Pandemic might be as severe as 1968 Hong Kong Flu

SUMMARY: The swine flu pandemic may have as much impact as the 1968-69 Hong Kong flu that cost an estimated 0.7 percent of global gross domestic product, according to the World Bank. The new H1N1 flu strain might reduce second-quarter GDP by as much as 2.2 percent in Mexico if disruptions to businesses -- including those in the restaurant, hotel and transportation industries, persist -- the Washington- based lender said. “Even if it does not mutate into a more deadly form, a second wave of the flu in low-income countries could have serious consequences -- given poor countries’ limited capacity to monitor and treat an outbreak and the higher incidence of chronic disease within their populations,” the bank said.

STORY LINK: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ah0aeqRTBdLI

ANALYSIS: This report represents one of many attempts to quantify the impact of the current influenza strain. The WHO estimates that the 1968 pandemic may have killed as many as one million people; annual season influenza causes between 250,000 and 500,000 deaths worldwide. Whether it mutates into a more severe form or not, the current flu is likely to have a significant effect. The impact of communicable disease is almost universally more severe in populations living in underdeveloped nations or in poverty. Widespread contagion will result in economic declines both in the developing world and in industrialized nations given the interconnections of the global economy.

--Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

HEADLINE: Pandemic reality check: what can be done -- and what can't -- to protect against H1N1

SUMMARY: The impact of the current swine flu pandemic is unpredictable because it is dependent on factors such as the virus’ ability to mutate; the impact of "non-pharmaceutical interventions" such as hand washing and social distancing; and the availability and effectiveness of a vaccine. Developing a vaccine and producing large quantities rapidly are critical, but subject to political decisions.

STORY LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/22/AR2009062202386.html?sub=AR

ANALYSIS: The author of this article, John Barry, is a superlative historian and his assessment of the potential path and impact of the novel H1N1 influenza is precisely correct. Influenza virus readily mutates, complicating development of an effective vaccine. Moreover, there is more than one strain active in the world today, so what will be the greatest threat remains to be seen.

Mr. Barry also correctly highlights the phenomenon of fear fatigue and the falling off -- absent a persistent and perceptible threat -- of preventive measures within the general population. All of this points to the need for continuing planning, reinforcement of routine preventive measures – the non-pharmaceutical interventions Barry describes, including heightened awareness, and flexibility in responding to those who are or may be ill.

Barry’s book, The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, offers tremendous insight into the evolution of modern, science-based medicine and to the power of nature and communicable disease. As Barry states often within that work, “just the flu” can pose a grave threat, one that should not be taken lightly.

--Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Economic crisis

HEADLINE: Flu virus to cost Delta $250 million in revenue

SUMMARY: Delta’s CEO estimates swine flu fears and rising fuel prices reduced revenue last quarter by $250 million. As a result, Delta is reducing its international travel schedule and reassessing staffing needs. "The steps we are taking have essentially involved capacity because the flu has decreased demand," said Delta CEO Richard Anderson at the company's annual shareholders’ meeting.

STORY LINK: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSN2247461420090622

ANALYSIS: The immediate reaction to the impact of a pandemic is to measure it in deaths. Clearly, the human impact of the loss of a loved one is huge. Every Crisis is a Human Crisis. It is also a financial crisis, with the lost income, medical expenses and funeral expenses.

Businesses also suffer the loss of employees. Delta's $250 million loss is just the beginning of the H1N1’s impact. Lost revenues will include cancelled hotels, rental cars, orders, restaurants, exhibitors, lost clients and more. The total impact of H1N1 to date is measured in hundreds of billions. The northern hemisphere’s second wave in the fall/winter will be worse. Expect 50 percent absenteeism, quarantines, deaths, confusion and shortages. Is your business ready?

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

HEADLINE: Recession may be igniting more cases of arson in Phoenix

SUMMARY: Phoenix had a 44 percent increase in cases of arson for the first four months of 2009 compared with 2008. The country’s financial crisis and the area’s high home and business vacancy rate could be to blame as property owners seek to avoid foreclosures and collect insurance money.

STORY LINK: http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2009/06/22/story19.html

ANALYSIS: The economic crisis is a known risk factor. Increased arson, theft, and workplace and domestic violence are the impacts. The 44 percent increase in Phoenix arson is the tip of the problem. Look at the costs for firefighting, police, insurance, jobs and people. Continuity plans must address all risks. Does your plan focus on the human risk?

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Information security

HEADLINE: Military command Is created for cyber security

SUMMARY: Defense Secretary Robert Gates created a new military command dedicated to cyber security, reflecting the administration's plans to centralize and elevate computer security as a national-security issue. The move follows President Barack Obama's announcement last month that he will establish a new cyber-security office at the White House, whose chief will coordinate all government efforts to protect computer networks.

STORY LINK: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124579956278644449.html

ANALYSIS: This story has created a good bit of chatter from various constituencies, many of which worry that it signals a broad opening for the military to monitor and intervene in civilian communications channels. After reading “beneath the headlines” I personally don’t see this as an immediate threat in such perspective. On the other hand, I do believe that it is a very strong reminder to all business leaders about the benefits and significant challenges of so-called “cyberspace” (the global electronic and communications infrastructure).

The Internet offers to business the typical “good news/bad news” situation. The good news is that the Internet allows your business to be seen by and communicate with just about every other global Internet user. And the bad news is that the Internet exposes your business to just about every other global Internet user - - including the many that you want and the few that you really don’t want. Just a few years ago, the Internet was a business convenience. In most cases, the Internet is now a business necessity, enabling mission critical communications, transactions and business processes.

Meanwhile, the bad guys have created a wide range of opportunities enabled by the open architecture of the Internet which, in itself, has enabled its remarkable growth. So, what to do? Whether your business is large or small, you must understand how you may rely on cyberspace to accomplish mission-critical functions and develop contingency plans. The core of this is a business information risk assessment which will ensure that you understand how threats to and from cyberspace can impact your bottom line.

Happily, a well done risk assessment will also help you avoid non-productive investment in information risk management strategies.

--Al Kirkpatrick, Firestorm Chief Information Security Officer

26-Jun-09 1:00 PM

Firestorm Newsletter 19-Jun-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:00:00 GMT

June 19, 2009

Communicable illness

HEADLINE: Flu onset exposed supply problems

SUMMARY: The swine flu outbreak underscored the need for the healthcare community to consider possible supply chain disruptions as part of their pandemic plans. Nationwide, gaps were revealed in the supply chain for necessities such as swabs, medications and face masks. "We really didn't have a good handle on how much commercial supplies were out there, who had them, how rapidly were they being drawn down, and how to blend the public and private stockpiles so there would be no disruption of service," said James Blumenstock, chief program officer for public health practice at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

STORY LINK: http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/06/15/swine_flu_arrival_overwhelmed_stockpile_of_medical_supplies/

ANALYSIS: The specter of shortages during a crisis is a classic reflection of the evolution of just-in-time supply policies and the impact of hard economics. There is no sound business case for production of supplies that may never be ordered. Similarly, maintaining extensive medical stocks offers a clear dichotomy: If they are needed you are a hero, otherwise you wasted money on needless supplies. Purchases to meet an as-yet-undefined influenza threat incur carrying costs and the eventual need for replacement at shelf-life end.

Public health and business leadership, therefore, face a significant degree of uncertainty. Firms have begun to stock up on antivirals, but there is no guarantee that these medications will be effective, or even necessary. Shortages to date have been locally isolated, but there is no way to predict where, when, and which flu will occur. All of this leads to the balancing of probabilities – the certainty and historically acceptable risk of the seasonal flu vs. the rarity of a deadly pandemic.

Organizations can and should assess their operational requirements, resources (fiscal and materiel), and preparedness plans. Some may deem it prudent to advance purchase protective equipment, pharmaceuticals, and other supplies. All should plan for the arrival of influenza; an annual event that kills tens of thousands. Everyday precautions, social distancing, alternative work schedules, and telecommuting are options that should be examined and, if applicable, taught and practiced today.

Absent a huge and unprecedented expenditure, supply shortfalls are inevitable in the face of a crisis. Prudent, incremental planning and preparation can offset the unavoidable vagaries of influenza. The key is to be ahead of the situation when it develops, which means starting today.

--Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

HEADLINE: Swine flu could grow far deadlier, says WHO adviser

SUMMARY: Professor Albert Osterhaus, a leading virologist and WHO adviser, fears that swine flu -- based on its similarities with the 1918 Spanish Flu -- may mutate into a far deadlier strain. Spanish Flu also started out mildly and affected healthy adults and children. The World Health Organization recently raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from Phase 5 to Phase 6.

STORY LINK: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/swine-flu-could-grow-far-deadlier-says-who-adviser-1704820.html

ANALYSIS: If I had to put a worrisome percentage on the current swine flu I would say 10 percent. Since we have only one data point (1918) in some 100 or more years, I would say the chances are low for it to mutate into a killer of similar severity. However, since the stakes are high if it does mutate, then there has to be some concern and the requisite planning.

The question of which vaccine to produce (since the world production capacity allows for only one vaccine for the fall) is to gamble on the seasonal vaccine that kills about 30,000 per year vs. one that may be similar or be a real killer. My prediction is that because of politics (not science) the swine vaccine will be made at the expense of the routine seasonal vaccine.

--Dr. Steve Cunnion, Firestorm Expert Council member

Natural disasters

HEADLINE: 2008 confirmed rise in weather disasters-Red Cross

SUMMARY: Weather-related disasters and the deaths associated with them continue to be on the rise, according to The Red Cross. Experts predict it is likely that extreme-weather event -- floods, droughts and storms -- will continue to become more frequent because of global warming.

STORY LINK: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN16299845

ANALYSIS: While not cause for global panic, these statistics confirming that weather-related disasters are trending upward will cause smart businesses to consider related issues and develop appropriate strategies. Such disasters can cause hardships for those caught unprepared and opportunities for those ready to execute.

Hopefully, your business has a continuity plan ready to execute should a weather-related disaster impact your facility. Being prepared should your facility be impacted by hurricane, floods, tornado, wildfire, or any other force of Mother Nature can directly impact the probability of your business’s long-term survival. Too often, however, businesses forget to consider tangential issues that arise. Your facility, carefully located on high ground in a known flood plain may be dry and operational-ready, but if the roads leading to it are under water, or your employees’ homes are bobbing down the river, you’ve got problems.

“Our business is located in an area that does not experience weather-related disasters,’’ you say, so why spend time worrying? Well, how about your supply chain? Quick research on the web will uncover a surprising number of businesses located well away from the New Orleans area that no longer exist because their supply chain was shut down during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. I personally know of firms that rely on offshore resources for critical daily operations that have been materially impacted during Asia-Pacific cyclones.

One last thought: If your facility is safe and your supply chain stabilized because you were smart enough to anticipate, don’t forget about your customers! It’s important to model how your business will be impacted if your customers are affected by a disaster -- and that can include your inability to get products and services to them, or their sudden change in buying or paying status driven by their own disaster recovery status.

--Al Kirkpatrick, Firestorm Chief Information Security Officer

Editor’s note: Firestorm will conduct a free webinar July 13 at 2 p.m. EDT focused on preparation for hurricanes and other natural disasters. Expert Council member Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honorè (U.S. Army, ret.), who led the military response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, will be the featured guest.

Disaster preparedness

HEADLINE: Iowa PSAP ready to receive text via 911

SUMMARY: A county in Iowa says their 911 call center is about to become the nation's first to accept text messages. Although still being tested, Black Hawk County officials say their plan is to go live in July. The technology will allow people with speech and hearing impediments to text 911.

STORY LINK: http://urgentcomm.com/networks_and_systems/news/text-message-911-psap-20090610/

ANALYSIS: Adding text is a great improvement and enhancement of capabilities. Experience confirms cellular communications is likely to fail first in a disaster. Text remains available in a wide range of incidents.

In a workplace violence scenario, text can be a low detection option. It should be among the multiple means of communication included in every crisis communications plan.

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Food supply

HEADLINE: A 'time bomb' for world wheat crop

SUMMARY: A type of fungus called stem rust is considered the No. 1 threat to wheat, the world's most widely grown crop. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico estimates that 19 percent of the world's wheat, which provides food for 1 billion people in Asia and Africa, is in imminent danger. American plant breeders say $10 billion worth of wheat would be destroyed if the fungus suddenly made its way to U.S. fields.

STORY LINK: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-wheat-rust14-2009jun14,0,1661589.story

ANALYSIS: This news has been circulating in the wheat and general agricultural industry for at least six months. It is one of those issues that the industry watches, but is one of many disease issues that crop up (no pun intended) on a regular basis in plants and animals. Not sure what the overall impact may be, but it could be bad -- especially in Africa.

It should be remembered that in countries where wheat is a primary and exported crop (the United States among them), raw wheat is not imported and stem rust can be controlled, unless it is airborne and can travel long distances.

--Richard Fritz, Firestorm Expert Council member

19-Jun-09 11:00 AM

Firestorm Newsletter 12-Jun-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:00:00 GMT

June 12, 2008

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Communicable illness

HEADLINE: WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years

SUMMARY: The World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic Thursday — the first global flu epidemic in 41 years — as infections in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere climbed to nearly 30,000 cases. WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan said the "world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century. The virus is now unstoppable. However, we do not expect to see a sudden and dramatic jump in the number of severe and fatal infections. The WHO said 74 countries had reported 28,774 cases of swine flu, including 144 deaths. Many health experts said the world has been in a pandemic for weeks but WHO became bogged down by politics.

STORY LINK: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/un_un_swine_flu

HEADLINE: How a Mild Virus Might Turn Vicious

SUMMARY: The genetic structure of the swine flu strain is being examined carefully by scientists globally. The virus currently lacks several genes believed to increase the lethality, but experts warn that mutation is an unpredictable process.

STORY LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/health/09flu.html?_r=2&ref=health

ANALYSIS: This week marked the formal declaration of a swine-origin H1N1 influenza pandemic and continued speculation on the virus’ future. The former news story recognizes the virus’ worldwide progression while the latter reflects its potential adaptability.

The WHO pandemic classification is in response to the global presence of the disease, specifically “community-level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5.” Phase 5 criteria include human-to-human or animal-to-human transmission and presence in at least two countries in one WHO region. Simply stated, declaration of a pandemic means the disease can be spread among humans and is present globally. It does not offer insight as to the virulence or the danger of the virus.

Speculation as to how the virus will evolve in the coming months – or if it will change at all – is just that, speculation. While comments on the virus’ wanting to gain lethality or its future if it does so reflect likely evolutionary paths, influenza is not sentient and mutations are a result of chance encounters with other influenza strains. That the current strain includes a “unique mix of Eurasian and American swine, human and bird genes” reflects the randomness of the evolutionary process. This process can produce highly deadly strains; whether it does so cannot be predicted. Similarly, while the virulence of the 1918 strain was a “once in a millennium” event, this does not mean a thousand years will pass before it happens again. Much like the Mississippi basin has experienced two “floods of the century” a decade apart, once-a -millennium outbreaks can occur a century apart.

The pandemic declaration allows public health authorities to pursue certain preventive measures, including the accelerated production of H1N1 vaccine. The WHO has recommended such production, but the decision to do so has not been made. Nor have the world’s public health authorities decided whether to focus on H1N1, seasonal flu, or a combination of the two. The global presence of the H1N1 strain offers global opportunities for re-assortment – the exchange or mixing of genes to produce a modified strain. Whether this happens and what it will mean will remain a mystery.

What we do know is that we have experienced unusual spring flu, that while the fatality rate is relatively mild it does exist, and that some of the deaths have been among otherwise young and healthy individuals, atypical victims of the flu. Previous pandemic planning should continue, or if planning has not been accomplished it should begin. The risk of a widespread outbreak threatens individuals, families, schools businesses and communities. Each venue may face high rates of absenteeism, the need to care for the ill, or limitations on travel or public gatherings. Be prepared for these possibilities. Only time will tell if this is a deadly virus, and if prudent and pragmatic preparations have been taken.

--Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Disaster preparedness

HEADLINE: GAO Cites FEMA Preparedness Gaps

SUMMARY: A report released by the Government Accountability Office found that FEMA has failed to clarify the responsibilities of agencies during a disaster. Though FEMA has made progress since Hurricane Katrina, the following gaps still exist: Failure to instill a shared sense of responsibility and accountability on the part of all stakeholders for the development of the national preparedness system; lack of coordination with other federal departments and agencies to define how improvements will be monitored; and failure to track corrective actions taken in response to training exercises.

STORY LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/07/AR2009060702165.html

ANALYSIS: All plans and disaster response comes back to people. Every Crisis is a Human Crisis. This report documents the experiences from disasters over the past several years. Add to these gaps coordination issues with local and state authorities, the faith-based communities, and the private sector and the true scope of the impacts become serious. The report states that FEMA/DHS has failed to create a culture of preparedness in America. The problems are known and well documented. There is no driver to force accountability and corrective action.

This report provides a blueprint for Congress to demand action now. In the meantime, every business and individual must be their own first responder. Preparedness is not someone else’s responsibility. It belongs to each of us. Business Continuity is a governance responsibility for corporate boards and senior management. When the disaster starts, it is too late to plan. The time to make sure that you and your business are ready is today. Each of us owns this problem. Assigning blame to FEMA after the fact is too late, if you lose a loved one or your business is hit by a disaster. Disasters occur. The Red Cross states that there are over 70,000 each year in the U.S. There is no geographic location or business that is immune.

Don’t link the survival of your business to FEMA.

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

HEADLINE: City's new hurricane command center in disrepair

SUMMARY: With hurricane season already under way, the new emergency operations center in New Orleans is not ready as scheduled. Col. Jerry Sneed, the city’s emergency preparedness chief, admits working out of the old facility could hamper efforts during a crisis.

STORY LINK: http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl060109cbcommand.3cd807fa.html

ANALYSIS: Disaster Denial or no accountability? Hurricane season began June 1. It begins on the same day every year. There should be no surprise. There is no excuse. We all have the same calendar. We all remember watching the impacts of Katrina on the city and its population. New Orleans has been and will be ground zero for another hurricane.

If you are a resident or a business in New Orleans, you are on notice that you are your own first responder.

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Food safety

HEADLINE: Legislation seeks to strengthen FDA’s authority

SUMMARY: A House committee is voting on a new bill to authorize the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue mandatory recalls of unsafe food. Currently, the FDA can only issue voluntary recalls. The new bill would also enable the FDA to conduct more frequent inspections of food producers and call for the creation of a national registry of food producers.

STORY LINK: http://www.federaltimes.com/index.php?S=4121835

ANALYSIS: The FDA is asking each food processor to pay at least $1,000 per year to help pay for inspections. If the PAGO provisions pass that President Obama has called for, these inspections would either have to be from fees paid by the industry or taken from other government programs. I doubt either will happen to a significant degree.

I am also puzzled by the registry. Each food processing facility should have a state operating license at the least, and a USDA approval if they ship certain products between states. Costs will be the primary deterrent for any of these proposals.

--Richard Fritz, Firestorm Expert Council member

12-Jun-09 1:00 PM

Firestorm Newsletter 5-Jun-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:00:00 GMT

June 5, 2009

Communicable illness

HEADLINE: Flu is no typical pandemic; WHO tries to reassure

SUMMARY: The Geneva-based World Health Organization is expected to declare the first flu pandemic in 41 years, said sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. WHO is using the time before the announcement to help member states prepare and is considering a three-point scale to denote different levels of severity once Phase 6 has been declared.

STORY LINK: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aT9sIzRoUnNo&refer=home

HEADLINE: Swine flu cases in Australia may prompt pandemic call

SUMMARY: As the World Health Organization nears a declaration of the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years, reported swine flu cases are nearly doubling every two days in Australia. The flu is predicted to peak there in July, during Australia’s winter. The country has the most recorded cases outside of North America.

STORY LINK: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=aiR3RvqvayrQ&refer=australia

ANALYSIS: Despite having seemingly dropped out of sight (except in the New York City area), swine-origin H1N1 and the scientists working to counter it remain incredibly active. What now comes to light are generally unrecognized aspects of the global influenza cycle. The first issue is the migration of the illness. The typical “flu season” coincides with the advent of colder weather; this remains constant. Winter is just beginning in the Southern hemisphere, hence so is their flu season. Reports of H1N1 spreading through Australia are, therefore, to be expected. There are areas of the world that do not experience flu season. The tropics experience a year-round susceptibility to influenza, as evidenced by the ongoing surveillance of H5N1 throughout Southeast Asia.

This global movement of the virus is the driver behind the second aspect – the WHO now classifies a disease as a pandemic not by the severity of the illness but rather by the geographic dispersion. While the H1N1 strain does not appear to be any worse than a “normal” flu at this time, it has reached the classification thresholds of human-to-human transmission and presence across the globe. The gap between declaring a global presence and assessing the danger to mankind is one that WHO is currently addressing. Forthcoming amendments to the WHO Influenza classification scheme will include indices of severity that will allow health authorities to plan accordingly.

As global tracking continues and the public health community adjusts how it classifies the danger, development of a vaccine is progressing, albeit at a necessarily slow pace. Many factors impact this. Isolation of the virus is the first challenge. This is then used to develop a vaccine for that particular strain. Worldwide production capacity, variations in the speed at which the virus will grow within eggs and potential mutations of the virus can all impact the availability and effectiveness of the eventual vaccine. Limits on capacity also mean that a H1N1 vaccine will be produced at the cost of the regular trivalent seasonal flu vaccine. These limiting factors have prompted calls on the world public health stage for increased vaccine production capacity. That reality will require significant investment during a time of global economic downturn.

This leaves us with the following conclusions:

1. The ability to counter a significant influenza outbreak is unlikely to increase in the foreseeable future.

2. There is no way to predict if the current strain will increase in virulence or lethality; or if it will be replaced by another, possibly more dangerous, strain.

3. While pandemic flu is seemingly “off the radar screen,” it is quite active and lurking at the edge.

This seeming hiatus affords a window of opportunity to plan for the coming flu season. Much as a wise sailor heeds gathering storm clouds, prudent individuals and businesses should be mindful of the potential danger coming this autumn.

--Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Natural disasters

HEADLINE: Poll: Most coastal residents unprepared for hurricanes

SUMMARY: While the number and severity of hurricanes has increased in the last decade, public preparation has not followed course, according to a poll released last week. Two-thirds of residents in Florida and other coastal states said they feel no threat from storms. More than half don't have a hurricane survival kit or a family disaster kit.

STORY LINK: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1068982.html

ANALYSIS: Disaster Denial is real and this poll documents its severity. Hurricanes are a reality. Florida coastal areas will be hit. The questions are when and how bad. This is an annual occurrence. Failure to plan on a personal and business level is negligence. When the hurricane is actually hours away is too late to prepare. Fortunately, preparations for hurricanes can assist in a variety of exposures. You may not live in Florida, but do you know your exposures and are you prepared?

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Data security

HEADLINE: More than 80% of phishing attacks use hijacked, legitimate Web sites

SUMMARY: A recent report from the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) has revealed that 80% of phishers are now using legitimate Websites to access victims’ personal information. Phishing attacks typically use legitimate-looking emails and Websites to deceive users into disclosing personal information.

STORY LINK: http://www.darkreading.com/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217700470

ANALYSIS: While this cyber report is probably too technical for most Internet users to appreciate, it does contain one key summary point that needs repeating: "The bad guy hackers are becoming more creative, agile, and flexible." Now if that is what the bad guys are doing, what does it say about the good guys?

Unfortunately, with phishing attacks, the good guys are always playing catch up. Prevention, a difficult task to accomplish due to the way the technology is being abused and misused, constantly takes a back seat to reaction and figuring out what it will take to fix the problems discovered. Note this well respected report says little about what it was able to help prevent, rather just what its group members were able to detect after the fact.

So, given these grim facts, what can you do to protect yourself when visiting different Websites? First and most important, make sure your anti-virus and software firewall applications are using the most current, updated versions. Second, make sure your system has the latest Microsoft patches for both the operating system and Office applications. Lastly, make sure you have a full and complete backup of all your files and data. The backup files should be stored on an off-line storage device (an external USB hard drive work great for this). The system backup you create MUST be capable of restoring every bit of data on your hard drive(s) -- IT Pros call this a "bare-metal" backup. With this in place, at least you will be able to recover from the worst-possible scenario, which has you becoming an infected victim.

Needless to say, the more time you spend on the Internet and more sites you visit increases the risk, which is a risk you can do little to control in the grand scheme of things. This inability to secure your world is not your fault, rather, as the authors of this report point out, the fault lies with Web developers who don't take common-sense steps to secure their Websites, allowing them to become infected, which results in your computer system being compromised and/or infected.

--Bill Spernow, Firestorm Expert Council member

Workplace violence

HEADLINE: Laid-off workers can return to haunt employers

SUMMARY: Reported instances of workplace violence fueled by layoffs and financial stress are on the rise. Businesses should update security plans and add security with experience in risk assessment to provide individual protection for their officers. Coordinating security with human resources can help identify individuals more likely to cause trouble based on their previous patterns of behavior at work.

STORY LINK: http://www.kivitv.com/global/story.asp?S=10449409

ANALYSIS: Unemployment continues to rise. We are approaching 10 percent nationally. The personal and economic impacts are significant. Workplace violence is the new norm.

OSHA has identified workplace violence as a known hazard and employers are required to have a plan. Yet, 70 percent have no plan. Waiting until a terminated worker is standing in your door with a gun is too late. Do you know your company’s plan? Do you have an easy-to-use referral program for behaviors of concern? Do you know the best day (Thursday) to terminate employees?

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Campus safety

HEADLINE: UW report sees progress, challenges on safety

SUMMARY: A University of Wisconsin system report acknowledges that budget shortfalls will slow progress that its campuses have made to prevent and respond to mass shootings. The campuses are giving students more information about safety, have teams to identify and intervene with potentially dangerous students and plans to notify students about emergencies, but funding issues will prolong full implementation of all initiatives. Nationwide, many campuses find themselves in the same position, said Jonathan Kassa, executive director of Security on Campus Inc., a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit. They have identified safety plans but are struggling to find the money to follow through, he said.

STORY LINK: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-campussafety-wisc,0,4502707.story

ANALYSIS: Since Virginia Tech, more and more colleges and universities are addressing safety and security issues, but still the larger majority of institutions have not put the required time and resources into enhancing the overall security of campus settings.

Because of the mass communication issues that occurred during the Virginia Tech attacks, many schools immediately implemented communication protocols and brought in vendors to install software-based programs that would notify the campus population in the event of an emergency. However, security-enhancement efforts for many of these institutions stopped there. Administrators often refer to budgetary issues as an impediment to following through on security, while at the same time building state-of-the-art fitness/athletic centers and other structures to attract students for enrollment.

Budgetary issues, however, do not have to limit the ability of institutions to make modest investments in crisis management programs; formalized processes to detect, monitor and intervene with students who have exhibited troubling behaviors; and improve institution Websites to provide students with easy access to security and safety awareness information. These enhancements cost very little in comparison to technology projects and may actually lead to the prevention of a violent incident on campus. A review of random college/university Websites revealed that in many instances the security and safety pages are difficult to find and provide very little in the way of awareness and education on how to remain safe and secure while attending college. The Websites were also found to lack preventative measures that students can take to protect themselves from all types of crimes, ranging from identity theft to violence. Finally, many institutions nationwide do not have a formal process in place to deal with troubled students, nor a policy on how students can report information concerning a troubled student.

Decisions about security enhancements should include stakeholders from a wide variety of campus sectors to include student services, residential life, student leadership, facilities, campus security, health services, academic departments, public affairs and administration. Budget limitations can be overcome by taking a collaborative approach that may find ways of enhancing security without requiring significant capital investments. Even multimillion-dollar security technology projects are limited in their ability to provide a secure campus environment. However, when coupled with awareness education, sound process, policies and procedures that are implemented by committed stakeholders, security can be enhanced greatly for a campus community.

--John J. Enright, Firestorm Expert Council member

5-Jun-09 1:00 PM

Firestorm Newsletter 29-May-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:00:00 GMT

May 29, 2009

Communicable illness

HEADLINE: U.S. asks firms to make swine flu vaccine

SUMMARY:A $1 billion investment in immediate swine flu vaccine production and testing was announced by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Three drug companies are making enough vaccines to immunize 20 million people at critical positions in national security and emergency services.

STORY LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/22/AR2009052203216.html

ANALYSIS: We all want a quick cure. A pill, a shot get it over with. A vaccine for the H1N1 will not be ready soon. The vaccine will only be available to a predefined group representing only a small percentage of the population (5-6 percent). Mostly likely, you and I will never be able to receive any.

What does this mean for you and your company? You must have:

·An actionable communicable illness plan;

· Analysis of your Human Resource Benefits and Policies and modification plan in an outbreak;

· A monitoring plan and person assigned to monitor;

· Predetermined triggers to activate your plan;

· Policies for cleaning, hygiene, social distancing, visitors, telecommuting, travel;

· Training for employees;

· Verification of critical suppliers’ plans and their ability to deliver.

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

HEADLINE: W.H.O. plans to rewrite its rules for declaring a pandemic

SUMMARY: The World Health Organization said it will revamp its alert rating system to account for a disease’s lethality. In the current swine flu outbreak, some countries have complained that the warning system created panic and pressure for border closings, even though the strain was less deadly than the H5N1 avian flu, for which the system was created.

STORY LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/23/health/policy/23who.html

ANALYSIS: The World Health Organization adjusting its process for classifying the progression of a pandemic reflects the reality that public health is a local matter supported by guidance and coordination from supra-jurisdictional bodies. This is true for nations and the WHO, as well as U.S. states and territories and the CDC.

The challenge remains finding the balance between causing needless alarm and underreporting a serious threat. The dichotomy is illustrated by the new s of the past weeks; even as the media opined that the H1N1 warnings were overblown, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg came under fire for not closing schools in the wake of the flu-related death of an assistant principal.

As Dr. Steve Cunnion has recounted in this forum, influenza is a rapidly spreading disease that is virtually impossible to isolate. The future path of this – or any other – flu virus is impossible to predict. This means planning should be comprehensive and flexible. Relatively simple countermeasures such as school or work closures become overwhelmingly complicated when the outbreak stretches for weeks or months, or for hourly workers with little or no sick time.

The oft-repeated advice that flu is communicable prior to the emergence of symptoms is a message to heed. Even improved global health coordination will not prevent the spread. Prudent planning and individual, family, corporate, and community preparedness remain as important as at the height of "swine flu" coverage.

The irony is that planning for disasters promotes more efficient operations, fewer workplace illnesses, and resilience during hard times. Preparedness is a best practice. While the return on investment may not be immediately evident, when it materializes it does so in dramatic fashion.

--Don Donahue, Director of Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Natural disasters

HEADLINE: Government weather officials predict average 2009 season

SUMMARY: An "average’’ Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1, has 11 tropical storms and six hurricanes (two of which are Category 3 or higher). "Hurricanes will make landfall in the United States (in 2009)," FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate warned. "Hurricanes will destroy homes. People need to heed the . . . message" and be prepared.

STORY LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/21/AR2009052102513.html?hpid=topnews

ANALYSIS: Forecasts rise and fall. Economists and weather forecasts can change their view daily or hourly. There is no doubt that storms will occur. The severity and frequency can be questioned, but the reality of storms cannot. It is not a matter of if, but when and where. A Category 1 or 2 hitting the Northeast coast would be a $50 billion to $100 billion event; however, most still live in "Disaster Denial.’’

We have the luxury of time to plan and prepare. Unfortunately, most will wait until it is too late to act. Texas saw the impact last year. Who will learn the impacts this year?

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Crisis communications

HEADLINE: Handling online crises: Online reputation management should be high on the ‘to do’ list for savvy business continuity managers.

SUMMARY: The YouTube incident involving two now ex-employees of Domino’s Pizza is an example of how internet content can do serious damage to a company brand. Experts say there is a critical need for a senior-level marketing person to monitor and protect the company from online incidents. Used effectively, the internet can help mitigate the impacts of a crisis.

STORY LINK: http://www.continuitycentral.com/feature0668.html

ANALYSIS: Sticks and stones and words will harm you and your company. We live in an instant online world. Traditional media is facing the economic realities of change. Newspapers are reducing staff and going into bankruptcy as circulation and advertising shrinks. Broadcast and cable TV are seeing falling ratings and advertising. The fourth estate is dead or dying. So where will people get their information? The Internet, Twitter, chat rooms, blogs, messages boards and other social networks. Who will manage and oversee the world of information chaos?

To address this rapidly changing world, corporations need monitoring plans, a comprehensive crisis communications plan, message maps and trained communicators. Silence is agreement. Issues will not just go away. Perception is reality. A video from a cell phone placed on the Internet can damage a brand quickly and in some cases, permanently.

The impacts of this consequence management can be loss of customers and shareholder value. Knowing what is being said or seen is critical to managing expectations. Are you ready to protect your company’s reputation and brand? How are you monitoring your company’s image today?

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Terrorism

HEADLINE: NYC case a reminder of homegrown threats

SUMMARY: While the four ex-convicts recently arrested for plotting to blow up synagogues and military planes were rank amateurs, authorities said it serves as a stark reminder that many terrorist threats emanate from inside the United States. Fueled by hatred of America and Jews, the suspects spent months scouting targets and securing what they thought was a surface-to-air missile system and powerful explosives — all under the watch of the FBI.

STORY LINK: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30856404/ns/world_news-terrorism/

ANALYSIS: Although this case justifies the growing concern of the intelligence and law enforcement communities about "homegrown terrorists," these were not the first, nor will they be the last. In June 2006, seven men were arrested after it was learned that they were making plans to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago. Six of these men were U.S. citizens.

History reminds us that the Ku Klux Klan, Weather Underground and the American Indian Movement were "homegrown" groups which avowed violence toward ethnic groups or the government to further their causes and beliefs.

What is obvious is that the larger the group, the easier it is for law enforcement to detect and infiltrate it using undercover agents or informants. Of real concern to the law enforcement/intelligence communities is the "Lone Wolf," such as the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, or very small, dedicated groups such as Oklahoma City bombers Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. These types of terrorists are very hard to identify and infiltrate and will always be a concern and danger to citizens everywhere.

--Andrew Gruler, Firestorm Expert Council member

29-May-09 12:00 PM

Firestorm Newsletter 21-May-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:00:00 GMT

May 21, 2009

Communicable illness

HEADLINE: CDC: 100,000 Americans likely infected with swine flu

SUMMARY: An official from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the number of confirmed cases of the swine flu is likely just "the tip of the iceberg." While the new strain has been confirmed in only 5,123 cases and six deaths in the United States, Dr. Anne Schuchat told reporters in a telephone briefing that there are likely thousands more infections. "We are now experiencing levels of influenza-like illness that are higher than usual for this time of year," she said. "We are also seeing outbreaks in schools, which is extremely unusual for this time of year."

STORY LINK: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,520611,00.html?test=latestnews

ANALYSIS: CDC risk communications is run by marketing/PR types. They hyped it at first to get the public’s attention, and then found they were looking foolish by cutting back estimates to only their own numbers of confirmed cases. They got confused with a fast-spreading disease and whether it was dangerous or not (the Mexico deaths scared them).

They should have realized that this flu spreads fast, as regular seasonal flu does. Only a few cases were diagnosed and fewer are followed up with confirming tests that only CDC could do (probably less than 1-0.1 percent of total cases).

My original comment on this outbreak was exactly what happened. This is not rocket science. What is needed is just plenty of experience with flu outbreaks and common sense. When writing plans, one has to have contingencies for all outcomes, not just the worse-case scenarios. CDC wanted to make it simple, so it suggested worse-case conditions like closing schools.

The last point: Flu cannot be stopped, only slowed to allow for medical facilities and management to put their plans in place.

--Dr. Steve Cunnion, Firestorm Expert Council member

HEADLINE: Deadly pneumonia caused by superbugs on rise: study

SUMMARY: More cases of deadly pneumonia caused by so-called superbugs such as MRSA are occurring outside hospitals, U.S. researchers warned. While most cases are still associated with hospitals, nursing homes or other health care facilities, infections acquired in the wider community are increasing. "Community-acquired MRSA infections are no longer restricted to certain risk groups or to the geographic areas where outbreaks first occurred," researchers reported in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.

STORY LINK: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090519/hl_nm/us_pneumonia_mrsa

ANALYSIS: MRSA and other “superbugs” are not new, are not an understated threat, and are not going away. The superbug’s emergence is a pure case of evolution: Those that are hearty enough to survive the assault of a particular antibiotic either already have or develop a resistance to it. They must then be treated with a different antibiotic, often from a different family of agents. While this evolutionary process occurs naturally, mankind helps the process – to its detriment – by overprescribing, using antibiotics to treat viral diseases, and not completing the full course of treatment. This last factor helped contribute to the emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and the (thankfully) rarer extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB). Individuals would begin taking medicine and in a couple of days start to feel better and stop taking the medicine. Unfortunately, the TB was not gone, only weakened and able to return with resistance to the original treatment.

MRSA pneumonia came to the attention of the CDC during the 2006-2007 flu season, when at least 24 young and healthy people died. We have seen an increase during ensuing flu seasons and the emergence of a rare spring flu – the current H1N1 outbreak – offers the opportunity for this trend to continue. While H1N1 has fallen off the front pages, it has not disappeared. The CDC estimates more than 100,000 Americans may have contracted this flu and the recent death in New York City of an assistant school principal demonstrates a continuing health threat. It is important to recognize that many of the 36,000 annual flu deaths are due to related complications such as pneumonia; scientists believe this was a major factor in the staggering death rate during the 1918-19 pandemic.

There is a corollary here for the flu and the use of antivirals and antibiotics. While entirely different from bacteria, viruses also mutate in response to drugs to which they are exposed. For some influenza strains, antivirals have proven to be less than 50 percent effective. Drug-resistant strains of influenza do evolve. Any antibiotics or antivirals should be taken under the supervision of a healthcare provider and in coordination with guidance of local public health authorities. This also underscores the need for continuing preparedness and the maintenance of everyday precautions such as hand washing.

--Don Donahue, Director of Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Business continuity

HEADLINE: Pandemic: most health workers to stay home

SUMMARY: A survey in the journal BMC Public Health indicates that as many as 85 percent of healthcare workers in Britain may not report to work during a pandemic. This number is significantly higher than absenteeism rates previously estimated. Job type and responsibilities also affected the workers’ responses to the survey.

STORY LINK: http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/05/14/Pandemic-Most-health-workers-to-stay-home/UPI-37471242276844/

ANALYSIS: There have been a series of studies and surveys regarding response by healthcare workers in a communicable illness outbreak or a pandemic. Consistently, 60-plus percent state they will not come to work. Fear of bringing the disease home to their families is cited as the greatest concern.

The first step is to have an effective monitoring program with triggers to activate hygiene, cleaning, social distancing, visitor, and travel policies at work to assure employees they are safe.

The second step is to help employees assure their families are safe. Family concerns always trump business concerns. We place our families first. Having a plan at home frees an employee to focus on their job. Disaster Ready People for a Disaster Ready America (available for free download on www.firestorm.com) provides communicable illness planning for families.

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Crisis communications

HEADLINE: Inside Track: CCO is critical during crisis

SUMMARY: The role of the chief communications officer (CCO) is becoming increasingly critical to a company’s reputation. The CCO’s primary responsibilities include managing crisis messaging utilizing traditional methods and social networking. A recent survey indicated that 58 percent of the CCOs report directly to the CEO, up from 48 percent a year ago.

ST
ORY LINK: http://www.startribune.com/business/45189867.html

ANALYSIS: Communications in a crisis can be the second disaster. Knowing your stakeholders, what their concerns are and what your three key messages are is critical. Having a trained communicator familiar with multiple media platforms and open channels is also essential. Prior to a crisis, sample message maps can be created that can be edited as needed to fit the situation.

On 9/11, an HR manager sent the following email to all employees in a public technology company: “If you want to live, leave.” She meant to write “if you want to leave, leave.” It is easier to edit than create in a crisis that causes extreme stress. Preparing and training are critical to having the correct message understood and acted upon.

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

HEADLINE: 911 Director: serious 'issues' this weekend

SUMMARY: The director of Atlanta's 911 call center is investigating the cause of problems in which callers reporting emergencies waited as long as 10 minutes before speaking to a live operator. The owner of a house destroyed by fire said she plans to sue the city for their slow response in arriving at the scene.

STORY LINK: http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=130126&catid=3

ANALYSIS: A former U.S. Secret Service Agent is quoted as saying “When seconds matter, the police will be there in minutes.” You are your own first responder. A plan at home is critical to you and your family. Breakdowns in communications systems like 911 are unfortunately common. Having an evacuation plan and a meeting place are essential to assure that your family is out and safe.

The second lesson here is that “if you are explaining, you are losing.” Having to explain why your system or other failure occurred places you in a negative position. Having a plan, training employees and conducting regular test exercises minimize the chances of failure.

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

21-May-09 1:00 PM

Firestorm Newsletter 15-May-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:00:00 GMT

May 15, 2009

Communicable illness

HEADLINE: The flu had everyone worried, and that could be a good thing

SUMMARY: Swine flu has been a significant wake-up call that a pandemic can happen. The swine flu outbreak, whether it worsens or not, has been a valuable test of U.S. pandemic preparedness. Fortunately the country has taken many measures to prepare for a potential outbreak since SARS.

STORY LINK: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124173064988697773.html

ANALYSIS: As the world -- or at least the media – breathes a collective sigh of relief, the ordinary citizen is left to wonder “What was that all about?” Influenza A/H1N1 burst upon the scene, causing fear of pandemic and something bordering on panic, including banning of pork products and wholesale slaughtering of pigs in some places. Less extreme reactions ranged from closing of schools to cancellations of meeting or travel to asking people who had been exposed to refrain from coming to class or work. Now that flu has fallen off the front page, where does that leave us? Good question.

The unusual spring outbreak highlighted both positives and negatives. While far from perfect, the level of communication among the world’s public health community appears to have worked. The spread of this highly communicable disease has been less rapid than feared, and the death toll has been remarkably low outside of Mexico. On the down side, the weaknesses in our worldwide ability to combat even seasonal influenza have once again been exposed. Rapid worldwide travel opens the door for spread of disease beyond historic patterns; SARS and H1N1 became intercontinental almost immediately. The approximately six-month cycle to produce flu vaccine has begun, but the annual trivalent immunization does not include the current strain; the eventual vaccine will largely be an either/or product. Worldwide seasonal flu vaccine production capacity is approximately 900 million doses. Health officials project this can be expanded to 1 to 2 billion doses for an H1N1 pandemic, for a global population of 6.8 billion people. Of this, the United States has contractual commitments for 600 million of those doses. Moreover, the expansion of vaccine production for H1N1 would come at the expense of the seasonal vaccine.

Between the positives and negatives lie the unknowns. What caused this unusual spring outbreak? Why was the death toll so high in Mexico? And why was it among the young and seemingly healthy, not the typical at-risk population for flu? Perhaps most importantly, what will the virus do next? There is scant historical precedence upon which to base a prediction, the 1918-19 pandemic being among the most cited. In that outbreak, the spread abated following the initial wave, only to return with a more virulent strain in the autumn. There is simply no way to know if the 2009-10 flu season will follow that pattern.

The greatest danger is complacency, either as a “boy who cried wolf’” reaction or as a result of fear fatigue, the cumulative impact of multiple, unfulfilled warnings of imminent danger. Maybe we have seen the last of this influenza outbreak, and perhaps not. One thing is certain: the flu will be back in the fall. Even if it is not this “swine flu,” the seasonal influenza outbreak is bad enough. The U.S. and Canada experience some 36,000 and 8,000 deaths, respectively, from complications of seasonal influenza. Businesses, families, and individuals should be prepared; the next flu outbreak just may be the one we have feared.

--Donald A. Donahue, Director of Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

HEADLINE: China reports first case of swine flu

SUMMARY: A 30-year-old man who flew last week from St. Louis to Chengdu has been confirmed with China’s first case of swine flu, the Health Ministry said. Chengdu city officials said they had located and quarantined more than 130 of the estimated 150 other passengers who had traveled with the infected man on a connecting flight from Beijing to the capital of Sichuan Province. The Health Ministry said his itinerary began in St. Louis and took him through St. Paul, Minn., Tokyo and Beijing. Separately, the Health Ministry isolated seven people who had flown to Beijing and Shanghai after traveling to Tokyo on a flight with an infected passenger.

STORY LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/world/asia/12flu.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

ANALYSIS: China is the "home" of new flu strains, but I was always expecting it to reach there anyway, so my view hasn't changed. It is a pandemic moving faster than WHO claims. The question is will it mutate into a bad form by fall? No one knows what the chances are for that to happen.

--Dr. Steve Cunnion, Firestorm Expert Council member

HEADLINE: Insurers fielding flu questions

SUMMARY: Insurance brokers and carriers have seen an increase in the amount of calls regarding insurance coverage for the flu, especially if it is contracted on the job. Companies must review their human resource policies and benefits to identify any vulnerability unique to a pandemic. Worker’s comp is one of several policies that would be affected by a communicable illness.

STORY LINK: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12339714

ANALYSIS: Will worker’s compensation apply to an employee who contracts the flu? This will be an issue that will have to be resolved on a case-by-case basis. Worker’s compensation could be the mechanism to cover medical bills and reimburse lost wages for a flu-related disability, as long as the exposure meets the jurisdictional compensability standard.

But the worker’s comp system is not one well-equipped to deal with communicable illness. Some cases will be more clear than others. A healthcare worker who gets sick administering care would probably be covered. A worker who contracts the disease on a business trip to a foreign infected country would probably be covered. A worker who gets sick on the subway while on the way to work? Probably not.

Between the varying state laws, and the many insurance carriers and TPAs that will be making determinations, it is expected that we will see a hodge-podge of results regarding compensability of the swine flu or any other communicable illness.

--Suzanne Loughlin, Firestorm EVP/Chief Administrative Officer

Physical security

HEADLINE: Budget crunches hitting a majority of security departments

SUMMARY: The economic crisis has forced budget cuts in more than 50 percent of security departments, according to research from the Security Executive Council. The survey of 259 participants found that security departments faced approximately 17 percent in budget reductions from fiscal 2008 to 2009. Even as budgets are being cut, incidents are increasing. Theft and fraud were reported to be at the top of the list, along with HR support and violence.

STORY LINK: http://www.securitydirectornews.com/?p=article&id=sd200905vpADqS

ANALYSIS: Everything will be fine until something happens. Across the country, we are seeing rapidly increasing incidents of workplace violence and thefts. Natural disasters and communicable illnesses are increasing. When shareholder value drops as after a crisis, disaster, or security breech, will the return on the savings as a result of the budget cuts offset the drop in value? When there is a death, was the cost savings worth the loss of a life?

The return on investment is always a factor in making decisions. Most executives are risk takers. Many are in “Disaster Denial” regarding potential vulnerabilities and threats. Security and continuity planning must be positioned as strategic decisions within organizations. These are governance fiduciary responsibilities. Unfortunately, security could be seen as only a person by the door. There are opportunities to identify real returns to corporations through improved security and control. Positioning is critical.

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Data security

HEADLINE: Hackers break into Virginia health professions database, demand ransom

SUMMARY: Hackers last week broke into a Virginia state Web site used by pharmacists to track prescription drug abuse. They deleted records on more than 8 million patients and replaced the site's homepage with a ransom note demanding $10 million for the return of the records, according to a posting on Wikileaks.org, an online clearinghouse for leaked documents. A state official told the Washington Post that the data had been backed up and the files had been secured.

STORY LINK: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/05/hackers_break_into_virginia_he.html

ANALYSIS: This is old stuff, and has been done lots of times in the past. Typically, the hackers get caught because it is easy to trace the ransom money. Regardless of how smart they think they are, most hackers don't have a clue on what it takes to launder large amounts of cash.

--Bill Spernow, Firestorm Expert Council member

15-May-09 12:00 PM

Firestorm Newsletter 7-May-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:00:00 GMT

May 7, 2009

Communicable illness

HEADLINE: WHO head indicates full flu pandemic to be declared

SUMMARY: The World Health Organization is likely to raise its flu alert to the top of its six-point scale and declare a pandemic, its director-general indicated in an interview published this week. In remarks setting the scene for another alert increase, but without saying when, WHO Chief Margaret Chan warned against overconfidence following stabilization in the number of new cases of the H1N1 strain that has proved deadly in Mexico.

STORY LINK: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090504/ts_nm/us_flu_who_pandemic

ANALYSIS: Two weeks ago, the World Health Organization reviewed the accelerating swine (H1N1) flu outbreak. WHO then declined to raise the Pandemic Alert Level from 3. However, their guidance indicated the need for a higher response by governments, individuals and corporations. Quickly the outbreak exploded to pandemic levels. The question of severity remains, but the existence of a pandemic is beyond any reasonable question.

Firestorm recommended to clients early that they activate their communicable illness plans and take measured actions as events developed. If an organization’s communicable illness/pandemic plan triggers rest solely on governmental, CDC and WHO proclamations, response will be too late. Any decision based solely on a potentially political-dependent statement is doomed to failure. This outbreak was a good test of plans and identified clear failures by authorities and corporations.

We have a small window of time to conduct a hot wash of these events and update plans. Every organization is now on notice. It can happen here, quickly. This time we appear to be fortunate. Come fall or with other events, we will likely see other more severe outcomes. How do you know if you are ready?

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Human resources

HEADLINE: The swine flu blues

SUMMARY: Last week’s outbreak and the looming pandemic threat forced U.S. companies to ponder the effects mass absenteeism could have on their organization. Most companies are not prepared for large swaths of employees to become sick. In a 2007 survey of 317 HR executives by Amsterdam-based consultancy Wolters, Kluwer Law & Business, just 27 percent of businesses reported having a plan in place if an unusually high percentage of the workforce became ill.

STORY LINK: http://www.hreonline.com/HRE/story.jsp?storyId=206414247

ANALYSIS: Unlike the disasters that most companies plan for, a communicable illness will affect the people they depend on, not property, equipment or facilities. How employers plan to address human resource issues to minimize both the wellness and financial impacts is critical to the development of an actionable communicable illness plan.

Most policies and benefits that companies have in place surrounding leave, travel, telework, FMLA, disability, reduction in force, will be stressed and pushed to their limits during a pandemic. Additionally, these policies will be impacted by the multitude of federal and state laws, as well as the directives, recommendations and mandates of local, state and federal agencies and municipalities that will apply during an outbreak (i.e. quarantine). The development of a “shadow’’ handbook should be contemplated, and the triggers for its rollout identified in advance.

Why should employers plan? Because the threats are real. Because they have an obligation to keep their employees safe. Because planning is a governance issue. Because if they don’t, they may face liability. Most importantly, because it is the right thing to do for their employees, customers and other stakeholders.

--Suzanne Loughlin, Firestorm EVP/Chief Administrative Officer

Food safety

HEADLINE: Experts see little risk from H1N1-infected pigs

SUMMARY: Eating pork poses a “negligible’’ risk, the United Nations food agency announced this week in the face of swine flu-related fears. Live pigs should continue to be traded using normal health standards and certifications, said a senior advisor.

STORY LINK: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL511530

ANALYSIS: The misnomer of “swine’’ flu has caused consumers and foreign governments to incorrectly assume that hogs and pork meat are vectors for the flu virus, correctly labeled A/H1N1. Every major health organization, including the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services and Homeland Security says the H1N1 flu strain that has been contracted by a number of people worldwide cannot be transmitted by eating or handling pork; it does not pose a threat to the safety of food.

The only time this particular strain of flu virus has been found in hogs is when a farmer worker in Alberta, Canada transmitted the virus to a hog. The worked had recently visited Mexico and became ill, then transferred the virus to hogs he was working with. Remember, the flu is a respiratory illness; it’s not a food-borne illness.

Influenza is not uncommon in pigs, and like humans, the vast majority recover. The fact that influenza may be found in a hog does not say anything about the cleanliness or operation of the farm. Again, like the human flu, when a person contracts the virus, it is not from their particular hygiene or living conditions, but the fact they came in contact with the airborne virus in some manner.

What is known is that many small- and mid-size farmers will likely lose their livelihood because of the drop in pork sales. Calling this particular virus the “swine’’ flu has caused people to shun pork, and caused farmers a significant loss of income.

--Richard Fritz, Firestorm Expert Council member

Business continuity

HEADLINE: FTC extends Red Flags Rule enforcement three more months

SUMMARY: The Federal Trade Commission has announced that the deadline for compliance with the Red Flag Rule has been extended until Aug. 1. The deadline has been extended for a second time to give entities that fall under The Red Flag Rule additional time to comply. The rule requires financial institutions and creditors to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs.

STORY LINK: http://www.scmagazineus.com/FTC-extends-Red-Flags-Rule-enforcement-three-more-months/article/135996/

ANALYSIS: Why are deadlines extended? Because people aren’t ready. Today, we still see regular theft or loss of personal information. This extension is the second in a 4-plus year process to protect information. Even without these deadlines, organizations have an obligation to protect information.

We have all seen parents correct children repeatedly, but the child continues to misbehave when there is no discipline. Organizations behave in the same manner. When they have to, they will. OSHA regularly cites employers for failing to protect employees, but a citation after a death does not save the person. Red Flag Rules need to be implemented now because they are right. Do you have an identity theft plan? Have you trained your employees? How do you know employees and customer data is secured?

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Data security

HEADLINE: USPS probes security breach

SUMMARY: LexisNexis and Investigative Professionals have notified up to 40,000 people whose personal information may have been compromised in 2007. The breach is being linked to a Nigerian scam artist who may have used the information to incur charges on victims’ credit cards. The United States Postal Inspection Service is investigating the breach and contacting those it believes may have been victimized.

STORY LINK: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/01/cbsnews_investigates/main4982989.shtml

ANALYSIS: While it would be easy, at least for me, to go on for hours about why we keep having IT security problems such as the one cited in this article, I am not going to go down that path today. Suffice it to say that when it comes to the very lucrative market that drives identity theft, most companies are accidents waiting to happen. So what is the solution? Let me quote the author of a book with the title "High-Technology Crime." As a result of his research, the author, Kenneth S. Rosenblatt, a California prosecutor, came to the conclusion that "Unfortunately, people are going have to start dying before anyone takes computer security seriously." The most compelling aspect of this statement is that it was made in 1995 when the book was published. Seems Ken was right.

--Bill Spernow, Firestorm Expert Council member

7-May-09 3:00 PM

Firestorm Newsletter 1-May-09

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:00:00 GMT

May 1, 2009

This week’s edition of Disaster Due Diligence focuses on a single development: The emerging global health crisis presented by the swine flu outbreak. As with any ongoing news story, some of the information in the articles below may have changed since publication.

Health security

HEADLINE: WHO raises pandemic alert to Phase 5

SUMMARY: In response to the swine flu, or H1N1, outbreak across the globe, the World Health Organization raised its pandemic threat level to Phase 5, its second-highest rating.

STORY LINK: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/panflu/news/apr2909who.html

ANALYSIS: Influenza outbreaks are highly predictable – they WILL occur. It is guaranteed. Where, when, and how it will spread is another matter, one with which science and medicine grapple. This inevitability should drive our response.

This outbreak is a rapidly developing situation, one that underscores the impact of swift international travel. As has been stated in many media outlets, the problem is influenza is contagious some 48 hours prior to symptoms developing. In other words, by the time you know you have the flu you have already exposed those around you.

Given this uncertainty, basic precautions should be taken. Keep up to date with local health authorities. Guidance will vary by location, so it is important to know what is happening in your area. If there are suspected cases in your area, limit contact with people and avoid crowded places. If you are sick, stay home. If you think you are getting sick, go or stay home. If you have flu symptoms -- usually high fever, cough, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue or tiredness (which can be extreme), or diarrhea and vomiting (sometimes, according to CDC) – call your doctor’s office. Tell them your exact symptoms and follow their instructions. Avoid “just showing up,’’ as you might infect others if you do have the flu. Employers should adopt policies that encourage sick workers to go home without penalty.

Public health and government officials are acting to stem the spread of what the World Health Organization is now terming H1N1. This includes such measures as closing schools where documented cases have appeared, limiting public gatherings, and restricting unnecessary travel to areas with a significant number of cases. Avoiding exposure remains the best way of evading this illness. The health emergency declared by the Federal government allows for distribution of antiviral medicines and other measures. These can and may be used to further inhibit the spread of the disease (by limiting the virus’ ability to reproduce). This should only be done under a physician’s orders, however. Indiscriminate use of prescription drugs can result in the virus gaining resistance to the medication.

WHO has advised no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders, but recommends people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention.

To paraphrase the old adage: Knowledge is empowerment. Stay abreast of health information in your community, and take care of yourself and those around you. And, of course, take the same precautions for any flu: cover coughs, wash hands frequently, avoid crowds, stay home if ill, get enough rest, eat properly and exercise.

--Don Donahue, Director of Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Business continuity

HEADLINE: What you should know about swine flu

SUMMARY: In a global economy, swine flu will have widespread impacts on businesses internationally.

STORY LINK: http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/27/swine-flu-faq-lifestyle-health-swine-flu.html

ANALYSIS: The events that are unfolding quickly are predictable. We are experiencing a “Disaster Domino Effect,’’ and the key focus must be the integration of multiple cascading risks. We have the existing economic crisis, the increase in mass/workplace violence attacks, explosion of the swine flu outbreak/pandemic, and the hurricane season looming June 1.

Addressing vulnerabilities singularly is unacceptable. Best practice is to understand the interactions and impacts, and follow the Firestorm methodology:

Predict: This is an obvious, predictable risk to your organization, and you will be held accountable for its continuity. The current events will continue to evolve. Messaging from multiple authorities and media will be filtered and conflicting. Expect escalation of impacts.

Plan: Pandemics come in waves. Experts predict the swine flu will wane this summer, and then return with increased severity in fall/winter. Companies need plans for now and the future. What is sufficient today will not be sufficient tomorrow.

Perform: Organizations that lessen the impact with planning will emerge ahead of the competition after the outbreak/pandemic. Communicate with employees, customers, vendors, and stakeholders. Monitor triggers daily.

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

Economic impact

HEADLINE: Swine flu fear catching fast in weak world economy

SUMMARY: The threat of a pandemic comes just as the world economy is showing the glimmers of what economists say might be the light at the end of the recession tunnel.

STORY LINK: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Swine-flu-fear-catching-fast-apf-15062596.html

ANALYSIS: There is never a good time to have anything like the current swine flu pandemic, but having it now adds significant strains to the economic crisis.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the leisure and hospitality industry lost 40,000 jobs in March of this year. Since December 2007, it has lost 351,000 jobs. You may have heard announcements from Carnival Cruise Lines that they were cancelling some stops by their cruise ships in Mexico because of fears of exposure to the virus. Mexico’s largest industry after oil is tourism, so imagine the impact on its economy and, as a significant trading partner, the subsequent impact on ours.

Consider any situation where you will be in contact with a large group of people and/or in a confined space: air travel; public transportation; cruise lines; business meetings; sporting events; concerts. We are already seeing school closures – in fact school trips to Mexico appear to be one of the ways the flu jumped from Mexico to New York. The economic impact on airlines, public transit, restaurants, movies and sporting events is already happening or likely to be happening very soon.

With the option to stay at home or going to the shopping mall, what will we do, and what kind of impact will that have on our retail sector? This swine flu was incubated within pigs, but it has no impact on the quality or safety of our pork products. Try telling that to the pork producers that have seen demand plummet.

On a positive note, manufacturers of the flu vaccines have seen demand rise, as have makers of surgical masks and antiseptic hand cleaners. I will speculate you will see larger rises in the use of Netflix than you will attendance at your local theater. Finally, excepting pork products look for generally increased purchases at supermarkets and grocers as more people stay home with their families and eat in.

Measuring the specific impact of this outbreak on the economy will not be easy since there is general economic stress and decline now. The positives will not outweigh the negatives, however, and a lengthy event coming at the beginning of the summer travel season does not bode well.

--Ted Hansen, Director of Firestorm Expert Council

1-May-09 1:00 PM

Industry Veteran Added to Executive Team

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:00:00 GMT

JUNE 19, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. – Firestorm Solutions LLC, a national leader in business continuity, vulnerability analysis, communicable illness planning and crisis management, announced today the appointment of veteran business continuity professional Ann Pickren as Executive Vice President/Solutions. In the newly created position, Pickren will have oversight of delivery of all client services and ensure the continued best-practice application of Firestorm’s Predict. Plan. Perform. methodology. Pickren, with more than 16 years in the business continuity sector, said the people-centric approach of Firestorm (www.firestorm.com) was one of the attributes that attracted her to the company. I believe in Firestorm’s focus on the individual and the humanitarian side of every disaster. We look at the employees of every company we deal with and how they will be impacted,’’ she said. ‘Every Crisis is a Human Crisis’ is more...

Firestorm Adds Veteran Security Executives

noemail@firestorm.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:00:00 GMT

JUNE 15, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. – Firestorm Solutions LLC, a national leader in business continuity, vulnerability analysis, communicable illness planning and crisis management, has announced the appointment of John J. Enright and Al Kirkpatrick to its executive team. Enright becomes Firestorm’s Chief Security Officer, and Kirkpatrick takes over the newly created position of Chief Information Security Officer. Both roles were previously filled by Don Huggins, who resigned to pursue other business interests, but will serve as a consultant on Firestorm’s Expert Council. Firestorm has been fortunate to have someone with Don’s expertise. While Don is pursuing his other business interests, I am glad he remains available to work with clients,’’ Firestorm President/COO James W. Satterfield said. Don did an outstanding job handling both roles, but the rapidly increasing criticality of information security necessitated that...

Initial Firestorm Franchise Awarded

noemail@firestorm.com — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:00:00 GMT

MAY 5, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. – Just a month after becoming available, the initial Firestorm business continuity planning and consulting franchise has been awarded to well-known area businessman Doug Russ, a long-time CPA and the president of BizLaunch Now! and the Johns Creek (Ga.) Chamber of Commerce. Firestorm is a national leader in business continuity, communicable illness/pandemic planning, vulnerability analysis and crisis management. Franchisees utilize all capabilities and services of Firestorm -- which provided the on-site crisis management support at Virginia Tech -- including its name and trademark; operational methodology including plans, policies, procedures and training; and access to its staff, Expert Council and Online Resource Center. Doug is precisely the type of veteran business person and leader that we believe is the ideal Firestorm franchisee,’’ said Franchising EVP Hutch Hodgson. He shares our...

Dr. Cunnion: Flu Outbreak Likely Long-Term

noemail@firestorm.com — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:00:00 GMT

APRIL 29, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GOLDEN, CO. – The number of confirmed swine flu cases will continue to grow as incubation, testing and reporting on the outbreak lags as much as two weeks behind real-world conditions, said Firestorm Solutions Expert Council member Dr. Stephen Cunnion on Wednesday during the company’s webinar entitled Swine Flu: Predict. Plan. Perform.’’ The snapshot of the virus we are seeing today is not in real time,’’ said Cunnion, Medical Director of the National Security Health Policy Center and the first person to alert the Western world of SARS. The likelihood is that the spread is much farther along than we now know.’’ Cunnion also warned of the continued mutation of the virus, and the probability that the strain would wane and reappear, such as occurred in previous flu pandemics. The first swine flu death in the U.S. was confirmed Wednesday morning, and the infection total reached a reported 91 cases...

Firestorm Franchising Partners with Business Alliance

noemail@firestorm.com — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

APRIL 28, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. – Firestorm Franchising LLC today announced its partnership with Business Alliance Inc., the nation’s largest network of franchise brokers. Last month, franchises affiliated with Firestorm Solutions LLC, a national leader in business continuity, communicable illness planning, vulnerability analysis and crisis management, were made available. Franchisees utilize all capabilities and services of Firestorm, including its name and trademark; operational methodology including plans, policies, procedures and training; and access to its staff; Expert Council and Online Resource Center. We are pleased to partner with Business Alliance because it represents only franchises with the highest standards of quality and integrity,’’ Firestorm Franchising Executive Vice President Hutch Hodgson said. Firestorm franchises will be awarded only to those who can demonstrate senior leadership...

Firestorm: U.S. Businesses Need To Take Flu Measures

noemail@firestorm.com — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:00:00 GMT

APRIL 28, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. – The head of Firestorm Solutions’ Healthcare Response Team called for added vigilance and precaution in U.S. workplaces as the swine flu outbreak continues to spread. Businesses have a particular interest in keeping employees and customers well, and need to adjust accordingly to this situation,’’ said Donald A. Donahue, DHEd (Cand), MBA, FACHE, CHS-III and the Executive Director of the National Security Health Policy Center at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. The World Health Organization raised its pandemic alert level to Phase 4 Monday as the number of confirmed swine flu cases in the U.S. rose to 50, and the death toll in Mexico from the virus reached a reported 152, with more than 2,000 infections. The U.S. government declared a public health emergency on Sunday. Donahue’s recommendations include: · Encouraging workers to stay home if they are having symptoms...

Firestorm Schedules Swine Flu Webinar

noemail@firestorm.com — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:00:00 GMT

APRIL 27 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. -- In response to the emerging global health crisis presented by the swine flu, Firestorm Solutions LLC announced it will be holding a free educational webinar entitled Swine Flu: Predict. Plan. Perform.’’ on April 29 at 11 a.m. EDT. The webinar will address health, operational and financial issues. This important webinar will be hosted by Firestorm CEO Harry Rhulen, and will feature Dr. Stephen Cunnion, the first person to alert the Western world of the disease outbreak now known as SARS, for which he received the 2003 ProMED Reporting Award. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declared a public health emergency on Sunday at the White House as the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. reached 20. In Mexico, the virus has infected more than 1,300 people and killed more than 80. Dr. Richard Besser of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Sunday...

Firestorm Franchisees Can Provide Assistance During Swine Flu Outbreak

noemail@firestorm.com — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:00:00 GMT

APRIL 27, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. – The emerging global health crisis presented by the swine flu outbreak will provide opportunity for Firestorm franchisees to provide much-needed consulting and communicable illness planning for clients, company President/CEO James W. Satterfield said. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declared a public health emergency on Sunday at the White House as the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. reached 20. In Mexico, the virus has infected more than 1,300 people and killed more than 80. Dr. Richard Besser of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Sunday that the public should expect to see more severe illness. Firestorm Franchising LLC began accepting applications for business continuity planning and consulting franchises March 30. The franchises are affiliated with Firestorm Solutions LLC, a national leader in communicable illness/pandemic...

Firestorm: Expect Restrictions on Travel, Commerce

noemail@firestorm.com — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:00:00 GMT

APRIL 26, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. – Following the United States government’s declaration of a public health emergency in the swine flu outbreak, additional measures including restrictions on travel and commerce can be expected, Firestorm Solutions President/COO James W. Satterfield said. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano made the health emergency announcement Sunday at the White House as the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. reached 20. The declaration, along with World Health Organization recommendations, actions taken in Mexico and the increasing number of cases being reported worldwide, reflect a Phase 5 pandemic threat level, Satterfield said. The WHO’s Emergency Committee announced Saturday that it was keeping its pandemic threat level at Phase 3 until more information was gathered. The social-distancing actions taken in Mexico – cancellation of church services, school and sporting...

Firestorm: Communicable Illness Plans Triggered

noemail@firestorm.com — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:00:00 GMT

APRIL 25, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. – The confirmation of human-to-human transmission of the swine flu virus that has killed more than 60 people in Mexico has triggered the Communicable Illness plans of its clients, Firestorm Solutions LLC announced today. In addition, Firestorm recommends that all businesses, especially those in border areas or with supply chain exposure to Mexico, implement their plans, including travel restrictions, visitor policies and hygiene protocols. The apparent ease of the human-to-human transmission and the amount of casualties thus far makes this a situation that demands immediate action,’’ Firestorm President/COO James W. Satterfield said. The World Health Organization is considering raising its pandemic alert level from the current 3 to a level 4 or 5, and has characterized the outbreak as a serious situation that has been developing quickly.’’ Firestorm is a national leader in...

Home Page - Tagline

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:04:18 GMT

Health officials are preparing a swine flu vaccination campaign and predict as many as 60 million swine flu vaccination doses may be ready as soon as September. Rapid production, tracking side effects and administering the vaccine are still issues needing to be addressed. Swine flu has caused at least 27,000 illnesses and 127 deaths in the U.S. Read more....

AL KIRKPATRICK CISM, CISSP, CGEIT

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:03:23 GMT

Al brings over twenty five years of business and technology experience to the Firestorm team. As the chief information risk and security officer for multiple public corporations, Al compiled an exemplary track record addressing risk management challenges across a wide range of industries. His comprehensive understanding of the benefits, challenges and strategic considerations for governance, risk and compliance programs has helped companies avoid catastrophic costs while eliminating unproductive risk management investment. Before joining Firestorm, Al was the Chief Information Risk Officer for The First American Corporation, an $8 billion, Fortune-250, multi-national title insurance, real estate and financial services corporation. He has extensive international proficiency in the Americas, Europe, India and Asia-Pacific and has recently signed a publisher agreement for his book titled Global Business Jeopardy, Managing Risk on a Flat World, to be available fall, 2009. American, Kirkpatrick held chief information security officer positions at two large, technologically advanced corporations. He has also held various technology management positions, including the management of fossil and nuclear power plant information systems for the nation’s largest investor-owned utility company. <<

Ann S. Pickren

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:15:02 GMT

Ann Pickren currently serves as the Executive Vice President with Firestorm Solutions, LLC. In this role, she serves as a Senior Business Continuity and Preparedness advisor in the Business Continuity industry for all Firestorm clients. As the EVP, Solutions for Firestorm, Ann is responsible for the development of standards and methodology, the oversight of all delivery and the creation of custom solutions for Firestorm’s clients. Prior to Firestorm, Ann was employed by SunGard Availability Services for 17 years. Ann joined SunGard, through their acquisition of Comdisco in 2001. She remained at SunGard through 2008. During that time, Ann served as the Senior Vice President of SunGard Availability Services, where she served in various capacities with the consulting and software practices. Her responsibilities included the management, development and support of software products for business continuity as well as the management of SunGard’s business availability consulting practice....

R. HUTCHINS HODGSON JR.

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:21:58 GMT

Hutch Hodgson was born in Atlanta Georgia, March 10, 1939, attended 13 different schools while moving with his family throughout the United States, and graduated with a degree in Economics from Kenyon College in 1961. He accepted a position in a new executive training program with the Coca-Cola Company and was moved to Canada for two years of intensive training. Upon completion of this training program in 1963, he and his family spent three years based in Johannesburg South Africa where he worked with the company owned bottling plant and eventually the bottlers south of the Sahara in Africa. Traveling a great deal when Apartheid was at its’ height, and tribal unrest was prevalent throughout Africa, the security of his family was paramount, as was the security of the Coca-Cola Bottlers and their factories. After returning to the U.S. in 1966 to enter the MBA program at the Harvard Business School, he rejoined The Coca-Cola Company in 1968 and was moved to London with marketing...

Expert Council Members

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:14:11 GMT

Rosemary C. Baggish, M.Ed., MPH Special Education, Public Health Administration Bob Ballagh, CPP Security Risk Mitigation S. David Bernstein, Psy.D Clinical Forensic Psychologist Peter H. Bickford Insurance/Reinsurance Counselor and Arbitrator James E. (Jim) Blair Risk management, Governance and Compliance Robert E. Boyle Former Executive Director, Port Authority of New York Stephen F. Browne, Ph.D. Strategic technological planning for local, state and federal emergency communications Wallace Buran Strategic Planning, Supply Chain Transformation Joni S. Charme National Security Attorney, Disaster Preparedness and Response Advisor Robert Cox, M.D. Infectious disease, professional speaker on subject Tony L. Corwin Government...

Joel Gelb

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:12:23 GMT

Joel Gelb has extensive experience in technology and information systems management. For most of his career he has acted as a senior executive/advisor in technology. Most recently he has been Chief Information Officer (CIO) for The Main Street America Group (MSAG). Before joining MSAG he was Senior Vice President and CIO for the Frontier Insurance Group. Joel has also held senior IT management roles with GHI, a large not-for-profit health insurer, and Swiss Re, a major international reinsurance company. From his experience, Joel has developed significant corporate perspective and management expertise around a number of disciplines including: IT governance and steering processes—a long term interest, recently he developed a best-of-breed practice; data management—overseen the development and successful deployment of a number of different organization level data warehouses; program management—repeated success overseeing large scale application development and installation; and...

Firestorm Franchise Application

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:36:20 GMT

Click here to download the PDF. Please fill it out and return to Firestorm Franchising. When completed you can either;

Fax it to 1-800-418-9088 or;

Scan the completed application and email it to hhodgson@firestorm.com or;

Send it using regular mail to:

Firestorm Franchising, LLC

1405 Old Alabama Road

Roswell, GA 30076

Expert Council in the News

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:35:57 GMT

FIRESTORM SOLUTIONS HEALTHCARE TEAM The Firestorm Solutions Healthcare Team offers over five centuries of collective experience in hospital operations, healthcare delivery, public health, and emergency preparedness. Drawing from a unique combination of operational experience and thought leadership, the Firestorm Solutions Healthcare Team delivers expertise built upon a foundation of decades of proven management, consulting, and policy development services. Download the PDF NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO How to Save Your Life Russel L. Honoré, LTG USA (Retired) Dr. Philip Stieg hosts a discussion on planning for natural disasters and other emergencies with Russel L. Honoré, LTG USA (Retired) who was commander of Joint Task Force Katrina responsible for coordinating military relief efforts for hurricane Katrina. Lt. General Honore talks about what we should be doing to prepare for disasters as individuals and at the local, state and federal levels....

Healthcare Capabilities

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:35:31 GMT

The Firestorm Solutions Healthcare Team draws from collective resources reflecting the broad range of healthcare policy, education, and delivery in every setting and section of the nation. These resources represent leading academic institutions, former government officials, and experience within public, private, and military health delivery systems. Firestorm’s active network and Expert Council includes six former surgeons general (military and United States), three deputy and assistant surgeons general, multiple hospital CEOs, and functional experts from a variety of disciplines within healthcare. Firestorm resources include a health system compliance and quality officer who was among the first in the nation to receive a graduate certificate in health compliance from George Washington University. Click here to download the PDF Donald A. Donahue, DHEd (Cand), MBA, FACHE, CHS-III and the Executive Director of the National Security Health Policy Center at the Potomac Institute for...

Thomas F. Parks, III

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:13:40 GMT

Thomas F. Parks III is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Infantry Weapons Officer. Specialty is training in leadership, generation Y, weapons, tactics and crisis management. Mr. Parks is the founder and CEO of DI Dynamics LLC, a training, consulting and motivational speaking company based on management secrets of the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Parks’ Marine Corps career consisted of 5 combat tours, several humanitarian aid and non-combatant evacuations with extensive experience in crisis management situations during combat and in peacetime. As an enlisted Marine he led a squad of Marines to victory during the Annual Rifle Squad Competition, was named the U.S. Marine Corps’ Drill Instructor of The Year and as an officer was awarded the Silver Star Medal for conspicuous gallantry and bravery in combat. He is featured in 2 books, Heroes Among Us and The Silver Star and is currently writing a business management book based upon his company’s mission vision and values. Besides training and...

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noemail@firestorm.com — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:50:38 GMT

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Release Date: 12-Nov-07 5:50 PM
Expiration Date: 12-Feb-08 5:50 PM

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2007-11-12T22:50:38Z

Instructor: Instructor

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Firestorm

ASIS 2009 Conference, Anaheim, CA

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PrivateTraining, Chicago

BRPA Meeting, Chicago, IL

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Dr. Cunnion: Flu Outbreak Likely Long-Term

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Healthcare Capabilities

Thomas F. Parks, III

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