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Super Bowl Security, Home Office Safety, and To Prep or Not to Prep: Firestorm Newsletter 3-Feb-12

Firestorm - noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Untitled Document

Feb 3, 2012

Super Bowl Security, Home Office Safety, and To Prep or Not to Prep: Firestorm Newsletter 3-Feb-12

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Contents:

This Week's Contributors

Ruse burglary victim, police educate community - Home Office Vulnerability

Super Bowl XLVI security stepped up as NFL descends on Indianapolis

To Prep or Not to Prep - Common Sense vs. Disaster Denial

Our thanks to FEMA's Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) and our friends at both DRJ and InsuranceThoughtLeadership.com for selecting Firestorm COO, Jim Satterfield's whitepaper - "Test Your Emergency, Continuity, and Disaster Recovery Plans Regularly" - for re-publication.

Domestic Preparedness

HEADLINE: Ruse burglary victim, police educate community - Home Office Vulnerability

SUMMARY: Since her home was ransacked, a 69 year old woman in Lake Zurich, Illinois has made it her mission to tell everyone willing to listen to beware of ruse burglars. Police are saying they are fielding reports of this type of crime more often in the last year than ever.

The senior approaches fellow senior citizens every time she’s shopping and out to eat, and on Monday, she called a press conference to share her story of how burglars wiped out her jewelry collection and her husband’s rare coin collection in a matter of minutes while her husband was home.

TRIBLOCAL STORY LINK

ANALYSIS: Think your Home Business is a Safe Harbor? Think Again.

By Dave Flora, Firestorm Principal

While most business resiliency planning efforts focus on your physical “place of business”, what if that business is also your home? Recently a local professional services provider of mine suffered this unfortunate experience when a well dressed “contractor” knocked on his door during the work week:

The gist? The home was burglarized around 3 p.m. on Nov. 28, when the homeowner, a West Point graduate and retired Vietnam veteran (who walks with a prosthetic leg since he lost one of his legs in the war), answered the door to a man who asked to check the property lines in the back yard.

The homeowner led the man through the home and to the backyard, while the man spoke on a walkie-talkie in a foreign language the homeowner said he didn’t recognize, which is typical of ruse burglars, police said. In an estimated span of 15 or 20 minutes, someone else swept through the family’s belongings, taking heirloom jewelry and framed coin collections off the walls.

Firestorm published our book, Disaster Ready People for a Disaster Ready America, as a guide to help people create a home disaster plan. Preparedness is a must for families, but has extra importance when work and home environments are combined.

Having known the professional services provider who was “rused” in the article for a dozen years, I can give personal testimony that he is diligent and “situationally aware.” But when his doorbell rang on a Monday afternoon last November at his middle class house in suburban Chicago, he fell prey to his own “good intentions”- he briefly let his guard down by trying to be a good neighbor.
In the 15 minutes he showed the professional looking “contractor” around the service lines in his fenced in back yard, another individual was ransacking his coin collections, jewelry and other precious objects he and his wife had collected over a lifetime of marriage.

The loss was large enough to involve the Major Crimes Unit who confirmed similar ruse scams had occurred in other middle class bedroom communities throughout the county during 2011.

The criminals focused on easily identifiable targets (such as coin collections), that could easily be snatched and fenced; however, the home office where the major portion of the theft occurred, also contained sensitive client data. Had the computer been stolen, the level of theft would have impacted many more people.
Securing your home business should include a review of your current physical security safeguards as well as a review of everyone who may have, or once had access to your house. Simple precautions to “harden the target” include:

Changing your garage door keypad settings and restricting the number of people who know the code
Keeping your vehicles locked and garage door openers out of sight
Do not leave your garage door open for long times, even on Saturdays when you are simply doing yard work. A propped open garage full of high end tools and sporting equipment is an indicator of even nicer goods inside the house
Keeping your front doors locked even if you are just barbequing out back
Push back for more information when unknown service people arrive without an appointment
Read Disaster Ready People for a Disaster Ready America

From Our Book:

Planning with your family is key: The first thing you need to do to prepare for a disaster is to speak with your family and/or those with whom you live.
The goal of the conversation is three-fold: to predict, to plan, and to perform.

Predict: To predict means to assess the risks you face. It’s in the discovery of the risks that you could face that you’ll begin to develop the solutions…your preparations. In the initial conversation, you won’t know all the risks, but you’ll know some of them and that’s where you start.

Plan: Again, at this stage, your planning will probably be minimal. It’s here you plan to plan. You get the dialogue going. Everyone is inspired and on-task, enthusiastic and increasingly confident of their ability to make a difference in their lives.

Perform: Do what it takes to make your plan real—that is, take the steps to get your plan in shape. Suggested topics in this first conversation include:

Acknowledge that a disaster can happen to you
Discuss your personal vulnerabilities, including special risks your community faces (in this case, “ruse” robberies) as well as any special needs your household has, such as pets, seniors, people with disabilities and/or babies or small children (predict stuff )
Setting some preliminary goals for continuing your disaster plans and preparations (plan stuff)

Figure you’ll spend about an hour and a half with all the members of your household who are able to contribute. Gather together the adult members of your household first. Then, have a second conversation with the younger members, incorporating thoughts and ideas given at each level of comprehension.

Learn more by downloading our free eBook here

National Safety and Security

HEADLINE: Super Bowl XLVI security stepped up as NFL descends on Indianapolis

SUMMARY: Indianapolis, Indiana, is preparing for security and safety threats during the Super Bowl. The National Football League’s showcase event will consume 44 blocks in the heart of the city. Streets will be closed off, forcing an anticipated 150,000 or more fans to jockey with downtown workers for space much of the week. Up to 1,000 city police officers will be carrying smartphones and other electronic hand-held devices that will enable them to feed photos and video to a new state-of-the-art operations center on the city’s east side, or to cruisers driven by officers providing backup, according to the city’s public safety director.

WJLA STORY LINK

ANALYSIS: The National Football League’s title game, Super Bowl XLVI, between the NFL’s New England Patriots, and New York Giants, which will be played on February 5th, at Indianapolis’s Lucas Oil Stadium has been designated as a National Special Security Event (NSSE).

By Oz Hill, Firestorm Principal

A NSSE is an event of national or international significance deemed by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be a potential target for terrorism or other criminal activity. These events have included summits of world leaders, meetings of international organizations, presidential nominating conventions and presidential inaugurations. NSSE designation requires federal agencies to provide full cooperation and support to ensure the safety and security of those participating in or otherwise attending the event, and the community within which the event takes place, and is typically limited to specific event sites for a specified time frame.

In May of 1998, President Clinton issued Presidential Decision Directive 62 (PDD-62). In effect, this directive formalized and delineated the roles and responsibilities of federal agencies in the development of security plans for major events. The clarifying of responsibilities serves to focus more clearly the role of each agency and eliminate the duplication of efforts and resources.

In 2000, the Presidential Protection Act of 2000 became public law. Included in the bill, signed on December 19, was an amendment to Title 18, USC § 3056 which codified PDD-62. Now, with the support of federal law, the Secret Service is authorized to participate "in the planning, coordination and implementation of security operations at special events of national significance."

When an event is designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security as a National Special Security Event (NSSE), the Secret Service assumes its mandated role as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is in charge of intelligence, counter terrorism, hostage rescue and investigation of incidents of terrorism or other major criminal activities associated with the NSSE, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is in charge of recovery management in the aftermath of terrorist or other major criminal incidents, natural disasters or other catastrophic events.

A number of factors are taken into consideration when designating an event as a National Special Security Event. Department of Homeland Security press releases usually cite the following factors:

Anticipated attendance by dignitaries. Events attended by officials of the United States government or foreign dignitaries may create an independent federal interest to ensure that the event transpires without incident and that sufficient resources are brought to bear in the event of an incident.
Size of the event. A large number of attendees and participants generally increases security requirements. In addition, larger events are more likely to draw the attention of terrorists or other criminals, particularly those interested in employing weapons of mass destruction.
Significance of the event. Some events have historical, political, cultural, or symbolic significance that may heighten concern about possible terrorist acts or other criminal activity.
Duration of the event. State and local law enforcement and public safety agencies may possess the manpower and other resources to provide adequate security for a major event within their jurisdiction (e.g. World Series, NASCAR race, Super Bowl, televised awards show), but is unable to do so for events over several days or weeks and at the same time continue to meet routine obligations in the greater community.
Availability of state and local resources. When state and local jurisdictions lack the expertise, experience, manpower or other assets needed to ensure comprehensive protection of these major events of national or international significance.
Multiplicity of Jurisdictions. Extensive coordination of law enforcement and public safety agencies from multiple jurisdictions.
Threat Assessments. Anticipation of terrorism, or extensive illegal civil disobedience or other criminal activity.

In addition to standard NSSE planning and preparation considerations to ensure the safety of all persons in attendance at Super Bowl XLVI, DHS is integrating its, “If You See Something, Say Something™" public awareness campaign as an integral part of the event’s security plan.

The program was launched in July 2010, by DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. The brilliantly simple program is effectively designed to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism and violent crime, and to emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the proper state and local law enforcement authorities. The program and its media campaign encourages the public to report only suspicious behavior and situations related to criminal activity and terrorism. Only reports that document behavior reasonably indicative of criminal activity related to terrorism will be shared with federal partners.

As a result of the proactive and comprehensive security planning effort for Super Bowl XLVI, as well as, the seamless collaboration between law enforcement and intelligence agencies at every echelon of government, this Sunday I am betting on a safe and secure contest without any major security incidents.

Enjoy the game!”

To Prep or Not to Prep

By Firestorm Partner Ken O'Dell

A recent conversation on the DRJ LinkedIn Group caused Firestorm’s Ken O’Dell to reflect on the importance of FEMA’s PS-Prep program.

Following the tragic events of 9-11, the US government convened numerous panels and bodies of experts to understand the impacts and potential solutions to mitigate the effects of future events. Out of those committees came the development of PS-Prep and, more importantly, the understanding that...Preparedness is NOT a Luxury, but rather a Required Expense of doing business in today’s social, political, and economic environment.

I don’t think the question is so much what has happened to PS-Prep, a voluntary program, so much as what has happened to common sense?

While I know that we often need a gun pointing at our heads before we respond, it seems counter-intuitive for the business community to wait until the government pulls the trigger by putting in place prescriptive plans and punishments to force a move from voluntary to mandatory implementation and certification. Trust me (unless there is a conspiracy theorist in the group) the government is not going to control when the next disaster occurs, yet it has rightly provided good solid research and committee-based recommendations clearly indicating we must be prepared.

In fact, it is very important to acknowledge that we already have a gun pointing at our heads…it is the current and very real probability that a business disruption or disaster will happen. Do we need to wait for government regulations to point a second gun at our heads so we can gamble on which one goes off first?

Being prepared is not about having a single formula or list of check boxes to fill out and check off…it is about understanding YOUR business and taking steps to ensure YOUR business is sustainable and resilient in the face of a potentially devastating event. If we go back to the thought that Preparedness is a Required Expense of Doing Business, it seems appropriate that the business community take the lead in creating traction in determining how they want to allocate the expense rather than being forced to spend it on Certification.

Disaster Denial is a terrible competitor of the DR/Preparedness world, because it leads to inaction and therefore reliance on others. The outcome can result in significant lost resources and huge expenses paid out under duress, rather than planned resource and expense allocations.

Where is the Traction and Urgency? Perhaps it is lost in the same place as our Common Sense.

To learn more about PS-Prep, download our free white paper

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3-Feb-12 11:00 AM

FTC Hack, 2012 Disaster Insurance Predictions, Drug Shortages, 911 Outages: Firestorm Newsletter 27-Jan-12

Firestorm - noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT

Untitled Document

January 27, 2012

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CONTINUOUS BREAKING: Anonymous Continues Attacks - Targets US and Foreign Government Websites - Symantec warns: Disable pcAnywhere

This story stream is powered by the Firestorm Storify account, and will be updated as new information and events unfold. Check back often.

Anonymous targets OnGuardOnline.gov: In a post on Twitter by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which runs OnGuardOnline.gov, the FTC stated that their partnership site was hacked and that they take this malicious act seriously. In a follow up tweet they stated that the site was taken offline and would be brought back up once they were satisfied that the vulnerability has been addressed > Story Stream

CONTENTS:

This week's contributors:

Anti-infective drug shortages pose threat to public health and patient care
How Gen X Reacted to the H1N1 Pandemic

Nevada County loses 911 connections

Joliet man threatened to kill Social Security staff

Disaster insurance - Insurance companies predict increase in premiums

Stories We're Watching

HEALTH MATTERS

--Dr. Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

HEADLINE: Anti-infective drug shortages pose threat to public health and patient care

SUMMARY: A review published in Clinical Infectious Diseases stated that shortages of key drugs used to fight infections represent a public health emergency. Frequent anti-infective shortages can substantially alter clinical care and may lead to worse outcomes for patients, since physicians are forced to use other drugs that may not work as well. Of the 193 medications unavailable in the United States at the time of the analysis, 13 percent were anti-infective drugs. “Anti-infectives often represent irreplaceable life-saving treatments,” the authors noted, and hospitalized patients are particularly vulnerable in an era when such shortages often last months and are occurring more frequently.

STORY LINK: http://esciencenews.com/articles/2012/01/22/anti.infective.drug.shortages.pose.threat.public.health.and.patient.care

ANALYSIS: Anti-infective drugs are described by the FDA as those used for “treatment of infectious diseases and disorders.” These range from well known antibiotics to over the counter topical medications available in most every supermarket. The specific concern here is over those antibiotics used to combat life-threatening diseases. The reality is the market does not adequately support the uninterrupted supply of some medications. Strict but necessary manufacturing standards, challenges in maintaining quality, and the unpredictable nature of the need (disease outbreaks do not follow a production schedule) contribute to this situation. Many drugs are produced in a single or dual location; a disruption in manufacturing at one locale can produce a global shortfall.

This conundrum lies at the heart of the debate about healthcare reform. How do we ensure availability while controlling costs? What role should the government play? Can a profit making entity be forced to produce product at cost or at a loss? It will be a long time before these issues are resolved, if ever. In the interim, guidelines on staying healthy and preventing disease can reduce the risk of needing these drugs. The oft-repeated advice on healthy eating, adequate rest, good nutrition, staying home when ill (and allowing that if you are a school or employer), proper food preparation, and frequent hand washing and surface cleaning will limit the possibility of needing one of these drugs.

HEADLINE: How Gen X Reacted to the H1N1 Pandemic

Study: More Educated About Influenza Most Likely To Get Vaccinated Against H1N1

SUMMARY: In April 2009, the CDC identified a new virus in humans: H1N1, or what was then called swine flu. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global H1N1 pandemic in June, and by October 2009, the first doses of an H1N1-specific vaccine were administered. A study published Tuesday looks at how Americans in their thirties reacted to the availability of a vaccine. In all, about one in five of those in Generation X got the H1N1 vaccine during the 2009-2010 pandemic, according to the researcher's analysis of survey data. The CDC estimates that between April 2009 and February 2010 approximately 265,000 people were hospitalized and 12,000 died in the United States alone due to H1N1 influenza.

STORY LINK: http://www.ktvz.com/health/30285054/detail.html

ANALYSIS: There used to be a television advertising campaign that featured the tag line “the more you know…” This is the case for immunization in general and for influenza vaccinations specifically. The numbers clearly speak for themselves.

Tens of millions vaccinated worldwide with very few adverse reactions, versus between tens of thousands and millions (depending on the strain) dying globally from influenza and flu-related causes. Reasons for avoiding vaccinations range from religious objections to faulty information to a general suspicion of government and industry.

The 2009 H1N1 outbreak had a relatively small impact. Other pandemics have exacted a far greater toll (the worst being the 1918-9 so called “Spanish Flu” pandemic). The question remains would a 20% vaccination rate be sufficient to stop the spread of a deadly virus? Individually, faced with a highly deadly strain – the death rate for H5N1 exceeds 50%, would you choose to be that one in five or among the 80% with no protection?

OPERATIONAL RISK

Lt. Col Oz Hill (Ret.)

HEADLINE: Nevada County loses 911 connections

SUMMARY: Much of Nevada County, California, lost cell phone and Internet service January 21 after a fiber optic cable was damaged when a car knocked down a telephone pole. The fibers carried cellular phone calls, Internet service, and some phone landlines. The outage also crippled 911 services. Emergency calls from working land lines were routed to the Placer County Sheriff Department, where dispatchers relayed information to local authorities by two-way radios. Grass Valley police, the California Highway Patrol, and Nevada County Sheriffs set up an impromptu communication center in a grocery store parking lot to share information and coordinate responses. Cal Fire’s dispatch center in Grass Valley was also impacted. The center dispatches fire and ambulance services for Nevada County, Truckee, and Tahoe, plus portions of two other counties. AT&T estimated the damage would be repaired January 22.

STORY LINK: http://www.kcra.com/r/30271333/detail.html

ANALYSIS: The January 21st incident that resulted in much of Nevada County, California, losing lifesaving 911 Call Center service, following an automobile accident that damaged fiber optic cable which provided the essential IT backbone for connectivity, suggests Nevada County should place greater emphasis on call center redundancy that focuses on keeping the 911 Call Center on-line in the face of an emergency, or having a contingency plan that would enable the 911 calls to be transferred to a neighboring call center with the capacity to seamlessly manage the increased emergency call volume.

Continuity in call center operations requires foresight and deliberate planning to build redundancy into standard operations. Call center directors and managers, with the support of elected officials charged with public safety, must establish and cultivate relationships that are formalized with a Memorandum of Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding, with neighboring call centers to share resources should one call center become disabled.

When cultivating a relationship with a neighboring or back-up call center, consideration must be given to ensure the back-up call center has the infrastructure and capacity to manage the increased call volume. Transferring 911 calls to a back-up call center that does not have the capability to manage increased calls may ultimately result in both call centers being catastrophically disabled.

Call center staff and operators must be involved in call center contingency planning and training to effectively implement contingency operations and procedures in the event of a disaster that results in a transition of calls to a back-up or neighboring call center. Staff members must be cross-trained to work with neighboring call centers, and as Hurricane Katrina taught us, disaster plans must be developed to allow staff members to plan for the well-being of their families, as well as, developing organizational disaster and emergency plans.

The planning assumption for a disaster is that available staff will likely be reduced to 50% of the required operational strength. Logistics planning must also be considered to ensure staff members who work for extended periods have the necessary life support resources to ensure their effectiveness. The standard or routine level of service should not be diminished upon transitioning to a redundant capability. The goal is to ensure the level of service remains the same; no unanswered 911 calls, or interruptions in service.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Suzanne Rhulen Loughlin, Co-Founder, Firestorm

HEADLINE: Police: Joliet man threatened to kill Social Security staff

SUMMARY: A Joliet, Illinois man upset with reductions to his benefits allegedly threatened to kill employees at a Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, the Joliet Herald-News reported January 22. The DHS took the man’s reported threats seriously enough to have local police obtain a warrant for his arrest. SSA employees notified the DHS and because of the man’s criminal history, federal agents asked Joliet police to pursue the case. A detective obtained an arrest warrant against the man with a $100,000 bond. He was being sought for harassment by telephone, a Class 4 felony that can carry a 1- to 3-year prison sentence and a $25,000 fine.

STORY LINK: http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/news/10139661-418/police-joliet-man-threatened-to-kill-social-security-staff.html

ANALYSIS: “Social Security employees prevent violence in their workplace”

That could have been the headline for the story below. It wasn’t. It is rare that we see such “disaster averted“ headlines. What was the real headline?

“Police: Joliet man threatened to kill Social Security staff”

OK. So I don’t like the headline, but I do like the story. Employees at the Social Security Administration took a caller’s threats seriously, after he called to complain about a reduction of benefits in his pay check. He became irate at the answers he received.

The employee reported their concern and DHS was notified. A background check was performed which revealed a criminal history. Although we don’t know the circumstances surrounding his background, undoubtedly that history, combined with the facts that were being assessed by DHS, led them to deem this individual a high risk. Based on this risk assessment, an arrest warrant was obtained and the individual was pursued. The outcome is unknown at this point, but if such a scenario were to occur in your workplace-- with an employee, a customer, a vendor-- there are some actions we recommend taking. There are also some lessons to be learned.

While the suspect is being pursued, the employer needs to take security precautions in the workplace to safeguard their workplace and the people within it. Those precautions include having a security plan and monitoring system in place. Additionally, employees need to be trained on how to communicate in the event there is a breach in security. Front desk/visitor reception training is crucial—particularly deescalation techniques to be used both in person and on the phone. Coordination with law enforcement is vital.

The employees at SSA are to be commended for recognizing the threat posed by the caller, and most importantly, for taking steps to report it. Only where employees at every level are trained on what the warning signs of impending violence are, and what to do when they recognize them, will disasters be averted.

As to how to get the media to write better headlines—that will only happen when our society starts to value ‘good news’ over ‘bad news’—but for now, only the former sells papers.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

--Jim Satterfield, Firestorm President/COO

HEADLINE: Disaster insurance - Insurance companies predict increase in premiums

SUMMARY: Though all the flood waters have receded and power has been restored, New Jersey homeowners will still have to suffer the consequences of Hurricane Irene. According to insurance industry representatives and analysts, homeowners and businesses will likely see their insurance premiums increase over the next several years as a result of the storm.

STORY LINK: http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20120126-insurance-companies-predict-increase-in-premiums

ANALYSIS: It ain’t over till it’s over. Last year’s flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and storms are history. The human and financial impacts remain. It ain’t over. The impacts will last for years to come.

Look for a tightening/hardening market in 2012 with coverages contracting, deductibles rising, and rates/premiums increasing. This change is not an east coast or west coast trend. It is national and global.

2011 set records for damages from disasters in the US and globally. The Homeland Security NewsWire story shows the Hurricane Irene flooding impacts in New Jersey as one example. There are thousands more from 2011. The Red Cross identifies over 70,000 disasters annually in the US alone. The ones that matter most are the ones that happen to you, your family, and your company.

Plans, preparations, training, and exercises will mitigate impacts. Now is the time to measure your company’s status versus best practices and industry standards. Insurance companies’ rates are not the only increase faced. Regulators are increasing pressure on companies to comply. Are you ready? Are you sure? How do you know?

Stories We're Watching

Google stirs up privacy hornet’s nest

More than 4,000 vets potentially affected by VA data breach

National strategy for global supply chain security announced

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27-Jan-12 10:00 AM

Weekend Review - Anonymous takes down CBS - who's next? 23-Jan-12

Firestorm - noemail@firestorm.com — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:30:00 GMT

Untitled Document

January 23, 2012

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Monday Morning Review:

As you read in our Friday Newsletter, the hacker group Anonymous launched a series of Denial of Service attacks against several high-profile websites, including the FBI and Department of Justice after the shut down of file-sharing website Megaupload.com.

The activity continued over the weekend with a variety of attacks on the governments of Brazil and Poland, and business targets included CBS (the attackers used a technique called DNS poisoning to redirect visitors to different web servers than those hosting CBS' site), the website of singer Rihanna, and other high-profile targets. Moreover, unsuspecting Twitter users were made a party to the DoS attacks via links in Twitter messages.

Additionally, leaders of the Polish government agreed to meet today to review their stance on copyright protection policies after Anonymous this weekend took down their government Web sites.

Sites similar to Megaupload, such as Filesonic have temporarily suspended their own file sharing capabilities. A message on the Filesonic site reads "All sharing functionality on Filesonic is now disabled. Our service can only be used to upload and retrieve files that you have uploaded personally."

Many varied company employees have expressed distress in these shutdowns, as the sites have been used to store business documents.

We have updated our Storify feed on our blog to include relevant activity, and encourage you to communicate to your employees regarding the potential harm that may be caused by accessing unknown links and websites on or off work hours.

Other activity of note:

As a follow-up to our story of October 14, 2011 - Crisis Planning – Problems at RIM Deeper than Poor PR:

RIM Replaces CEOs as It Seeks Answer to Apple: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-23/rim-replaces-ceos-as-it-struggles-to-answer-apple.html

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23-Jan-12 8:30 AM

ALERT: What the Hacktivists did to the Web Last Night - Firestorm Newsletter 20-Jan-12

Firestorm - noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Untitled Document

January 20, 2012

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CONTINUOUS BREAKING: What the Hacktivists did to the Web Last Night

Anonymous claims responsibility for OpPayBack

This story stream is powered by the Firestorm Storify account, and will be updated as new information and events unfold. Check back often.

"Hacktivist" collective Anonymous took credit for taking down a number of websites via Denial of Service attacks including The US Department of Justice on Thursday evening after the arrests of leaders of Megaupload.com and shut down of the popular hub for illegal media downloads.In related news, Senator Harry Reid announced delay of the Protect IP Act (PIPA) Vote. Read more updates: Anonymous claims responsibility for OpPayBack

Upcoming Analysis: The Costa Concordia Disaster - According to a report in the Bloomberg Businessweek, analysts at Numis Securities Ltd. said the Costa Concordia accident is expected to be the most costly marine loss on record. Reports are estimating that the total insurance loss to be between $600 million and $800 million and the cruise ship’s hull insurance will pay out about $512 million. The article also cites sources stating that insurers are expected to pay out more than the $500 million paid out following the Exxon Valdez disaster off the coast of Alaska in 1989. These staggering amounts make the Costa Concordia disaster the largest marine loss on record.

Contents:

This week's contributors:

India reports first cases of killer TB strain 'resistant to all available drugs'

Sykipot trojan hijacks Department of Defense authentication smart cards

Preparing Chicago Businesses for the NATO/ G8 Summit

HEALTH MATTERS

HEADLINE: India reports first cases of killer TB strain 'resistant to all available drugs'

SUMMARY:

    - Doctors say there are at least 12 cases in Mumbai
    - Strain so far restricted to India's poorest
    - First reported from 2003 in Italy and Iran
    - Experts believe there are more undocumented cases

STORY LINK: : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087273/India-reports-cases-killer-TB-strain-resistant-available-drugs.html#ixzz1jj2Z94mU

ANALYSIS: The report of a drug resistant bacterium [the photograph accompanying the linked article incorrectly identifies tuberculosis as a virus] is a recurring, if troubling, story. Disease-causing bacteria can become resistant to treatment when subjected to incomplete, incorrect, or inappropriate dosages. In plain language, the medicine does not kill all the bacteria and those that survive acquire resistance to that drug. While the spread of this particular strain of TB is undoubtedly fostered by the deplorable and crowded living conditions in these slums, the reality is anyone can be exposed to communicable disease. Global travel creates pathways for disease spread, sometimes by people with no apparent symptoms.

This situation is a universal danger; the importance of proper use of antibiotics cannot be overstated. Take these medicines only when properly prescribed, and as prescribed. Do not take antibiotics for viral infections. If you have been in contact or may have been in contact with someone with TB (including following international travel, especially to underdeveloped regions), get tested. Even under the best of circumstances, treatment is lengthy and expensive. Drug resistant diseases are a global threat. Absent something rare in public health and medicine – a universal effort – this danger is likely to stay with us for a long time.

--Dr. Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURITY

HEADLINE: Sykipot trojan hijacks Department of Defense authentication smart cards

SUMMARY: A variant of the Sykipot trojan horse hijacked U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) smart cards to access restricted resources, IDG News Service reported January 13. “We recently discovered a variant of Sykipot with some new, interesting features that allow it to effectively hijack DoD and Windows smart cards,” said a security researcher at AlienVault. The researcher also said, “This variant, which appears to have been compiled in March 2011, has been seen in dozens of attack samples from the past year.” The variant seems to contain several commands to capture smart card data and use it to access secure resources.

STORY LINK: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223423/Sykipot_Trojan_hijacks_DoD_smart_cards?taxonomyId=17

ANALYSIS: Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) is a term that categorically describes a class of cyber attacks. APTs generally target high value assets that provide a means for exploitation by the attacker, and are characterized by the use of quiet infiltration methods that make detection and elimination following infiltration challenging. Traditional defenses do not effectively protect IT networks and systems against APTs. The pervasiveness of APTs against high value targets and the determination of attackers indicate it is highly unlikely this threat will ever be completely neutralized. Although responding to APTs has become increasingly complex, defenses to protect systems and networks can be improved to mitigate the impact of these threats.

Organizations must aggressively implement measures to gather intelligence on APTs, a critical component for early detection and elimination. Additionally, collaboration among the global community of stakeholders must exist to prevent attacks, as well as, identify and prosecute the perpetrators of APT attacks. An organization’s effective defense against APTs will include:

an assessment of the organization’s data management systems to assist in determining its value as an APT target
comprehensive risk planning
attack modeling to identify attack profiles and infiltration approaches
systems analysis that integrates compliance monitoring and risk management considerations
efficient risk-based threat assessment and response protocols
collaboration and information sharing to defend against attacks

There is no simple solution to the complex problems presented by APTs. The factors that have influenced IT innovation and growth, have also presented challenges in securing information systems and networks. As the APT attack on the DoD’s Common Access Card demonstrates, these types of cyber attacks adversely affect government organizations, private enterprises, and individual system and network users in different ways. These attacks diminish public trust and confidence in the security of data systems and networks. Undoubtedly, the solution will require all of us to play a role in protecting the IT systems and networks we use and depend on.

Lt. Col Oz Hill (Ret.)

BUSINESS CONTINUITY

Let the Business Continuity Exercises Begin

-Preparing Chicago Businesses for the NATO/ G8 Summit

With 60 days left until Chicago takes the world stage by simultaneously hosting the NATO and G8 Summit, Chicago based businesses need to be exercising their business contingency plans for remaining fully operational during the May 18-21 events. With world leaders from the G8 nations as well as representatives from all participating NATO members arriving into town, 2000 media representatives from around the world are expected to descend upon Chicago.

Along with the international media platform being set up will come the irresistible attraction to instantaneous worldwide publicity for single issue activists, hacktivists and other disruptors with eyes on drawing a global media focus. Add to that the explosion of social media in the past 3 years and know that negative events that “happen in Chicago” won’t “stay in Chicago”. While most scheduled activities will occur in the hardened security perimeters of the McCormick complex, it would be a mistake for area businesses, particularly those downtown, to consider themselves immune from disruption.

Local security and law enforcement has had a year to plan for public safety vulnerabilities including international and domestic terror, civil disobedience and “lone wolf” fixated individuals meaning to strike while the “eyes of the world” are focused on Chicago. However, security analysts say it is a mistake to think that the City Of Chicago’s security planning is enough to prevent disruptions to your workplace. Foreseeable vulnerabilities could include loss of access to a facility, difficulty for employees to get to their desks and possible disruptions to major vendors delivering services in the days leading up to this event.

Many VVIPs and “higher risk” delegations will be staying in downtown hotels and ideally moving around to some of Chicago’s fine dining establishments and tourist sites during these events. As “fortress McCormick” will be closed to the general public through the Summit’s duration, disruptors may seek “softer” locations to stage activism. While many rules will be in place for these demonstrations, relying on a hodgepodge of ad hoc activist groups to “stay within the lines” is a risk worth discussing as it applies to your business operations.

Threats have changed as well since the ’68 protests gave an international black eye to Chicago. Businesses would be well advised to consider the “digital threats” to their businesses during this vulnerable time as well. OWS style protests against companies deemed to profit the “one percent” could be targeted for corporate lobby “flash mob” style protests. “Anonymous” style cyber-attacks infiltrating corporate IT assets could be instantaneously and publicly compromised:

Could a single hacker hijack your corporate brand by infiltrating your websites or social media initiatives; more important, how would you know?
Would you know before the rest of the blogosphere does?

It is not the point to be afraid of the important events taking place in Chicago in May. As of now, forward thinking companies are running risk assessments and exercising various scenarios much in the same way they plan for building evacuations and tornado season. Right now, planning and anticipating can be done using a calendar. Know that if your organization is impacted in May, you will be managing your decisions with a stopwatch… and the whole world will be watching.

Dave Flora - Chicago based principal for Firestorm

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20-Jan-12 11:00 AM

Firestorm Newsletter 13-Jan-12 - This week: Lessons from Haiti, Avian Flu, WPV, Counterterrorism

Karen Masullo - noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:44:38 GMT

Untitled Document

January 13, 2012

- Link, Like, Follow, Circle - Have a question to ask or topic to suggest? Let us know!

FIRESTORM

VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS. DISASTER PLANNING.

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY & RECOVERY.

CONTENTS

Can the Central United States Learn from Haiti?

Latest Fatal Case of Avian Flu Confirmed in China

Police: 2 dead in Shooting at Georgia Food Plant

The LWOT: State Department Establishes Bureau of Counterterrorism

Can the Central United States Learn from Haiti?

Analysis by Ken O’Dell, VP and Partner

As we reflect upon the two year anniversary of the devastating M7.0 earthquake in Haiti, and approach the bicentennial of the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquake sequence, many parallels may be drawn. Looking at these two events, there are numerous similarities that can inform the preparedness efforts we can effect now, in the United States, to keep buildings safe and businesses operational when the next significant event occurs in the New Madrid Seismic Zone.

One of the most striking similarities is the historical context of the timeframes and generational memories of the inhabitants within the regions. Prior to the Haiti earthquake of 2010 just over two hundred years had elapsed since a previous similarly devastating event had occurred. Further, like the New Madrid region, the expected frequency of large earthquakes is READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE

Health Matters

HEADLINE: Latest fatal case of avian flu confirmed in China

SUMMARY: A middle-aged bus driver from southern China died of avian flu last weekend. This death is the first fatal case of H5N1 virus in China in 18 months. The 39-year-old Chinese man was certified dead after contracting H5N1 virus a week ago. According to a statement by the Shenzhen Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), it is believed that he contracted the deadly virus through direct contact with migratory birds. This strain of the virus cannot yet spread between humans.

STORY LINK: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6691122,00.html

ANALYSIS: This relatively short news item contains multiple messages, ranging from temporarily reassuring to terrifyingly ominous. Any premature death is tragic, as undoubtedly was this one. If there is good news, it is that a year and a half has passed since the last H5N1 death in China. This particular strain of avian influenza has still not gained human-to-human communicability. Cases documented to date have all involved people who have direct and frequent contact with infected birds. The mortality rate, however, has been in excess of 50 percent. Put this into perspective; the typical mortality rate for seasonal influenza, which is responsible for some 36,000 deaths annually in the United States, is 1-2 percent. An historic, international health crisis will exist if and when H5N1 adapts to human-to-human transmission.

This biological “Sword of Damocles” exists (and will continue to exist) against a background of mistrust of vaccinations and concerns over bioterrorism. Immunizations are one of the great success stories of modern public health. Countless suffering and needless deaths have been prevented by inoculations, yet falsified studies, conspiracy theories, and generalized suspicion and complacency conspire to place people – particularly children and the elderly – at risk. Recent news stories have reported on the controversy over publishing the results of research projects that created a deadly version of the influenza virus. The fear is that this information could be used for nefarious purposes by terrorists or fringe groups. Because knowledge knows no political or ideological boundary and nature continuously adapts, a highly virulent influenza strain will eventually emerge.

Because flu is communicable before symptoms appear, mankind will be hard pressed to contain such an outbreak. Yet flu already significantly impacts us: three to five million cases of severe illness and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths occur globally each year. The basics of reducing this risk remain the same. Frequent hand washing, cough etiquette, getting immunized, and social distancing (staying home when sick; supporting this if you are an employer or educational institution) are inexpensive and effective methods to help avoid the flu. Usually a mere annoyance, influenza can have deadly consequences to you and to those around you. The options seem obvious. Why assume a risk when you do not have to?

--Dr. Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Workplace Violence

HEADLINE: Police: 2 dead in shooting at Georgia food plant

SUMMARY: An employee opened fire outside a northeastern Georgia food processing plant January 5, fatally shooting his wife before killing himself. The shooting happened at FPL Food in Augusta, Georgia. FPL authorities said the man worked at the plant, but his wife did not. The shootings occurred in the plant’s parking lot.

STORY LINK: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57353670/police-2-dead-in-shooting-at-georgia-food-plant/

ANALYSIS: "I am a Broken Record"'

This tragedy serves as an early 2012 reminder that we as employers must be vigilant in the implementation and execution of our workplace violence prevention programs. Domestic violence that spills over into the workplace is common. This fact pattern has a twist in that the shooter was the employee, the victim-- his wife-- was not, yet she was in the parking lot of the workplace at the time of the shooting.

There are almost always warning signs prior to the commission of violent acts. Here, the employee was previously charged with family violence, battery, theft, and drug possession; not your model citizen. Was a criminal background check done upon hiring? Was drug testing routinely performed? We do not know how long the shooter was working at the plant. In the event the hiring preceded the commission of these crimes, undoubtedly this individual would have experienced significant absenteeism or evidenced other clues as to his problems. Background checks are valuable undertakings -- even after someone has already been hired, if suspicion arises.

What should we be suspicious of? Employees need to be trained to recognize the warning signs in their fellow workers. I make this comment each time I do a write up on a workplace violence incident. Yes, I am a broken record. This action is the main line of defense for you as an employer. So-- play the record-- train your people. If you need to learn more about what the warning signs are, contact us. We will share that information with you.

Suzanne Rhulen Loughlin, EVP/Chief Administrative Officer of Firestorm® Solutions, LLC

National Safety and Security

HEADLINE: The LWOT: State Department establishes Bureau of Counterterrorism

SUMMARY: The U.S. State Department January 4, announced that the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism was being upgraded to become the Bureau of Counterterrorism. This action fulfills one of the recommendations made in the December 2010 Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. “Bureau” status will provide the coordinator’s office with a better infrastructure to implement initiatives it has been developing to increase the counterterrorism and counter-radicalization capabilities of foreign governments through bilateral diplomacy efforts.

STORY LINK: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/06/the_lwot_state_department_establishes_bureau_of_counterterrorism

ANALYSIS: As the United States continues to confront global terrorism threats from organizations and individuals who subscribe to violent extremism, the Department of State’s announcement concerning the establishment of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, fulfills one of the key recommendations of The First Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, published by the U.S. Department of State in 2010. The Bureau of Counterterrorism will lead the Department’s engagement in support of U.S. government efforts to counter terrorism abroad and to secure the United States against foreign terrorist threats.

Protecting the United States, its assets and interests, and most importantly the American people are a priority of the U.S. government and presents distinct challenges. Defeating conventional, asymmetric, emerging, and future terrorist threats will require innovative strategies, creative diplomacy, and collaboration across the entire spectrum of the U.S. government, and the international community of stakeholders who stand in opposition to terrorism. The establishment of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, and transitioning from the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, provides specific mission focus and greater resources for the Department of State’s efforts to defeat terrorism.

The Bureau of Counterterrorism will implement its mission by:

· Developing and implementing counterterrorism strategies, policies, and operations. The U.S. government has no greater responsibility than to protect the American people. The Bureau of Counterterrorism will play an integral role in meeting this obligation by leading the Department’s engagement to develop and implement counterterrorism strategies, policies, and operations to disrupt and defeat the networks that support terrorism. The Bureau will work to safeguard American security interests while promoting our values, including our support for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

· Strengthening counterterrorism diplomacy. Strengthening existing partnerships and building new relationships is a cornerstone of U.S. counterterrorism policy. The Bureau of Counterterrorism will engage with bilateral partners, regional organizations, and the United Nations to broaden and deepen counterterrorism cooperation. In one of many initiatives, the Bureau will lead U.S. government efforts on behalf of the State Department to support the Global Counterterrorism Forum, a new multilateral initiative focused on setting the international counterterrorism agenda for the 21st century.

· Strengthening homeland security. Securing the homeland from external terrorist threats is central to U.S. foreign policy. The Bureau of Counterterrorism will be the principal State Department link with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on counterterrorism strategy and operations. The Bureau will work in partnership with DHS, as well as other agencies and bureaus, to strengthen international cooperation on a wide range of homeland security issues including transportation security, the interdiction of terrorist travel, and critical infrastructure protection.

· Countering violent extremism. To defeat terrorists, we must undermine their ability to recruit. The Bureau of Counterterrorism will focus the State Department in U.S. government efforts to counter violent extremism, thereby reducing radicalization and mobilization abroad. The Bureau will work to delegitimize the violent extremist narrative, to develop positive alternatives for populations vulnerable to recruitment, and to build partner government and civil society capacity to counter violent extremism themselves.

· Building the capacity of foreign partners. The security of the United States depends on the strength of our partners and allies abroad. With capable partners who are able to manage the threats within their borders and regions, the likelihood of U.S. forces being called into action is greatly reduced. The Bureau of Counterterrorism will work with other bureau and agency partners in supporting U.S. government work to build international partner counterterrorism capacity in the civilian sector and will contribute to efforts in the military and defense sectors.

Lt. Col Oz Hill (Ret.)

Previous articles of interest:

Get your Social Media House in Order in 2012

Workplace Violence: Arson Rampage - a case of rage against the government

Operational Risk: Is Your Board of Trustees Prepared to Put Out a Firestorm?

- Link, Like, Follow, Circle - Have a question to ask or topic to suggest? Let us know!

FIRESTORM

VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS. DISASTER PLANNING.

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY & RECOVERY.

13-Jan-12 10:44 AM

Firestorm Newsletter 6-Jan-12 - Get Your Social Media House in Order for 2012

Firestorm - noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Firestorm Newsletter 6-Jan-12 - Get Your Social Media House in Order for 2012

January 6, 2012

FIRESTORM

VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS. DISASTER PLANNING.

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY & RECOVERY.

CONTENTS:

Get your Social Media House in Order in 2012

Workplace Violence: Arson Rampage - a case of rage against the government

Operational Risk: Is Your Board of Trustees Prepared to Put Out a Firestorm?

Get your Social Media House in Order in 2012

If you’ve simply been floating happily along on the wave of Social Media growth and use, it’s time to get a bit more serious and understand the maturity management model needed secure your Social Media return on investment while mitigating potential risks.

One of the primary objectives of any program is to assist in establishing long-term policies, strategies and processes involving cross-functional participation to improve Social Media management and adoption. With a long-term corporate focus on risk management and prevention, organizations minimize possible damages resulting from Brand Detractors and attackers, while leveraging success with Brand Advocates.

Firestorm believes that the key components of an effective Social Media Management program are:

Formation of a Social Media Leadership Council - made up of key internal stakeholders representing those functional groups that have ownership of: the brand, enterprise risk management, customer information, customer support, investor relations, board relations, strategic planning, marketing, compliance, finance, legal, insurance, operations, quality assurance, human resources, internal audit, CIS, and others.

Development of clear and complete social media policies and procedures - By building and testing a defined set of response procedures, it is possible to minimize the amount of damage that phishing, identity theft, brand attack/brandjack, or social media crisis can cause. Litigation, awards, fines and judgments are escalating. You cannot afford a one- or two-line social media policy – to truly mitigate damages, a well reasoned, custom policy specific to your organization is a necessity.

Training, communicating and testing scenarios with staff – Firestorm uses our “Predict. Plan. Perform.” methodology to allow management to use and assess plans and procedures to determine their feasibility and determine whether they will work under actual conditions post-training. In the case of Social Media (and all emergencies), time is critical. You must assess and measure the degree to which personnel understand their response functions and duties prior to a crisis, enhance coordination, communication, and proficiency among response staff, identify areas for improvement, and increase the ability of management and staff to manage messaging and respond appropriately.

Measuring & Monitoring - Simply put, success can only be determined on the basis of having clearly stated objectives in place and an efficient method to monitor and measure results. Determining a select set of objectives to achieve, and monitoring progress should be a priority for the Social Media Leadership Council.

Just as business continuity programs must be built using a best practices approach to preparedness, so too does your Social Media Program. This approach should be based on, and aligned with, recognized industry standards and best practices. Organizations need to know where their current programs align, and where their programs might have gaps when compared against industry standards and best practices.

While Social Media is an evolving discipline, many crises can be predicted. Acknowledging these signals and developing plans and infrastructure to manage the events which follow dramatically improves the outcome for all stakeholders. Every organization needs to identify its vulnerabilities - existing and potential - and institute procedures to monitor, plan, mitigate and train for impacts in the event of a Social Media or any crisis.

Let us help with a no-fee, one-hour informational interview to answer your specific Social Media questions, and help get your Social Media House in order for 2012 and beyond.

Workplace Violence

HEADLINE: Arson Rampage - a case of rage against the government

Bill Baker, Vice President, Operations, Firestorm Solutions, LLC

SUMMARY: A 24-year old German immigrant went on a 4 day arson rampage in Los Angeles. He set fire to vehicles and homes causing more than $3 Million in damages in over 50 arson incidents. Reportedly, he was angry that his mother was going to be deported to Germany to face fraud charges. No one was killed in this violent attack that was designed “to harm and terrorize as many residents” as possible. He faces possible prison time of 341 years.

STORY LINK: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/arson-suspects-apartment-news-clippings.html

ANALYSIS: This is a form of Workplace Violence that is new to the United States. In Germany, arson aimed at luxury cars has been common for several years. There is even an on-line handbook that provides instructions for the best way to set fire to your favorite Mercedes, Porsche, or BMW. In Berlin, more than 320 cars had been torched in the first 8 months of 2011. An interesting coincidence - - car arson in Berlin utilizes fire starter sticks similar to the ones used in the Los Angeles rampage. Let’s hope that copycats do not pick up the torch.

Two lessons can be learned from this event:

First, a single individual has the ability to create a surprising amount of mayhem in a short time. Initially, the police thought that a gang of arsonists was involved. More than 20 fires were set on December 31 alone. Los Angeles residents were truly terrorized.

Second, we cannot underestimate the way that anger against government can be directed against random targets. The “Occupy” movement has the potential to similarly ignite misdirected anger. Protect your family, business, and property by being aware of changing current events that may escalate into dangerous situations. Make sure that you have a plan in place to minimize risks.

Bill Baker, Vice President, Operations, Firestorm Solutions, LLC

Operational Risk

HEADLINE: Is Your Board of Trustees Prepared to Put Out a Firestorm?

Dave Flora, Principal Firestorm

SUMMARY: Most Organizations Don’t Monitor Risk Well

What happened to Penn State’s leadership during the recent sex abuse scandal by a former employee will be a case studied for years. The decisions made during the challenging period after the story broke on November 4th are just now coming to see the light of day thanks to “Freedom of Information Act” requests by a still story hungry media.

STORY LINK: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-penn-state-memos-show-funding-fears-secrecy-effort-20120104%2c0%2c1544439%2cfull.story

ANALYSIS: In the new world of social media, Board actions immediately go viral. At Penn State, it is now developing that the BOT was notified of possible indictments as early as March 2011.

Did this knowledge help prepare the University for appropriate risk management?

When it comes to risk assessment, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, prior to a crisis, the steps an organization can take can be managed with a calendar; once the firestorm ignites, it will be managed with a stop watch.

Many board directors feel confident in their ability to monitor a risk management plan. However, truth be told, few have processes in place to monitor the effectiveness of the BOT’s response plans once they start to be implemented.

Penn State Interim President “…noted on Nov. 14 that "blogs, tweets, news stories, Facebook postings, YouTube videos, etc." had declined 50 percent from the previous day and 90 percent over the prior four days.”

Unfortunately, looking at the metrics from a crisis that began 10 days earlier, to an event that could have been foreseen for the prior 7 months does not indicate a strong sense that PSU’s crisis management leadership did all it could have to prevent the reputational harm suffered by a University whose own motto, “Success with Honor”, may need to be rewritten.

Dave Flora, Principal Firestorm

Previous articles of interest:

FIRESTORM

VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS. DISASTER PLANNING.

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY & RECOVERY.

6-Jan-12 11:00 AM

Goodbye 2011 - Not Sorry to See You Go (Plus: Stratfor Hack, and a Precedent Setting Social Media Lawsuit)

Firestorm - noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:00:00 GMT

Untitled Document

12/30/2011

As we close out the year, we wish to thank all of you for your business, expertise and contributions to our growth.

Our business and reputation as the nation's premiere crisis planning and response team has grown because of you, and we sincerely appreciate you, our partnership, your recommendations and referrals.

May 2012 bring you much success.

Contents:

2011 - Not Sorry to See You Go
Phonedog Sues Former Writer for Value of 17,000 Twitter Followers
Security Expert Stratfor Continues to Battle Hackers

2011 - Not Sorry to See You Go

From Firestorm COO Jim Satterfield:

Goodbye 2011, worst year ever for catastrophic economic losses from disasters

“Resilient businesses survive disasters… and, of all the disasters you have seen, the worst will be the one that happens to your company” Jim Satterfield, Firestorm COO

So, how did your business fare in 2011?

As detailed by a preliminary report from reinsurance company Swiss Re,

2011 will be the year with the highest catastrophe-related economic losses in history, at USD 350 billion
2011 would have been the costliest year ever for the insurance industry if Japan had been more fully insured

The US was the worst hit, as the country posted six of the top 10 most costly insured disasters in 2011.

According to preliminary estimates from Swiss Re’s sigma team, total insured losses for the global insurance industry from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters reached USD 108 billion in 2011. This is more than double the figure of USD 48 billion in 2010. Claims from natural catastrophes alone reached USD 103 billion in 2011, compared to only USD 43 billion last year. Continue reading

Emerging Risk Update - Social Media Lawsuit Precedent Setting

Phonedog Sues Former Writer for Value of 17,000 Twitter Followers

Who Owns Your Social Accounts?

Phonedog Sues Former Writer for Value of 17,000 Twitter Followers

Across the beautiful Cooper River Bridge from Charleston, SC is a quiet little place called Mt. Pleasant, home to small boutiques, quaint restaurants, and one of the most intriguing lawsuits related to Social Media that we’ve seen. Phonedog.com, a Mt. Pleasant, SC company filed suit earlier this year against a former writer for ownership of a Twitter account to the tune of $340,000.

As discussed this fall in our Social Media Risk series of webinars, ownership of social accounts must be clearly defined with predetermined terms for handover (or not) should there be a change in personnel, contractors or consultants.

In the case of Phonedog, Twitter accounts used by writers are a mix of phone reviews, humor, sports – they are what social media on Twitter is – engaging.

Phonedog as a company is deeply invested in Social Media; as per their website,

PhoneDog Media is a highly interactive mobile news and reviews resource that attracts a community of more than 2.5 million unique visitors each month. The site may have a ‘cute’ name, but it offers up serious editorial content and video reviews that users rely on to make important decisions about their next mobile purchases.

PhoneDog reviews the latest products and services across all carriers and platforms, giving users the resources needed to research, compare prices, and shop from those providers that fit their needs. Site editors are highly engaged, frequently replying to comments and forum threads and elevating the conversation to the next level.

One such Editor was Noah Kravitz. As detailed in a NYT article on Christmas Day 2011: Continue Reading

Security Expert Stratfor Continues to Battle Hackers

Hacked US security firm Stratfor has told its subscribers that it may take a week or even longer to restore its website after the site was forced offline on December. 24, 2011 due to a hack purportedly by the group Anonymous.

Hackers have posted credit card details, email addresses, phone numbers and encrypted passwords which they said were taken during the attack.

Stratfor has said it will pay for a credit card fraud protection service for members whose payment details might have been compromised by the breach.

Tweets posted on accounts linked to the hacktivist group Anonymous said that the US Department of Defense, the defense firm Lockheed Martin and Bank of America are among Stratfor's clients.

Stratfor has been quick to respond to the ongoing issue, and released recent communication to members:

"As we alerted you over the weekend, an unauthorized party illegally obtained and disclosed personally identifiable information and related credit card data of some of our members.

We deeply regret that this event has occurred, and we are working to prevent it from happening again.

Our highest concern is the impact that this has had on you, our loyal members and friends.

As a result and at our expense, we have taken measures to provide our members whose personally identifiable information may have been compromised with access to CSID, a leading provider of global identity protection and fraud detection solutions and technologies.

We have arranged to provide one year of CSID’s coverage to you at no cost."

The memo goes on to say:

"As part of our ongoing investigation, we have also decided to delay the launching of our website until a thorough review and adjustment by outside experts can be completed.

We expect this to take approximately a week, but it might take longer – please bear with us as we recover from this unfortunate event.

In the meantime, we will not be deterred from doing what we do best: providing our customers with top-notch geopolitical analysis.

Therefore, while our website is being tested we will be sending geopolitical analysis to our members via email."

Anonymous on Thursday, 12/29/2011, dumped thousands of additional documents obtained via the hack of security firm Stratfor and promised to attack "multiple" law enforcement targets over the New Year's weekend.

As posted on one of the Anonymous Twitter accounts:

"Sample of parties affected by STRATFOR hack: US DHS, ANZ bank, BHP Billiton, NZ MP & Cabinet, Google, AmEx, CocaCola, Boeing,Sony, Microsoft"

Help your peers stay up to date - share this newsletter and our member link!

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

30-Dec-11 10:00 AM

Firestorm Newsletter 16-Dec-11 - Occupy & Ports, Hacking, Higgs Boson, and Gangstas in the Locker Room

Firestorm - noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:00:00 GMT

Untitled Document

December 16, 2011

Announcements:

Congratulations to Expert Council Member Anyck Turgeon, Recipient of "Lifetime Achievement award from the Government of Canada"

From Our Blog

Xavier and Cincinnati – Gangstas in the Locker Room?, by Karen Masullo

By Xavier’s own definition now, they are not Musketeers but rather “…a whole bunch of gangsters in the locker room.” Whether Holloway meant on the court or off, that is not the ideal to come to mind when a parent and child are mulling over colleges of choice...Full Article/Video

Civil Unrest and Business Continuity – Occupiers Disrupt Ports, by Oz Hill

Occupy Wall Street protesters continue to make their voices heard through methods that many classify as “non-violent protest” or “civil dis-obedience.” Whether or not the vast majority of the nation agrees with the protesters’ concerns, rhetoric, methodology and tactics; individually it is prudent that we are aware of the impact that civil unrest can have on our lives professionally and personally....Full Article

Data Security: ClearUSA Hacked, By Bill Baker

There are no web sites that are totally invulnerable to hackers. The task of your site administrator is to make your site relatively difficult to attack so that potential hackers will go after an easier target. It’s rather like putting a “beware of dog” sign in your yard so that potential intruders will go next door. It would seem that the CLEARUSA.ORG (Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail (C.L.E.A.R.)) site was the one without a growling dog....Full Article

Expert Analysis

Natural Environmental Matters

Dr. Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

HEADLINE: CERN Scientists Close in on the Higgs Boson Particle

SUMMARY: Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider at the European Organization for Nuclear Research have announced they are close to identifying the Higgs boson particle. Also called "the God particle", the Higgs boson particle has been theorized by physicists for decades. The theory is that it is tied to a field that provides all other particles with mass. When discovered, a large piece of the puzzle of how the universe is structured will have been found.

Scientists are searching for particles like the Higgs boson by shooting protons through the 17-mile Large Hadron Collider, colliding them. This collision releases huge amounts of energy and creates smaller particles, including, it is presumed, the Higgs boson. The particles are extremely difficult to find as they quickly decay into other particles.

Finding the Higgs boson would confirm the Higgs field as the origin of mass. It would also help to explain how electromagnetic force and the so-called weak force that is responsible for radioactive decay are related.

STORY LINK: http://news.yahoo.com/cern-scientists-close-higgs-boson-particle-185500203.html

Don's Analysis: What relevance could possibly be derived from the esoteric search for a theoretical sub-atomic particle in a scientific instrument measuring 16½ miles around and lying 32 stories below the surface of Switzerland and France? In the realm of physics, the search for the Higgs Boson seeks a “missing link” to understanding the composition of the universe and – potentially – the essence of our existence. This obscure news carries with it significance relating to emergency preparedness and individual and operational resilience.

Advances in technology now rival science fiction. Communication connectivity, computing power, developments in biology and pharmacology, and enhanced understanding of physics have facilitated breakthroughs worthy of a Hollywood epic. Because scientific knowledge also has no boundaries, these advances also offer the substance of a classic horror film. European scientists recently created a highly deadly H5N1 flu virus that, were it to develop naturally or be released by a bioterrorist, would kill tens of millions world-wide. The existence of a threat can be from an exotic source or can arise from an ageless phenomenon about which we have grown complacent.

Tornadoes are not unusual in the American mid-west. This fact offered small comfort to the residents of Joplin, Missouri on 22 May 2011. It would be reasonable to assume that local planning never considered the complete removal of St. John’s Hospital from the emergency response capabilities of southwest Missouri. Yet this is precisely what happened.

So how does the search for an exotic particle relate to the subject of preparedness? It is precisely that expansion of knowledge – and the inherent capabilities to be put to use – that offers both promise and danger.

Advances in genetics can produce a cure for disease and can promote deadly illnesses aimed at perceived political, religious, or cultural enemies. The scope of natural and man-made threats is perhaps broader than at any time in history. This situation is not to say we should hide.

We should, however, plan. Projecting, planning, and practicing can build a resilience that will not only help weather adversity, but will also contribute to routine effectiveness. Enhanced skills are applicable at all times. An investment in preparedness is an investment in excellence. Who knows? That little Swiss particle might change your life. The question is, will you be ready for what comes?

Announcements:

Congratulations to Expert Council Member Anyck Turgeon, Recipient of "Lifetime Achievement award from the Government of Canada"

Ms. Turgeon was recently presented with present a Lifetime Achievement award from the Government of Canada to honor her "on-going excellence of work."In a memo from Steven Blaney, Minister of Veteran Affairs and Deputy of Lévis-Bellechasse and Etchemins, Anyck was cited for "determination and dedication which merits the highest recognition. Regarding Anyck's accomplishments, Mr. Blaney goes on to say: "Without doubt, you are an outstanding role model and source of inspiration for us all."Congratulations Anyck! We're proud to work with you on the Firestorm Expert Council! To work with Anyck and other members of our prestigious Expert Council, contact us at (800) 321-2219

In a Business Crisis Now?

Firestorm offers a one-hour, no-fee call to help you assess and respond to your organization's unique needs and requirements. Firestorm's Predict. Plan. Perform. process can help you understand and plan for what will happen next.

16-Dec-11 12:00 PM

Firestorm Newsletter 9-Dec-11 - On Ft. Hood and Workplace Violence, Virginia Tech and more

Firestorm - noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:00:00 GMT

Disaster Due Diligence Newsletter 12/9/2011

December 9, 2011

Announcements:

Congratulations to Expert Council Member Anyck Turgeon, Recipient of "Lifetime Achievement award from the Government of Canada"

From Our Blog

Breaking News:

Virginia Tech Officer Dashcam will Not Be Released

VA Tech Shooting unfolding events – Via Storify

From our Experts

Dr. Donahue on Foodborne Illness and Holiday Safety

Cal Poly Creamery of San Luis Obispo, California, is recalling its quart-sized bottles of Farmstead Made Eggnog
Front Row Produce of St. Louis is recalling 10-ounce pint and 10-pound bulk grape tomatoes

Suzy Loughlin on Terrorism vs. Workplace Violence

Is it Terrorism? Is it Workplace Violence? Preventing ‘it’ is what matters -
- Please join this discussion on Facebook

From our Experts

Health Matters

HEADLINES: E. coli contaminated egg nog recalled; Salmonella test prompts grape tomato recall

SUMMARIES:

Cal Poly Creamery of San Luis Obispo, California, is recalling its quart-sized bottles of Farmstead Made Eggnog after a sample was found to be contaminated with E. coli. The contamination was noted November 30 after routine testing at the creamery. Production of Cal Poly eggnog has been suspended while the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Cal Poly Creamery continue their investigation into the cause of the problem and an independent laboratory is conducting more analysis to determine the specific strain of E. coli present. The recalled product may have been purchased at several California retailers. http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/12/e-coli-contaminated-egg-nog-recalled/

Front Row Produce of St. Louis is recalling 10-ounce pint and 10-pound bulk grape tomatoes supplied by Rio Queen Citrus of Mission, Texas, because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The tomatoes were distributed throughout Missouri and Illinois to food service distributors and retail stores. The contamination was noted after random testing by Rio Queen Citrus. Production of the tomatoes has been suspended while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the company continue their investigation into the source of the problem. The recalled tomatoes for retail sale are in a 10-ounce, clear plastic package with a Front Row Produce "Grape Tomatoes" label on the top. http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/12/salmonella-test-prompts-to-grape-tomato-recall/

ANALYSIS By Dr. Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Food safety continues to present a public health challenge in the United States. The CDC estimates there are 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually – one in six Americans.

Of these, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3000 die. The prevalence of “food poisoning” in the US is more than 13 times that of France and 470 percent higher than in the United Kingdom. Clearly, our ability to gather foodstuffs from myriad sources and move them rapidly to market is a mixed blessing.

The danger increases significantly as we host friends and relatives, co-workers, and associates in the spirit of the holiday season. Whether an office party, faith-based gathering, family reunion, or neighborhood gathering, tens of thousands will share favorite dishes and eat new foods. This does not mean you should become a Scrooge and hide from holiday festivities.

As these two news items show, foodborne illness can be transmitted in the solitude of your own kitchen. Minimizing exposure to foodborne illness is achievable via some simple acts.

First off, be aware.

The Food and Drug Administration posts recall information on the Internet at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/. Few of us routinely check this information. Doing so may save your life.Practice safe food handling - always. The following guidelines are taken directly from the CDC web site.

While you may never completely eliminate the chance of food poisoning, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of becoming ill.

• CLEAN: Wash produce. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables in running tap water to remove visible dirt and grime. Remove and discard the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage. Because bacteria can grow well on the cut surface of fruit or vegetable, be careful not to contaminate these foods while slicing them up on the cutting board, and avoid leaving cut produce at room temperature for many hours. Don't be a source of foodborne illness yourself. Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food. Avoid preparing food for others if you yourself have a diarrheal illness. Changing a baby's diaper while preparing food is a bad idea that can easily spread illness.

• SEPARATE: Don't cross-contaminate one food with another. Avoid cross-contaminating foods by washing hands, utensils, and cutting boards after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry and before they touch another food. Put cooked meat on a clean platter, rather than back on the one that held the raw meat.• COOK: meat, poultry, and eggs thoroughly. Using a thermometer to measure the internal temperature of meat is a good way to be sure that it is cooked sufficiently to kill bacteria: 145°F for whole meats (allowing the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or consuming), 160°F for ground meats, and 165°F for all poultry. Eggs should be cooked until the yolk is firm.

• CHILL: Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Bacteria can grow quickly at room temperature, so refrigerate leftover foods if they are not going to be eaten within 4 hours. Large volumes of food will cool more quickly if they are divided into several shallow containers for refrigeration.

• REPORT: Report suspected foodborne illnesses to your local health department. The local public health department is an important part of the food safety system. Often calls from concerned citizens are how outbreaks are first detected. If a public health official contacts you to find out more about an illness you had, your cooperation is important.

In public health investigations, it can be as important to talk to healthy people as to ill people. Your cooperation may be needed even if you are not ill.

National Safety and Security

HEADLINE: Lawmakers Blast Administration For Calling Fort Hood Massacre 'Workplace Violence’

SUMMARY: Sen. Susan Collins blasted the Defense Department for classifying the Fort Hood massacre as workplace violence. She suggested political correctness is being placed above the security of the nation's Armed Forces at home. She criticized the Obama administration for failing to identify the threat as radical Islam.

STORY LINK: Administration Takes Heat Over Fort Hood Comment

Is it Terrorism? Is it Workplace Violence? Preventing ‘it’ is what matters By Firestorm CAO Suzy Loughlin

The definitions of ‘terrorism’ and ‘workplace violence’ have become the subject of columnists, bloggers, senators, and morning news personalities, including Geraldo who on ‘Fox and Friends’ this morning, made reference to what happened at Fort Hood expressing his opinion that it was not workplace violence. While I paraphrase, Geraldo likened workplace violence to "...Steve [Doocy] and I pushing each other around.”

I think that it is natural to have a heightened sensitivity toward the characterization of an event where one perceives that characterization as minimizing the event. For the victims of Fort Hood and for all members of our armed forces and their families, such a response is understandable. In the end, however, the impacts of both ‘terrorism’ and ‘workplace violence’ are measured the same way-- in human terms.

Geraldo, while we can debate whether or not the shooting at Ft. Hood constituted an act of terrorism or workplace violence, or both, it is important for everyone in America to understand the prevalence, scope and impact of ‘workplace violence’.

More than 500 workplace violence homicides occur each year and it is the leading cause of death of women and second leading cause of death of men in the workplace (Bureau of Labor Statistics). According to OSHA, “Workplace violence is violence or the threat of violence against workers. It can occur at or outside the workplace and can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide.”

In dictionary.com, ‘terrorism’ is defined as: the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes. The differentiator for this type of violence appears to be ‘motive’. As confirmed by the ongoing debate, “the word "terrorism" is politically and emotionally charged, and this greatly compounds the difficulty of providing a precise definition.” Wikipedia.

For the soldiers and employees at Fort Hood, an act of violence occurred in their workplace—a military base. Because we understand the shooter’s motive as being rooted in radical Islam, he would also be appropriately characterized as a ‘terrorist’.

Let’s look at the bombings in Oklahoma City. A federal office building was the target. The shooters were also characterized as ‘terrorists’ and their motive for the bombing was also political. At the same time, the 168 men, women and children who died that day, reported to that building every day, as that was their place of work. They were victims of violence in their workplace, and that violence was called “terrorism”.

There are many types of violence. Terrorism is one category of violence. There are others. Just a few months ago, in Seal Beach, California, the X-husband of an employee came to the beauty salon where his wife worked, and shot her, as well as several others. This was a domestic dispute that spilled over into the workplace.

OSHA does include domestic violence in the definition of workplace violence. Perhaps this very debate will result in the definition being further broadened to include terrorism in the workplace.

For now, opinions will continue to differ. What should be undeniable, however, is that both terms—‘terrorism’ and ‘workplace violence’-- should make us feel vulnerable. So vulnerable in fact, that it forces us to take action.

We need to be vigilant in our ‘readiness’ for any category or act of violence, no matter what the motive. It is time for Americans to accept the fact that violence is a real threat in our day to day lives, and it must be addressed—from the earliest ages in our elementary schools, where children experience bullying, to our places of work, and everywhere in between.

Death in the workplace can be prevented through appropriate planning and training. This is what the discussion should really be about.

Would you like to discuss this article with us? Please join this discussion on Facebook

Announcements:

Congratulations to Expert Council Member Anyck Turgeon, Recipient of "Lifetime Achievement award from the Government of Canada"

Ms. Turgeon was recently presented with present a Lifetime Achievement award from the Government of Canada to honor her "on-going excellence of work."

In a memo from Steven Blaney, Minister of Veteran Affairs and Deputy of Lévis-Bellechasse and Etchemins, Anyck was cited for "determination and dedication which merits the highest recognition. Regarding Anyck's accomplishments, Mr. Blaney goes on to say: "Without doubt, you are an outstanding role model and source of inspiration for us all."

Congratulations Anyck! We're proud to work with you on the Firestorm Expert Council!

To work with Anyck and other members of our prestigious Expert Council, contact us at (800) 321-2219

TALK TO THE NATION'S PREMIER CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM NOW

9-Dec-11 12:00 PM

Is Stop Drop and Be Handsome the New Emergency Training Protocol? Firestorm Newsletter 2-Dec-11

Firestorm - noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Firestorm Disaster Due Diligence Newsletter 12/02/2011

December 2, 2011

This week: Brian Williams accidentally gives us a lesson in emergency communications, Oz Hill analyzes Iranian Nuclear status, Dr. Don Donahue answers National Health concerns, and Sam Smith discusses sovereign debt problems.

Contents:

Is "Stop, Drop and Be Handsome" the New Emergency Training Protocol?
Mysterious Explosion in an Iranian Nuclear Facility
More Kids Skip School Shots
New Swine Flu Strain
Progress in Europe, job gains send U.S. stocks soaring

Social Media and Emergency Response

Is "Stop, Drop and Be Handsome" the New Emergency Training Protocol?

Analysis by Suzy Loughlin

We kid Brian Williams but we don’t kid about safety.

On Tuesday night, NBC Nightly News anchor (and former volunteer fire fighter) Brian Williams was in the middle of a story about the bankruptcy filing of American Airlines, when a fire alarm sounded in the studio.

Initially, Williams kept reading his lines. He later said “You’ll forgive us, we have a fire alarm announcement going on here in the studio,” before returning to his script. The alarm continued to sound throughout the broadcast. At some point, Williams said to the audience “there is no danger to us.”

Tweets and blogs were humming with opinions about Williams conduct, ranging from a viewer post that read:

“Mr. Williams put every studio employee’s life at risk by forcing them to stay at their camera or mic boom. Mr. Williams should be fined by OSHA $10,000,000…………..”

to Continue reading →

National Security

Mysterious Explosion in an Iranian Nuclear Facility

Analysis by Lt. Oz Hill (Ret.)

For many years the intelligence community has speculated about Iran’s nuclear capability and the country’s ability to accomplish the essential tasks necessary to develop a nuclear weapon. Intelligence analysis suggests that Iran did not possess the scientific expertise to effectively negotiate the technical challenges to develop a viable nuclear program.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in September of this year that Iran was engaged in discussions with Russia about building additional nuclear power reactors.

Based on Iran’s influence as a regional power and its perceived aspirations for greater engagement around the globe, it is not surprising that Iran is likely to have acquired the technical expertise from scientists with ties to the former Soviet nuclear weapons program, Pakistan and North Korea.

Iranian scientists worked closely with their foreign counterparts to obtain key skills needed to make and test a nuclear weapon compatible with Iran’s long-range missile technology; with support from these experts the Iranians appear to be on the cusp of nuclear capability.

Although Iran supposedly ceased nuclear weapons research in 2003 in response to international and domestic pressures, the current intelligence reinforces existing doubts that Iran’s leaders halted weapons-related research.

The intelligence suggests Iran’s nuclear weapons program has been on-going. Predicated on fears that Iran could develop a nuclear weapon of mass destruction, rhetoric in the international community for sanctions and possibly military action against the country is building.

However, there are some analysts who caution against a knee jerk response to the intelligence reports, and encourage a diplomatic effort to address concerns.

Although Iran maintains its nuclear activities are peaceful and intended only to generate electricity, it appears the country possesses the technical skill sets, technology, and possibly the components to realize their nuclear weapons ambitions. Simply put, the intelligence data and analysis clearly indicates Iran has the resources to produce a nuclear weapon.

It is the responsibility of the global community to include the IAEA and UN to address the concerns resulting from an Iranian nuclear capability.

Diplomatic efforts have not altered or modified Iran’s intentions, ambitions or activities with regard to the development of a nuclear weapon; to this point the Iranian’s have not been deterred.

The time may be appropriate to impose leverage on Iran by utilizing the force of both the economic and military instruments of power.

Health Matters

Analysis by Donald A. Donahue, Jr., DHEd, MBA, FACHE

HEADLINE: More kids skip school shots in 8 states

SUMMARY: In eight states, more than 1 in 20 public school kindergartners are not getting all the vaccines required for attendance, an Associated Press analysis found. Parents are deciding what vaccinations their children should get, and when. Health officials reply that vaccinations are recommended at an early age to protect children. This trend among parents seeking vaccine exemptions has health officials worried about outbreaks of diseases that once were all but eliminated. States with the highest exemption rates are in the West and Upper Midwest.

STORY LINK: http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011-11-28/More-kids-skip-school-shots-in-8-states/51434170/1

ANALYSIS: States with the highest immunization exemption rates are also those with the highest incidence of readily preventable diseases such as Pertussis and measles. In 2010, California experienced the greatest number of whooping cough (Pertussis) cases in 63 years, with 10 children succumbing to the disease. For that same year, Ohio reported the most cases in 25 years and Michigan experienced a steady increase, recording five times as many cases as in 2008.

Globally, there are millions of new cases of measles (rubeola) a year. Recent measles outbreaks in Arizona and California resulted from unvaccinated children traveling overseas. While the numbers were relatively few, these two states had not seen a measles outbreak since 1991, when the nation experienced 55,000 cases and 120 deaths. This scenario leads to an examination of probability. As with any substance introduced into the body, there is a very slight chance of an adverse reaction from an immunization. There is a far greater likelihood of complications and adverse outcomes from contracting the disease. It would seem the choice is clear. In 2008, there were 164,000 measles deaths globally; the “danger” of the vaccine would be lost on the families of these victims.

HEADLINE: New Swine Flu Strain

SUMMARY: U.S. health officials are on the alert for additional cases of a new swine flu strain that infected three Iowa children this month. Since July, 10 Americans have been sickened by S-OtrH3N2 viruses that picked up a gene from the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic. The new flu strain combines a rare influenza virus (H3N2) circulating in North American pigs and the H1N1 virus from the 2009 outbreak. Of the other seven cases of the new swine flu, three occurred in Pennsylvania, two in Maine and two in Indiana, the CDC reported in a Wednesday dispatch in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

STORY LINK: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2011/11/25/new-swine-flu-strain/

ANALYSIS: There are some things in life that are constant – not an issue of what but of when. Influenza antigenic shift is one of these. Influenza is constantly mutating by exchanging genes with other strains. The image of 12 year old boys with trading cards congregated in a gymnasium comes to mind. As the boys interact with each other, cards change possession via random interactions. The card sets that leave are rarely identical to the ones that entered the room.

Just as combinations of trading cards bestow a particular value to the set, the grouping of genes determines the virulence of the virus. When a combination emerges for which there is no immunity in humans, an outbreak is likely. While the novel cases reported to date are few, they are spread across a thousand mile stretch of the nation, indicative of substantial spread in a very short time.

Whether this new strain evolves into a widespread outbreak remains to be seen. The potential for that to occur is enhanced by the complacency resulting by the relatively mild 2009 H1N1 pandemic. The basics of health maintenance remain, despite what can be seen as overreaction two flu seasons ago.

Frequent hand washing reduces the spread of disease. Cough etiquette and encouraging those who are ill to stay away from school or the workplace reduces the opportunity for transmission. Annual flu shots help protect both the recipient and others. Even if you do not feel symptoms, you may be infecting those around you. Sure as the sun will rise in the morning, new strains of influenza will emerge. Limiting their impact is relatively simple, if you choose to do so.

--Dr. Don Donahue, Director, Firestorm Healthcare Response Team

Banking and Risk Management

Analysis by Samuel D. Smith, Firestorm Expert Council

HEADLINE: Progress in Europe, job gains send U.S. stocks soaring

SUMMARY: The world's major central banks made it easier Wednesday for banks to get dollars if they need them which is a coordinated move to ease the strains on the global financial system. Stock markets rose sharply following the news. Responding to an article written by H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY, regarding these financial moves, Sam Smith, Firestorm Expert Council member, submits his comments.

STORY LINK: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/story/2011-11-30/central-banks-liquidity/51493620/1?loc=interstitialskip

ANALYSIS: The article by Mr. Beiser indicates that the European Central Bank, the Bank of England, the U.S. Federal Reserve, and the central banks of Japan and Switzerland are taking part in a coordinated effort to provide liquidity to the European commercial banks. The European commercial banks are major holders of sovereign debt of the peripheral countries in the EU and Italy, and the values of these securities have been under extreme pressure as a result of the European debt crisis, causing liquidity concerns.

In addition to the European Central Bank providing Euro denominated liquidity to its banks, the central banks outside the EU are providing liquidity, denominated in their native currencies, by entering into currency swaps with the European Central Bank which in turn provides liquidity to its commercial banks. For example, the U.S. is swapping dollars for Euros to provide dollar liquidity to European commercial banks for loans and other transactions denominated in dollars.

As European bond spreads have increased and bond values have fallen, the losses are being charged against bank capital, and banks have to shrink to maintain safe capital levels. This, of course, discourages lending which adversely affects the economies these banks serve.

This action is totally justified to prevent a banking crisis in Europe where a lack of liquidity puts the banks in jeopardy of failing and strangles the European economies. As mentioned in my October 20 white paper, which can be downloaded from the www.Firestorm.com web site, this action is being done to prevent and adverse feedback loop in Europe where financial distress leads to economic distress and so on. Central banks are lenders of last resort, and providing liquidity to head off financial crises is one of their major functions.

We live in a global economy and a financial and economic crisis in one part of the world can affect us at home. That is why the central banks are cooperating in this effort. Europe is the United States’ biggest trading partner, and it is important for us that the European crisis be contained.

Similar actions were undertaken by the U.S. Federal Reserve, including currency swaps with other central banks, during the U.S. financial crisis in 2008 which stemmed from the free fall of the mortgage backed securities market. This time, the cause of the problem is EU sovereign debt. I understand that U.S. banks are not large holders of EU sovereign debt, and U. S. bank capital levels are at record highs, so the worry is mainly centered in European banks at the moment.

The world has learned a lot from the U.S. financial crisis in 2008, and central banks around the world are taking swift action to prevent one in Europe. The sovereign debt problems in the EU and their ramifications are more complex than the U.S. mortgage debt problem, and they will take time to solve. The Federal Reserve plans to subject systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs) to robust stress tests again in 2012 to simulate what will happen if a major world financial and economic crisis affects them. Hopefully, we are better prepared this go around.

2-Dec-11 11:00 AM

Firestorm Franchisee Lt. Col. Oz Hill (U.S. Army, ret.), Speaks at IFA VetFran Event

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:00:00 GMT

Veteran's Day - Remembrance through Action - White House Joining Forces Initiative Operation Enduring Opportunity Firestorm Executive VP and Chief Development Officer Jim Squire is excited; As a Certified Franchise Executive and president and CEO of Franchise Marketing Advisors, and through his leadership roles for the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives, the International Franchise Association (IFA), and the Southeast Franchise Forum (SEFF), Jim is proud to participate in a White House Joining Forces Initiative Operation Enduring Opportunity, a campaign including the industry's more than 825,000 franchise establishments, which support nearly 18 million jobs, to hire and recruit 75,000 veterans and 5,000 wounded warriors by 2014. In an event held in Atlanta, Ga yesterday, 11/10/2011, with key sponsorship by Aaron's, TSS Photography and Foot Solutions, Mr Squire spoke of the commitment and dedication The International Franchise Association's (IFA)...

Firestorm Expert Council Member, Anyck Turgeon Receives Two Industry Recognitions

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMT

press release Oct. 28, 2011, Anyck Turgeon Receives Two Industry Recognitions Firestorm Expert Council Member Anyck Turgeon, Honored as Distinguished Honoree for Executive of the Year in Energy in 2011 Annual International Business Awards, Named Finalist in 2011 Golden Bridge Awards for Women Executives in America Atlanta, Georgia -- Tech Innovation Network, a global forum showcasing the latest innovation in areas such as high tech, cleantech, biotech, healthcare, agriculture and energy, today announced the appointment of two additional recognitions honoring founding principal Anyck Turgeon's extraordinary business successes. Turgeon earned Distinguished Honoree recognition as Executive of the Year in Energy in the 2011 International Business Awards. She was also named a finalist in the 2011 Golden Bridge Awards in the Women Executives in America category. 2011 Executive of the Year in Energy - The International Business Awards (IBA) are the only...

Nationally recognized firm Firestorm Solutions today announced the release of a new White Paper titled, A CONUNDRUM, PERSPECTIVES ON BANKING AND RISK MANAGEMENT by Samuel Smith

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMT

Press release Atlanta, Georgia 10/28/2011 Press Release: Firestorm White Paper Explores the role risk and crisis management have in today's economic climate for financial institutions- Speech by Samuel D. Smith urges a commitment to identify and mitigate risk and realistically test recovery and crisis management communications plans. Nationally recognized firm Firestorm Solutions today announced the release of a new White Paper titled, A CONUNDRUM, PERSPECTIVES ON BANKING AND RISK MANAGEMENT by Samuel Smith. The White Paper asserts that, in the current environment, failure to mitigate evolving threats and to have an effective program to gracefully recover from a disaster, including both Black Swan events and local outages, can virtually lead to failure of a banking franchise. It goes on to say that it is not a matter if a significant event will happen but when. Further, business continuity management includes...

Jim Satterfield to Present GSCPA Webcast - Disaster Due Diligence (TM) - Protecting Your Business Continuity in Times of Disaster

noemail@firestorm.com — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:00:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, September 23, 2011 Atlanta, GA: Firestorm Solutions COO Jim Satterfield has been selected to present Disaster Due DiligenceTM - Protecting Your Business Continuity in Times of Disaster for the The Georgia Society of CPAs via webcast on Wednesday 28-Sep-11 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM EDT ABOUT THE WEBCAST 2011 is already a record breaker, and not the good kind. With over $55 billion in damages from disasters in the U.S. in 2011, most people and companies were unprepared. Hurricane Irene became a rain/flooding event that was underestimated for its impact and responses. After Hurricane Irene, over 2 million homes were without power; losing power takes you back in time over a 100 years. Resources were strained and options were limited. With over 6,500 cell towers damaged, and a state with almost half of the population unable to call, communications is a clear predictable vulnerability. ...

Retired U.S. Army Officer the Latest Firestorm Franchisee

noemail@firestorm.com — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:00:00 GMT

MAY 17, 2011 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE During a 20-plus year military career, Lt. Col. Oz Hill (U.S. Army, ret.) learned the necessity and value of preparedness. As the newest Firestorm Franchise Principal, he will be using those lessons to help business consulting clients reach their peak preparedness levels. Lt. Col. Hill has extensive experience in security management, emergency preparedness and response, and continuity of operations planning. He said the value of Firestorm's intellectual capital was evident during his franchise research. Two things resonated with me,'' Hill said, Firestorm's extraordinary capacity to provide solutions tailored to meet the specific requirements of each client, as evidenced by its Online Resource Center of proprietary documents and materials; and the body of knowledge represented by Firestorm's Expert Council, with leaders such as Gen. (Russel) Honor (U.S. Army, ret.) and former U.S. Surgeon General (David)...

PREACTION ALLIANCE featured on Face To Face with Homeland Security

noemail@firestorm.com — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:00:00 GMT

ROSWELL, GA - The recently launched PREACTION EMERGENCY RESPONSE ALLIANCE™,a first-of-its-type private network offering business continuity and disaster-response capabilities through a low monthly-fee, membership-based organization, is the subject of the premiere segment of Face To Face with Homeland Security'' on the Safe and Secure TV Channel. Featured experts include Dr. Tom Cellucci, Chief Commercialization Officer for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate; Firestorm President/COO Jim Satterfield, founder of the PREACTION ALLIANCE™; its Chief Strategic Officer, Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore(U.S. Army, ret.); and Michael G. Fraser, president of Altegrity's USIS Security Solutions Division. The program features in-depth discussions of private-sector preparedness levels and the role businesses of all types and sizes play in national resiliency. Cellucci said he envisions the private sector developing as an excellent...

Latest Firestorm franchisee puts IT, continuity expertise to work

noemail@firestorm.com — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:00:00 GMT

SEP. 27, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. - With a long career managing information technology systems and mitigating organizational risk, Jack Boyles is keenly aware of the vulnerabilities - virtual and physical -- facing businesses in today's environment. Boyles most recently served as Information Technology Manager for the city of Encinitas, Calif. -- where he led the selection and implementation of the business recovery system -- and as the Business Continuity Analyst for a major credit union in the state. However, it was Firestorm's emphasis on education and training that led Boyles to become the company's most recent franchisee and its 13thacross seven states. The message that it all starts with employees being prepared at work and at home resonated with me,'' said Boyles, a Certified Business Continuity Professional. As we continue to educate and train the business community, the impacts of even...

Ex-Interior Dept. Official to Direct Firestorm Tribal Services

noemail@firestorm.com — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:00:00 GMT

SEP. 28, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. -- Hilda Manuel, a former Deputy Commissioner in the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs, has been named Managing Director for Firestorm Tribal Services. In this role, she will focus on emergency preparedness, crisis response and business continuity planning at the 500-plus Tribal Nations in the U.S. mainland and state of Alaska. Tribes face unique challenges such as limited infrastructure and isolated homelands,'' Manuel said, and they are currently left out of the national dialogue on preparedness because they are not eligible for direct government funding.'' Firestorm (www.firestorm.com) is a national leader in crisis management, vulnerability analysis/threat assessment, risk mitigation and business continuity. Its unique Predict. Plan. Perform. ™ process is the foundation for a next-generation suite of consulting services, tools and software...

Texas-based Firestorm franchisees offer clients diverse expertise

noemail@firestorm.com — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:45:00 GMT

AUG. 30, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, Ga. - Texas residents Charles Cross and Missan Eido have dissimilar business backgrounds. That helps make them ideal partners in a new Firestorm consulting franchise. Cross and Eido are positioned to provide clients with expertise on a wide variety of business continuity issues ranging from global supply chain management, system/process integration and auditing compliance, to physical security and executive protection. The new franchisees also will utilize all capabilities and services of Firestorm Solutions LLC, a national leader in crisis management, vulnerability analysis/threat assessment, risk mitigation and business continuity, including its name and trademark; operational methodology including plans, policies, procedures and training; and access to its staff, Expert Council and Online Resource Center. Each franchisee is awarded the entire United States as a...

California Franchisee Brings Global Perspective to Preparedness

noemail@firestorm.com — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:00:00 GMT

AUG. 30, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROSWELL, GA -- Gertie Knox, a leading authority on global supply chain compliance, has joined Firestorm as its first California-based Franchise Principal. Knox has substantial experience in developing compliance frameworks on behalf of multinational companies and helping to integrate measurable supply chain-related compliance protocols across divergent operating models. The design of control-based assessments for use in independently monitoring compliance across various industry sectors, sizes and organizational cultures provides her with extensive insight into how companies can avoid the common failures that are typically exposed during a crisis, disruption or disaster. Programs supported by processes and controls facilitate the most effective management of risk against elements that can threaten an organization's resiliency and overall value to stakeholders, said Knox, who previously...

Firestorm Expert Council - Real World Experience

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:06:10 GMT

The Firestorm Expert Council™ is a Senior Advisory Group composed of best-of-field strategic experts designed to provide subject matter knowledge and expertise to Firestorm and our clients.

Firestorm Expert Council (800) 321-2219

Transforming Crisis into Value

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:05:36 GMT

What would you do if 324 Media outlets, 1500 reporters, and 140 Satellite trucks showed up at your facility during a crisis? Ask us, we've been there for our client before, during, and after a crisis. Firestorm Crisis Response (800) 321-2219

Assess, Test, Address

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:05:09 GMT

Running an organization requires continual focus; We'll assess/test your plan against best practices using proprietary maturity models. Strategic risk planning sits squarely on the shoulders of senior executives and the board. Let our Senior Team help your Senior Team: Firestorm Management Team (800) 321-2219

Firestorm Expert Council - Real World Experience

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:42:11 GMT

The Firestorm Expert Council™ is a Senior Advisory Group composed of best-of-field strategic experts designed to provide subject matter knowledge and expertise to Firestorm and our clients.

Firestorm Expert Council (800) 321-2219

Transforming Crisis into Value

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:22:03 GMT

Assess, Test, Address

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:21:22 GMT

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Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:15:21 GMT

FIRESTORM: VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS. DISASTER PLANNING. CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS. CRISIS MANAGEMENT. BUSINESS CONTINUITY & RECOVERY.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY :Super Bowl XLVI security stepped up in Indianapolis

EMERGING RISK :Hackers Breach FBI, Scotland Yard - Updated Storify

Workplace Violence Self-Assessment

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:54:35 GMT

Determine Your Level of Readiness Firestorm's Workplace Violence Self-Assessment offers a diagnostic tool that provides an in-depth evaluation of your organization's readiness. The self-assessment: Measures current performance levels and assesses your readiness to prevent and respond to acts of workplace violence. Establishes a baseline, and sets up process improvement metrics to ensure the best possible return on the resources invested. Is completed in a one-hour interview. How Firestorm's Workplace Violence Self-Assessment Works Description of Service: The self-assessment is a series of fifty plus questions that are divided across the following areas of a Workplace Violence Prevention Program: Program & Framework Roles & Responsibilities Risk Prevention & Control Monitoring & Triggers Training & Awareness Reporting & Investigation Incident Response ...

Frequently Asked Questions

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:25 GMT

Are Firestorm's plans custom made to each business? Yes. Our analysis is focused on the vulnerabilities and exposures within your company. A fill in the blanks canned program will be placed on the shelf and never used, or possibly forgotten in a crisis. Do you test your plans with client companies, once you've completed an assessment? Absolutely. The success of any emergency plan depends on routine testing, audits and updates. Practicing emergency response helps assure that you and your staff can proceed predictably in an actual emergency. Test exercises also diagnose any problems or weaknesses in the plan so that it can be amended. With testing and audits, management can assess how comfortable and competent the employees are in performing emergency response functions and duties. Organizations should rehearse their emergency response plans the same way they stage fire drills and complete IT backups. What are the chances a company will ever need the kind of...

Tribal Services Division

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:42:38 GMT

FirestormTribal Services Capabilities Firestorm Solutions, LLC offers decades of experience in developing comprehensive emergency management programs. Drawing from a unique combination of operational experience and thought leadership, the Firestorm Tribal Services Team is positioned to deliver expertise to Tribal governments built upon a foundation of decades of proven management, consulting, and policy development services. Firestorm follows a Predict. Plan. Perform. process to address the needs of Tribal governments - including the need to continue business operations in the event of an emergency or disaster, the need to operate as a first responder, and the need to have emergency management plans in place that address national and tribal homeland security initiatives and other compliance standards. Firestorm's philosophy is that through proper planning, risk assessment, training and education most disasters and crises can be managed, mitigated or eliminated. Tribal...

Firestorm Franchisees

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:40:11 GMT

Firestorm Franchisees bring a wealth of knowledge and business expertise to the Firestorm business continuity planning and consulting franchise group. To locate a franchise or to learn more about a franchisee, select from the following list, or click on the link below to use our zip code locator. Zip Code Locator Each franchisee is awarded the entire United States as a territory and is protected by the franchisor regarding client development. Franchisee Location Jack Boyles San Diego, CA Charlie Cross Houston, TX Missan Eido Austin, TX Dave Flora Chicago, IL Lt. Col Oz Hill (Ret.) Atlanta, GA DC Metro Area Denver, CO Pam Hodgson Alpharetta, GA ...

Karen Masullo: Firestorm Solutions EVP, Social Media

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:39:21 GMT

Karen Masullo is EVP, Social Media for Firestorm Solutions, LLC. In addition to serving as Firestorm Solution's own in-house social media advisor, she also serves on the Firestorm Solutions Expert Council and delivers social media strategy and policy services for Firestorm clients. As a Human Resource and Talent Management Innovation Technologist, with specific experience in social media marketing and emerging technologies, her passion and experience are focused on technology innovation from the customer point of view with drivers being extraordinary service in appropriate product use, policy development and training, risk mitigation, customer usability, and customer and community interaction. Karen has been a requested consultant for companies seeking guidance and senior project leadership in social media policy development, SaaS global product launches, multilingual technology applications development, social media marketing and measurement, community building, branding...

Suzanne Rhulen Loughlin, Co-Founder

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:36:48 GMT

Suzanne is a founding member and EVP/Chief Administrative Officer of Firestorm Solutions, LLC, a recognized leader in crisis management, vulnerability analysis, risk mitigation and business continuity. Suzanne has extensive experience in the development of business continuity, communicable illness, emergency response, workplace violence and crisis communications plans on behalf of Fortune 100 clients, as well as small businesses and governmental entities. Suzanne's training and practice in legal exposures has provided her superior insights into the five common failures businesses typically suffer in disasters. In addition, with a comprehensive human resources background, she is uniquely qualified to speak on how to manage the Every Crisis is a Human Crisis impacts seen in all disasters. Firestorm's work with major clients, which includes crisis management support at Virginia Tech, has provided Suzanne exceptional insights into preparedness. She has inspired hundreds of...

James W. Satterfield: President/COO

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:35:26 GMT

James (Jim) W. Satterfield is the President/COO of Firestorm. Satterfield has experience as President, CEO, and COO of various public and private companies in business continuity, communications, crisis management, environmental, insurance, reinsurance, risk management, and technology. Jim has extensive expertise in the identification of vulnerabilities and risks along with solution design.

Jim is a nationally recognized expert in the field of preparedness and crisis management. Jim has led in the development of national standards for pollution prevention, risk management, and environmental due diligence. He has spoken to hundreds of groups on risk management, crisis management, governance, and disaster planning

Mr. Satterfield has extensive public and private company experience in the identification of problems and designing solutions. He has been President, CEO, and COO of various public and private companies in insurance, reinsurance, technology, communications, and environmental fields.

Jim led the Firestorm team that provided the crisis and media management support at Virginia Tech in response to the shootings. He is currently leading a national focus on the failure of disaster plans, the role of schools in protecting their students, and the impact of disaster discrimination.

Jim has led in the development of national standards for pollution prevention, risk management, and environmental due diligence. He has spoken to hundreds of groups on risk management, governance and disaster planning.

Jim is co-author of Disaster Ready People For A Disaster Ready America. He and Harry Rhulen, CEO of Firestorm, will publish two additional books this year: The Pandemic Scam—Why Plan?, on pandemic planning, and Luck is Not a Strategic Plan, on the governance requirements for planning. <<

Management

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:33:45 GMT

Harry W. Rhulen, Co-Founder Harry Rhulen is the Chairman/CEO of Firestorm. Mr. Rhulen, who spent the first eighteen years of his career in the insurance industry, has been Chairman and CEO of a public insurance holding company with United States and European operations. Harry brings extensive experience in risk management, crisis management, due diligence and business management to lead Firestorm's strategic planning initiatives. more>> James W. Satterfield, Co-Founder James (Jim) W. Satterfield is the President/COO of Firestorm. Satterfield has experience as President, CEO, and COO of various public and private companies in business continuity, communications, crisis management, environmental, insurance, reinsurance, risk management, and technology. Jim has extensive expertise in the identification of vulnerabilities and risks along with solution design. Jim is a nationally recognized expert in the field of preparedness and crisis management. Jim has led in...

Strategic Relationships

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:31:43 GMT

Firestorm's Trusted Advisor Project allows thought leaders and professional services counselors to join with our professional staff and Expert Council in promoting continuity planning and preparedness. Firestorm recognizes how clients often neglect strategic risk planning, adopting what the American Bar Association has termed an ostrich approach to disaster planning. Choosing to ignore vulnerabilities to possible crises, both natural and manmade, only deepens the potential for catastrophic outcomes. With the right planning, supported by enlightened business advisors, both clients and their advisors can profit regardless of unforeseen events and circumstances. Our seminars, workshops, presentations, training sessions and other forums have greatly profited our Trusted Advisors as added-value opportunities. Please contact us for more information about how you and your clients can benefit from Firestorm's Trusted Advisor programs and services. Firestorm Solutions is...

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

Objectives:

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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

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Super Bowl Security, Home Office Safety, and To Prep or Not to Prep: Firestorm Newsletter 3-Feb-12

Super Bowl Security, Home Office Safety, and To Prep or Not to Prep: Firestorm Newsletter 3-Feb-12

FTC Hack, 2012 Disaster Insurance Predictions, Drug Shortages, 911 Outages: Firestorm Newsletter 27-Jan-12

That could have been the headline for the story below. It wasn’t. It is rare that we see such “disaster averted“ headlines. What was the real headline?

“Police: Joliet man threatened to kill Social Security staff”

Weekend Review - Anonymous takes down CBS - who's next? 23-Jan-12

ALERT: What the Hacktivists did to the Web Last Night - Firestorm Newsletter 20-Jan-12

This story stream is powered by the Firestorm Storify account, and will be updated as new information and events unfold. Check back often.

Firestorm Newsletter 13-Jan-12 - This week: Lessons from Haiti, Avian Flu, WPV, Counterterrorism

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Can the Central United States Learn from Haiti?

Firestorm Newsletter 6-Jan-12 - Get Your Social Media House in Order for 2012

Workplace Violence

Goodbye 2011 - Not Sorry to See You Go (Plus: Stratfor Hack, and a Precedent Setting Social Media Lawsuit)

2011 - Not Sorry to See You Go

Who Owns Your Social Accounts?

Phonedog Sues Former Writer for Value of 17,000 Twitter Followers

Security Expert Stratfor Continues to Battle Hackers

Firestorm Newsletter 16-Dec-11 - Occupy & Ports, Hacking, Higgs Boson, and Gangstas in the Locker Room

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Is Stop Drop and Be Handsome the New Emergency Training Protocol? Firestorm Newsletter 2-Dec-11

Firestorm Franchisee Lt. Col. Oz Hill (U.S. Army, ret.), Speaks at IFA VetFran Event

Firestorm Expert Council Member, Anyck Turgeon Receives Two Industry Recognitions

Nationally recognized firm Firestorm Solutions today announced the release of a new White Paper titled, A CONUNDRUM, PERSPECTIVES ON BANKING AND RISK MANAGEMENT by Samuel Smith

Jim Satterfield to Present GSCPA Webcast - Disaster Due Diligence (TM) - Protecting Your Business Continuity in Times of Disaster

Retired U.S. Army Officer the Latest Firestorm Franchisee

PREACTION ALLIANCE featured on Face To Face with Homeland Security

Latest Firestorm franchisee puts IT, continuity expertise to work

Ex-Interior Dept. Official to Direct Firestorm Tribal Services

Texas-based Firestorm franchisees offer clients diverse expertise

California Franchisee Brings Global Perspective to Preparedness

Firestorm Expert Council - Real World Experience

Transforming Crisis into Value

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Firestorm Expert Council - Real World Experience

Transforming Crisis into Value

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Workplace Violence Self-Assessment

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