NEWS : north america,
October 2009

Quality control in business continuity management
The final results of Continuity Central’s recent survey.
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•Date: 28th October 2009• Region: UK/US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC statistics
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US National Emergency declared due to pandemic flu spread
The full text of President Obama’s statement.
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•Date: 27th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada reminds firms about the importance of business continuity
IIROC Rule 17.16 requires members to have adequate business continuity plans.
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•Date: 27th Oct 2009• Region: Canada •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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First meeting of US-Canada Consultative Group for emergency management cooperation takes place
On October 20 the United States and Canada held the first meeting of the Consultative Group established under the US-Canada Agreement on Emergency Management Cooperation. The meeting took place in Ottawa, reports the US Department of State.
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•Date: 27th Oct 2009• Region: N.America •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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PS-Prep and business continuity standards
Paul Kirvan comments.
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•Date: 23rd October 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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Researchers discover way to predict hurricane-related power outages
Provides threat level information and early warnings of power supply impacts.
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•Date: 23rd Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Power management
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The top 10 strategic technologies for 2010
Gartner highlights emerging technologies that business continuity managers need to be aware of.
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•Date: 21st Oct 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity
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Most Canadian small businesses ignore business continuity
American Express survey finds that almost half of Canadian small business owners are unfamiliar with the practice of business continuity planning.
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•Date: 21st Oct 2009• Region: Canada •Type: Article •Topic: BC statistics
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Perimeter E-Security launches email continuity solution
Perimeter E-Security has launched its new ‘Archive Manager’ that delivers the highest level of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) compliance capabilities, previously afforded only to the brokerage industry, to the broader market. In addition, the integrated business continuity engine enables companies to have full access to their email via a web browser to meet electronic discovery requests and when their primary email service is lost. Read press release.
•Date: 21st Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: IT continuity
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New VMware management solution provides ‘unprecedented insight into data center capacity’
New product helps customers continuously manage and plan infrastructure capacity for maximum efficiency and availability.
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•Date: 20th Oct 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity
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DHS consults on business continuity standards
Three business continuity standards proposed for adoption by PS-Prep. Public comments requested by Nov. 15.
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•Date: 16th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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Tape: no end in sight but an inflection point is here
Jerome M. Wendt explains why he feels this is the case.
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•Date: 15th October 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity
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PS-PREP moves forward
DHS awards Energetics a contract to assist with project management for the Voluntary Private-Sector Preparedness Program.
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•Date: 15th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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Best Practices in Storage Awards presented
Winners announced at SNW Fall 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona.
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•Date: 14th Oct 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC markets
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SIFMA implements Everbridge Emergency Notification System to Support business continuity
Everbridge has announced that the US Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) has implemented the Everbridge Aware emergency notification system to support business continuity and resiliency initiatives. “After evaluating a number of notification systems, we selected Everbridge based on the system’s exceptional infrastructure, ease of use, flexibility across departments, and innovation of the service,” said Howard Sprow, vice president, Business Continuity for SIFMA. www.everbridge.com
•Date: 14th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: BC markets
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Study looks into US cyber security priorities
‘Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar.’
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•Date: 9th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Terrorism
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RIMS supports mandated risk committees
The Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. (RIMS) has announced its strong support for the creation of ‘risk committees’ for publicly traded companies.
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•Date: 9th Oct 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: Operational risk
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Pandemic preparedness in the US workplace
Updated guidance on pandemic preparedness in the workplace from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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•Date: 9th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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North American governments discuss pandemic flu response
DHS Deputy Secretary discusses H1N1 coordination with Mexican and Canadian Counterparts in Mexico City.
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•Date: 8th Oct 2009• Region: N.America •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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What are the key retail risks?
A new Aon Analytics report explores how risks are changing in the retail sector.
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•Date: 8th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Operational risk
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US Senate committee explores changing terror threat
Recent homegrown terror cases represent ‘worst fears’.
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•Date: 8th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Terrorism
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Small businesses lack workforce continuity plans for pandemic flu
A recent poll by LogMeIn, Inc. found that the majority of US small and medium businesses don't have a business continuity plan in place for the possibility of a flu outbreak. In September, LogMeIn polled 400 US-based business professionals on LinkedIn who own or work for companies with 10-5,000 employees to ask: "Does your company have a business continuity plan in place for a possible flu outbreak?" 59 percent of these companies said no plans yet existed.
•Date: 8th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: Pandemic planning
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New NIST publication offers security tips for WiMAX networks
Government agencies and other organizations planning to use WiMAX— Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access—networks can get technical advice on improving the security of their systems from a draft computer security guide prepared by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The draft version of NIST SP 800-127 is open for public comment through October 30, 2009. The document is available online at http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsDrafts.html#800-127. Comments should be addressed to 800-127comments@nist.gov with ‘Comments on Public Draft SP 800-127’ in the subject line.
•Date: 8th Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing
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Many Canadian businesses are unprepared for pandemic flu
Ontario Chamber of Commerce survey finds that only 22 percent of respondents have a pandemic plan in place.
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•Date: 6th Oct 2009• Region: Canada •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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NEC offers ‘end-to-end business continuity suite’
Combines Fault Tolerant Express5800/300 series with ExpressCluster.
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•Date: 6th Oct 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity
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Business Roundtable survey finds high levels of pandemic preparedness in US companies
Business Roundtable's Partnership for Disaster Response releases findings of 2009 flu season survey.
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•Date: 1st Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic plannning US
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Major disaster declared for Kansas
FEMA has announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for Kansas and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding during the period of July 8-14, 2009. Michael R. Scott has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area. http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=12008
•Date: 1st Oct 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general
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The IT Process Institute's server virtualization maturity study
Identifies specific procedures and controls that should be considered to reduce risk as organizations virtualize business-critical systems.
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•Date: 30th Sept 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity
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DHS tells employees to ask their company “What's Our Plan?”
Employees encouraged to ask difficult questions about organizational business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
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•Date: 30th Sept 2009• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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Free flu planning resources from the CDC
This year’s CDC seasonal flu materials also include messaging to address the 2009 H1N1 flu recommendations. All materials are free for download—no printed versions are available. They may be printed on a standard office printer. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/print.htm
•Date: 30th Sept 2009• Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: Pandemic planning US
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Why CISA certification is worthwhile for business continuity professionals
Paul Kirvan offers some thoughts.
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•Date: 29th Sept 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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