Wide area disasters

In the wake of the major disasters that hit the United States in 2005, business continuity planners are discussing the lessons that can be learned. This update page provides an index to articles in this area.

LATEST NEWS

US unprepared for wide-area ‘mega-catastrophes’
New report identifies disaster preparedness needs and offers 25 recommendations to better prepare the US for future catastrophes.
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•Date: 9th May 2007 • Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Wide area disasters
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‘After-action report’ for 2005 hurricane season response published
The Emergency Management Assistance Compact seeks to learn lessons for the future.
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•Date: 11th October 2006• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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GAO issues reports into major disaster response
Includes six recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
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•Date: 8th September 2006• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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Study shows the long term impacts of disasters
The physical impacts of a disaster can be quickly overcome; the affects on employees may last much longer.
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•Date: 7th September 2006• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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Paulison to conduct briefing on 'Government After Katrina: Lessons Learned'
Will provide an update on FEMA's efforts to improve its emergency preparedness since Hurricane Katrina.
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•Date: 17th August 2006• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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US agencies provide financial institutions with hurricane-related business continuity advice
‘Lessons Learned From Hurricane Katrina: Preparing Your Institution for a Catastrophic Event’.
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•Date: 16th June 2006• Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Financial sector
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GAO reports on the military response to Katrina and the lessons learned for future disasters
"Hurricane Katrina: Better Plans and Exercises Needed to Guide the Military's Response to Catastrophic Natural Disasters."
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•Date: 17th May 2006• Region: US• Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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‘Dissolve FEMA, clear the table, and begin anew’ : Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
“Sometimes an organization, private or public, become so disreputable, beyond repair, that you need to dissolve it. And that is the conclusion that we’ve come to on FEMA.”
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•Date: 28th April 2006• Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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FRC report critical of preparedness levels in eight hurricane prone US states
Lessons from 2005’s deadly storms still unlearned, Federal interoperability funds impossible to track due to lack of transparency and jurisdictional infighting…
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•Date: 26th April 2006• Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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Atlantic hurricane frequency and intensity will remain elevated for at least the next five years
According to a panel of leading experts in hurricane climatology convened by RMS.
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•Date: 24th March 2006• Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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Lessons Learned from the 2005 Hurricane Season
Webinar, January 19th, 2006, 1:00 - 2:30 pm EST.
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•Date: 16th Dec 2005 • Region: N.America • Type: Article •Topic: Events
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‘Protecting New Orleans From Future Flooding’
The White House has published a fact sheet which highlights the work that has been done and what has been planned to help protect New Orleans from future flooding. Read the fact sheet
•Date: 16th Dec 2005 • Region: US • Type: Briefing •Topic: BC general
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Temple University survey explores public crisis communications
What the general public needs to hear during a disaster and who they expect to hear it from...
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•Date: 15th Dec 2005 • Region: US• Type: Article •Topic: Crisis communications
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More needs to be done to protect US Pacific Northwest from tsunami threat
Say scientists from Oregon State University.
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•Date: 8th Dec 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth observatory reveals new insights into the 'earthquake machine'
The San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD)-the first underground observatory to provide physical samples and real-time seismological data from deep inside an active fault zone- is yielding surprising new clues about the origin of earthquakes.
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•Date: 6th Dec 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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Johns Hopkins University to lead new Homeland Security Center of Excellence
Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff has announced the selection of Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to lead a consortium studying how the US can best prepare for and respond to potential large-scale incidents and disasters. This will be the fifth Homeland Security Center of Excellence and it will be entitled the Center for the Study of High Consequence Event Preparedness and Response. It will study deterrence, prevention, preparedness and response, including issues such as risk assessment, decision-making, infrastructure integrity, surge capacity and sensor networks.
•Date: 6th Dec 2005 • Region: US • Type: Briefing •Topic: Emergency planning
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Recent natural disasters have resulted in more North American companies replicating or backing up their data: Gartner
In a survey of North American IT managers, 45 percent of those surveyed reported backing up or replicating data to another disk, up dramatically from just 6 percent in 2004.
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•Date: 2nd Dec 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity
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FEMA issues statement following signing of US Flood Insurance Act
Welcomes the legislation and outlines the next steps that FEMA will take.
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•Date: 24th Nov 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Disaster recovery general
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Experian study analyzes Hurricane Katrina's effect on small business
The study showed that professional and business services firms were the hardest hit by the disaster.
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•Date: 11th Nov 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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CIO Executive Council survey explores disaster recovery planning in US companies
In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, 73 percent of CIOs plan to recommend changes to their disaster recovery plans.
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•Date: 8th Nov 2005 • Region: N.America • Type: Article •Topic: BC statistics
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IAEM makes recommendations for improved US disaster response
Restore FEMA to independent agency status or greatly strengthen it…
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•Date: 2nd Nov 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff testifies before the United States House Select Committee on Hurricane Katrina
Michael Chertoff has outlined some of the lessons learned during the initial response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Read his statement here
•Date: 20th Oct 2005 • Region: US • Type: Briefing •Topic: Emergency planning
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Proposals made to enhance emergency preparedness for Long Island
A NYS Disaster Command Center should be established on Long Island, says Dr. Matthew C. Cordaro.
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•Date: 7th October 2005 • Region: US• Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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GAO testimony on Hurricane Katrina: Providing Oversight of the Nation's Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
GAO has published the above report, which it presented as testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives. Read the document (PDF)
•Date: 30th September 2005 • Region: US • Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general
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ARTICLES

Communication just won’t wait...
As the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season draws to a close, Mike Bemis takes a look at the communications lessons that have been learned from the impact of this year’s hurricanes.
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•Date: 18th Nov 2005 •Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Telecoms continuity
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A standardized local vs. national response: myths and misconceptions abound
Ashley P. Moore gives his personal view of emergency planning lessons that can be learned from the Hurricane Katrina response.
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•Date: 7th October 2005 •Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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The impact of a dirty bomb: lessons from Katrina
Many parallels can be drawn between the impact of Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath of a manmade ‘dirty bomb’ attack. Geary Sikich explains.
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•Date: 30th Sept 2005 •Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: Terrorism
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What we learned from Hurricane Katrina and what we should do next to improve emergency planning
Dr. Jim Kennedy offers his thoughts.
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•Date: 20th Sept 2005 •Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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Businesses affected by disasters must act to prevent a 'crisis within a crisis'
Chubb provides businesses with crisis guidance and resources.
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•Date: 20th September 2005 • Region: US/World • Type: Article •Topic: Salvage
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Is it time to revisit the issue of distances to recovery sites?
In light of the recent events surrounding Hurricane Katrina, should this issue be back on the table? Asks Paul Kirvan.
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•Date: 16th Sept 2005 •Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: Recovery facilities
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Coping with the emotional effects of major disasters
What are the possible psychological effects of trauma? Menninger Clinic trauma experts provide advice for those impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
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•Date: 15th September 2005 • Region: US/World • Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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Hurricane Katrina: initial impacts on business continuity thinking
What issues does the impact of Katrina raise for the business continuity profession? David Honour reports.
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•Date: 2nd September 2005 •Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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