Welcome to Earthquake Awareness Week 2011

The week of November 6 – 12, 2011 is Earthquake Awareness Week in South Carolina.  As I have written previously in this blog, earthquakes represent one of the most significant threats in the Charleston region due to the large potential for damage and the lack of warning preceding an earthquake.  The largest recorded earthquake in Charleston occurred on August 31, 1886 as a Magnitude 7.3 event.   It is estimated that earthquakes of this relative magnitude occur within our seismic area once every 100 – 500 years, which is the single largest obstacle to preparedness efforts.  It is difficult for us to prepare for events that may not occur tomorrow, next year, or even next century.  However it is critical for all residents, businesses, schools, and other organizations within the Lowcountry to prepare for earthquakes because a repeat of the 1886 event would be devastating today.

Consider these facts published by the South Carolina Emergency Management Division.  A recent scientific study revealed the following impacts of the 1886 earthquake if it occurred today:

·         Estimated 45,000 casualties

·         Up to 30% of hospitals would be damaged beyond use

·         Estimated 70,000 households, or 200,000 people, displaced

·         80% of all urban households in the tri-county area would be without water service for weeks or months

·         Approximately 300,000 households would be without power

·         800 bridges would be damaged beyond use

·         More than 220 schools and 160 fire stations would have significant damage

·         Almost $11 billion in economic loss in the tri-county area

These sobering statistics should serve as a continual reminder and motivator to prepare our families, homes, businesses, etc. for earthquakes.  The best way to start is follow the four basic steps below:

1)      Know the earthquake safety procedure: Duck, Cover, and Hold.   (Do NOT run outside!)

2)      Check your insurance policies and make sure they include earthquake coverage.

3)      Prepare your emergency supplies for at least a week without water, power, or food.

4)      With so many bridges out, prepare a plan to meet family members with multiple rally points in a series of locations that are not close to bridges.   This may be the only way you can meet up if cell phones are down and you can’t make it home.

For more information see the South Carolina Earthquake Guide and other materials on the South Carolina Emergency Management Division website: http://www.scemd.org/EQ_Awareness_11/Earthquake_Awareness_Week_11.html.

10 Tips to Prepare Your Business for a Hurricane

The peak of hurricane season is here, and all eyes are following Hurricane Irene.  As if to warn us not to focus too much on one type of disaster (hurricanes), Northern Virginia experiences a magnitude 5.9 earthquake earlier this afternoon.  There were plenty of reports around the Lowcountry of people and buildings feeling the impact from that earthquake.  I dealt with earthquakes in a post earlier this year following the Japan earthquake.  Check the links to the right (March 2011) for some tips on earthquake preparation.  Remember, there is no earthquake season (or stated another way, it's always earthquake season)!

Hurricane Irene will be a major hurricane soon and will tease most of the Eastern Seaboard over the next few days.  While projections and models are coming into closer agreement on a path, these storms are not 100% predictable.  Anytime a major hurricane is passing by our coastline, there is always the chance for an unpredicted change in course.  The last thing any business needs is to try to implement a detailed hurricane plan when there is little time before landfall.  So let's review the 10 things your business should do now to get ready.

1) Talk to your People.  Get updated contact information from all employees and put it on a master list that everyone (at least all Managers) can access.  Ask employees where they plan to go during an evacuation.

2) Plan your Escape.  Make a plan for the location and route all key staff will take if a mandatory evacuation is issued.  Figure out how many hotel rooms are needed for key staff, their families, and pets.  Start making reservations how.

3) Gather your Stuff.  Every employee has a few things they need to do their job.  Give each employee some bright red circle stickers and ask them to place a sticker on each item that is critical to doing their job.  These items must be packed and brought with you during an evacuation.  The stickers tell others what to pack if someone is absent.

4) Check your Insurance.  Review your policies carefully for flood, wind, contents, and business interruption/extra expense coverage.  Document all your contents with pictures and/or video and store it off-site.

5) Talk to Customers.  Ask what they expect or need from you during and after a potential hurricane strike.  Make sure you have plans in place to continue communicating with them.

6) Talk to Vendors.  Make sure you have emergency contact info for your key vendors and ask them about their plans to continue serving you before, during, and after a hurricane strike. 

7) Review Back-ups.  Check your back-up logs to make sure everything is backed up correctly and try restoring a few important files.  Make sure all back-ups are safely off-site in a distant location or go with you during an evacuation. 

8) Check Phones.  Talk to your phone company about the procedure to forward all calls to a cell phone or other number.  Find out how much lead time they need to put the forwarding in place.

9) Plan for Remote Access.  Make sure you can access your e-mail and critical files while your main computer systems and servers are down.  Copy critical files to laptops or other portable devices that can go with you during an evacuation.

10) Check your Finances.  During a significant hurricane strike, mail service could be interrupted for a while.  You may have to forward mail to an alternate location which means checks, invoices, and other important items may be delayed.  Prepare for financial disruptions to your regular cash flow cycle. 

This list isn't complete, of course, but at least gives you ten of the more important things to prepare your business for a hurricane.  Don't wait until the last minute - start your plan now and let me know if you need help.

Plenty of Time to Prepare for Hurricane Season

Welcome to Hurricane Season 2011.  With the temperature pushing 100 degrees, no rain in sight, and what may be the first tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico later this week, it feels like we are already in the middle of the season. Let’s start with the predictions for this hurricane season:

·         Colorado State University (Klotzbach – Gray) – 16 named storms, 9 hurricanes, 5 major hurricanes, 48% change of a major hurricane hitting in the U.S.

·         NOAA, a Division of the National Weather Service – 12 to 18 named storms, 6 to 10 hurricanes, 3 to 6 major hurricanes

·         Florida State University – 14 to 20 named storms, 8 to 10 hurricanes

The consensus is that it should be an above average year for hurricane activity, even compared to the average activity since 1995 when the current major hurricane activity era began.  Interestingly, the Colorado State team reported conditions this year are very similar to those of 1989, which of course produced Category 4 Hurricane Hugo in September of that year as the last major hurricane to hit Charleston. 

Now forget everything I’ve written up to this point.  Because these forecasts, while interesting, are not all that important when it comes to preparing your business, your home, and your family.  The number of hurricanes that form this year isn’t all that relevant to those of us living and working along the coast.  The relevant figure is the number that actually hit our area.   And since no one can accurately predict where a hurricane will hit (or when), we must prepare as if we already know a hurricane will impact our area this year.

Following are some key questions to help you begin the process of creating or updating your hurricane plan.  These questions can be grouped together using the Four P’s of Preparedness that I have discussed in previous posts.

People –  How will you contact all your key employees, vendors, and customers during and after an evacuation?  Will you pay your employees during an evacuation, and if so, will it count against their vacation, sick, or other emergency time off?  What do your customers expect from you during a hurricane evacuation?  What can your vendors do to help you?

Place –  Where are you going when it’s time to evacuate?  How will you get there?  Where will you stay?  Who is coming with you?  When will you leave?  Do you have a place to operate long-term if your primary location is damaged severely?  How will people contact you while your business is closed or while you are out of town?

Property –  Is your insurance policy updated for the value of your contents?  Do you have the right documentation to file a claim if necessary?  How much will you need to recover from a major hurricane hitting our area, and will it all be funded by insurance or will you need a line of credit or other financing?   

Processes -  How will your critical computer systems, such as e-mail and your website, function during a hurricane?  Do you have solid back-ups in place for all your critical data?  How much downtime can you afford?  Are your critical processes documented and cross-trained to alternate staff?  Can they be done remotely?

It’s only the beginning of June, so there is still plenty of time to answer these questions and get a plan in place before the peak of hurricane season starts around August 15.  The good news is that many of these questions apply to other business continuity scenarios, so you’ll be on your way to planning for more than just hurricanes. 

Don’t worry about the forecasts. Plan as if a hurricane is going to hit us this year, and then pray that it doesn’t happen. 

Join the Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill April 28th at 10:15 AM

Charleston is a unique place for many reasons, but one that most people don’t realize relates to its geographic position within the United States.  I haven’t done extensive research to verify this, but I believe Charleston is the single city in the United States that faces a significant threat from both hurricanes and earthquakes.  We know that the seismic zone along the Ashley River up to Summerville is one of the most active zones East of the Mississippi, and was the site of the most devastating earthquake East of the Mississippi in 1886.  While we all tend to dust off our hurricane plans annually each Summer, we don’t spend nearly enough time practicing our earthquake plans. 

Next Thursday, April 28, provides a great opportunity to do just that.  The Great Shakeout Drill will take place at 10:15 AM on April 28 with more than 2.5 million people participating in eleven states.  This drill is designed for all businesses, organizations, communities, schools, and individuals to participate.  Visit the website www.shakeout.org/centralus for details on the drill, how to participate, and to see who else is participating in South Carolina. 

The most important part of the drill is simulating the 60 seconds (the approximate duration of the 1886 earthquake) of a major quake.  At 10:15 AM on April 28 everyone should follow the basic earthquake safety procedure: Drop, Cover, and Hold On.  Do not run outside.  Do not run around between rooms, floors, or buildings looking for the safest location.   Wherever you happen to be at 10:15 AM, find a sturdy piece of furniture, get underneath it as much as possible, and hold on to it for 60 seconds.  During a real earthquake this simple procedure could save your life. 

For more details on this procedure and how to protect your business, family, schools, and children during an earthquake, check out the great resources below.  Sign up now to participate in the Great Shakeout on April 28^th!

Great Shakeout Drill website  http://www.shakeout.org/centralus/ 

Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety    http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/seven_steps.html

Drop, Cover, and Hold On Tips     http://www.scec.org/education/public/espfocus/June_06.pdf

South Carolina Earthquake Guide    http://www.scemd.org/news/publications/EQ%20Guide%202008/New_Index_EQ_08.html

Earthquake Preparedness and the Tragedy in Japan

The unfortunate tragedy in Japan has combined three devastating disasters into one unbelievable event: earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown. Our thoughts and prayers continue for those affected by this ongoing tragedy, and those who are working to respond, restore order, and prevent further catastrophe. While the lessons learned from this event will continue to develop over the coming months and years, we should take this opportunity to assess how our businesses, organizations, local municipalities, and families are prepared for the earthquake threat here in South Carolina. Unfortunately it is always "earthquake season" in the Lowcountry, and the 1886 earthquake in Charleston (Magnitude 7.3) demonstrated the need to be aware of this constant threat.

So how does a business or other entity prepare for earthquakes? A hurricane is relatively easy to prepare for due to the ability of forecasters to provide advanced warning. Unfortunately an earthquake has no such warning, making the planning process more challenging. However if your business continuity plan focuses on the basics, what I call the Four P’s of Preparedness, then you will likely already have the foundation for a good earthquake plan. The Four P’s of Preparedness include People, Place, Property, and Processes. I’ll spend more time discussing each "P" in future blog entries, but for now let’s look at how they relate to earthquake preparedness.

People. Are your employees, family members, and others ready for an earthquake? Do they know what to do when the shaking starts? Tell them to Drop, Cover, and Hold on. Most importantly, make sure they know to NOT run outside. For more detailed information, see http://www.shakeout.org/dropcoverholdon/.

Place. Is your place of business or your home safe during an earthquake? Consider a review by a qualified engineer or inspector. If your primary place of business or home is severely damaged by the earthquake, where would you go and how would you get there if roads and bridges are damaged? Talk through these issues with your employees and families. For more information, see http://scearthquakes.cofc.edu/.

Property. Do you have proper earthquake insurance for both your structure and your contents? This is not necessarily a standard part of your basic insurance policy! Do you have emergency supplies to last 3 – 5 days until emergency personnel may be able to reach you? For information on how to create an emergency supply kit, see http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/step3.html.

Processes. First and foremost, you need a plan to follow during and after an earthquake. If your business has more than 10 employees, OSHA requires that you have a written emergency action plan to address employee safety and response during earthquakes and other emergencies. Another critical process after an earthquake is communications. How will you communicate with others if landlines are down? Send text messages over cell phones instead of trying voice calls. Text messages have a much higher success rate when the cellular network is overwhelmed following a disaster. However if the cellular towers are damaged and sending a text message isn’t even an option, then a satellite phone may be the option of last resort. Costs for satellite phones and emergency usage plans have come down significantly over the years, so consider this option if communications is a critical need for your business or entity.

As we continue to keep the people of Japan in our thoughts and prayers, let’s also commit to talking about these earthquake preparedness issues with our colleagues, friends, and families here in the Lowcountry. We can’t do anything to prevent an earthquake here, but we can do something to make sure we are all well prepared for it when it happens.

March 4th DR Workshop covers IT Disasters and how to avoid them

As a member of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce's Business Continuity Planning Council, we participate in the Chamber's workshop series on Business Continuity. The topic of the March 4th workshop covers the why and how to prepare your IT environment for all types of disasters. We have a panel of expert speakers covering the topics of Social Media policies, data loss and back-ups, anti-virus and security, and hardware recovery and testing. This event is a must attend for anyone interested in securing and protecting their data and systems from all types of threats unique to the IT environment. IT systems and the Disaster Recovery Plan to protect them plays a critical part in a company's overall business continuity strategy. Please join us March 4th for this valuable workshop to learn how to create or improve your existing DR plan to protect your IT systems from downtime.

Cloudy with a Chance of Data Loss
A Disaster Recovery Planning Workshop

Date:

Friday, March 4

Time:

7:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Location:

Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce

4500 Leeds Avenue, Suite 100

North Charleston

Cost:

$35 non-members, $25 Chamber members

Register:

http://www.charlestonchamber.net/ (click on 3/4/2011 BCP Workshop)

Information technology covers a wide range of topics, but it all breaks down to

how you are handling and retrieving information automatically. For most of us,

that means using a computer to store the programs and data that make our

businesses work. What happens when that technology is corrupted or fails?

One in four businesses will experience such a crisis: 43 percent will NEVER

re-open and only 29 percent will still be in business two years later.* A part of

any continuity plan addresses how your company will survive when faced with

an IT crisis and it can make a difference between you going out of or staying in

business.

This workshop will provide businesses with the information they need to

prepare for an IT crisis and create a plan for dealing with this emergency.

AGENDA:

7:30 – 8:00a.m. Registration/Networking

(light breakfast available)

8:00 – 8:15a.m. Welcome and Sponsor Acknowledgments

Joe Stringer, Anderson Insurance Associates, LLC

Chairman, Business Continuity Planning Council

8:15 – 8:45a.m. Social Media Policies – Security & Use

Edward Fenno, Fenno Law Firm LLC

8:45 – 9:15a.m. Backing Up Your Data

Scott LeRoy, EDDSA LLC

9:15 – 9:45a.m. Antivirus and Securing Your Data

Jay Orr, eGroup, Inc.

9:45 – 10:15a.m. Protecting Hardware – Recovery & Testing

Scott Cave, Atlantic Business Continuity Services

10:15 – 10:30a.m. Q & A, Adjournment

Peter Lucash, Digital CPE, LLC

For more information, contact Mary Dickerson at mdickerson@charlestonchamber.org or 805-3089.