There has been a great deal of media coverage about swine flu. Not all of this has been helpful; some of the advice has been conflicting, or perhaps even misleading.

Continue reading Safeguard your business: implement a business continuity plan

Tags: Business Continuity, h1n1, pandemic planning, swine flu

Last spring, when the first cases of H1N1 flu appeared, Gartner Inc. was getting lots of calls from alarmed clients wanting to know if and how they should adjust their disaster recovery plans.

Continue reading Business interruptus: Prep now to avoid H1N1 flu outages later

Tags: h1n1, pandemic planning, swine flu, workforce continuity

A new “white paper” by the Pandemic Prevention Council based on a survey of 1,500 organizations regarding their organizational preparedness reported that “organizations have made great strides to prepare against the possibility of pandemic,” but that a significant number of businesses still have a long way to go to be ready for a disruptive pandemic.

Continue reading Preparing for a Possible Pandemic: Public and private organizations report on continuity planning efforts in the face of H1N1

Tags: h1n1, pandemic planning

In the event of a widespread outbreak of swine flu expected this autumn is your IT department ready and what are your business planning assumptions? Here are eight top tips to ensuring business continuity.

Continue reading Eight tips to ensure your business continuity plan is up to scratch

Tags: Business Continuity, pandemic planning, swine flu

VoiceNation, a provider of outsourced voice telephony and disaster recovery solutions, conducted asurvey of Fortune 500 companies regarding their business continuity planning for voice communication.

Continue reading Survey Reveals the Need for Business Continuity Planning

Tags: Business Continuity, pandemic planning, statistics, survey

Here are some Pandemic Planning Resource Links I have found particularly useful.

Continue reading Pandemic Planning Resource Links: A Compilation

Tags: pandemic planning, pandemic preparedness

This DVD video plus training kit is designed to help business, industry and government facilities prepare for and mitigate the almost inevitable impacts of an influenza pandemic.

To sustain operational continuity through the onset of a global pandemic, employees must understand not only the health issues, but also the possible disruptions of essential services and of the organization’s workflow. They must be prepared to learn and to execute strategies and practices to mitigate the effects of a pandemic.

Workplace Strategies for Pandemic Preparedness relates the five topics identified in the Homeland Security Council’s National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan to the workplace environment:

• Be prepared
• Be aware
• Don’t pass it on
• Keep your distance
• Help your community

Designed for both management and workers, the program stresses the importance of advanced planning and of flexibility in times of crisis.  It provides common sense steps to avoid infection.

By being prepared and making good choices, organizations can minimize the effects of an outbreak on their workers and their operations.

To sustain operational continuity through the onset of a global pandemic, employees must understand not only the health issues, but also the possible disruptions of essential services and of the organization’s workflow. They must be prepared to execute the strategies and practices that will minimize the impacts on production and human welfare.

Included in the kit are

• Video on DVD: “Workplace Strategies for Pandemic Preparedness” (15 min.)
• Trainer’s Guide
• Employee quizzes & Training sign-off forms
• Two information handouts for trainees
• OSHA’s “Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic”

Tags: pandemic planning, pandemic preparedness, swine flu

Pandemic Influenza: Emergency Planning and Community Preparedness

New book by Jeffrey R. Ryan

• Analyze the threat of pandemics in general, and influenza specifically
• Identify principles associated with the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
• Assess factors leading to an outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, including its potential effect on the economy
• Evaluate the use of pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical measures
• Determine response actions of various emergency services disciplines as they relate to communications, travel, and quarantine
• Examine the components of service continuation essential for the private sector to remain intact during a severe pandemic

“… an amazing resource … Dr. Ryan has assembled some of the best experts in the field to guide you in understanding the threat of pandemic influenza and how it can affect you and the people you are responsible for. …” – From the foreword by Lynn A. Slepski, Captain, United States Public Health Service

No one is immune to the potential devastation of a mass pandemic influenza outbreak. Yet despite recent small-scale outbreaks and dire warnings from the World Health Organization that such an event is imminent and overdue, our preparedness continues to lag. Part of the problem is that while a national plan is important, all the real action must occur at the local level. Triage, care, and containment, along with maintenance of the infrastructure, are functions that must be carried out by local planners and responders.

Pandemic Influenza: Emergency Planning and Community Preparedness introduces readers to the critical global and domestic issues regarding a potential pandemic. Featuring the contributions of leading experts, this volume arms planners and responders with an understanding of outbreak containment and response planning and provides an analysis of our present capabilities and potential weaknesses.

The first section reviews the history of pandemics and discusses the deadly 1918 Spanish flu. The middle chapters examine the biology of the virus and the clinical aspects of influenza, with special attention given to Avian Influenza. The final chapters examine international and federal programs and discuss response at the local level, including service continuation planning and fatality management.

Public health and emergency preparedness professionals, as well as policy makers at all levels will find a wealth of information to help them create a plan and allocate the proper resources to mitigate the devastation of a pandemic influenza.

Special Offer!

Be prepared! Purchase Pandemic Influenza, along with the Pandemic Preparation and Response Plan Template for Business on CD-ROM for $119.90.

Tags: influenza, pandemic planning, pandemic preparedness, swine flu

New book by Jeffrey R. Ryan:

Pandemic Influenza: Emergency Planning and Community Preparedness

• Analyze the threat of pandemics in general, and influenza specifically
• Identify principles associated with the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
• Assess factors leading to an outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, including its potential effect on the economy
• Evaluate the use of pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical measures
• Determine response actions of various emergency services disciplines as they relate to communications, travel, and quarantine
• Examine the components of service continuation essential for the private sector to remain intact during a severe pandemic

“… an amazing resource … Dr. Ryan has assembled some of the best experts in the field to guide you in understanding the threat of pandemic influenza and how it can affect you and the people you are responsible for. …” – From the foreword by Lynn A. Slepski, Captain, United States Public Health Service

No one is immune to the potential devastation of a mass pandemic influenza outbreak. Yet despite recent small-scale outbreaks and dire warnings from the World Health Organization that such an event is imminent and overdue, our preparedness continues to lag. Part of the problem is that while a national plan is important, all the real action must occur at the local level. Triage, care, and containment, along with maintenance of the infrastructure, are functions that must be carried out by local planners and responders.

Pandemic Influenza: Emergency Planning and Community Preparedness introduces readers to the critical global and domestic issues regarding a potential pandemic. Featuring the contributions of leading experts, this volume arms planners and responders with an understanding of outbreak containment and response planning and provides an analysis of our present capabilities and potential weaknesses.

The first section reviews the history of pandemics and discusses the deadly 1918 Spanish flu. The middle chapters examine the biology of the virus and the clinical aspects of influenza, with special attention given to Avian Influenza. The final chapters examine international and federal programs and discuss response at the local level, including service continuation planning and fatality management.

Public health and emergency preparedness professionals, as well as policy makers at all levels will find a wealth of information to help them create a plan and allocate the proper resources to mitigate the devastation of a pandemic influenza.

Special Offer!

Be prepared! Purchase Pandemic Influenza, along with the Pandemic Preparation and Response Plan Template for Business on CD-ROM for $119.90.

Tags: influenza, pandemic planning, pandemic preparedness, swine flu

The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing has published new pandemic planning guidelines. The ‘Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza’ is an update on similar guidance published in 2006.

Continue reading Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza

Tags: influenza, international Australia, pandemic planning

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Coordinating Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response recently released a report, Public Health Preparedness: Strengthening CDC’s Emergency Response.

Continue reading Report: CDC Highlights Challenges Preparing for Public Health Emergencies

Tags: emergency preparedness, pandemic planning, public health preparedness, research