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Physical and IT security teams merge
Guards on patrol are now instructed to keep an eye out for open wireless networks and passwords written on sticky pads; $1.1 billion spent each year on bringing the two cultures together, but problems remain; integrating building and network access an emerging trend
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Survey finds replication at top of business continuity wish lists
A $2 billion industry looks to the future as demand grows for real-time data imaging; BakBone leads the way with a replication service that works across platforms and operating systems to achieve large-scale security at a low-scale cost
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Ireland leads neighbors in business continuity planning
Much remains to be done, but the Emerald Isle is far ahead of France, Germany, and Italy; half of Irish firms have no plans in place, compared to 75 percent elsewhere
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Continuity planning requires ongoing vigilence, experts say
Smart procedures are not enough; companies must constantly reevaluate and upgrade their systems; dedicated middle management and emergency drills are good approaches; many companies create emergency response teams to handle the load
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Highway association finds major problems with city evacuation plans
Major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta fail the grade; Kansas City shines; opportunities abound for the traffic management industry
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Alabama guardsman makes good with homeland security masters degree
Lt. Col. Butters takes advantage of distance learning, DHS funding, to add value to the Guard’s emergency recovery efforts; Naval Postgraduate School provides great education at a good value in a stunning locale
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RAE Systems strikes a deal with the National Guard
Company will supply portable gas and radiation detectors to fifty-five Guard Civil Support Teams; agile Rapid Deployment Kits consist of four specialized monitors and sensors
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OASIS and ITU to demonstrate CAP communications system in Geneva
Common Alerting Protocol is gaining ground as international interoperability standard; National Weather Service and U.S. Geological Survey have already adopted the text-based system for daily use; conference in Geneva will include demonstrations and discussion with national and international communications authorities
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Emergency communication choices: Part two
We review the utility of text messaaging, pagers, and fax machines; next week we consider Internet-based services, satellite communications, and conference services
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DHS withdraws $5 million from Disaster Management office
Division, intended to set standards for interoperability software, is seen as duplicative of other agencies’ efforts; contract-holder Battelle loses out as DHS plans to redistribute funds around the agency
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Virginia asks emergency responders to use common language
Approach takes HSPD-5 and NIMS requirements seriously by asking agencies to abandon 10-codes; confusion often resulted during inter-agency responses due to different associated meanings
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Emergency communication choices: Part one
We review the utility of landlines, mobile phones, and IT telephony in an emergency; next week we consider conference calling, faxing, paging, and text
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Illinois announces new firefighting grants
Local firehouses may apply for up to $26,000 in funding for equipment; those looking for new trucks, however, should look elsewhere, perhaps to the state’s no-interest revolving loan program
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On business continuity software...
Systems can be effective, but experts warn they require a lot of upfront work; organizing data across divisions takes time and executives must be aware of ongoing upkeep responsibilities
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NIST finds firefighter radios vulnerable to fire
Institute tested three radios under varied temperature conditions; not one survived Thermal Class 2 heat, and all suffered when exposed to Class 1; hope lies in protecting radios inside firefighter gear and reengineering senstive components such as antennas and speakers
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The long view
Faster-Developing, Wetter Hurricanes to Come
Climate change sets the stage for hurricanes to rapidly intensify faster, bringing wetter storms to the U.S. Atlantic Coast and other coastlines. A warmer world heightens the risk of flooding.
It Is Double Trouble When Two Disasters Strike the Electrical Transmission Infrastructure
One natural disaster can knock out electric service to millions. A new study suggests that back-to-back disasters could cause catastrophic damage, but the research also identifies new ways to monitor and maintain power grids. The study, using AI, highlights the fragility of power grid networks.
The “Cassandra of the Subways” on Hurricane Sandy, Ten Years Later
Starting in the 1990s, geophysicist Klaus Jacob started warning publicly that New York could eventually see a catastrophic storm abetted by climate change. From 2008 to 2019, he served on the New York City Panel on Climate Change, a scientific body that informs the city’s efforts to adapt infrastructure to changing climate. Most famously, he produced eearily precise projectionof where the subways would flood.
Hydropower Delivers Electricity, Even During Lengthy Droughts
The megadrought in the Southwestern United States is the driest—and longest—in the last 1,200 years, depleting water reservoir levels to critically low levels over the past 22 years. Droughts particularly impact hydroelectric power dams as well as some thermoelectric power plants that require large amounts of water for cooling. But a new report suggests that the relationship between drought and hydroelectric power is more nuanced than it might seem. Drought-strained hydropower sustains 80 percent average power generation capacity.
Method for Decoding Asteroid Interiors Could Help Aim Asteroid-Deflecting Missions
Knowing how the density is distributed inside an asteroid could help scientists plan the most effective defense. For instance, if an asteroid were made of relatively light and uniform matter, a DART-like spacecraft could be aimed differently than if it were deflecting an asteroid with a denser, less balanced interior. Astronomers have found a way to determine an asteroid’s interior structure based on how its spin changes during a close encounter with Earth.
Why Not Use Space Mirrors for Reflecting Sunlight to Cool the Planet?
Given the potential consequences of climate change and a danger of reaching irreversible “tipping points,” there is an argument to be made that all options should be carefully considered. Sending giant mirrors into space to reflect solar radiation away from the Earth is one such option. The problem is that the many such geoengineering approaches have been so taboo that there is not enough information from researchers to definitively decide what options are still viable.