What is “mad cow disease” exactly?

BSE is a degenerative brain and spinal cord disease that affects cattle. First discovered in 1986, in the 1990s there was a huge outbreak in the United Kingdom that, at its peak, saw 1000 confirmed cases per week. Through the end of 2010, the UK reported a total case number of 184,500 infected  cows. The incubation period of mad cow disease (the time it takes from exposure of the disease to when symptoms are apparent) is relatively long, ranging from 30 months to 8 years. Thus, a cow may be infected with no apparent signs of the disease.

Mad cow disease is of concern to public health experts because there is a strong evidence of a causal link between it and a fatal brain disease in humans, known as vCJD (Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease). Around 150 deaths from vCJD were attributed to people eating tainted beef in the UK. However, the CDC counsels that the risk for developing vCJD, even if contaminated meat has been eaten, is very low.

How concerned should we be about the latest outbreak?

Although incidents of BSE in cattle must be properly controlled to avoid the possibility of humans being affected, the good news is that in the recent cases in California, the infected cattle did not enter the food chain, and there is therefore no threat to human health. Dr. Bruce Akey of Cornell University’s Animal Health Diagnostic Center stated, “There is still no evidence at all that BSE is anything but an extremely rare event in the United States, and nothing that poses a threat to the human or animal food chain.”

While there’s no reason, then, to stop tucking into those juicy burgers, this incident is a good reminder that it’s always important to stay informed about the food you eat and keep up to date on possible outbreaks. Food borne diseases are responsible for close to 48 million illnesses and 3,000 deaths annually. This equates to one in every six Americans falling ill each year. You are your best advocate in food safety and consumption!

Most bomb threats are made over the phone. Here’s how to respond if you ever receive a bomb threat via a phonecall:

In the vast majority of cases, the caller will hang up as soon as they have made the threat, without providing details. However, try to keep the caller on the line for as long as you can. If you’re able to, ask the following questions, being sure to keep your voice calm:

• When is the bomb going to explode?
• Where is it?
• What will make it explode?
• What does it look like?
• What kind of device is it?
• Did you plant the bomb? If so, why?
• What is your name?

If the caller’s number is displayed in the caller ID, copy it down if you can. Take note of the caller’s accent and other vocal characteristics, the tone of the message and whether you can hear any sounds in the background. When the caller hangs up, immediately call 911 with the information you have. Then contact your Crisis Leader or floor warden, and building management.

As with all emergencies, practice is key. Evacuation drills can help improve the speed of your response in the event of a real crisis. Read more about conducting drills and practicing evacuations in the workplace here.

Why were there so many earthquakes last week?

Every year the National Earthquake Information Center records about 20,000 quakes, which equates to about 55 a day! This number is relatively static from year to year, although improved technology and communications means that some earthquakes that would previously have gone unrecorded are now being logged, bringing the overall number up slightly. In 2012 we have so far actually seen a lower than average number of quakes. So, despite appearances, you shouldn’t worry that last week’s seismic activity is anything too unusual.

How are earthquakes measured?

Earthquakes are measured using the Richter Scale, which measures the seismic energy released by the quake. However, the overall effect of an earthquake not only depends on the magnitude, but also the location of the epicenter, the ground and building structure conditions, and many other factors. High magnitude earthquakes may cause little or no damage considering all other factors.

Not all earthquakes can be felt by humans at the surface; many of them are only detected by scientific measurements. The United States Geological Service (USGS) has a real-time earthquake map showing all the recorded earthquakes around the world.

Who is at risk?

Over 45 states in the U.S. are at risk for earthquakes. According to FEMA, your risk can be assessed by considering your hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. To view the level of hazards in your area, examine this earthquake hazards map. Exposure relates to the number and value buildings, infrastructure, and how urbanized and populated the area is. These exposure levels tend to be more vulnerable in areas with lower socioeconomic status. Vulnerability is of the buildings and property abiding to building codes and having earthquake-resistant construction. It is important, especially if you are considered at a high risk, to remember to identify safe places at home where you could shelter during a quake, make sure shelves and furniture are securely fastened, store breakable items in lower cabinets with doors and latches, ensure electrical wiring and gas connections are in good repair, and secure your water heaters to the wall and floor.

What should I do if I’m caught in an earthquake?

If you are caught in an earthquake and you are indoors, the best plan of action is to drop, cover and hold on.  Stay inside until the shaking stops. If you are outdoors, stay there and move away from buildings, streetlights and utility wires, and stay in the open until the shaking has stopped. If you are in a car, stop as quickly as you can and stay in the car. Additionally, attempt to avoid stopping close to buildings, trees, wires and overpasses.

Public health is often seen as being solely involved with promoting healthy lifestyles, but it actually also has considerable overlap with emergency preparedness. In some cases, public health can help prevent many emergencies from happening, as well as providing tools to combat threats when they do occur. In recognition of National Public Health Week, here are four types of threats that are regularly prevented or mitigated by public health initiatives.

• Diseases

  Immunizations have helped to control many vaccine-preventable diseases. Some diseases, such as polio and smallpox, have even been eradicated with the use of modern-day vaccines. Being vaccinated through childhood helps individuals as well as preventing outbreaks. Public health authorities also play an important part when biological outbreaks do occur, as they have the authority to isolate and quarantine to minimize the spread and impact of the disease.

• Food borne illnesses

  Keeping food and water safe is a major initiative of public health. The CDC keeps records on cases and statistics of water and food borne illnesses. In the case of a outbreak of food poisoning, public health officials will investigate and try to trace it back to its source in order to see if a larger population could be affected.

• Workplace threats

  Safety at work is key in preventing accidental injuries. In the twentieth century in particular, public health came a long way in decreasing fatal occupational injuries and improving worker safety. Additionally, helping to create a violence-free environment (both at work and at home) is an ongoing public health initiative. Public health officials are helping to prioritize interventions, promote preventative care and focus on underlying factors to address workplace and domestic violence.

• Transport-related threats

  In the past few decades, public health has transformed transportation safety by implementing the use of seat belts and airbags.  In the future, officials are trying to minimize the threat of distracted drivers by campaigning for the ban of texting on cell phones while driving.

Significant animal issues were experienced, sadly, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  Citizens who waited until the last minute to evacuate and were taken by helicopter or rescue boats were not allowed to bring their pets, and the Superdome did not allow pets either. It was estimated that 8,000 animals were rescued after Katrina, and 600,000 pets were killed or left without shelter. Following Hurricane Katrina, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act was passed in 2006. This act requires states in the event of a disaster to seek FEMA assistance for the care of pets as part of their resident evacuation plans.

The devastation of Hurricane Katrina helped us to see that we must plan ahead for our pets’ safety in preparation for a disaster. There are quite a few measures that you can take to ensure that you keep your furry friend protected through a disaster:

Planning

Keep extra pet supplies in your emergency kit, enough for them to survive for 72 hours. This should include pet food, a can opener, bottled water, veterinary records, medications, cat litter and pan, food dishes, and a first aid kit. Also in their kit, keep an information sheet with details such as their name and any possible behavioral problems. Have a pet carrier and leashes on hand; pets may be just as frightened in a disaster situation and want to take off. Be sure that all pet tags are up to date.

Make shelter plans

Make sure that all vaccinations are up to date, and you have all the proper documentation proving it, so you can easily board your animal. Research your options on where to house your pet in the event that you cannot take them with you in an evacuation. Call your local animal shelter or public health emergency department for information on disaster protocols. Make sure to call shelters that may be outside of your local area, in case closer ones are full or closed. Have your pet’s emergency kit ready to give to the shelter in the event that you are not able to take your pet to the shelter with you, and may not be able to return immediately.

During a disaster

If there is no evacuation necessary, and you must shelter-in-place, bring pets inside. Pets often become anxious in severe weather and weather changes, and may act uncharacteristically, so make sure to be aware of this. Dogs and cats who are typically amicable may not get along, so be sure to separate the two. Keep a secure leash on hand in case your animal needs to be restrained if they get too rambunctious. Knowing pet first aid can help save their lives in a disaster. If you are interested in becoming certified in pet first aid, contact your local American Red Cross for details of classes.

Pets are especially unlikely to survive when left home alone in a disaster, so only in the direst situation, or if your life is threatened, should you leave them at home alone. In the event that you have no other choice but to leave your pet at home, make sure to leave them inside in a confined area. Remove the toilet lid so that there is water provided for them, and leave a note in a visible area with contact information. In the event that emergency first responders come upon your home and find your pet, they will then have the information to get in contact with you.

So, when you get home tonight from work, set aside a few minutes to do the research and come up with a plan to ensure your pets stay safe through any disaster! You can find more great tips on disaster planning for pets and family from The Humane Society.

What causes spring allergies?

The cause of the recent high pollen count in the Southeast is tree pollen, a very tiny grain released by a tree while in bloom. Pollen may also be released from weeds, grasses, and other vegetation. Windy days are some of the worst, because it enables the pollen to travel further and pick up from surfaces more readily. Typical symptoms of spring allergies include runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes, headaches and an overall hazy and lightheaded feeling. These symptoms can also lead to exacerbated asthma symptoms, wheezing and shortness of breath. This may be extremely dangerous for certain vulnerable populations, such as children and older adults.

Often, it is hard to decipher these symptoms from those of the common cold, but allergies tend to create more persistent symptoms that last for more than just a couple of days. While cold medications may help to lessen symptoms of allergies, they will not completely go away until after the pollen season is over.

If you are being plagued by symptoms this allergy season:

• Wish for rain! Rain will wash down the pollen from the air and help to lessen the severity of symptoms.
• Check for your local pollen count from local news sources or through the National Weather Service.
• Avoid doing yard work, working or exercising outdoors on days with high pollen counts. If you do need to do yard work, or it is necessary to be outside for your job, wear a mask to limit exposure to allergens.
• Use an air conditioning unit while indoors and keep windows and doors shut. Frequently change the allergen air filter on your air conditioning unit. Using a HEPA filter will help limit circulating allergens as well.
• Vacuum twice a week to keep pollen from collecting on floors. While doing so, wear protection over your mouth and nose, because allergens may be kicked up into the air.
• Wash clothes and shower often after being outdoors and exposed to pollen.
• There are many over-the-counter and prescription drugs used to help fight symptoms of allergies. Starting to take these medications early in the season  or changing up brands may help.
• Some allergy suffers swear by natural remedies. The most popular ones include local honey, acupuncture, Vitamin C with Quercetin, saline sprays and neti pots.
• Seek the consultation of a physician (an allergist) if you are unable to find relief from these tips, they may suggest other remedies (such as allergy shots) or test you for specific allergic reactions.

For more information, consult the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America or take a look at this interactive allergy forecast map of the day’s best and worst allergy cities.

A jury in Christiansburg, VA last week found university officials guilty of negligence in the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings. How were they negligent? They waited too long to notify students after the first two fatalities. Jurors decided on an award of $4 million in this wrongful death suit, which will likely be decreased in coming weeks. So, where did the university officials go wrong?

First, here is a timeline of events and the officials’ reactions to the events:

7:15 First shooting in on-campus dormitory

8:00 Classes begin

8:25 Administration meets to debrief on events

8:52 University President Charles Steger’s office is locked down

9:26 Emails sent to 37,000 informing them of the first shooting incident

9:42 9-1-1 call made by students experiencing second shooting

9:50 After police arrive, it takes them five minutes to assemble a team to break into the building (the gunman had chained the doors)

9:50 Second email sent: “A gunman is loose on campus. Stay in buildings until further notice. Stay away from all windows”

Where did they go wrong? Here are the two biggest issues:

1. They assumed the first incident was isolated. Rather than assume the worst, officials let uninformed students walk to class with no knowledge of the whereabouts of the shooter.
2. It took more than two hours for the University to notify students of the first incident.

In the aftermath of VA Tech, dozens of notification providers popped up, offering best-in-class communications systems (with text, email, and voice capabilities) to reach thousands of recipients quickly. But that doesn’t solve the problem. The decisions that were made on Monday, April 16, 2007 were a result of untrained officials, who made incorrect assumptions, and acted too slowly. They had the technical infrastructure; they didn’t have the people structure in place. Communication is the last piece of preparing for unpredictable events. You must be able to READ a situation within seconds, RESPOND within minutes, and RECOVER for as long as it takes. Proper crisis training and a chain of command is crucial to ensure your organization can respond to a threat quickly when it happens. On its own, emergency notification is not enough, as this tragedy proved. Thirty lives might have been saved that day if a crisis structure had been in place.

International, City, or Adventure Trips:

• Get vaccinated. If going abroad, check which vaccinations are necessary and which are suggested for your destination. Certain regions are more prone to various infectious diseases – if you do not get vaccinated, you could get very sick and transmit the disease to others.
•  Think about purchasing travel insurance. Especially for a foreign or adventure trip, this may come in handy if someone in your family takes a fall, breaks a bone, or is in need of any kind of medical attention.
• Be cautious of what you eat and drink. In developing countries, there is a higher risk of pathogens in the water. Make sure to only consume foods that have been cooked completely, and only eat vegetables that you can peel yourself. Only drink sealed, bottled waters and drinks.
• Avoid being a target of crime. Keep money out of sight and in a safe place on your body. Only carry with you the necessary amount of money that you need and keep an eye on your personal items at all times. If leaving expensive personal items in a hotel room, make sure to lock them in a safe box.

Beach or Water Vacations:

• Wear sunscreen and protective clothing, limit sun exposure, and remember that the sun is hottest from 10 am – 4 pm. Overexposure to the sun can have many damaging short and long term effects including sun poisoning, extreme dehydration and skin cancers.
• Drink plenty of water if in the sun for extended periods of time.
• Only swim in designated areas. Certain areas may not be permitted for swimming because of very dangerous reasons, such as bacterial infection, water depth, rip tides, or animal dangers.

The free iPhone application from the US Department of State, Smart Traveler, is a great tool for anyone traveling. This application allows you to choose a country, and then view alerts/warnings, maps, descriptions, embassy location, safety and security regulations, and more.

For more information on a healthy and safe spring break, visit the CDC’s website or read these tips from the State Department about traveling abroad.

Of the significant control changes, service organizations are now required under SOC 2 to ensure availability and accessibility of their systems in addition to effective controls around the data.  This ensures your ability to manage a disruption of service due to a crisis, emergency, or disaster scenario.

Here are five key guidelines you need to consider to be compliant (and may not already have in place):

1. Perform a Risk Assessment

You must perform a risk assessment periodically (or whenever any changes occur to your physical environment). This assessment must consider all threats including fire, natural disasters, power failure/blackouts, cyber security, and workplace violence to name a few.  Your organization must be aware of the risks posed to you directly as well as those hazards that may be unique to your industry.

2. Conduct a Business Impact Analysis

The backup and recovery strategies for your organization should be developed from a systematic review of your business requirements. This is often done through a business impact analysis (BIA) where an independent organization will examine the components of your organization and structure and help you determine the requirements to recover the business.

3. Develop a Business Continuity Plan

The resulting resiliency and recovery plans, often called business continuity plans (BCP) and disaster recovery plans (DRP), must account for the issues discovered during the risk assessment and BIA. These actionable plans develop a strategy to be implemented during a business disruption.  The executable plans should include team, functional/departmental, and location specific plans, using a workable, all-hazards strategy.

4. Test your Plans

You must test both your BCP/DRP at least annually.  Tests range from tabletop drills to full-scale simulation exercises which test the effectiveness of the plan as well as the organization’s knowledge of (and ability to use) the plans.

5. Ensure Electronic Access to your Plans

Critical personnel (as identified in your plans) must have electronic access to the plans, wherever they are physically located at a given time.  These plans are stored on- and off-site, to ensure accessibility in the event that traditional paper documents are damaged or destroyed.

If you need assistance in preparing for your organization’s internal control audits, Preparis can help. Contact us to learn more.

“But, thanks in part to the ‘Joplin effect’ and the early warning system, people were allowed to get inside to safety.”

- Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, speaking in Branson, Missouri, following the February 29th tornadoes.

While there is little way to minimize the resulting property damage from a tornado, planning, practicing and knowing where and how to seek shelter are keys to maximizing personal safety in such events.

Signs of a tornado

Tornadoes are often associated with thunderstorms, heavy rain or hail followed by very calm conditions or strong winds. They are often preceded by a greenish-black sky and as the system approaches, include loud rumbling lasting a few seconds and very fast cloud movement indicating high wind speeds in the upper atmosphere.

Preparing for a tornado

Being aware of local weather alerts and understanding the difference between a tornado watch (tornadoes are possible in your area) and a tornado warning (tornadoes are occurring in your area) is important. Also important is ensuring you have an emergency kit prepared, including a NOAA or battery-powered radio to keep track of weather conditions if power is interrupted. Don’t forget to have spare batteries on hand as well.

In the event of a tornado watch, you should stay tuned to local radio, TV stations or your NOAA weather radio. Do not assume your area has tornado warning sirens – watch the weather and be prepared to take shelter immediately if conditions worsen. If the weather alert announces a tornado warning, you should take shelter immediately.

In the event of a tornado

• At work: Go to the area designated in your tornado plan or an inner hallway or other small windowless, interior room.
• At home: Go to the storm cellar, basement, or lowest level of the building. If there is no basement, go to an inner hallway or a smaller inner room away from windows. Get under a piece of sturdy furniture and hold on to it. Use your arms to protect your head and neck.
• If you are outdoors: If possible, get inside a building. If shelter is not available lie in a ditch, low-lying area, or crouch near a strong building. Watch for flying debris and flooding. Use your arms to protect your head and neck.
• If you are in a car: Never try to out-drive a tornado. Get out of the car immediately and take shelter in a nearby building. If there is no time to get indoors, get out of the car and lie in a ditch or low-lying area away from the vehicle. Watch for flying debris and flooding.

Following the tornado

Be aware of new safety hazards created by the storm. Watch for fallen power lines, broken water or sewer lines, broken gas lines, and unstable buildings and bridges once the weather has subsided. For information specific to your area, listen to your local news channel or radio stations for information. Do not expect immediate assistance as roads may be blocked or damaged. It may take some time for all disrupted utility services to be restored including phone, electricity, gas, water and sewer services, and garbage disposal.

Further resources

• How your business can prepare for a natural disaster
• Tornado warning case study: Alston + Bird LLP – A FORTUNE Magazine “100 Best Companies to Work For” law firm executes emergency preparation plans during a tornado warning
• Emergency Notification: 5 Best Practices