Emergency Preparedness

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management recently published a paper on things to think about to be ready in an emergency.

Their tips include:

• Choose an out-of-town friend or relative as an emergency point of contact. During emergencies it is often easier to make a long distance call than a local call. An out-of-town contact can help communicate among separated family members. Be sure everyone in your family knows the phone number for that person.
• If you have cell phones, teach family members how to use text messaging. Text messages can often get around cell network disruptions when a phone call might not be able to get through.
• Decide on a meeting place in case you cannot return home. Choose a neighborhood meeting place and another meeting place outside your neighborhood in case you can't return there. For example, your neighborhood meeting place may be a friend's house on the next street. A meeting place outside your neighborhood may be a nearby church, store or another friend's home.
• If you are a parent, ask your schools and daycare providers about their emergency plans. Find out how they will communicate with families during a crisis. Ask if they are prepared to "shelter in place" if needed and where they plan to go if they must leave.
• Talk with your family about the types of emergencies that could happen to you. Include weather emergencies, health crises and human-caused situations.
• Write down your family emergency plan. Get printable worksheets to make a plan at www.ReadyVirginia.gov. This Web site also provides information about emergency supplies and how to respond to all types of emergencies.

Report to President Obama on Identity Management

I found this the other day... the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee provided a report to the President in May 2009 on the need for an IdM strategy that spans the federal government. The report makes three recommendations.

1. Demonstrate personal national leadership in IdM to positively influence the national culture, attitude, and opinion toward IdM.

2. Charter a national IdM office under a specifically appointed and dedicated leadership, in the Executive Office of the President. The office should have powers to integrate and harmonize national IdM policies and processes, including those related to law enforcement and security, as well as physical and logical access controls.

3. Direct the newly created office to develop a coordinated programmatic agenda to implement a comprehensive IdM vision and strategy to address, at a minimum, four component areas, specifically:

1. Government organization and coordination
2. Public-Private IdM programs
3. Policy and legislative coordination
4. National privacy and civil liberties culture

The report strongly encourages a single, authoritative and comprehensive federal IdM governance process with an office dedicated to this mission and reporting to the President.