Microsoft Office 365 Features and Benefits

Moving to the Office 365 cloud comes with some key features and benefits.
Namely, your organization gets to continue to use the software you have been
using for years, but you now get to shift the burden onto Microsoft. In addition to shifting
the burden to Microsoft, there are some other key benefits.
To learn more about how Office 365 can assist your business, contact LKC at 252-290-5210
Generate greater productivity with Office 365
Access from anywhere with Office 365
Work with what you know with Office 365
Robust security and reliability
IT control and efficiency
Here are some of the product packages available
HOSTED EMAIL
( Exchange Online )
Complete integration with Outlook* and web access to email, calendars, and contacts
Cloud-based email using your own domain name
Shared calendars
Configurable anti-spamfiltering
Active Directorysynchronization
25GB user mailboxes and ability to send attachments up to 25 MB
Live 24 x 7 IT-level phone support
SMALL BUSINESS
( Plan P1 )
Cloud-based email using your own domain name
Shared calendars
Instant messaging, PC-to-PC calling, and video conferencing
Web-based viewing and editing of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote files
Team site for sharing files
Public website
Anti-malware and anti-spamfiltering
Microsoft communitysupport
MIDSIZE BUSINESS & ENTERPRISE
( Plan E1 )
Everything in Small Business, P1*, plus:
Active Directorysynchronization
Configurable anti-spamfiltering
SharePoint intranet supporting up to 300 site collections
Live 24 x 7 IT-level phone support
MIDSIZE BUSINESS & ENTERPRISE
( Plan E3 )
Office Professional Plus 2010 desktop version subscription (for up to 5 devices per user)
Email archiving and unlimited email storage
Hosted voicemail support
Connection to line-of-business applications
Dashboards with Excel Services

Imagine a cell phone charger that recharges your phone remotely without even knowing where it is; a device that targets and destroys tumors, wherever they are in the body; or a security field that can disable electronics, even a listening device hiding in a prosthetic toe, without knowing where it is. Share This: 187 See Also: Matter & Energy Physics Medical Technology Technology Quantum Physics Thermodynamics Engineering Reference Electric power Radar Mobile phone Mobile phone radiation and health While these applications remain only dreams, researchers at the University of Maryland have come up with a sci-fi seeming technology that one day could make them real. Using a "time-reversal" technique, the team has discovered how to transmit power, sound or images to a "nonlinear object" without knowing the object's exact location or affecting objects around it. "That's the magic of time reversal," says Steven Anlage, a university physics professor involved in the project. "When you reverse the waveform's direction in space and time, it follows the same path it took coming out and finds its way exactly back to the source." Play It Backwards The time-reversal process is less like living the last five minutes over and more like playing a record backwards, explains Matthew Frazier, a postdoctoral research fellow in the university's physics department. When a signal travels through the air, its waveforms scatter before an antenna picks it up. Recording the received signal and transmitting it backwards reverses the scatter and sends it back as a focused beam in space and time. "If you go toward a secure building, they won't let you take cell phones," Frazier says, so instead of checking everyone, they could detect the cell phone and send a lot of energy to it to jam it." What differentiates this research from other time-reversal projects, such as underwater communication, is that it focuses on nonlinear objects such as a cellphone, diode or even a rusty piece of metal --when a waveform bounces off them, the frequency changes. Most components electrical engineers work with are linear -- capacitors, wire, antennas -- because they do not change the frequency. With nonlinear objects, however, when the altered, nonlinear frequency is recorded, time-reversed and retransmitted, it creates a private communication channel because other objects cannot "understand" the signal. "Time reversal has been around for 10 to 20 years but it requires some pretty sophisticated technology to make it work," Anlage says. "Technology is now catching up to where we are able to use it in some new and interesting ways." Not only could this nonlinear characteristic secure a wireless communication line, it could prevent transmitted energy from affecting any object but its target. For example, Frazier says, if scientists find a way to tag tumors with chemicals or nanoparticles that react to microwaves in a nonlinear way, doctors could use the technology to direct destructive heat to the errant cells -- much like ultrasound is used to break down kidney stones. But unlike an ultrasound, that is directed to a specific location, doctors would not need to know where the tumors were and the heat treatment would not affect surrounding cells. Bouncing Off the Walls To study the phenomenon, the researchers sent a microwave pulse into an enclosed area where waveforms scattered and bounced around inside, as well as off a nonlinear and a linear port. A transceiver then recorded and time-reversed the frequencies the nonlinear port had altered and broadcast them back into the space. The nonlinear port picked up the time-reversed signal but the linear port did not. "Everything we have done has been in very controlled conditions in labs," Frazier says. "It will take more research to figure out how to develop treatments," Frazier says. "I'm sure there are other uses we haven't thought of." The team has submitted an invention disclosure to the university's Office of Technology Commercialization.

Imagine a cell phone charger that recharges your phone remotely without even knowing where it is; a device that targets and destroys tumors, wherever they are in the body; or a security field that can disable electronics, even a listening device hiding in a prosthetic toe, without knowing where it is.

---

While these applications remain only dreams, researchers at the University of Maryland have come up with a sci-fi seeming technology that one day could make them real. Using a "time-reversal" technique, the team has discovered how to transmit power, sound or images to a "nonlinear object" without knowing the object's exact location or affecting objects around it.

"That's the magic of time reversal," says Steven Anlage, a university physics professor involved in the project. "When you reverse the waveform's direction in space and time, it follows the same path it took coming out and finds its way exactly back to the source."

Play It Backwards

The time-reversal process is less like living the last five minutes over and more like playing a record backwards, explains Matthew Frazier, a postdoctoral research fellow in the university's physics department. When a signal travels through the air, its waveforms scatter before an antenna picks it up. Recording the received signal and transmitting it backwards reverses the scatter and sends it back as a focused beam in space and time.

"If you go toward a secure building, they won't let you take cell phones," Frazier says, so instead of checking everyone, they could detect the cell phone and send a lot of energy to it to jam it."

What differentiates this research from other time-reversal projects, such as underwater communication, is that it focuses on nonlinear objects such as a cellphone, diode or even a rusty piece of metal --when a waveform bounces off them, the frequency changes.

Most components electrical engineers work with are linear -- capacitors, wire, antennas -- because they do not change the frequency. With nonlinear objects, however, when the altered, nonlinear frequency is recorded, time-reversed and retransmitted, it creates a private communication channel because other objects cannot "understand" the signal.

"Time reversal has been around for 10 to 20 years but it requires some pretty sophisticated technology to make it work," Anlage says. "Technology is now catching up to where we are able to use it in some new and interesting ways."

Not only could this nonlinear characteristic secure a wireless communication line, it could prevent transmitted energy from affecting any object but its target. For example, Frazier says, if scientists find a way to tag tumors with chemicals or nanoparticles that react to microwaves in a nonlinear way, doctors could use the technology to direct destructive heat to the errant cells -- much like ultrasound is used to break down kidney stones. But unlike an ultrasound, that is directed to a specific location, doctors would not need to know where the tumors were and the heat treatment would not affect surrounding cells.

Bouncing Off the Walls

To study the phenomenon, the researchers sent a microwave pulse into an enclosed area where waveforms scattered and bounced around inside, as well as off a nonlinear and a linear port. A transceiver then recorded and time-reversed the frequencies the nonlinear port had altered and broadcast them back into the space. The nonlinear port picked up the time-reversed signal but the linear port did not.

"Everything we have done has been in very controlled conditions in labs," Frazier says. "It will take more research to figure out how to develop treatments," Frazier says. "I'm sure there are other uses we haven't thought of."

The team has submitted an invention disclosure to the university's Office of Technology Commercialization.

Google to Rein In Free Version of Software

The Wall Street Journal 

• TECHNOLOGY

• Updated December 6, 2012, 7:29 p.m. ET

By AMIR EFRATI

Google Inc. said it stopped offering its suite of Web-based software for businesses—known as Google Apps—free of charge to groups of 10 or fewer users, as it moves to generate revenue from previously free services.

The move shows a renewed focus by Google on serving small businesses, which have long been the sweet spot for Google Apps. The Web-based software competes with Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT -0.94% Office software and Exchange email service.

Sundar Pichai, Google's senior vice president in charge of Google Apps, said Google wants to provide small businesses that use the free version of the software with dedicated customer support—something only paying customers currently get. "We're not serving them well," he said of the free users.

Related

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Mr. Pichai added that the millions of people who already use the free version will continue to get it free.

Google Apps, part of a technology trend known as cloud computing, includes a custom email address, Google Docs and Google Drive online storage as well as customer support for paying customers.

For the past year, any business with more than 10 software users paid $50 per person a year for the service. Before 2011, only companies with more than 50 users were required to pay.

Over the past year Google generated around $1 billion from the sale of Google Apps and separate mapping software to businesses and governments, said people familiar with the matter. Google said more than five million businesses use Google Apps, though the vast majority have fewer than 10 users and thus use the free version. In total, Google has said more than 40 million people use the free and paid versions of Google Apps.

Paul Davison, co-founder of a popular mobile app called Highlight that launched this year, said he and his six colleagues have been using the free version of Google Apps for email, calendars, storage and to collaborate on documents and spreadsheets. "We would definitely be willing to pay," he said.

Google has made other moves to generate revenue from businesses that used its services for free. Last year, Google began charging businesses such as mobile app makers that access Google Maps more than 25,000 times per day. This year, Google began charging retailers seeking to be included in its Google Shopping service.

Dave Girouard, who ran the Google Apps unit before leaving Google earlier this year, said Google's recent moves to charge a fee to more business customers were partly influenced by Apple Inc.'s business model for its services, such as iCloud online software.

Apple "doesn't give anything away for free, and that's had some influence on how Google thinks about enterprise," said Mr. Girouard, who now runs Upstart Network Inc., which helps college graduates raise money to launch businesses.

Since it began selling Google Apps in 2007, Google has had occasional success at signing up big companies such as Spanish bank Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA BBVA.MC +0.71% and government agencies such as the U.S. Interior Department. Google Apps late last year signed a deal with General Motors Co. GM -2.25% to provide email and online-collaboration software to more than 100,000 employees, but the deal later fell apart, said people familiar with the matter.

In recent years, Google has pushed further into selling software services to businesses, surprising Web-industry observers who expected Google Chief Executive Larry Page to scale back the efforts after taking the job in early 2011. Most recently, Google launched the Google Compute Engine, allowing companies to run their applications and store data on computers managed by the Internet giant.

FCC unveils technology transition task force

Group will be jointly led by Sean Lev and Rebekah Goodheart

December 11, 2012 | By Sean Buckley

The FCC on Monday formed the agency-wide Technology Transitions Policy Task Force to address the issue of service providers moving away from TDM to all-IP networks.

This group will be co-led by Sean Lev, the regulator's general counsel, who will serve as interim director, and Rebekah Goodheart, associate chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau, who will serve as deputy director.

"The Technology Transitions Policy Task Force will play a critical role in answering the fundamental policy question for communications in the 21st century: In a broadband world, how can we best ensure that our nation's communications policies continue to drive a virtuous cycle of innovation and investment, promote competition, and protect consumers?" said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski in a prepared statement about the new task force.

The new task force will coordinate efforts on various issues surrounding IP interconnection, resiliency of 21st century communications networks, business broadband competition and consumer protection with a particular focus on voice services. In addition, the task force will take recommendations from the Technological Advisory Committee on the PSTN Transition, coordinate with the NARUC Presidential Task Force on Federalism and Telecommunications and evaluate the feedback from the Commission's pending field hearings on Superstorm Sandy.

What's interesting about this new task force is it comes at a time when AT&T (NYSE: T), one of the U.S. market's largest telcos, is asking for regulatory relief on its aging TDM-based networks.

During a recent discussion at the Brookings Institution, AT&T, which has asked the FCC for regulatory relief on its TDM-based networks, said the rules that governed the once voice-centric TDM world don't apply to the growing IP-based network deployments.

Last month, AT&T pledged $14 billion to upgrade its wireline and wireless networks to all-IP in both its large markets and in rural markets. 

"We have to be able to start this transition from the old to the new," Jim Cicconi, AT&T senior executive vice president, said in a Nov. 27 Brookings Institution discussion. "The underlying statutes really aren't designed for the current situation."

One element that the major telcos would like relief from is the Provider of Last Resort (POLR) regulations. Unlike cable operators such as Comcast that provide circuit switched and IP-based voice service, telcos like AT&T and Verizon have to ensure that they can provide traditional POTS service to every residence and meet standards to ensure that phone service remains operational during storms and power outages.

The regulator's efforts, not surprisingly, are drawing different reactions from industry pundits and competitive groups.

Anna-Maria Kovacs, visiting senior policy scholar at Georgetown University's Center for Business and Public Policy, wrote in a FierceTelecom column that the task force could help streamline the TDM-to-IP transition process.

"A coordinated effort by the FCC to examine the issue of network migration from TDM-based networks to IP-based networks should result in a smoother migration to the IP-based broadband networks that consumers and businesses need and that Congress and the Administration consider a national priority," wrote Kovacs.

However, industry groups like COMPTEL say the FCC needs to ensure that any changes won't affect competitive providers such as tw telecom (Nasdaq: TWTC) from getting access to the telco's last mile facilities to deliver business services.

"COMPTEL believes that the top priority for the Task Force should be to preserve and promote competition by ensuring that competitive carriers continue to have access to last mile facilities and interconnection on just, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms and conditions as required by the Communications Act, so that consumers and businesses of all sizes continue to have a choice of services and service providers," said Jerry James, CEO of COMPTEL, in a statement about the new Task Force. "Access to copper, wireless and fiber network technologies should be available on a wholesale basis to enable competitive choice for end users and support the administration's goals of expanding broadband across the country."

Time Reversal' Research May Open Doors to Future Tech

Dec. 6, 2012

Imagine a cell phone charger that recharges your phone remotely without even knowing where it is; a device that targets and destroys tumors, wherever they are in the body; or a security field that can disable electronics, even a listening device hiding in a prosthetic toe, without knowing where it is.

While these applications remain only dreams, researchers at the University of Maryland have come up with a sci-fi seeming technology that one day could make them real. Using a "time-reversal" technique, the team has discovered how to transmit power, sound or images to a "nonlinear object" without knowing the object's exact location or affecting objects around it.

"That's the magic of time reversal," says Steven Anlage, a university physics professor involved in the project. "When you reverse the waveform's direction in space and time, it follows the same path it took coming out and finds its way exactly back to the source."

Play It Backwards

The time-reversal process is less like living the last five minutes over and more like playing a record backwards, explains Matthew Frazier, a postdoctoral research fellow in the university's physics department. When a signal travels through the air, its waveforms scatter before an antenna picks it up. Recording the received signal and transmitting it backwards reverses the scatter and sends it back as a focused beam in space and time.

"If you go toward a secure building, they won't let you take cell phones," Frazier says, so instead of checking everyone, they could detect the cell phone and send a lot of energy to it to jam it."

What differentiates this research from other time-reversal projects, such as underwater communication, is that it focuses on nonlinear objects such as a cellphone, diode or even a rusty piece of metal --when a waveform bounces off them, the frequency changes.

Most components electrical engineers work with are linear -- capacitors, wire, antennas -- because they do not change the frequency. With nonlinear objects, however, when the altered, nonlinear frequency is recorded, time-reversed and retransmitted, it creates a private communication channel because other objects cannot "understand" the signal.

"Time reversal has been around for 10 to 20 years but it requires some pretty sophisticated technology to make it work," Anlage says. "Technology is now catching up to where we are able to use it in some new and interesting ways."

Not only could this nonlinear characteristic secure a wireless communication line, it could prevent transmitted energy from affecting any object but its target. For example, Frazier says, if scientists find a way to tag tumors with chemicals or nanoparticles that react to microwaves in a nonlinear way, doctors could use the technology to direct destructive heat to the errant cells -- much like ultrasound is used to break down kidney stones. But unlike an ultrasound, that is directed to a specific location, doctors would not need to know where the tumors were and the heat treatment would not affect surrounding cells.

Bouncing Off the Walls

To study the phenomenon, the researchers sent a microwave pulse into an enclosed area where waveforms scattered and bounced around inside, as well as off a nonlinear and a linear port. A transceiver then recorded and time-reversed the frequencies the nonlinear port had altered and broadcast them back into the space. The nonlinear port picked up the time-reversed signal but the linear port did not.

"Everything we have done has been in very controlled conditions in labs," Frazier says. "It will take more research to figure out how to develop treatments," Frazier says. "I'm sure there are other uses we haven't thought of."

The team has submitted an invention disclosure to the university's Office of Technology Commercialization.

Motorola Mobility to exit South Korean market

December 10, 2012 | By Phil Goldstein

Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Motorola Mobility unit said it will shut down its mobile development and operations in South Korea and will cut most of its staff in the country next year. The action is Google's latest effort to slim down Motorola after acquiring the company earlier this year.

Around 10 percent of Motorola's South Korean staff will remain there in order to continue the company's iDEN and set-top box businesses. However, the company will slash 500 jobs as it stops marketing and selling mobile devices in the country. Motorola is not the first OEM to exit the home market of Samsung and LG; HTC announced plans this summer to leave South Korea.

"On Dec. 10, we began communicating to staff in Korea our plans to close most of our operations in Korea, including our research and development and consumer mobile device marketing organization," Motorola said in a statement, according to ZDNet. "The changes in Korea reflect our plans to consolidate our global research and development efforts to foster collaboration, and to focus more attention on markets where we are best positioned to compete effectively."

Google said in August it would slash around 4,000 jobs at Motorola, or 20 percent of the unit's workforce, and said that two-thirds of those cuts would come from outside the United States. And in October Google warned it expects additional job cuts.

Google purchased Motorola in May for $12.5 billion, primarily for Motorola's 17,000 patents. But that has done little so far to stem patent litigation among Android handset makers and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT).

Google has said Motorola will make fewer devices than it used to as its focuses on more innovative designs (though a slimmer portfolio is also one way to cut costs).

You can choose between digital and analog calls or switch to a Voice over IP (VoIP)

Contact LKC if you would like to receive the 10 Golden Rules to help you choose a new telephony system. 

lkccaresaboutyourbusiness@lkconsulting.net

Until recently, organizations had very few choices when it came to telephony services if they required more than one or two phone extensions. Now you can choose between digital and analog calls or switch to a Voice over IP (VoIP). Like any business-critical system, a telephony system is a major deployment that should be undertaken only after learning both your existing infrastructure and user's needs. Use this checklist of 10 golden rules to help you choose a new telephony system that will match your organization and user's needs. 

IBM: 61 percent of IT professionals see security as the top barrier to enterprise mobility

December 6, 2012 | By Fred Donovan

A full 61 percent of IT professionals see security as the top barrier to adoption of mobile technology in the enterprise, according to a survey of more than 1,200 IT and business decision makers conducted by IBM (NYSE: IBM).

Other barriers to mobile technology adoption include integration of mobile with existing infrastructure and data (44 percent) and difficulty in extending applications to mobile (38 percent).

Yet, nearly 70 percent of respondents said their enterprises plan to increase investment in mobile technology over the next two years, according to the 2012 IBM Tech Trends Report.

Security is also the number one barrier to cloud and social business technology adoption, and the number two barrier to business analytics technology adoption, according to the survey.

"Security concerns consistently rank as the most significant barrier to adoption across mobile, cloud computing and social business. Even in business analytics, where data typically stays inside an organization's firewall, securing and controlling access to data still places as the number-two barrier to adoption," according to the IBM report.

The report also identified major IT skills gaps in the technologies examined: mobile, cloud, social, and analytics.

Dan Hauenstein, manager for academic initiative strategy at IBM, told FierceMobileIT that "there is a skills gap around these technologies and it is growing to the point where there is concern it could threaten innovation and growth."

"When you look across the technology spaces, security is far and away the top barrier to adoption cited," Hauenstein said.

To address these gaps, IBM has launched a number of initiatives to improve IT skills training. "We are making the most significant expansion to our academic initiative program since its launch in 2004. One key area where we are taking action is around security and helping students get cybersecurity skills that are marketable," he explained.

IBM's new cybersecurity offerings include a curriculum that brings real-world technology security scenarios into the classroom, helping students understand enterprise security challenges, as well as access to security software that professors can use in the classroom to teach students how to test applications for bugs and check network and virtualized servers for vulnerabilities.

"What is going to hold us back from applying these technologies is the security barrier that was cited in the report," Hauenstein concluded.

3 Steps Toward Brand-Worthy Customer Service

Google “customer service horror story” and you have 24,300,000 results to choose from. On the more positive side of customer service, here’s one easy link to “11 of the Best Customer Service Stories Ever, (http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/120126) compiled by Stacy Conradt for Mental Floss, with samples that will inspire you and show the brand value of going beyond just meeting customer expectations to delighting them.

You can click over to that site for the moving story of a grandparent who missed the flight he needed to make to see his dying grandson alive, but arrived at the airport to find a Southwest Airlines pilot holding the plane for him. However, not every story has to be this spectacular or heart wrenching to merit viral online notice – also read the account of how a hungry traveler sent a general email to Morton’s Steakhouse, begging for food upon landing: “Hey, @Mortons – can you meet me at newark airport with a porterhouse when I land in two hours? K, thanks.  ”. The hungry traveler was stunned to then be met at the gate and handed a bag with a 24-ounce steak, shrimp, potatoes, bread, napkins and silverware, courtesy of the nearest Morton’s Steakhouse establishment, more than 23 miles away.

Because “delighted customer” moments (and the easy availability of cell phone cameras to record such delightful encounters) have brand marketing power, you’ll see more campaigns in the future like Zappo’s 2010 campaign “Happy People Making People Happy”. Branding itself as “a customer service company that just happens to sell shoes”, Zappos recently showcased real conversations with customers and then parlayed those interactions into an integrated (TV, digital, social, experimental and print) campaign.

The result? Site visits increased 40% and Zappos saw a 44% increase in new customers, with a 40% increase in sales overall. Revenue per media spend increased 488%. We marketers are interested in such data, but regardless of your business background, sales is sales is sales. That’s what creates jobs in the real world. And the real measurement of Zappos’ success is growth from $1 million to $1 billion in 10 years.

1. Customer service is a top-down value, branded and trained into every staff position. The 2011 NRF Foundation’s list of Top 10 retailers (selected by shoppers) for holiday shopping is now available: (1) Amazon.com; (2) JCPenney; (3) Kohl’s Department Stores; (4) Lands’ End; (5) L.L. Bean; (6) Newegg; (7) Nordstrom; (8) Overstock.com; (9) QVC; and (10) Zappos. In each case, winning companies’ top executives interject how important customer service is to their core business when interviewed about divergent topics.

2. Employee empowerment: Ritz-Carton adopted the easy-to-understand motto, “We are Ladies and Gentlemen servicing Ladies and Gentlemen,” and has since empowered every employee to spend up to $2,000 making any single guest satisfied. They’ve become the industry icon for customer service standards.

3. Tell the story and encourage others to tell your story. Ritz-Carlton also has committed to a daily 15-minute lineup of all employees worldwide. One agenda item is the “Wow Story” which calls out and reinforces a customer service success story, positively motivating employees to be part of a similar story at the next meeting.

Telecommuting increases productivity. Is it for you?

Studies show it helps increase employee productivity. Plus, it saves employers and employees time and money. And, it leads to greenhouse gas reductions.

Let’s start with productivity. In 2009, Cisco announced the findings of their survey, an in-depth study of about 2,000 employees, and found that productivity due to telecommuting generated about $277 million in annual savings for the company. Employees also reported improved quality of life, improved collaboration, and greater timeliness of work.

Moving on to saving time and money, an area where employees report fewer distractions and only attending meetings critical to their job. And, with fewer office-based employees, you need less office space. Plus, when hiring new employees, you can eliminate re-location expenses. According to Global Workplace Analytics, IBM slashed real estate costs by $50 million and Nortel saves about $100,000 per employee they don’t have to re-locate.

Lastly, telecommuting helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It’s great for our earth, and that means it’s good for all of us. Maybe you’re wondering how letting employees telecommute reduces the carbon dioxide in the air. It’s based on the number of miles one drives (or doesn’t because they’re telecommuting). I save an estimated $2,800 a year by telecommuting one day a week and reduce greenhouse gases by about 2,200 pounds.

Don’t lose your business to a power outage, hacker disruption, fire, earthquake or other disaster. If you’re not prepared, a disaster could put you and your employees at risk, possibly shutting down your business forever.

LKC has PDF files at no cost that can assist you prior to or after an event occurs. We offer this at no cost to to those that would like them. Simply contact us at LKCcaresaboutyourbusiness@lkconsulting.net

Here are the PDF files available;

Recovery Overview

Critical Business Functions

Risk Assessment

Vendor Assessment

Emergency Communications Plan

Phone Recovery

Disaster Recovery Kit

Unique Supplies

Table Top Test

Winter Weather Preparedness

Earthquake Preparedness

Tornado Preparedness

Wildfire Preparedness

Flood Preparedness

Hurricane Preparedness

Crisis Communications Checklist

What to Take When You Evacuate

Roughly 40 to 60 percent of small businesses never reopen their doors following a disaster. But you can.

Disaster planning and preparedness can be your lifeline to staying in business. With proper education, planning, testing and disaster assistance, you will be able to stay in business through any interruption and beyond.

Disaster Planning Can Reduce Time to Recovery and Expense.

Major disasters, such as earthquakes and large-scale power outages, are rare. Smaller disasters, such as server failure, burst pipes and fires however happen every day. Companies often prepare for the worst but forget the everyday challenges, which can be just as crippling.

While a majority of large businesses have contingency plans for a pandemic or other catastrophe in place, many small to medium companies do not, which can result in their demise in the wake of a disaster, according to experts.

"Small businesses that don't have a plan in place generally don't survive after a disaster, whether it's a flood or a tornado. We see that anywhere from 40-60 percent of those that are hit like that simply don't come back to business," said David Paulison, former executive director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

He added, "The truth is that it's not that difficult to put a plan together to survive any type of catastrophic event--a disaster or something like H1N1."

Mr. Paulison said FEMA and Homeland Security Web sites have detailed steps for putting a plan together as well as practicing the plan to make sure it works.

When he was at Homeland Security, he noted, their contingency plan was practiced with employees working from remote sites to make sure they could all communicate and do their jobs.

Smaller companies are "just now beginning to figure out how to get their arms around it, and they're potentially more susceptible to events than a large enterprise."

An example is large bank with a branch closed can have customers visit another branch, whereas a small business wouldn't have the same options.

According to the 2009 Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity Survey from Charlotte, N.C.-based Agility:

o Ninety percent of smaller companies (less than 100 employees) surveyed spend less than one day per month preparing and maintaining their continuity plans.

o One in five (22 percent) spend no time maintaining their plans.

o Comparatively, 20 percent of larger companies (more than 100 employees) spend over 10 days per month on their continuity plans.

In exercising a plan assumptions that have been made sometimes are not valid. "It's better to find that out."

Dr. William Lang, former associate chief medical officer at the Dept. of Homeland Security, said during the conference that in preparing for the H1N1 virus, larger organizations can begin with their existing disaster plan and apply it to the H1N1 risks. Small to medium size business, however, may not have an all-hazards plan in place as a starting point.

He added that smaller businesses often don't have a risk manager employed to implement a plan. "The risk manager is the owner of the business," he said. "And how much time is [the owner] going to spend on risk management versus operating his business?"

Mr. Boyd pointed out that smaller businesses--that haven't been mandated by a regulator to put a plan in place--may perceive that implementing an all-hazards plan is too time-consuming and costly.

Dr. Lang said a roadblock to putting a pandemic plan in place is what he called "pandemic fatigue," or apathy, caused by the perception that the H1N1 virus may be a "non-event."

While the likelihood is that we may be facing a "bad flu season" rather than a full-blown pandemic, some businesses may be hit with high absenteeism rates, he observed.

He explained that the effect to businesses is different than other disasters because it affects people rather than the facility, meaning that companies need to protect their employees.

Situations that need to be planned for include:

o Employees who may have used up their sick leave.

o Contractors who may come to work sick.

o Parents who might have to stay home to care for a sick child and need to be covered for in the office.

"A pandemic doesn't have geographic lines, unlike a hurricane or earthquake," he said.

He said insurance agents and brokers can play a big part in helping smaller businesses get up to speed in this area. "This is a perfect opportunity for agents and brokers," he said, adding that some insurers give discounts for recovery plans.

When disaster strikes, having a plan and being able to put it into immediate action can mean the difference between staying open to service the needs of your customers and community or shutting down for a few days.

Following a disaster, statistics show ninety percent of companies fail within a year unless they can resume operations within five days. Having a plan can ensure that you’re back in business quickly and able to provide products and services to your community.

This is a list of current Disaster Declarations;

States	Declaration #	Incident
Nevada	13406	Severe Thunderstorms and Flash Flooding
Nevada	13406	Severe Thunderstorms and Flash Flooding
Alaska	13393	2012 Alaska Chinook Salmon Fishery Disaster
Rhode Island	13387, 13388	Rhode Island Hurricane Sandy
North Carolina	13382, 13383	Hurricane Sandy
New York	13365, 13366	New York Hurricane Sandy
New Jersey	13367, 13368	New Jersey Hurricane Sandy
Connecticut	13369, 13370	Connecticut Hurricane Sandy
Massachusetts	13348, 13349	Massachusetts Severe Storms and Flooding
Pennsylvania	13346, 13347	Pennsylvania Cheltenham Township Condominium Complex Fire
New York	13341, 13342	New York Heavy Rain and Flooding
Utah	13326, 13327	Flooding
Oklahoma	13328, 13329	Oklahoma Luther Wildfire
Oklahoma	13330, 13331	Oklahoma Multiple Wildfires
New Jersey	13305, 13306	Severe Storms and significant Straight-line Winds
Pennsylvania	13307, 13308	Apartment Building Fire in Bellefonte Borough
West Virginia	13309, 13310	Severe Storms and Straight-line Winds
Arizona/California	13288, 13289	Brawley Earthquakes
California	13290	Ocean Avenue Fire
California	13291	Chips Fire
North Carolina	13269, 13270	Severe Storms and Flooding
Mississippi	13273, 13274	Mississippi Hurricane Isaac
Louisiana	13271, 13272	Louisiana Hurricane Isaac
Oklahoma	13241, 13242	Oklahoma Freedom and Noble Wildfires
Florida	13230, 13231	Florida Severe Storms and Flooding
Minnesota	1,321,913,220	Severe Storms and Flooding
Tennessee	13215, 13216	Severe Storms, Flooding and Heavy Rain
Illinois/Indiana	1,321,713,218	Severe Storms, High Winds, Large Hail
Georgia	13213, 13214	Severe Storms and Flooding
Colorado	13196, 13197	Colorado Wildfires in El Paso and Larimer Counties, Subsequent Flooding and Mudslides
Montana	13188, 13189	Montana Dahl Fire
Indiana	13174, 13175	Indiana Severe Storms and High Winds
Montana	13170, 13171	Ash Creek Wildfire
Minnesota/Wisconsin	13156, 13157	Severe Storms and Flooding
Georgia	13110, 13111	Georgia Severe Storms and Flooding
New Mexico	13105, 13106	Little Bear Fire
Florida	13103, 13104	Tropical Storm Debby
Michigan	13101, 13102	Michigan Severe Storms and Flooding
Florida/Geogia	13087, 13088	Severe Storms and Flooding
Massachusetts	13078, 13079	Massachusetts Lake Williams Condominium Complex Fire
Louisiana	13074, 13075	Louisiana Severe Storms and Flooding
Louisiana/Texas	13076, 13077	Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding
Oklahoma	13069, 13070	Oklahoma Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Hail
Kansas	13067, 13068	Severe Storms, Hail and Tornadoes
Texas	13063, 13064	Multiple Tornadoes, Hail and Severe Weather
Oregon	13060, 13061	Severe Winter Storm System
Illinois	13052, 13053	Severe Storms and Tornadoes
West Virginia	13054, 13055	West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides
West Virginia	13044, 13045	West Virginia Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides
Tennessee	13048, 13049	Tennessee Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding
Arkansas/Missouri	13041, 13042	Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Hail, High Winds, Heavy Rain, and Flooding
Alaska	13037, 13038	2012 Prince William Sound Winter Storm
Ohio	13039, 13040	Ohio Tornadoes, High Winds and Flooding
Kansas	13033, 13034	Severe Storms and a Tornado
North Carolina	13031, 13032	North Carolina Severe Storms and Tornadoes
Indiana	13035, 13036	Indiana Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Tornadoes
Kentucky	13029, 13030	Kentucky Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding
Connecticut	13024	Connecticut Major Winter Storm
Massachusetts	13021, 13022	Brookline Apartment Building Fire
California/Nevada/Oregon	13000, 13001	Washoe Drive Fire
Alabama	13002, 13003	Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding
Texas	12998, 12999	Severe Storms and Flooding
North Carolina	12990, 12991	North Carolina Tornadoes, High Wind and Severe Weather
California	12981, 12982	1502 Golden Gate Fire
Alabama/Georgia	12978, 12979	Severe Storms and Tornadoes
California	12967, 12968	Los Angeles County High Winds
California	12963, 12964	Sequoia Apartment Complex Fire
Oklahoma	12955, 12956	Earthquakes
Nevada	12957, 12958	Caughlin Fire
Indiana	12949, 12950	Indiana Severe Storms and Tornadoes
Maryland	12953, 12954	Maryland Remnants from Tropical Storm Lee
Maryland	12595	Maryland Tropical Storm Lee
Mississippi	12938, 12939	Mississippi Severe Storms and Tornadoes
North Carolina	12936, 12937	Storms and Tornadoes
Virginia	12917, 12918	Virginia Tropical Storm Lee
Florida	12919, 12920	Florida Severe Storms and Flooding
Virginia	12909, 12910	Virginia Earthquake
Florida	12901, 12902	Florida Severe Storms and Tornadoes
Delaware/Maryland	12899	Flooding from Hurricane Irene
Puerto Rico	12897, 12898	Tropical Storm Maria
Massachusetts	12884, 12885	Massachusetts Severe Storms and Flooding
New Jersey	12876, 12877	New Jersey Severe Storms and Flooding
Delaware	12864, 12865	Delaware Hurricane Irene
Rhode Island	12850, 12851	Rhode Island Hurricane Irene
Virginia	12843, 12844	Virginia Hurricane Irene
Georgia	12817, 12818	Georgia Tornado
Indiana	12813, 12814	Indiana Severe Storms, Hail, Tornadoes and Flooding
Pennsylvania	12820, 12821	Pennsylvania Hurricane Irene
Pennsylvania	12822, 12823	Pennsylvania Tropical Storm Lee
New Hampshire	12811, 12812	New Hampshire Tropical Storm Irene
Massachusetts	12799, 12800	Massachusetts Tropical Storm Irene
Connecticut	12797, 12798	Connecticut Tropical Storm Irene
Vermont	12784, 12785	Vermont Tropical Storm Irene
Kentucky	12788, 12789	Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
North Carolina	12774, 12775	North Carolina Hurricane Irene
New York	12776, 12777	New York Hurricane Irene
New Jersey	12780, 12781	New Jersey Hurricane Irene
Michigan	12764, 12765	Michigan Heavy Rain and Flooding
Illinois	12766, 12767	Illinois Severe Storms and Flooding
Puerto Rico	12768, 12769	Puerto Rico Hurricane Irene