Mind-Alliance Recommends Private Sector Emergency Preparedness Plans Standards to U.S Department of Homeland Security

To help the private sector prepare more effectively for manmade and natural disasters, David Kamien, the CEO of software company Mind- Alliance Systems (www.mind-alliance.com), recommended that standards be developed to require key private sector companies to develop information sharing and communication plans that specify which company employees and officials should receive, request or transmit information and the type of information that needs to be shared in a crisis.

In order to assure that the plans are properly implemented and updated, the Mind-Alliance recommendations propose exercises to test the system and a regular review, at least annually, by outside experts. The full text of the recommendations is available here:

Download the Mind-Alliance PS-Prep Standards - Recommendations 142Kb

The presentation was made at the request of the DHS Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program (PS-Prep) committee during its first stakeholders meeting at the U.S Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Washington, DC.

Mind-Alliance has pioneered the development of software to accelerate the preparation of emergency communication plans for complex organizations and their partners. The company piloted the methodology underpinning the software in a DHS-funded project in 2006. “The Mind-Alliance methodology uncovered gaps in the flow of information that could have cost many lives in a real emergency,” according to Harold Neil, Jr., the recently-retired Director of the Office of Transportation Security at the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and currently a principal at Homeland Defense Solutions. Mind-Alliance will develop a information sharing plan for a FEMA-funded project for the Philadelphia Regional Transit Security Working Group in 2009. “The ability of an organization to successfully execute its emergency preparedness plan depends greatly on effective information sharing and communication, both internally and with partners, Kamien said. In his presentation Kamien emphasized that ”An organization cannot function effectively in a crisis, or be considered to have met a preparedness standard, without developing robust emergency communication plan that specifies information sharing procedures, and if it does not exercise this plan periodically, and address shortcomings.”

Commenting after the event, Mike Hopmeier, President of Unconventional Concepts, Inc. and a Mind-Alliance advisory board member, said: "Emergency plans need to be executed by a wide array of participants, not just the planners and analysts who prepare them." Those people, both inside and outside the organization need to know and practice information sharing and communication procedures in advance of an incident.

Rapid sharing of key information with key persons is major problem during large-scale emergencies. Since its inception, DHS has been working on information sharing problems among governments agencies and between the private and public sectors. PS-PREP is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program established under the authority of Title IX of the 9/11 Recommendations Act, Pub. L. No. 110-53, 121 Stat. 266, 338 (Aug. 3, 2007) (9/11 Recommendations Act) which aims to raise the level of private sector preparedness through a preparedness standards, and certification of conformity with private sector standards and other measures.

After the Ps-Prep meeting Michael Penders, President of Environmental Security International, www.esisecurity.com, said “The approach offered by Mind-Alliance Systems also helps companies conform to new international standards for integrated Security Management Systems such as ISO 28000, ISO 27000, BSI 18001, as well as NFPA 1600, ISO 14000, among others. Better developed and tested emergency communication and recovery processes are at the heart of these new standards, properly understood. They also fulfill emerging customer requirements in critical infrastructure sectors dominated by the private sector actors, such as financial, energy, and information services. More importantly, because they are tailored to address risks of a specific organization, its support, and supply chain, they are more likely to work in a crisis.”

About Mind-Alliance Systems

Mind-Alliance Systems, LLC (www.mind-alliance.com) provides collaboration and knowledge management software for operational risk management and intelligence. For further information contact: David Kamien, CEO (212) 920-1911 info@mind-alliance.com