In This Issue
                                  No blood test for influenza
                                  Climatic consequences in Hong Kong
                                  $145,000 per year BCM salary in Asia
                                  Conferences: Online, Down Under, In Town
                                  Sahana: Group Cope
                                  Outsource your BCP Work in Asia
   
       
   
 
    No blood test for influenza    
   
There is no such thing as a blood test for influenza.
   
         
   

Influenza is a respiratory disease, so specimens preferred for influenza testing come from the respiratory system: nasopharyngeal swab (from the upper part of the throat behind the nose), nasopharyngeal swab combined with oropharyngeal swab (from the cavity at the back of your mouth), or “nasal aspirate” (translation: “snot”). If specimens from those locations cannot be collected, a nasal swab or oropharyngeal swab by itself will work.

But not a blood sample.

You can read the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on collecting, storing, processing and testing influenza specimens. Swabs, not syringes.

If medical personnel draw a sample of your blood for testing, they aren’t looking for influenza. They might be looking for bacterial infections like typhoid or sepsis, viral infections found in Asia like malaria, dengue fever, hepatitis, yellow fever, or some other blood-borne pathogen. They could also be looking for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), of course, the cause of AIDS.

   
       
   
 
    Climatic consequences in Hong Kong    
   
Hong Kong will be affected by higher sea levels, more rainfall, heat waves, tidal surges, typhoons and seasonal water shortages as a result of changing climate in the future, described in a December 2008 report by Corporate Social Responsibility Asia (CSR Asia) and the University of Hong Kong. Consequences could include flooding, drought, dangerously hot weather, infrastructure damage, landslides and dangerously poor air quality, any of which could have significant business impact in the territory. Other Asian cities on seacoasts face similar risks: Karachi (Pakistan), Mumbai India), Manila (Philippines), Singapore, Shanghai (China), Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Tokyo (Japan). Story credit to the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, a partner of the International Association of Emergency Managers in Asia.
   
       
   
 
    $145,000 per year BCM salary in Asia    
   
Where in Asia do BCM professionals get paid that much? Find out in BC Management, Inc.’s complimentary 2008 Asia BCM Compensation Report. 3,000 professionals in 73 countries have participated in the compensation survey so far in 2009; the survey is open until December. Complete the survey in just 20 minutes. It’s anonymous. It’s free. It will make you thin, rich and good-looking. OK…that claim may be exaggerated.
   
         
   
How does your BCM program compare with other companies’ programs? That information is reported in BC Management Program Management Benchmarking Report. Here’s a summary. Only companies that complete the BCM Program Management survey can see the full report. Customized reports for your company or your country cost a few bucks.
   
       
   
 
    Conferences: Online, Down Under, In Town    
   
Down Under The World Conference on Disaster Management (WCDM) comes down under at the WCDM Summit Australia 13 - 14 October, in Sydney. Here’s the conference program. A friend said of WCDM, Canada’s oldest disaster conference: “I’ve come every year for the last 8 years because I always meet at least twenty people that I should know.” Is there a better recommendation for any professional conference? Register at this link for AUD $1,500 for both days. You can get WCDM updates on Twitter.
   
         
   
On Line America’s best BCP conference for advanced professionals, Continuity Insights, goes online with the first BCM “e-Conference” from 22-24 September 2009. The conference comes to your desktop for only USD $195 for all three days. Register at this link. If you want to attend a Continuity Insights conference in person - in a historic, fun American city - the next one will be 12-14 April 2010 in New Orleans, USA. Sadly, there will probably still be plenty of opportunities to volunteer rebuild New Orleans, 5 years after Hurricane Katrina.
   
         
   
In Town Arc Media Global is hosting the Emergency Mitigation, Preparedness, Response & Recovery 2009 (EMPRR) conference and exhibition on 13-14 October in Singapore. Get it? Mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery are the four phases of emergency management. The event is supported by IAEM Asia, which will hold its annual meeting in Singapore on Thursday, 8 October in conjunction with EMPRR 2009. Register for the conference at this link for SGD $ 2,900.  Arc Media has an office in Singapore if you want to contact them.
   
       
   
 
    Sahana: Group Cope    
   
Sahana is a free, web-based disaster management system that helps government agencies, aid organizations and victims collaborate to find missing persons, manage aid, manage volunteers, and track shelters. See a demo here or screen shots here. The software is open source (not owned by a company) and so can be used without paying a license fee. Started in Sri Lanka after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and still based there, Sahana is supported in Sinhala and English by contributions from a meritocracy of “committers” and by funding from IBM the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the U.S.National Science Foundation.  A great example of cooperation in disaster management in Asia by the public and private sectors.
   
       
   
 
    Outsource Your BCP Work in Asia    
   
Need help but can't afford a full-time BCP professional? We outsource qualified BCP professionals for as little as one (1) day or two (2) days per week on contract. Read our Capabilty Statement with case studies of our satisfied clients over 12 years. Nathaniel Forbes at nforbes@calamity.com.sg, or call +65 6324-3091 in Singapore (12 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time, 8 hours ahead of London).

   
 

  

Please send an invitation to subscribe to FCP's Newsletter to the recipient's email address below.

Recipient's Email Address: Your Email Address:


Need help? In Singapore, call: +65 6324-3091  Fax: +65 6324-3093
Email: chris.tan@calamity.com.sg
:
nathaniel_forbes | AOL IM: KingmanReef
© Copyright 2009 Forbes Calamity Prevention Pte Ltd
Powered by:
Littlebulb Ideas

   
 
 
 
Our Sponsors
 
 
   
 

Like what you're reading? Subscribe.
Your Email Address
...and thank you!

   View our privacy policy

 

   
   
   
 
   

  
Click here