Busy 2006 Hurricane Season to Follow Record-Breaking 2005 Season

The United States is preparing for another busy hurricane season in 2006. Based on accurate predictions during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, businesses need to heed the warnings and begin preparations now. The forecast calls for 17 named tropical storms, with nine becoming hurricanes. Five of those storms are predicted to be major hurricanes with winds exceeding 110 miles per hour.
Given the busy storm seasons of 2004 and 2005, this prediction comes as no surprise. In fact, the Atlantic is in its 11th year of heightened activity. The long-term cycle began in 1995 and is expected to continue for at least 10 more years, according to the National Weather Service. A typical hurricane formation cycle involves two or more decades of high activity followed by two or more decades of limited activity.
Experts predict there is an 81 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will hit a U.S. coast in 2006. On average, there is a 52 percent chance a major storm will make landfall.
In 2005, experts predicted a 95 percent chance that the season would be above normal in hurricane formation. That was the highest confidence ever displayed when making these types of forecasts and it proved to be very accurate.
The August 2005 forecast predicted up to 21 tropical storms, nine to 11 hurricanes and as many as seven major hurricanes. In actuality, 27 tropical storms formed, with 15 becoming hurricanes and seven falling into the major category. The 2005 hurricane season shattered many previous records, including:

• Named storms: 27; previous record: 21 in 1933
• Hurricanes: 15; previous record: 12 in 1969
• Major hurricanes hitting the U.S.: Four; previous record: Three in 2004
• Category 5 hurricanes: Four; previous record: Two in 1960, 1961

Using these statistics, you can see why the predictions for the 2006 season need to be taken seriously. While no one can predict where and when a storm will hit, the predictions for the past few years have been quite accurate. The lessons learned from the past two hurricane seasons should be closely studied and preparations should be made now. The 2006 hurricane season begins June 1.

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Spring 2006 - Cover Article

Transitioning From Critical Infrastructure Reconstruction to IT Infrastructure Development in New Orleans

By GARY HIGGINS

Blues master Guitar Gabriel gave a good summary of recovery efforts in New Orleans since the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina.
“Came so far,” he said. “Got a long way to go.”
While there has been significant progress in the reconstruction effort, the amount of work left to do is astounding. To date, a major challenge to reconstruction is coordinating the efforts of groups in the private and public sectors involved in the process, as well as creating a centralized authority for re-development project oversight. An effective recovery effort hinges upon project coordination brought about through the creation of a centralized governing body with project oversight and progress monitoring as their sole priority.
From a human perspective, gaining consensus in standard protocol is one barrier to complete collaboration in the reconstruction effort; however, from a logistical perspective, technology holds great promise for fostering collaboration between contractors and government agencies. There are many technological applications that can be employed as a means of stimulating the reconstruction process as well as fostering collaboration between the private and public sectors. Rapid assessment and temporary infrastructure technologies offer a convenient, affordable, and immediate means of providing needed utilities while laying the groundwork for long-term planning. These types of technologies have the potential to serve as catalysts for further development and the eventual repopulating of the city.

Click here to read the entire article

Additional Articles Found in Spring 2006 Issue of DRJ

• Rebuilding the Big Easy
• Everyone Needs a Place to Sleep
• Hard Times in the Big Easy
• A Capability Model for Enterprise Resiliency
• Hidden Handicaps Place Everyone at Risk
• Increasing Contact Leads to a Reduction in Availability
• Controlling Data in BCP Software
• Building an Effective Communications Infrastructure
• Ohio Universities Join Forces on DR Initiative
• Business Continuity Management
• Emergency Response Plan Prepares Gross Ile
• Building a Comprehensive Disaster Recovery Plan
• Seven Habits of Highly Effective Data Centers
• Steps to Stay Connected
• Spring World 2006 Largest Conference Ever
• 2006 Other Services Survey (PDF)

Today’s businesses need to prepare now for a potential pandemic. A top threat is the Avian flu, which is spreading throughout the United Kingdom and Asia at a rapid rate. Though the virus has not mutated to a human-to-human transfer, it is still hazardous. More than 100 people have died from the disease, which has now been detected in 45 countries.
Is your business prepared? Does your plan include preparations for pandemics? Early testing and planning is key to knowing how to deal with an Avian flu outbreak or any other pandemic that could occur. In today’s global environment, the risks are high. The world has “never been closer to a pandemic,” reports the Centers for Disease Control.
This site has been designed to assist you as your work to prepare your organization for the threats of the future.

• Click here to Visit the Avian Flu Portal

DRJ eXpress is published by Disaster Recovery Journal. We have added this exciting publication to our family to better update our readers on current events and happenings.

In the fast-paced world of business continuity, having current information is key to staying ahead of the challenges that can occur so quickly. This monthly eZine will contain a wealth of tips, statistics and technology updates. In addition, you can find information on local continuity events, meetings and more.

Get the information you need – quickly and easily with DRJ eXpress! Staying informed is essential – and we are here to help.

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