Natural Disaster – Bianco Foster Group, LLC

February 28, 2018

Canary Islands Hit By More Than 70 Tremors

La Palma has experienced 70 small quakes between Monday and Wednesday between 1.5 and 2.6 on the Richter scale.

A statement by the government given to Express.co.uk:

“Given the increase in seismic activity recorded on the island of La Palma, the Ministry of Territorial Policy, Sustainability and Security of the Government of the Canary Islands, in application of the Special Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Care for Volcanic Risk (PEVOLCA), has convened tomorrow Friday, February 16, a meeting of the Scientific Committee of Evaluation and Monitoring of Volcanic Phenomena.

“On the agenda of the meeting, which will be chaired by the Deputy Minister of Environment and Security, Blanca Delia Pérez, will be to discuss the precursors and parameters of seismic activity on the island in recent weeks; assess the activity and evolution forecast, and appoint the sole representative of the Steering Committee.

“The Scientific Committee for Evaluation and Monitoring of Volcanic Phenomena is formed, in addition to the Government of the Canary Islands and representatives of the General State Administration, by the National Geographic Institute (IGN); the Superior Council of Scientific Investigations (CSIC); the Canarian Volcanological Institute (Involcan); the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME); State Meteorological Agency (AEMET); Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO); specialists of the two Canarian universities (ULPGC and ULL) and representatives of other prestigious institutions in the study and research of volcanology in the Canary Islands.

November 27, 2017November 27, 2017

Indonesia Issues Volcano Alert

Authorities in Indonesia have ordered the evacuation of more than 100,000 residents
Mount Agung raised to Level 4 aler
8km radius from crater affected
Airport closed on island of Bali
- 445+ Flights Disrupted
- 59,000+ Passengers affected
Situation rapidly evolving
- BNPB Facebook Twitter

August 13, 2017

USGS warns of 8 California volcanoes

USGS has classified California volcano hazard zones
Very-high threat: Mount Shasta, Lassen Volcanic Center and Long Valley Volcanic Region
High threat: Clear Lake Volcanic Field, Medicine Lake Volcano and Salton Buttes
Moderate threat: Ubehebe Crater and Coso Volcanic Field

The International Volcanology Assembly is meeting August 14-18 with planned fieldtrips to some volcanic hot spots along with symposia covering a broad variety of volcanological fields with plenary speakers emphasizing integrative and intersecting themes. There will be much discussion over the very high threat volcanoes in the area.

The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 shut down European airspace for a week. The International Air Transport Association estimated that the impact was $200 million per day and the total loss for the industry was around $1.7 billion. Over 95,000 flights were cancelled during this time.

Can your business continue to function with air travel disruptions? Do you have alternate transportation available? These are questions that should be asked when establishing a Business Continuity Plan. California businesses should take this time to revise their list of BCP risks. An eruption could disrupt business travel and impact airlines and their supply chain.

If your small business does not have a Business Continuity Plan, now is a great time to get started. Contact us today to speak to one of our implementation specialists.

March 15, 2017March 15, 2017

Natural Gas Prices Drop After Winter Storm Stella Misses NYC

Natural Gas (CME: NG) futures closed the day at $2.948. Winter storm Stella did not dump more snow on NYC as expected. Instead it shifted inland causing demand to drop.

Heating Oil/Diesel (CME: HO) futures closed the day higher due to increased demand.

Heating Oil Futures — Heating Oil/Diesel Futures Intraday 2017-03-14

Preparing for storms and natural disasters is important to the success of your business. The ISO 22301 framework is a good starting point for your Business Continuity Program. Section 6 of ISO 22301 states that organizations need to address risks and opportunities to prevent, or reduce, undesired effects.

Having an inclement weather plan and topping off your backup generators with fuel is just one component of preparedness. Prices for emergency fuel always spike before a weather event or immediately following a natural disaster. By refueling or negotiating guaranteed pricing while demand is low your business can save a lot of money. Immediately after a disaster market prices are very high. It may not be possible to receive delivery of fuel due to the event. Planning and executing is one way weather the storm.

If you are new to Business Continuity Planning and would like to learn more about developing your program or how to become certified in ISO 22301 please contact us for a free over the phone or Skype consultation.

March 1, 2017

Oklahoma has same earthquake risk as California

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) forecast for 2017 says Oklahoma will face earthquake damage risk equal to California. The report is close to last year’s forecast which indicates a trend that is changing the region. The 2017 hazard model is the same as the 2016 report but includes an updated earthquake catalog. The 2016 forecast indicated a high hazard (greater than 1%) for Oklahoma-Kansas, the Raton basin (Colorado/New Mexico border) north Texas, north Arkansas, and the New Madrid seismic zone.

Experts believe hydraulic fracturing or fracking is responsible. Fracking involves injecting water and other chemicals at high pressure into the Earth to extract hydrocarbon resources.

The changes in the area are a reminder to risk managers that tornado is not the only major hazard. A Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is the first step in developing a complete Business Continuity Plan (BCP) that will prepare your small business for natural and manmade disasters. Our services team can provide BCP training and implementation to your company. Contact us today for a consultation.