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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Emergency Management, Incident Reporting, Risk Management

  Most everyone has heard or muttered these words at some time or another: If I Knew Then What I Know Now…                                                                                                                                                                                                                          The saying is most often used when we look back at our life and we realize that if I knew then (when I was younger) what I know now (with more experience and wisdom), I may have made some different decisions. The saying also came to mind recently as we were reminded of the 9year anniversary of September 11th and the 5 year anniversary of Katrina and numerous other incidents that have provided experience and wisdom that we could have used before these eventsRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Incident Reporting, Workplace Violence

  What is your first thought when you hear the word WHISTLEBLOWER? Whistleblower definitions commonly say a whistleblower is any person that reveals wrongdoing or malpractices taking place within an organization.  And in many cases a whistleblower may face retaliation or other negative ramifications and by law may require special protection. What is your first thought when you hear the word HERO? Hero definitions run from mythical and legendary figures to a person that is admired for their achievements or noble qualities to a central figure in an event, period or movement. When is the last time you heard an organization promote their Hero Line? Read More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Health Care, Incident Reporting, Legal

  A previous Lessons Learned Blog mentioned the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and a special bounty program within the Act for whistleblowers.  Did you see it? An attorney at the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s Annual National Institute legal update says healthcare providers may be heading into a storm of whistleblower suits that could cause serious problems for the unprepared. The attorney predicts the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act could lead to an explosion of whistleblower lawsuits because the new law does not require the plaintiff to have direct knowledge of alleged fraud to file a suit. So if youRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Incident Reporting, Legal, Risk Management

  According to a recent Washington Post headline, law firms are gearing up for new whistleblower reward program. The new program was included in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act signed by President Obama in July 2009 has created a bounty program that rewards individuals who provide “original information” to the SEC.  The SEC can then award the individual with up to 30 percent of any successful enforcement action that exceeds $1 million. There is no doubt that federal agencies are publicly ramping up  to police illegal corporate activity… future Lessons Learned Blogs will discuss healthcare, education and others. Here are someRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Campus Safety, Emergency Management, Incident Reporting, School Safety

  I met some really outstanding people this month while presenting at the NASRO national conference and I deeply appreciate how school resource officers (SROs) and school security officers (SSOs) are striving to make a difference with students and with schools. Before and after my presentations I had some interesting conversations with several SROs from schools all across the U.S.    One of the SROs I spoke brought up an ongoing challenge with cameras.  He would like to replace outdated analog cameras that do not give him the clarity he needs to recognize and identify people.  He also wants to add more cameras for better coverageRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Incident Reporting, Information Privacy, Information Security, Regulatory Compliance

  Did everyone see this ultimate lesson regarding lessons learned but not implemented? Remember back in February 2009 when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a settlement against CVS Caremark?  According to the settlement, CVS Caremark violated the HIPAA privacy rule and the FTC Act when some of its stores improperly disposed of prescription information and pill bottles that had patient information on them.  The settlement resulted in a $2.25 million fine and they must ensure their security program meets the standards of the settlement [including ongoing audits] for the next 20 years. Now roll the clock ahead to July 2010 and another pharmacy chainRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Business Continuity, Human Resources, Incident Reporting, Information Privacy, Risk Management

  A recent follow up article in Federal Computer Week (FCW) highlighted the porn scandal at the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and suggested this was a dramatic wake-up call for any government agency who doubted the need for and importance of an airtight security policy. Good for Teri Robinson… who wrote the article!! However…the steps Teri laid out that an agency should take to build and enforce a security policy are missing a couple of critical steps based on lessons learned and legal defensibility.  Teri suggested the following steps: Review existing policy Social media guidelines should be included and should be specific Assign responsibility becauseRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Business Continuity, Campus Safety, Incident Reporting, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Management

  If you did not read Part 1…you may want to do so before reading Part 2. During my EduComm presentation,  I identified numerous school related incidents and lessons learned and multiple new ways to improve campus safety, reduce costs, protect reputations and save lives. Then after reviewing multiple lessons learned I asked the group another question: What does each of these well-documented incidents have in common? Columbine Virginia Tech Fort Hood University of Alabama-Huntsville   According to expert reviews and reports, each of these incidents could have been prevented. Let me repeat….each of these incidents could have been prevented.  Each of these incidents couldRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Emergency Management, Human Resources, Incident Reporting, Risk Management, School Safety

  Just recently, I had the honor of presenting at the EduComm 2010 conference in Las Vegas. The title of my presentation was ‘Connecting the Dots to Improve Campus Safety’ and was selected as a featured presentation. Presenting at conferences is definitely one of my favorite things to do. I get to share ideas, successes and lessons learned with other people who are coming from many different locations and I have the unique opportunity to ask questions and learn what challenges other people face. During my presentation I asked the following questions:   How many of your organizations have a Crisis Management Plan? (Everyone raisedRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Emergency Management, Incident Reporting, Risk Management

  I recently came across a blog in Emergency Management Magazine discussing the need to use multiple forms of emergency notifications.  Lessons learned and recent studies reveal that the public won’t likely take action unless they receive their directions from at least two trusted sources.  A study on evacuations during the San Diego wildfires found that residents generally wouldn’t leave their homes until they had received confirmation from a second source (like the news or a personal contact). Thankfully, in today’s networked environment, people have information coming at them from all sides (friends, media, online news, social networking sites, etc.) and will most likely beRead More →