Nigerians Report Online

Thursday, June 21, 2012

United States Will Need 5.6 Million More Healthcare Workers By 2020

American health care workers. Photo Credit: Dominica.

21 Jun 2012 05:01 Africa/Lagos

With Or Without Obamacare, The United States Will Need 5.6 Million More Healthcare Workers By 2020, Georgetown University Study Says

Study also finds that 4.6 Million of Those Jobs Will Demand Postsecondary Education

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The healthcare demand will grow twice as fast as the national economy over the next eight years, creating 5.6 million new jobs according to a study released today by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

Work in the healthcare industry is supported by people in a host of related jobs, such as hospital accountants, pharmaceutical sales representatives, doctor's office secretaries and the like. If you include all of these behind-the-scenes players, the healthcare industry will grow from 15.6 million jobs in 2010 to 19.8 million jobs in 2020 - 13% of all jobs. By 2020 we will be spending 1 out of every 5 dollars we earn on healthcare.

The demand for postsecondary education in healthcare will grow faster than in any other field except STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Education occupations, the study shows. A total of 82 percent of those 5.6 million new healthcare jobs—4.6 million--will require postsecondary education and training.

"In healthcare, there are really two labor markets: professional and support," said Anthony P. Carnevale, the Center's director and the report's lead author. Professional jobs demand postsecondary training and advanced degrees while support jobs demand high school and some college. There is "minimal mobility" between the two, he added, "and the pay gap is enormous: The average professional worker makes 2.5 times as much as the average support worker."

Among the study's other major findings:

Healthcare successfully competes for science and engineering talent . Because healthcare, science, and technology fields tend to require similar skills, healthcare programs at the associate and bachelor's level are often an appealing alternative for science and engineering students.
Though healthcare and STEM skills are similar, healthcare reflects distinctly different work interests and values . People in healthcare jobs tend to value forming social bonds, while people who gravitate to STEM occupations place a greater emphasis on achievement and independence.

Upskilling in nursing is growing especially fast. In 1980, 37 percent of entry-level registered nurses had at least an associate's degree; by 2008, that figure had increased to 80 percent.

Rising bachelor degree requirements in nursing is crowding out disadvantaged minorities. A total of 51 percent of White nurses under 40 years old have bachelor's degrees, compared to only 46 percent of Hispanics and 44 percent of African American nurses.

Healthcare has the largest number and proportion of foreign-born and foreign-trained workers in the U.S. Among healthcare workers 22 percent are foreign born, compared to 13 percent of all workers nationally. Most foreign-born nurses come from the Philippines, India and China.

Of all occupations, doctors and physicians are the highest income earners in the country and tend to come from mostly affluent backgrounds.

Healthcare is comprised of a full report, an executive summary, and a state-by-state analysis. All three are available online at http://cew.georgetown.edu/healthcare

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce is an independent, nonprofit research and policy institute that studies the link between individual goals, education and training curricula and career pathways. For more information, visit: http://cew.georgetown.edu. Follow us on Twitter @CntrEdWrkfrce and on Facebook.

SOURCE Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce
CONTACT: Andrea Porter, +1-202-687-4922, cewgeorgetown.media@gmail.com

Web Site: http://cew.georgetown.edu/

Top Reports

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the U.S. Increases

CBS Creates The Largest Major Market Sports Radio Network In The Nation

CarMD Reveals State-by-State Ranking of Car Repair Costs; Motorists in Wyoming Paid Most, Indiana Drivers Paid Least for Repairs

Rentrak Announces Top DVD & Blu-Ray Sales And Rentals For Week Ending June 17, 2012

PBS NEWSHOUR's Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill will Co-anchor Live, Prime Time, Gavel-to-Gavel coverage of the 2012 National Political Conventions

Masterworks Broadway to Release New Series of Rare and Forgotten Cast Albums

More bosses taking vacation than employees, according to CareerBuilder survey

WTC Developer Larry Silverstein to Celebrate Topping Out of Steel at 4 World Trade Center

Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Set 4th New Record in a Row

8th Annual Global Local Content Summit

21 Jun 2012 13:04 Africa/Lagos

FEATURED PODCAST: The Progress of Nigerian Local Content - Ernest Nwapa

In this exclusive interview, Oil & Gas iQ speaks with the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Ernest Nwapa, about how local content has progressed in his country.
In the course of the interview, Ernest touches on:

Changes in the approach of IOCs to local content after the passing of the Nigerian Local Content Act of 2010
What frontier countries embarking on local content strategies can learn from the Nigerian story
Looking at the pros and cons of Petrobras and Brazil’s attitude towards local content
The importance of stimulating SME growth in the development of a winning national development strategy
Inclusiveness – all rungs of the ladder need to have equal access to the benefits of a local content stratagem

Listen Now

Download the Brochure

Global Local Content Summit Brochure

World-Class Insight Into International Local Content Progress at the 8th Annual Global Local Content Summit

LONDON, June 21, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

Oil & Gas IQ recently announced that the Global Local Content Summit 2012 will take place in London, United Kingdom on the 24th - 27th September, 2012. Now in its 8th consecutive year, the congress is the largest and most prestigious annual gathering of senior local content decision makers from across the globe.

http://www.localcontentsummit.com/news

"The recent steady high oil price has driven fresh exploration in the developing world. But will this FDI (foreign direct investment) lead to equitable growth? Local Content is seen as the solution for transforming developing nations into growth economies." says Luke Treacy, event director for the 8th Annual Global Local Content Summit.

"What can the new frontier states of Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania, Liberia and Ghana learn from their experiences of the more mature petroleum industries of Nigeria, Brazil, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Angola and Australia who may (or may not be) on the right track?", continues Tracy.

This year's Global Local Content Summit has been specifically designed to address the issues raised. Encompassing a vast expanse of themes and regions, the Summit explores new frontiers in African policy development, updates from the MENA region and the impact of the Arab Spring as well as insights from local content leaders from Latin America.

Experts in the industry can also join the pre-event discussion in the exclusive Linked In group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3873150&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

Key speakers include:

Emmanuel Buah, Deputy, Minister for Petroleum, Republic of Ghana;
Ernest Nwapa, Executive Secretary, NigerianContent Development Board (NNPC);
Elias Kilembe, Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC);
Hugo Perez Cordova, Development Manager, Suppliers and Contractors, Pemex;
Alessandro Ciocchi, Vice President, V-Ships Offshore;
Tam Brisibe, Former Senator, House of Representatives, Republic of Nigeria;
Susan Kubanis, Sustainability Manager, Bechtel Corporation;
Dr. Michael Warner, Former Local Content Manager, BG Group

Find the full programme, event details and registration information about the 8th Annual Global Local Content Summit on http://www.localcontentsummit.com/news , phone +44(0)-20-7036-1300 or email enquire@iqpc.co.uk

Media contact: Veronica Araujo, +44(0)20-7368-9748, veronica.araujo@iqpc.co.uk or visit http://www.localcontentsummit.com/news

Press are invited to attend this important industry forum, if you would like to a complimentary press pass please email Veronica Araujo (veronica.araujo@iqpc.co.uk )

Source: Oil and Gas iQ

Top Reports
Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
21 Jun 2012
13:00 Equator Prize Winners Honored at Rio+20 for Community-Led Environment and Poverty Solutions
13:00 Family Office Exchange Study: Long-Range Planning Key to Tackling Risk in a Globalized World

NASA Spacecraft Reveals Ice Content in Moon Crater

06:31	Report says Southern Africa's development is not integrated
06:27	Why means of implementation is a thorny issue at the Rio+20 Conference
06:16	Burundi reporter sentenced to life imprisonment
06:12	CPJ Media availability on sentencing of Ethiopian blogger

13:00 Equator Prize Winners Honored at Rio+20 for Community-Led Environment and Poverty Solutions
13:04
World-Class Insight Into International Local Content Progress at the 8th Annual Global Local Content Summit
05:57
Canada / Baird Concerned by Violence in Nigeria
AfDB and Other MDBs unite to boost spending on sustainable growth
GSMA Announces the Proliferation of Connected Devices in China Will Be Worth More than US$700 Billion in 2020

ENCOUNTERS 2012 - South African International Documentary Festival

ENCOUNTERS 2012 - SOUTH AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL
14ème édition

Johannesburg, Cape Town | Afrique du Sud | 07|06|2012 > 24|06|2012
www.encounters.co.za

It is always with excitement and anticipation that we present our programme to the public … and wait with bated breath for your reaction. We continuously strive to surpass our past successes, despite the many constraints we work within.

Our small team of reviewers scoured through 487 entries to compile a programme of 29 international and 22 SA films. We are proud to present the 2012 line up of the last year's most compelling documentaries; award-winners, festival darlings, SA world premières and fresh student films.

The continuous support of the National Film and Video Foundation has provided a life line to the Festival for the past 7 years. Their mandate to local film festivals is instrumental to audience growth and the continuation of our development programmes.

Through further partnerships and funders, we have succeeded in organising the most interesting and enlightening industry programme: three master classes and presentations, a SAGE editing seminar, and two Can't Just Fold Your Arms panel discussions.

Son of our soil and South Africa's first Oscar winner Jon Blair is presenting some of his works as part of a special focus. Blair will host an informative master class based on his extensive experience as a director and producer.

A collaboration with UCT will ensure that this is a not-to-be-missed event.

Dr Mitzi Goldman will use her 20 years of experience to provide practical tips on storytelling and fundraising in her master class.

Eminent American filmmaker and innovator Tiffany Shlain joins us courtesy of the American Film Showcase, presenting her stunning film Connected: An Autoblogography about Love, Death and Technology as well as an intriguing presentation on "cloud filmmaking".

We are pleased to announce a partnership with Al Jazeera this year. The award-winning international news channel with a wide global reach is presenting a special focus of their investigative films, as well as hosting a presentation to the industry. Of particular interest to local filmmakers is the channel's bold programming of African news stories.

We welcome the 23 South African filmmakers whose films are presented this year. We also warmly welcome the 5 international guests who travelled of their own account, and through the support of Embassies and Consulates.

It is only through the courageous and unflinching eye of the documentary filmmaker that the stories behind the news can be told. We are looking forward to interesting interactions with you during the many Q&A's planned.

It is through the generosity of certain individuals and companies, that we have been able to present you with this excellent programme. Their support has ensured that we do not forgo great films, due to high screening fee costs. We encourage our friends to participate in this manner to ensure that we programme the films you wish to see and sustain this important event.

We thank all our Festival sponsors, partners and filmmakers who provide their films for free. We also thank our many Festival friends, who volunteer knowledge, skills, contacts and much more. The Encounters team works tirelessly with minimal resources to compile this programme - it's a labour of love. We look forward to seeing you often.

Mandisa Zitha
Festival Director

Encounters 2012 team

Staff
Mandisa Zitha: Director
Nazeer Ahmed: Operations Manager
Andreas Späth: Head of Programming
Carol de Vos: Bookkeeper
Nololo Lange: Office Assistant
Lucky Kwatsha: Projectionist
Loyolo Stofile: Projectionist
Donovan Oostendorp: Production Assistant/Chaperone
Steven Markovitz
Nodi Murphy

Encounters Board
Jennifer Herman
Susan Levine
Steven Markovitz
Kgomotso Matsunyane
Nodi Murphy
Dumisa Ntsebeza
Ciraj Rassool
Mandisa Zitha

Film Writers
Peter Frost, Isla Haddow-Flood

Marketing and Publicity
Joy Sapieka, Kevin Kriedemann

Design and Layout
Encounters Team, K&i Design, Tania Bester

Web Development
Salamander Web Media

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Questions Every Board Director Needs to Ask about Technology

Female Board Director. Photo Credit: Telegraph.

20 Jun 2012 15:30 Africa/Lagos

Questions Every Board Director Needs to Ask about Technology

WomenCorporateDirectors Address Tech Challenges for Companies

NEW YORK, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Big data, cyber security, gaming apps, Twitter – these and other technology developments are no longer just the province of IT departments and twenty-something employees. Companies are coming to realize that new tech issues must be brought onto the boardroom agenda and into governance at the highest levels.

WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD) recently featured emerging technologies as a key theme at its second annual Global Institute in New York, drawing an audience of 250+ business leaders and directors, including many CEOs.

"New technologies are changing everything we hold true as board directors," says Susan Stautberg, co-founder and co-chair of WCD, the global membership organization of more than 1,400 women corporate directors.

"Our ideas about risk, innovation, talent development, understanding consumer behavior – all of these are being transformed more quickly than we can imagine by technology. And the burden of establishing governance around these changes falls to the board."

In the "Creating Advantage: What's the Next Paradigm Shift in Technology" panel at the Global Institute, experts delineated some of the key questions boards need to ask about technology and how it can be leveraged:

Questions Boards Need to Ask about Technology

Is my company a candidate for "big data"? Panelist Sara Mathew, chairman and CEO of Dun & Bradstreet and a director of Campbell Soup Company, explained how D&B – which has a global database of more than 205 million business records – uses big data to rethink its business: "Let's say a thousand of my customers are all looking at one particular company. The insight generated in that moment tells me something about them, and that's probably more powerful than all the historical data I could aggregate, mine, analyze, and understand."

Even Twitter – which can often seem like a thousand people in a room screaming random things – can lend particular insight, she explained. "Twitter can be big data at its best, and there is enormous insight into sentiment that boards can learn through tools like this."

How safe is our data? "All good things can be a bit of a double-edged sword," advised Una Ryan, president and CEO of Diagnostics For All (a biotech nonprofit) and director of AMRI Global. Any kind of company that stores customer data – from financial information to health records – runs the risk of a data breach. "Every time you hear something absolutely wonderful that can be done and will take your business to the next level, also ask, what is the really terrible thing that could happen here that could ruin our reputation?"

U.S. Naval War College professor and cybered resilience researcher Chris Demchak iterated the importance of boards' requiring their security team to explain their active protection of intellectual investments in data and systems across their organizations: "You have to push them – and keep pushing them until they can almost draw you a picture. They may not like it, but you have to make them tell you so that you know where your data is and how they protect it resiliently against nasty surprises."

How are we using technology to train our people? The way younger people think and learn is fundamentally changing, said panelist Toti Graham, who serves on a number of boards in Peru, including Interbank, Ferreyros, Corferias del Pacifico, Fundacion Backus, and OWIT Peru. "We need to rebuild how we get knowledge into our minds – it's not about big conferences or getting everybody into the same room. We have to develop the next step with iPhones, iPads, and BlackBerries, and create these little 'pills of knowledge' that people can consume while they are walking in the street or waiting for a train. If you do this, and build communities where employees can share knowledge and build projects, you will be able to retain them for four or five years or longer instead of a year or two."

How can games create value for our company? "Gaming is a very powerful way of motivating individuals to pick themselves up and try again," said Dun & Bradstreet's Ms. Mathew. "You don't always get it right the first time. By bringing in collaboration and data and then adding the gamification component, you can get scales of collaboration on business issues to create real value and solve real business problems."

How can we crowd-source? Related to the interactivity of gaming is the Wikipedia-like notion of crowd-sourcing and how companies can leverage this for business. "We can definitely tap into crowds more than we do," said Ms. Ryan, even when entering markets in different countries. "There are all sorts of groups that you can access that you don't have to create yourself." As the head of a healthcare-related organization, she has seen, for instance, the crowds that are associated with pharmacies in Latin America. "You can get street-by-street, hut-by-hut information and give people back information that's useful to them about a particular disease that's prevalent or something that's of interest to them. This creates a local and regional source that you couldn't possibly create on your own."

The bottom line, said Ms. Graham, is that boards must be leaders in their companies when it comes to technology, and not separate themselves out from it. "Technology is changing our people, and it is changing our markets. You cannot lead a company saying, 'Yes, yes, technology is for the employees, but I cannot lead with that.' We have to be role models. We have to say, 'Yes, I embrace technology. Let's work together on that.'"

For more information about WomenCorporateDirectors and their programs for directors, please contact Davia Temin or Suzanne Oaks of Temin and Company at 212-588-8788 or news@teminandco.com.

About WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD)
WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD) is the only global membership organization and community of women corporate directors, comprised of more than 1,400 members serving on over 1,550 boards in 43 chapters around the world. In this new era of responsibility, WCD is committed not just to good governance, but to governance with global vision. Smart boards are going global in members and mindset. Our members share information and insights in order to ensure best practices in corporate governance around the world.

WCD's global chapters are located in Arizona, Atlanta, Australia, Beijing, Bogota, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Delhi, Denmark, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Houston, Indonesia, Israel, Lima, London, Mexico City, Malaysia, Melbourne, Minnesota, Morocco, Mumbai, New York, Nigeria, Northern California, Northern/Central Europe (Berlin), Paris, Philadelphia, Sao Paulo, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore, South Africa, Southern California, South Florida, Switzerland, Tennessee, Toronto, United Arab Emirates, and Washington, D.C.

In 2012, WomenCorporateDirectors launched the WCD Global Nominating Commission. The Commission is a high-level task force of select corporate board nominating committee chairs and members from around the world, as well as CEOs, focused on proactively building diverse boards and candidate slates.

Our mission is to continue to expand the WCD community through leadership, diversity, education, best practices in corporate governance, and a focus on development and new board placement opportunities – see WCD's Call to Action to improve diversity on boards. WCD offers local, regional, national, and international forums, providing a platform for turning ideas into action. WCD is supported by its Founding Partners, Heidrick & Struggles and KPMG. For more information, visit womencorporatedirectors.com.

SOURCE WomenCorporateDirectors

Web Site: http://www.womencorporatedirectors.com

Time for Women To Stop Being Shrinking Violets at Work

“I DON’T know any successful women who haven’t had a powerful sponsor in their organisation to give them their first big break,” says Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, the boss of 20-first, a consultancy that helps companies put more women into senior jobs. That sentiment is echoed by many people who work in this field. But why do women need so much help?

Click here to read the complete report.

Innovation Africa Summit in Cape Town to Bring Together World Leaders

20 Jun 2012 08:00 Africa/Lagos

Innovation Africa Summit in Cape Town to Bring Together World Leaders in ICT, Education, and Technology

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Featuring participation by top level ministers and officials from across Africa as well as representatives of the world's top technology brands, the Innovation Africa Summit to be held October 5-7 in Cape Town aims to be the networking event of the year, facilitating crucial public-private partnerships to guide the future development of Africa's fast growing ICT, education, and technology sectors.

AfricanBrains, the organizers of the Innovation Africa Summit, says that the goal is to encourage greater investment into education and professional training in South Africa and across the continent.

"When you talk about opportunity, our summits go beyond the realm of corporate social responsibility," says John Glassey. "We pride ourselves on our organization and our ability to serve as hosts for senior industry and political actors alike to engage and foster new relationships to improve investment in education. We not only wish to promote to the world the high standards of achievement in science & technology in Africa but that these intimate one-to-one sessions can bypass the rhetoric and create long-lasting change within the span of 72 hours."

The event is supported by the Government of South Africa and organised in partnership with University of the Western Cape. So far, at least nine Ministers of Education, Science and Technology have confirmed attendance to Innovation Africa, including representatives from Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The conference organizers also expect to confirm attendance by Ministers from Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria and Tanzania.

Innovation Africa will include an opportunity for delegates to visit the campus of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) as well as the newly refurbished Pavilion Centre in Cape Town to hold scheduled meetings between the private sector, government and educational institutions. These include a number of South African universities and Further Education & Training (FET) Colleges as well as the independent schools sector being represented by the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA).

The conference will feature keynote addresses from both government and private sector leaders, focusing on the transformation of African economies the realisation of advances in technology for the benefit of education and research in Africa. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to debate key issues such as developing e-skills and the knowledge economy, investment in African digital content, e-learning, improving connectivity and advancing multi-stakeholder partnerships.

The Innovation Africa Summit follows on from the highly successful Southern African ICT for Education Summit that took place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in January of this year. The event included ministers and officials representing 13 Southern African countries, with South Africa represented by the Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Hon. Hlengiwe Mkhize. Indeed this coming Innovation Africa Summit will have representation from many of the world's best in class technology and communications companies as well as leading South African businesses and entrepreneurs.

For details of the Innovation Africa Summit, visit www.africanbrains.net/ia
Enquiries can be made to the team at AfricanBrains directly at info@africanbrains.org.

Contact:
Sam Amsterdam
(+1-202-505-0523; samuel.amsterdam@africanbrains.org )

Web Site: http://www.africanbrains.net/ia

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Hot Spots: NICB’s Annual Report on Vehicle Theft

Hot Spots: NICB’s Annual Report on Vehicle Theft
How Hot is Vehicle Theft in Your Area?

Des Plaines, IL, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reported today that 2011 is on track (final numbers will be published in the fall) as yet another consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts. Four of the top 10 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) reported more thefts in 2011 (+925 collectively) while the remaining six posted fewer (-2,017 collectively).

It is important to note that the Hot Spots report is a reflection of vehicle thefts on a per capita basis. An area with a much smaller population and a moderate number of thefts can—and often does—have a higher theft rate than an area with a much more significant vehicle theft problem and a larger population to absorb it.

NICB’s Hot Spots report examines vehicle theft data obtained from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) for each of the nation’s MSAs. MSAs are designated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and often include areas much larger than the cities for which they are named. For example, the Fresno, Calif., MSA includes all thefts within the entire county of Fresno, not just the city of Fresno.

The FBI’s preliminary 2011 crime statistics released last week indicate a 3.3 percent drop in vehicle thefts from the 2010 number of 737,142. Contributing to this decline was the significant drop in the rankings of the Laredo, Texas MSA—from No. 1 in 2009 to 53 in 2011. Within two years, Laredo’s thefts were down 53 percent, from 1,792 in 2009 to 849 in 2011.

Watch this video to see how the Laredo Police Department’s efforts to reduce thefts have paid off.

The full Hot Spots report is available at www.nicb.org.

Although national vehicle thefts continue to decline, NICB still recommends that drivers follow our four “layers of protection” to guard against vehicle theft:

Common Sense — The common sense approach to protection is the easiest and most cost-effective way to thwart would-be thieves. You should always:

Remove your keys from the ignition
Lock your doors /close your windows
Park in a well-lit area

Warning Device — The second layer of protection is a visible or audible device which alerts thieves that your vehicle is protected. Popular devices include:

Audible alarms
Steering column collars
Steering wheel/brake pedal lock
Brake locks
Wheel locks
Theft deterrent decals
Identification markers in or on vehicle
VIN etching
Micro dot marking

Immobilizing Device — The third layer of protection is a device which prevents thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Other devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated. Some examples are:

Smart keys
Fuse cut-offs
Kill switches
Starter, ignition, and fuel pump disablers
Wireless ignition authentication

Tracking Device — The final layer of protection is a tracking device which emits a signal to police or a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ “telematics” which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.

Anyone with information concerning vehicle theft can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422), texting keyword “fraud” to TIP411 (847411) or by visiting our website at www.nicb.org. Or, iPhone or iPad users can download the NICB Fraud Tips app to make it easy to quickly send a tip and get a response.

About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $339 billion in insurance premiums in 2011, or approximately 80 percent of the nation’s property/casualty insurance. That includes more than 94 percent ($156 billion) of the nation’s personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.

###

Media Contact:
Frank Scafidi
916.979.1510
fscafidi@nicb.org

Top Reports

G20 Summit

Summer Health & Safety

"Hot Spots": NICB's Annual Report on Vehicle Theft

June 2012 U.S. Economic And Housing Market Outlook

California Economy Expands In April, Reports Comerica Bank's California Economic Activity Index

THIRTEEN, America's Most-watched Public Television Station, Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Americans Remain Complacent as Devastating Disasters Strike

40% of cell owners said they found themselves in an emergency situation in which having their phone with them helped

19 Jun 2012 06:01 Africa/Lagos

Americans Remain Complacent as Devastating Disasters Strike

New Study Finds Many Americans Largely Unaware of Local Emergency Communications

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite a record-breaking year of federally declared disasters in 2011, including floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and wildfires, many Americans still lack basic awareness of their local emergency communications systems. At the BE Safe America Congressional Briefing presented by Safe America Foundation at the U.S. Capitol, Federal Signal Corporation today announced the findings of the 2012 Public Safety Survey, which takes a hard look at how knowledgeable and prepared Americans are for emergencies. While the survey found that more than 56 percent of Americans believe they are aware of the steps they need to take should disaster strike, the results uncover a shocking lack of knowledge—and even indifference—surrounding emergency alerts and notifications.

"Not only is it necessary to create a thorough preparedness and response plan for an emergency or disaster, it's critical that people are as educated as possible about the emergency communications systems in place within their communities—which can prove lifesaving," said Len Pagano, president and CEO, Safe America Foundation. "We were surprised to see just how many people remain unaware of the alerting systems in their area, and even more disconcerting, how many are apathetic in their response to emergency scenarios and communications."

Conducted for the third consecutive year by Zogby International, the survey found that 71 percent of Americans are unsure if they have a personal alerting and notification system (ANS) in their area, which includes a combination of options for calls, text and email message notifications. Yet, respondents said they would be more motivated to take action in an emergency by ANS alerts than any other communication, ahead of traditional warning sirens, radio and TV public services announcements and even word-of-mouth communication from friends and family.

The survey also showed that the public is largely unaware of their local warning sirens. More than half (57 percent) of those surveyed do not know when sirens in their area are tested, and 70 percent are unaware of the sounds and sirens associated with various warnings. In fact, more than one in four respondents did not know if their community has a warning siren system at all.

"With all of the options available to keep the public informed of nearby disasters or emergencies, we were alarmed to see how many people aren't aware of the existing notification systems in their communities," said Joe Wilson, president of the Industrial Systems Division, Safety and Security Group at Federal Signal. "In times of crisis, people need to act fast—or risk waiting until it's too late. Now more than ever, it is essential that we educate communities on the emergency communications options available to them, and to drive the sense of urgency surrounding swift response to emergency alerts."

Even severe weather conditions do not motivate Americans to take action. Less than one half (47 percent) of survey respondents would take action based on a potential severe weather warning and one-third (33 percent) of respondents would require actual property damage or injury in order to care strongly about public safety awareness. Further, one in four respondents (28 percent) would require confirmation of severe weather, such as an actual tornado sighting, flood waters or a visible fire in order to take immediate action. A shocking 1 in 12 people said that nothing would cause them to care.

"We were shocked to see that the public could be so complacent when it comes to awareness and response to emergency communication," said Wilson. "The fact that people could receive a warning that wouldn't motivate them to action is extremely concerning, particularly with 99 FEMA major disaster declarations issued last year alone."

Survey findings show that the public continues to rely on community officials to ensure public safety. In fact, results found that more than half of respondents (58 percent) trust local and regional government to ensure sufficient public safety standards, communication and planning in their area. Yet, only 29 percent feel that their community officials currently are investing in, or giving government attention to, their public safety. In terms of potential contributing factors, more than one-third feel that the economy has had a negative impact on the level of investment in their community.

"Preparedness starts with awareness," said Wilson. "As emergency managers strive to support their community with effective programming and planning, it's imperative that the public stay informed of what communications systems local officials and emergency managers currently have in place—and more importantly, that communities are prepared to respond efficiently and effectively."

For more information on the 2012 Federal Signal Public Safety Survey, visit http://www.alertnotification.com/.

About the Survey
Zogby International was commissioned by Federal Signal to conduct an online nationwide survey of 2,059 adults. All surveys were completed June 1 through June 4, 2012. A sampling of Zogby International's online panel, which is representative of the adult population of the U.S., was invited to participate.

About the Safe America Foundation & BE Safe America
The Safe America Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit licensed by the state of Georgia. Chartered in 1994, the Marietta, Georgia based foundation partners with corporate, governmental, public and private sector organizations, and other nonprofits to improve the safety awareness and preparedness of Americans nationwide. The BE Safe America Program is the nation's first coast-to-coast "drill" involving more than two million Americans in grassroots emergency drills this September – October. Included is the "Text First. Talk Second" Campaign, being endorsed by First Spouses across the country and headed by Puerto Rico First Lady Luce Vela. For more information please contact Matthew Thome at matthew.thome@safeamerica.org. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or via cell at 847-431-7825.

About Federal Signal
Federal Signal Corporation (NYSE:FSS) enhances the safety, security and well-being of communities and workplaces around the world. Founded in 1901, Federal Signal is a leading global designer and manufacturer of products and total solutions that serve municipal, governmental, industrial and institutional customers. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., with manufacturing facilities worldwide, the Company operates four groups: Safety and Security Systems, Environmental Solutions, Federal Signal Technologies, and Fire Rescue. For more information on Federal Signal, visit: http://www.federalsignal.com.

Media Contacts
Luke Cushman
Hill + Knowlton Strategies
+1 312-255-3080
Luke.Cushman@hkstrategies.com

Abbie Ginther
Hill + Knowlton Strategies
+1 312-255-3136
Abbie.Ginther@hkstrategies.com

SOURCE Federal Signal Corporation

Web Site: http://www.federalsignal.com/

Top Reports

G20 Summit

Summer Health & Safety

"Hot Spots": NICB's Annual Report on Vehicle Theft

June 2012 U.S. Economic And Housing Market Outlook

California Economy Expands In April, Reports Comerica Bank's California Economic Activity Index

THIRTEEN, America's Most-watched Public Television Station, Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Nigeria Is Burning And Our President Is Traveling

A corpse under one of the burnt cars after the Sunday terrorist suicide bomb attacks in Kaduna. Photo Credit: The Guardian of Nigeria.

How can the man whose home is on fire travel so far away?

President Goodluck "it is not my fault" Jonathan would have left for the Rio+20 Earth Summit at the Riocentro Convention Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this morning, while Nigeria is still smoking from the Islamic terrorist suicide bombings in Kaduna and Yobe with the corpses of the dead and carcases of burnt vehicles all over the place.

Over 67 people have been reported dead and two churches destroyed in the latest suicide bombings in northern Nigeria where the dreaded Islamic sect Boko Haram has been on rampage in suicide attacks targeting Christians and government forces. The latest attacks provoked reprisals by youths who ended up killing innocent Hausa Muslims and other suspects in the Wusasa and Sabon-Gari areas of Zaria and Banawa in Kaduna State.

While many families and relations are still searching for their missing members, the President left Nigeria for the Earth Summit in Brazil.

Would he have travelled if he lost anyone from his family and relations in the terrorist suicide attacks?

Nigerian Journalist Assaulted In Front of Soldiers and Police Officers in Port Harcourt

Bashir Abdullahi.

19 Jun 2012 06:34 Africa/Lagos

In Nigeria, journalist assaulted in front of military and police

NEW YORK, June 19, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Nigerian authorities must investigate the assault on a Nigerian journalist on June 14 and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. News accounts reported that the attack occurred in the presence of military and police officers who did not come to the journalist's aid.

Bashir Abdullahi, a journalist with the daily Daily Trust, was covering a seminar at the Federal Secretariat in Port Harcourt, in Rivers State, when officials of the Rivers State Environmental Task Force, escorted by military personnel, assaulted him, he told CPJ. "One of them slapped me twice on the face, hit me on my shoulder, and seized my phone. I complained to the soldiers, who told me to solve the problem myself," he said.

Abdullahi told CPJ he was wearing his ID card that identified him as a journalist when he was assaulted. He also said that David Iyofo, the spokesman for the Rivers State governor, helped him recover his phone the next day.

"We condemn the assault on Bashir Abdullahi who was attacked just for doing his job," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "We call on the authorities to investigate the attack and hold to account the officials who were involved."

A spokesman for the task force told CPJ he was aware of the incident but that no immediate action could be taken since the alleged assault did not involve members of the military.

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Top Reports of the Day
04:30 Facebook by Fonetwish Conquers Africa, Asia and Latin America; Services an Incredible One Billion Transactions per Month
04:30 Facebook by Fonetwish Conquers Africa, Asia and Latin America; Services an Incredible One Billion Transactions per Month

08:27	Italy-Angola - A market beacon in Africa, says Terzi
07:46	The Permanent Observer of Iran to the African Union Bids Farewell to the Chairperson
07:42	The Permanent Observer of Denmark Bids Farewell to the AUC Chairperson
07:21	APO Joins Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Scoop.it, expanding opportunities to stay updated on African news
06:51	Journalist refugee crisis devastates East African media
06:47	UN SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON MALI
06:34	EME's All-Star Album 'Empire Mates State of Mind' Debuts Exclusively on Spinlet - Spinlet, Africa ' s Premier Digital Distribution Showcases the Best New Music From Africa
06:34	In Nigeria, journalist assaulted in front of military and police
04:30	Facebook by Fonetwish Conquers Africa, Asia and Latin America; Services an Incredible One Billion Transactions per Month

11:17	Michaels Has Summer Solutions For "Mom, I'm Bored!"
11:00	Morgans Hotel Group Announces Expansion Of Iconic Delano Brand Through Partnership With Hivernage Collection In Marrakech, Morocco
10:00	Study Confirms Daniels Sharpsmart Helps Hospitals Reduce Carbon Footprint