# 1096
Some interesting details on how the upcoming pandemic exercises for the financial industry will be conducted, via Patrick Thibodeau of Computerworld.
Financial services firms face flu pandemic - on paper
Pandemic simulation measures impact on telecommunications, online banking and ATMs
By Patrick Thibodeau, Computerworld
In what may be the largest pandemic planning exercise conducted in the US, financial services firms will be forced to operate with reduced employee numbers next month - on paper.
More than 1,800 organisations have signed up to participate in the three-week simulation, which will measure the impact of a pandemic flu on the financial sector. The simulation is being sponsored by the US Department of the Treasury and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.
The exercise will also cover telecommunications issues. But it won't cause any service disruptions, such as long lines at ATMs or problems reaching online banking sites. Instead, participants will gather in conference rooms and assess the impact that major reductions in the number of available employees would have on their businesses in the event of a bird flu outbreak or other pandemic.
