Mid-Term Report Card, A Note from the Publisher

This is the fifteenth issue of DomPrep/T.I.P.S., a feat the entire DomPrep team is proud of. Now that the year is past the halfway point, it is a good time for reflection, evaluation, and projection. The publisher presents a Mid-Term report. The grading is up to you, the readers. Your reply and grade are requested.

The Past Believing that homeland is not one single community, but many separate communities with a primary and many secondary missions, DomPrep/T.I.P.S. was launched on January the 12th of this year. Since then, seventy-five (75) articles have been published, mostly from people who are not primarily writers but, rather, highly involved professionals writing about relevant topics from their vertical communities. Jim Hessman edits the entire publication. He brings many years of editing experience to the team. This process presents perspectives from the fire service, law enforcement, emergency medicine, and many other communities that are easy to read by all members of all these communities. With this approach, DomPrep/T.I.P.S. carved a unique publishing niche for itself.

The obvious is not always apparent. While many are trying to present homeland-defense as one unified industry, most preparedness professionals have other jobs. Only when catastrophe strikes does the nation expect all to respond as one unified force. Until that unfortunate day arrives, fires need to be fought, emergencies responded to, and everyone goes about their normal routine. However, in a post-9/11 world, preparedness professionals do their work a bit differently. Realizing that the next container coming into a U.S. port may result in devastation, or the student wearing a backpack boarding a train might be carrying something more lethal than schoolbooks, and so forth and so on. We all look differently at yellow Rider trucks, do we not? So preparedness in total became DomPrep’s focus. But the mission continues to be to provide Total Integrated Preparedness Solutions to a growing audience, all members of which need a continuing infusion of useful information.

The Present 

Many have responded favorably to this integrated editorial approach. Accordingly, the DomPrep/T.I.P.S. audience has tripled in size since January, and will not stop here. So, please continue to refer DomPrep/T.I.P.S. to your colleagues.

A recent survey has shown that our demographics are both impressive and diverse. No one sector dominates the audience composition. The readers are upper and middle management with either procurement, evaluation, or recommendation responsibilities.

To satisfy the information needs of a very demanding audience, additional content has been added. For example, the frequency of John Morton’s audio interviews has been increased. Also, expect to see announcements regarding the launch of a program that was tested last fall: WebConferences, which allow registered attendees to attend ”as-if” live presentations without the usually high cost, as well as inconvenience, of traveling great distances to attend traditional trade shows. All one needs is to login from a broadband connected computer, 24-7.

We are currently reaching out to new partners, specifically in the private sector. Corporations must get onboard and develop their own preparedness plans to, if for no other reason, limit their legal liability. In recent DomPrep/T.I.P.S. Interviews both Governor James Gilmore and Rear Admiral Marsha Evans issued similar warnings: “The federal government can not do it all.” Preparedness is not dialing 911. All of us must do our part. Acts of terrorism fall within the scope of “foreseeable hazards.” In addition to protecting employees against a direct terrorist event, recovery measures and response plans need to be developed and implemented. As an example of just one question to ponder: Have corporate managers addressed the requirements for necessary food, sanitation, and health when confronted with a shelter-in-place situation? The answer is apparent–there is still a long way to go to reach true preparedness across the board.

The Future 

While DomPrep/T.I.P.S. itself is still goring through several adjustments, our commitment remains steadfast to the nation’s first-responder communities. The local and state audiences are the base. By reporting on their issues and practices, readers from the communities of border protection, ports, military, and corporate-private sectors will benefit.

Because the T.I.P.S. editorial content continues to grow in scope and sensitivity, readers will be required to register and login to access the WebChannels and download TIPS. An email explaining the process will be sent to our registered subscribers.

As the database of readers expands, the content can be modified and custom-delivered to various groups. So there are real advantages in registering as a subscriber. Proprietary audio downloads, webconferences, and articles of specific interest will be pushed to subscribers based on their individual preferences. All of these will be integrated to provide solutions to preparedness professionals.

These are exciting times as the business of preparedness transitions to the next level. Please email your grade for this semester’s effort to info@DomPrep.com.

Thanks, and best regards to all. Marty

Martin D. Masiuk

Martin (Marty) Masiuk is president and founder of International Media Representatives Inc. (IMR Group Inc.), which was established in 1986 as an American-based media representation firm for overseas, aerospace, and defense publications. In 1998, under the IMR Group, he established DomesticPreparedness.com, which has evolved into a highly trusted, and important information service for the multi-disclipline, multi-jurisdiction preparedness community. In 2014, he transitioned the DomPrep40 into the Preparedness Leadership Council to lessen the burden on and increase the effectiveness of operational preparedness professionals and help policy professionals make better-informed decisions. Prior to IMR Group, he served as an account representative for McGraw Hill’s Business Week and Aviation Week & Space Technology publications.

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