SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ARCHIVES
Biosafety Laboratory Issues and Failures
Robert C. Hutchinson
April 12, 2023
Concerns regarding unexpected biological incidents and their public health implications were discussed in a 2014 Domestic Preparedness biosecurity and bioterrorism article. From the improper possession and storage of decades-old live smallpox virus in a former Food and Drug Administration laboratory (lab) on the National Institute of Health (NIH) campus to
Information Sharing – A Powerful Life-Saving Tool
Catherine Feinman
March 29, 2023
Information sharing is a valuable tool used for various purposes. However, this tool’s power in preparing for and responding to emergencies should not be underestimated. Unfortunately, critical information and data can sometimes be misused, not effectively leveraged, not shared, or simply ignored. In these scenarios, it is more difficult to
Data Sharing – A Necessary Public Safety Tool
Michael Breslin
March 1, 2023
Cooperative data sharing is essential for today’s law enforcement demands. Each day, law enforcement officials tackle their jurisdictions’ unique needs and challenges. What each department faces will vary from city to city and state to state. But there is one element all departments and agencies have in common: the critical
Beachie Creek Fire – A Practitioner’s Firsthand Account
Chuck Perino
January 4, 2023
When disaster strikes, sometimes those trained to respond find themselves and their families
fleeing from the fire. Once their families are safe, they jump back in to assist wherever needed. This
scenario happened to one emergency manager when the Beachie Creek wildfire engulfed surrounding Oregon
communities with little warning.
Building Strength in Workforce and Structure
Catherine Feinman
December 21, 2022
Each person plays a critical leadership role, from top leadership to frontline workers. The authors
in the December edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal share various ways readers (aka leaders)
can build strength and resilience within their workforces and structures.
Value of Enterprise Data Management in Emergency Management
Anne Marie Smith
December 7, 2022
An enterprise data management program emphasizes the importance of managing information as an asset and protecting it from misuse or loss. Knowing the landscape of data and how to manage it is critical to an organization’s recovery and sustainability after a disaster. This article explains the need to coordinate data
Switch to Online Enables Active Shooter Training for All
Michael Melton
November 16, 2022
Since the emergence of COVID-19, many trainings have had to adapt to an online presence. In one case, an active shooter training not only successfully transitioned to support the online delivery of these skills, but the developer embraced it and has now made it publicly available for everyone.
Training the Next Generation of Cyber Guardians
Steve Stein
November 2, 2022
Despite small local governments being overrun with malware, ransomware, and myriad other threats,
it is difficult to find experienced cybersecurity professionals. Meanwhile, students search for
nonexistent entry-level jobs. One Washington State-based nonprofit is seeking to close this
cybersecurity gap.
A Communicator’s Overview of a Large-Scale Exercise
Michael Montfort
October 26, 2022
A June 2022 exercise challenged amateur radio operators with establishing a Communications Unit with no power or pre-positioned equipment. The exercise was successful, but the key takeaways are already helping to improve collaboration and communications throughout the region.
Rationale for Structuring Pandemic Response on a War Footing
Thomas Russo
October 26, 2022
Given 20 years of pandemic planning, is it not surprising when people ask, “Why were we not ready?”
This question should be explored whether the time has come to put the country on a warlike footing for
pandemic response with a coherent, institutionalized, and tested pandemic policy.
Monkeypox: A Public Health Update
Deborah Sateler and Mabel de Leo
October 19, 2022
Declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO), monkeypox has been on the news since early May 2022 due to the high number of cases and its worldwide distribution. The current outbreak varies from the historical situation, in which the virus remained endemic in
Chemical Sector Perspectives
Patrick Coyle
October 5, 2022
Section 1016 of the USA Patriot Act (codified at 42 USC 5195e) provides the current definition of critical infrastructure, describing systems and assets that are “so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security,
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