Technology Behind the Next Heat Emergency | Domestic Preparedness Photo: NYC OEM, 2018
Preparedness

Technology Behind the Next Heat Emergency

by Tashawn Brown -

According to the National Weather Service, there were 107 fatalities across the United States related to heat in 2017 – more than the deaths related to tornados, hurricanes, and cold weather combined. Local emergency management agencies must work closely with the National Weather Service – as well as other agencies and organizations – to monitor extreme heat and related threats that can affect local communities.

 
Commentary

Managing Crisis & Disaster in a Connected Digital World

by Wayne P. Bergeron -

#SafetyBeforeSelfie – Please make sure to exit the burning building before texting, tweeting, posting, or live streaming about it. Surprisingly, the current security and emergency management (EM) environment that exists both in the public and increasingly in the private sector may necessitate such emergency warning statements as part of EM organizations’ risk communication planning.

Resilience

Planning Needed – Climate Change Impact on Animals

by Johanna Rahkonen & Richard (Dick) Green -

Animal populations will be uniquely impacted by the increasing, changing, and compounding disasters attributed to the rapidly advancing effects of climate change. Companion animals will face displacement, livestock will suffer from physiological stressors, and wildlife may face localized extinctions. Animals from all sectors may experience increased instances of negative health outcomes such as infectious diseases. Emergency and disaster planners must take steps to proactively assess the impact of climate changes on animals within their communities as they work to improve their climate resilience.

Resilience

Human Trafficking – A National Security Issue

by Richard Schoeberl & Benjamin Nivens -

The United States abolished slavery nearly 150 years ago. However, human exploitation through sex and forced labor remains a growing human rights violation and national security issue. Human trafficking is not prejudicial to nationality, age, gender, or socioeconomic status and is closer to home than most would like to consider. The exploitation and violation of human rights knows no boundaries and requires preparedness and response efforts from every country, every state, and every city.

Commentary

Securing Communities as National Security Threats Evolve

by Catherine L. Feinman -

There is no quick fix for addressing all national security threats. Even if there were, it would still be challenging to keep up with the threat environment as it continually evolves at what seems to be exponential rates. The natural and manmade disasters of yesteryear are compounded with emerging cyber, technological, and other threats that once were only in the imagination of science fiction writers.

Updates

FEMA Seeks Feedback On Planning Considerations: Evacuation And Shelter-In-Place

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking feedback on the draft document Planning Considerations: Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place. Feedback and recommendations received help ensure the final version of the guide is an effective resource for emergency managers across the nation. This National Engagement Period will conclude at 5 p.m. EDT on 31 August 2018.

ASPR’s Vision for Building Readiness: Sustaining Robust and Reliable Public Health Security Capabilities

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Vision for Healthcare Preparedness is a multi-part series that describes Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response’s (ASPR) four pillars to achieving national health security: providing strong leadership, building a Regional Disaster Health Response System, sustaining public health security capabilities, and advancing an innovative medical countermeasures enterprise. This post focuses on sustaining public health security capabilities.

RoboCup 2018 - S&T Test Methods Used to Evaluate Rescue Robots

Robocup is a conference that showcases different families of robots with applications for home, industry, and public safety. Robots in the public safety category are judged according to standards developed by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. As a result, various law enforcement agencies are given unprecedented capabilities to help them in their missions.

Scientists Complete Mission to Map Fast-Moving Fault Off Alaska: Data Will Help Coastal Communities Prepare for Risks From Earthquakes and Tsunamis

Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, and their partners have completed the first high-resolution, comprehensive mapping of one of the fastest moving underwater tectonic faults in the world, located in southeastern Alaska. This information will help communities in coastal Alaska and Canada better understand and prepare for the risks from earthquakes and tsunamis that can occur when faults suddenly move.

FirstNet Plans Emergency Drop Kits, Creating a ‘Connected Bubble’ for Public Safety

In an emergency, communication is critical to response efforts. For this reason, former public safety officials and first responders on the AT&T/FirstNet team, in collaboration with Sonim, are creating Emergency Drop Kits. These portable kits will envelop first responders in a 300-foot “connected bubble,” letting them maintain constant communication to better coordinate their responses.