EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ARCHIVES

Mass Fatalities – More Than Just a Number

A chemical spill, nuclear attack, biological agent, pandemic, hurricane, and numerous other threats and hazards have the potential to kill enough people to overwhelm any particular jurisdiction. Whether that number is 10 or 10,000 or more, the “unthinkable” can happen anywhere. On 16 June 2017, DomPrep hosted a panel discussion

Disasters Are About the People

Hurricane Harvey has caused widespread destruction, and its aftermath continues to pose a significant threat to life and safety. In this and other large-scale incidents, the exact number of people affected is hard to determine because of the complex physical and social networks that exist within and between jurisdictional boundaries.

When Pandemic Management Meets Cybersecurity

When faced with a health crisis such as a pandemic, the primary objective is ensuring the health and well being of the public and finding the fastest and easiest method to limit the spread of disease and take care of those who are sick. Cyberthreats can hinder public health efforts

Mortuary Logistic Challenges of Mass Fatality Incidents

Today in the United States, some in society are hesitant to acknowledge or plan for “failure options” – in other words, admit that the worst of the worst can happen. The military requires planning for just about every situation including when operations do not go as planned. However, those in

Plugging the Experience Drain in Hazmat Response

As a metaphor for picturing the maintenance of preparedness, imagine a number of 5-gallon buckets, where each one represents some aspect of readiness – detection, personal protective equipment (PPE), communications, training, etc. Each bucket is filled with water andeally each would stay filled representing a steady state of preparedness.

Mass Fatality Incidents & Challenges for First Responders

Mass fatality incidents present many challenges. To effectively plan for such events, certain key factors must be taken into consideration: common causes and challenges, as well as resources available. By communicating with the local medical examiner/coroner, being familiar with mass fatality plans, and learning about any pertinent capabilities and limitations,

Plan Big, Even to Respond Small

In emergency planning efforts, there is much debate about whether to plan for the worst and scale down, or plan for current threats and scale up. Of course, in complex systems, small changes in initial conditions can have profound effects. By considering larger, low-frequency events, communities can overcome this challenge

Preparing for High-Impact, Low-Probability (HILP) Events

The interconnected global environment can increase the number of vulnerabilities as well as the destabilizing effects of both natural and human-caused disasters. As such, when a high-impact, low-probability event occurs, the consequences can be devastating. To prepare for such events, planners must observe trends, predict futures, and create scenarios for

Emergency Management: Not Just for Emergency Managers

This special edition of the DomPrep Journal focuses on the field of emergency management, which embodies the essence of DomPrep’s mission: to bridge the emergency preparedness gap between disciplines and jurisdictions. True leaders in the field demonstrate through continued action that emergency preparedness does not begin or end with a

FEMA Corps: Bringing in the Next Generation

When Hurricane Sandy struck the east coast in 2012, its effects were devastating. The storm left a trail of destruction that affected 24 states, killing 159 people, costing $70.2 billion in damage, and leaving millions without power. Yet, in the wake of this terrible disaster, there was a new source

Advice from W. Craig Fugate: Learn, Do Not Just Observe

I was only 31 when I started in emergency management. There are a lot of young emergency managers out there faced with some pretty hefty responsibilities. If I were to provide advice to the next generation of emergency managers, I would say this: …

Help Wanted: Next Generation of Emergency Managers

Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials compose the majority of the modern workforce, but the next generation (Generation Z) is now beginning to emerge from schools and colleges. Before this new generation transforms into a significant portion of the workforce, it is important to determine what makes these young people unique and

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