FIRE ARCHIVES
IT Preparedness: At Long Last, a Major DHS Priority
Jordan Nelms
January 11, 2012
In today’s complex world, information technology (IT) systems serve as both the intellectual libraries and operational brains of virtually all components of the vital infrastructures of businesses, utilities, and the organizations and agencies of all levels of government. For this reason, among others, the maintenance, protection, and preservation of IT
The Role of Social Media Before, During, and After a Disaster
Christina Spoons
January 4, 2012
The new all-hazards safety rule for young children, senior citizens, and everyone else in between: Don’t leave home without your smartphone. Be careful what you say, though – several billion people may be listening in… or looking in. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. Ask anyone who has
Social Media – The Path Ahead
Mary Lilley
December 21, 2011
Instead of fighting the inevitable, a growing number of forward-looking emergency managers and political leaders are using social media as a low-cost, immediately accessible, and surprisingly efficient way to keep the public at large informed – on a continuing basis – about impending disasters and the response, recovery, and mitigation
Defining Emergency Management in the 21st Century
Anthony S. Mangeri
December 14, 2011
The profession of emergency management has come a long, long way from the streets of London to the gates of the White House, but the policing principles enunciated by Sir Robert Peel provide a strong foundation for President Barack Obama’s Presidential Policy Directive 8 on National Preparedness and its goal
Today and Tomorrow: Approaching the Mythical Tricorder
Christopher Wrenn
December 14, 2011
The detection and identification capabilities of today’s U.S. military and homeland-security units are still short of Starfleet status. But they are getting light years closer, thanks in large part to current and projected budget cutbacks that reward both versatility and creative thinking and punish those who do not see “the
The Future of EMS: Upward & Outward
Joseph Cahill
December 7, 2011
In the Old West, the town barber often served as the town doctor as well. The parallel today is far from exact, but the current generation of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) is rapidly learning new and more advanced skills. By using such technologically advanced medical systems and devices, the capabilities
Mass Shootings: Planning and Response Considerations
Domestic Preparedness
December 6, 2011
Critical incidents such as school shootings, workplace violence incidents, domestic violence attacks, and terrorist threats are occurring with alarming frequency. This four-hour planning and response course led by the Kernersville Fire Department will help public safety agencies and crisis planners adapt to these changes in society so that the appropriate
Mapping: An Increasingly Valuable Emergency Management Tool
Kay C. Goss
November 30, 2011
Since the mid-19th century, the method for mapping disasters has evolved from hard-copy maps with manually plotted cases of cholera outbreaks to advanced satellite-based global information systems. The development, introduction, and use of a broad spectrum of GIS systems that can pinpoint – quickly, precisely, and on a continuing basis
Joplin & Irene Force Changes in Hospital Evac Plans
Theodore Tully
November 23, 2011
Article Out Loud Significant changes in hospital emergency planning have taken place since and largely because of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Hospitals, along with nursing homes, have had their safety and security requirements strengthened by regulatory and/or accreditation agencies to ensure that their emergency plans take into account how they
Emerging Technology Enables Mass Patient Evacuations
Bruce Clements
November 16, 2011
From time to time, hospitals themselves can be dangerous to a patient’s health. That is particularly true when a patient is being transferred or evacuated, and even more so when a large number of patients are being evacuated at the same time. This is precisely why RFIDs, JPATS, and GPS
Tracking and Locating Fire and Emergency Personnel
Christina Spoons
November 9, 2011
As firefighters and other emergency responders well know, disaster may be lurking just around the next corner. Or maybe in the burning room one floor below. Which is why breadcrumbs and a working PASS or any other reliable type of tracking-and-location system are so important in fighting fires. “The life
The Impact of Tracking on Response Efforts
Omar Alkhalaf
November 2, 2011
From Post-It notes to high-tech wireless systems, the evidence – verified by a horrendous mass-casualty incident (MCI) in California and close calls in several other states – is clear: Rapid, comprehensive, and well-controlled communications are key to the mounting and management of an effective response. Adherence to the National Incident
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