FIRE ARCHIVES
Tailoring an Emergency Operations Plan
Raphael M. Barishansky and Audrey Mazurek
March 2, 2011
The old tailor’s maxim – “Measure twice; cut once” – is also a suitable approach to the writing of an all-hazards Emergency Operations Plan for a health department. Here is a comprehensive and easy-to-follow guide to the planning, writing, reviewing, and approval processes necessary to the drafting, development, and dissemination
The Missing Leg of a Well Balanced Facility Security Platform
Joseph W. Trindal
February 23, 2011
The protection of high-value sites is one of the principal tasks spelled out in federal, state, local, and private-sector resilience policies and programs – most of which focus primarily on risk assessments, advance planning, and the implementation of effective security measures. A “fourth leg” – functional security testing – is
USCG’s Small-Vessel Security Strategy Ready for Launch
Corey Ranslem
February 23, 2011
It might look like a yacht and might even maneuver like a yacht. But it could be, instead, a cleverly disguised missile launcher, in yacht’s clothing, entering New York Harbor or coming up the Potomac to strike a new blow for Islamic fundamentalism and against the wicked American imperialists. Here
Pre-Exposure Anthrax Vaccination: A Horse & Cart Situation
Thomas K. Zink
February 9, 2011
On one side of the scale is “probably less than one gram of anthrax.” On the other side are an estimated six million doses of vaccine thrown away each year – as well as, quite possibly, the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people. It says here that the
PTSD: Its Causes, Effects, and Possible Strategies
Joseph Cahill
February 2, 2011
It is now well documented that members of the nation’s armed forces who have been in combat later suffer from an extremely harmful aftereffect known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Many first responders face the same type of traumatic situations and display many of the same symptoms. What can/should
Working Together – More Than Just Protecting a Venue
Chris Weber
January 26, 2011
The responder teams assigned to protect the public at major sports events can (and should) learn a valuable lesson from the college or pro teams actually on the field: Individual skills and effort are needed to play the game – but teamwork, particularly the “team” part of that word, is
Florida’s Second Civil Support Team Passes Initial Evaluation
Thomas Kielbasa
January 26, 2011
In today’s violent world, no nation is ever fully prepared for a terrorist attack – and, therefore, never “fully safe.” The creation and deployment of highly capable National Guard Civil Support Teams, though – Florida’s 48th CST is a good example – is helping to bring the nation much closer
Lessons Learned in Tampa: Special Event Preparedness
Sophia Paros
January 12, 2011
As emergency-management and other homeland-security professionals well know, the forward-looking terrorists of the 21st century are always looking for new ways to kill large numbers of peace-loving civilians at minimum risk to themselves. After all, why murder one or two people when 100 or even 1,000 or more are available
Using Virtual Worlds to Plan for Real World Challenges
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
January 12, 2011
The battle of Waterloo was won, Wellington said, “on the playing fields of Eton.” Today’s high-tech playing fields – simulators and training devices, primarily – are somewhat less vigorous, but arguably much more important and can be used to train veritable armies of professional responders, either as individuals or as
A Breath of Fresh Air: The Best Respiratory Protection at the Most Reasonable Cost
Gary Dunn
December 15, 2010
Continuing budget constraints will make it very difficult for agencies at all levels of government – including the nation’s armed forces and homeland-security departments – to upgrade their “hardware” inventories during the coming year. For first responders, getting the most protection for the lowest acceptable cost could be a breathtaking
The Hospital ICS: Mainstream Solution, or Barely Used?
Craig DeAtley
November 24, 2010
Most but not all HICS policy guidelines have been deemed by the nation’s health-care community to be both reasonable and acceptable. And most but, again, not all are being incorporated into local emergency-response policies and guidelines as well. So the system is not yet perfect. It is headed in the
The Limits of Detection: A New Horizon Beckons
Chris Weber
November 24, 2010
To enter, or not to enter? That is the first and most important question facing first responders arriving at the scene of a major incident where there is reason to believe the area may be contaminated by biological agents. Lives are at stake, though, so quick decisions are mandatory, and
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