Tribal Ham Radio Operators Cut Through the Storm
National Tribal Amateur Radio Association
February 24, 2018
In September 2017, the National Tribal Amateur Radio Association (NTARA) – in conjunction with the Fresno Amateur Radio Emergency Services Group and Tulare County Amateur Radio Club – set up
Passenger Egress – A Priority for Metro Rail Lines
Thomas Renner
February 21, 2018
Underground rail transit systems in the United States can be dangerous places. Not only for their riders and employees, but also for emergency responders, who may be called to help evacuate people from the area safely or to stop a blaze. The confined spaces, tight stairwells, and potential for the emergency evacuation of hundreds – if not thousands – of riders means that a project must be well-designed, thought-out, and constructed of materials that do not burn.
Evolving Needs: Interoperable Communications
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' Interoperable Communications Regional Programmatic Working Group
February 21, 2018
During complex and large-scale incidents, first responders in the multi-jurisdictional National Capital Region (NCR) must be able to deploy and integrate with other public safety agencies in a timely and efficient manner. The NCR, for the purposes of this document, is defined as the District of Columbia and surrounding Virginia and Maryland metropolitan areas. Successful integration is contingent on first responders’ ability to communicate seamlessly outside the normal coverage area of their home radio systems.
Explosives & Handheld Trace Detection
Ryan Holland and Mark Fisher
February 21, 2018
The threat of homemade explosives (HMEs) is not new. From the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, to the “shoe bomber,” London underground bombings, “underwear bomber,” and attacks in Paris and Brussels in the 2000s, the threat is ever changing. Not only do post-incident crime scenes present danger to responders until secondary devices have been ruled out, but also makeshift laboratories where the bombs are made. Handheld explosives trace detection (ETD) equipment can help responders quickly determine on-scene threats, like Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) and react appropriately and expediently.
2017 Inauguration & Women’s March – Planning & Outcomes
Natalie Jones-Best
February 14, 2018
Washington, D.C., hosts thousands of special events each year, ranging in size and complexity. For
such events, the District of Columbia’s Department of Transportation (DDOT) serves as the lead agency
for transportation management and support. Although many of these events are planned activities for
which the district and its local, regional, and federal stakeholder partners have advance notice for
planning purposes, the nation’s capital is also home to many unplanned First Amendment events, which
provide less notice and are less defined with respect to the planning and support required. The 2017
presidential inauguration and subsequent Women’s March highlight the differences in planning efforts and
outcomes for these two types of events.
New Emergency Rule: Challenge for Some, Good for All
David Reddick and Justin Snair
February 7, 2018
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a comprehensive emergency preparedness rule in 2016 that applies to nearly every healthcare provider in the nation, and outlines steps those providers must take to improve their preparedness and ensure sustainability in the face of a disaster. The rule compels healthcare providers to devote resources – human and fiscal – to emergency planning. This may be seen as burdensome by some but should effectively improve their levels of readiness and improve the quality of healthcare for all. This rule will make providers – from general hospitals to transplant centers and long-term care facilities – safer for patients and visitors.
