Most recently published
The New PLAN: Government Alerts Enter the 21st Century
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
June 15, 2011
The old saying that, “No matter where you go, there you are,” has become the new Golden Rule for emergency-alert notifications, thanks to the combined efforts of the FCC, FEMA, and the commercial U.S. cellular industry. That is the PLAN, anyway. But it works better if IPAWS is OPEN to
45 Seconds of Danger, a Lifetime of Lessons
Craig DeAtley
June 8, 2011
The EF5 tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, during the evening of 22 May 2011 was among the deadliest in U.S. history. More than 140 persons died, over 1,000 were injured, and thousands of others were left homeless. In addition, it has been estimated that the cost to “rebuild” Joplin could
The Public Health Role During Mass-Fatality Incidents
Raphael M. Barishansky and Audrey Mazurek
June 8, 2011
Many major disasters start without warning, continue for periods ranging from mere seconds to weeks or months, and leave behind a chaotic mass of useless rubble and ruined lives. The work of public health agencies necessarily starts well before the first tremor, continues through the entire response/recovery/resilience process, and ends
Antidotes: The Care and Cure for ‘What Ails You’
Joseph Cahill
June 1, 2011
The twin goals – total security, and immediate accessibility – prescribed for the perfect medical antidote program are not only mutually exclusive but also theoretically impossible to achieve. Almost. But there are some effective compromise measures that can bridge the differences, lower the loss rate, and significantly improve on-scene operational
Changing Trends in Maritime Piracy: A New & Major Threat
MIchael Brewer and Scott Brewer
June 1, 2011
The plots and successes of recent “pirate” movies notwithstanding, the real, totally ruthless, and well armed pirates of the 21st century must be recognized for what they really are: thieves, cutthroats, and murderers – who are now working with terrorist groups. That evil coalition must be confronted fully, fearlessly, and
RAD Operations Training Improves Radiological Response
Domestic Preparedness
June 1, 2011
The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in coordination with the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program (REPP) office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), offers five courses focusing on radiological preparedness in communities across the United States. The radiological courses prepare first responders to deal with all types of radiological incidents,
Medical Surge Management: Public-Private Healthcare Coalitions
Chad Priest and Bobby Courtney
May 25, 2011
Thanks (sort of) to the ravages caused by Hurricane Katrina, and a number of other disasters – including terrorist attacks – there is a growing awareness that U.S. healthcare facilities must focus much greater attention on building, and/or improving, their individual and collective “surge” capabilities. Here is a brief report
Mass Evacuation of Medical and Functional Needs Populations
Bruce Clements
May 25, 2011
It is reasonable to expect that, when the population of a community – or nation – grows, the need for a mass evacuation of some type will grow at the same pace. That need increases exponentially, though: (a) when catastrophic weather events occur with greater frequency; and/or (b) in the
The Handling of Mass Fatalities During Medical Surges
Anthony S. Mangeri
May 25, 2011
The earthquakes, tornadoes, and terrorist attacks of the past several years have led to increased global awareness of the need to create, improve, and expand mass-casualty response capabilities. The most immediate emphasis, understandably, is on the saving of lives. But there also must be much greater attention, it says here,
Training Programs for Infrastructure Partners
Domestic Preparedness
May 24, 2011
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Infrastructure Protection offers a wide array of training programs and resources, free of charge, to government and private sector partners.
The Expanding Role of Sanitarians in Public Health Emergencies
Rahul Gupta
May 18, 2011
Doctors, nurses, and other highly visible professionals get the greatest credit, deservedly, in most public-health incidents and events. Playing increasingly important roles, though – before, during, and after such incidents – are the nation’s unsung and much less publicized sanitarians whose special expertise in numerous operational scenarios is finally being
Hospitals & Fire Departments: Three-Alarm Fires, MSH & Best-Practice Results
Theodore Tully
May 18, 2011
A major fire in one of the nation’s finest hospitals led quickly to: (a) the massive evacuation of almost 450 patients; and (b) numerous follow-up meetings to find out what had gone wrong and how to handle such incidents more quickly, and more effectively, in the future. The end result
NLE 2011: Successful Learning, Plus Partnership Building
Kay C. Goss
June 15, 2011
Question: What do Boston’s church bells and the Mississippi River have in common? Answer: Both survived the greatest earthquake in U.S. history (the San Francisco quake pales in comparison). The 200th anniversary of the New Madrid disaster was remembered, appropriately, earlier this year by FEMA, NEMA, CUSEC and an estimated
The New PLAN: Government Alerts Enter the 21st Century
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
June 15, 2011
The old saying that, “No matter where you go, there you are,” has become the new Golden Rule for emergency-alert notifications, thanks to the combined efforts of the FCC, FEMA, and the commercial U.S. cellular industry. That is the PLAN, anyway. But it works better if IPAWS is OPEN to
45 Seconds of Danger, a Lifetime of Lessons
Craig DeAtley
June 8, 2011
The EF5 tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, during the evening of 22 May 2011 was among the deadliest in U.S. history. More than 140 persons died, over 1,000 were injured, and thousands of others were left homeless. In addition, it has been estimated that the cost to “rebuild” Joplin could
The Public Health Role During Mass-Fatality Incidents
Raphael M. Barishansky and Audrey Mazurek
June 8, 2011
Many major disasters start without warning, continue for periods ranging from mere seconds to weeks or months, and leave behind a chaotic mass of useless rubble and ruined lives. The work of public health agencies necessarily starts well before the first tremor, continues through the entire response/recovery/resilience process, and ends
Antidotes: The Care and Cure for ‘What Ails You’
Joseph Cahill
June 1, 2011
The twin goals – total security, and immediate accessibility – prescribed for the perfect medical antidote program are not only mutually exclusive but also theoretically impossible to achieve. Almost. But there are some effective compromise measures that can bridge the differences, lower the loss rate, and significantly improve on-scene operational
Changing Trends in Maritime Piracy: A New & Major Threat
MIchael Brewer and Scott Brewer
June 1, 2011
The plots and successes of recent “pirate” movies notwithstanding, the real, totally ruthless, and well armed pirates of the 21st century must be recognized for what they really are: thieves, cutthroats, and murderers – who are now working with terrorist groups. That evil coalition must be confronted fully, fearlessly, and
RAD Operations Training Improves Radiological Response
Domestic Preparedness
June 1, 2011
The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in coordination with the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program (REPP) office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), offers five courses focusing on radiological preparedness in communities across the United States. The radiological courses prepare first responders to deal with all types of radiological incidents,
Medical Surge Management: Public-Private Healthcare Coalitions
Chad Priest and Bobby Courtney
May 25, 2011
Thanks (sort of) to the ravages caused by Hurricane Katrina, and a number of other disasters – including terrorist attacks – there is a growing awareness that U.S. healthcare facilities must focus much greater attention on building, and/or improving, their individual and collective “surge” capabilities. Here is a brief report
Mass Evacuation of Medical and Functional Needs Populations
Bruce Clements
May 25, 2011
It is reasonable to expect that, when the population of a community – or nation – grows, the need for a mass evacuation of some type will grow at the same pace. That need increases exponentially, though: (a) when catastrophic weather events occur with greater frequency; and/or (b) in the
The Handling of Mass Fatalities During Medical Surges
Anthony S. Mangeri
May 25, 2011
The earthquakes, tornadoes, and terrorist attacks of the past several years have led to increased global awareness of the need to create, improve, and expand mass-casualty response capabilities. The most immediate emphasis, understandably, is on the saving of lives. But there also must be much greater attention, it says here,
Training Programs for Infrastructure Partners
Domestic Preparedness
May 24, 2011
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Infrastructure Protection offers a wide array of training programs and resources, free of charge, to government and private sector partners.
The Expanding Role of Sanitarians in Public Health Emergencies
Rahul Gupta
May 18, 2011
Doctors, nurses, and other highly visible professionals get the greatest credit, deservedly, in most public-health incidents and events. Playing increasingly important roles, though – before, during, and after such incidents – are the nation’s unsung and much less publicized sanitarians whose special expertise in numerous operational scenarios is finally being
Staffing, Stockpiling & Surging Forward
Joseph Cahill
May 11, 2011
As most people know, it is impossible to be totally prepared, at all times, to cope with any and all disasters of any type and of any magnitude imaginable. But there are many common-sense steps that can be taken to lessen the impact of most if not all of the
Critical Issues Faced by MRC in a Special Needs Shelter
Amy Schmitt, Donald Brannen and Mark McDonnell
May 11, 2011
The chill wind that started on 31 January immobilized a major area of the country and brought ice, snow, sleet, and misery to 100 million Americans. Among the hardest hit were numerous special-needs patients, already incapacitated, waiting for help that came far too late or, in some cases, not at
Whole-Body Imaging: A Safe Alternative to the ‘Pat Down’
Aaron Sean Poynton
May 4, 2011
Several myths to the contrary notwithstanding, the new WBI passenger screening booths installed at U.S. airports to improve in-flight security are not only extremely safe but also both visually and morally unobjectionable. For those not convinced, there are other options, including a quick and unobtrusive pat down – in a
Public Health Monitoring Systems: Two ‘Good Stories’
Jennifer Smither
May 4, 2011
New Jersey calls on Hippocrates to help top officials cope with a major mass-casualty incident with significant international implications; the initial result was a burning success. In Tarrant County, Texas, NACCHO and school nurses put the emphasis on children in fighting the flu and both detecting and controlling the outbreak
Dispensing a Higher Health Care Role to Pharmacists
Diana Hopkins
April 20, 2011
U.S. doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals are the best in the world – also among the most overworked. Fortunately, a greater share of the workload can be assumed by another highly trained & well educated group of medical professionals, the nation’s pharmacists – who also will play a
A Quick Return on Investments in Food Safety
Shari Shea
April 13, 2011
Question: Does a sausage leave a fingerprint? Answer: Well, yes, sort of – but not one detectable by the naked eye. Read here to find out how CDC, the APHL, PulseNet, and epidemiologists from five mid-Atlantic states worked hand-in-glove (literally) to crack “The Dangerous Case of the Fermented Sausage” in
Dollars and Sense: Budgeting for Emergency Services
Joseph Cahill
April 13, 2011
What is both fair and equitable? What is legally permissible? And how much of the total cost should be paid by the community at large? Those are but three of the difficult questions facing firefighters, EMS providers, and public officials as they seek to save lives, provide the public services
The Role of Patient Tracking in Public Health Practice
W. Craig Vanderwagen
April 13, 2011
Part 2 of Dr. Vanderwagen’s groundbreaking five-part series on the numerous – and extremely difficult – challenges involved in implementing the U.S. National Health Security Strategy.
FINAL REPORT: Special Event Planning
Robert (Bob) Stephan
April 12, 2011
Compelling information for responders, receivers, planners, and managers. This report focuses on the importance of training and preparing for a large-scale disaster during a special event. Audio links included.
Public Health: Assessing the Hazards & Vulnerabilities
Raphael M. Barishansky and Audrey Mazurek
April 6, 2011
The first priority of would-be “problem solvers” should be to find out, in as much detail as possible, exactly what the problem is. That is particularly true, it says here, in dealing with major and extremely complicated problems involving, and quite possibly jeopardizing, the continued good health of thousands of
TRANSCAER Rolls Out Nationwide Safety Training Tour
Domestic Preparedness
April 1, 2011
TRANSCAER® has launched a nationwide Anhydrous Ammonia Training Tour, designed to educate and train officials in 27 states across the country on effective emergency responses to anhydrous ammonia incidents.
CBRNE Preparedness – The Necessary Prerequisites
Stephen Grainer
March 30, 2011
It is taking longer than originally anticipated, but U.S. policies and plans to cope with future CBRNE incidents, accidental or manmade, are not only being published and implemented at the federal level (then revised and updated – if, as, and when needed) but also being replicated, in operational specifics, at
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