Most recently published
Has Resilience Become the New Protection
Leslie-Anne Levy and Monica Giovachino
February 10, 2010
Two CNA officials discuss the once frequently ignored relevance of Resilience – yes, with a capital “R” – as a major component of the U.S. “Grand Strategy” for homeland-security and how it evolved from a passing thought to a sudden realization and eventually to a nationally known buzzword.
GPS-Equipped Vehicles and the EMS Infrastructure
Joseph Cahill
February 3, 2010
The political/budgetary decision to purchase and install GPS devices on EMS ambulances (and sometimes other vehicles) should never be based on cost alone. For three reasons: (1) They save lives. (2) They facilitate closer control and better management of the overall EMS fleet. (3) Thanks to the first two reasons,
Common Standards for CBRN PPE – An International Code
Diana Hopkins
January 27, 2010
Today’s well dressed emergency responder may not be featured in many fashion magazines and/or on TV commercials, but the personal protective equipment he or she is wearing is not only functional but also, usually, a very tight fit. An accessory bonus: It might also save his or her life.
Advance Planning: The Key to Preparedness for Special Events
Jennifer Smither
January 27, 2010
Goal: Ensure that all goes well before, during, and after a major public event. How to do so: Prepare an all-contingency plan, well in advance and involving all stakeholders involved, provide enough flexibility to cope with unexpected/unforeseeable “what if” contingencies, then practice, practice, practice.
Next Month: A Summit of Transcendent Importance
Jack Herrmann
January 27, 2010
The fifth annual Public Health Preparedness Summit (16-19 February in Atlanta) will focus on the new and emerging problems facing the nation’s, and world’s, public health preparedness professionals in the dangerous New World of the 21st century. A first-person report from the chairman of the Summit Planning Committee.
Citizen Involvement: Capitalizing on Terrorist Failures
Joseph W. Trindal
January 27, 2010
The Christmas Day plans of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab were unrudely interrupted when the other passengers on Northwest Flight 253 foiled his murderous attempt to kill them all. The collective heroism they demonstrated was not just another instance of heroism by everyday citizens but also a shining example for others facing
Public Health Security for Mass Gatherings
Bruce Clements
January 20, 2010
A mass gathering has been defined by the World Health Organization as a planned or unplanned event at which the number of attendees is “sufficient to strain the planning and response resources of the community, state, or nation.” Fortunately, the strategies needed to address the public health challenge represented by
Virtual USA to Enhance Disaster Management
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
January 20, 2010
The technological journey from VIPER to Virtual Alabama to Virtual USA is long and sometimes tedious. But it is probably the best and perhaps only sure way to take today’s communications systems from the dangerous present to a future that is safer, technologically sounder, and economically more prudent.
Special Events: Detail-Oriented Details
Joseph Cahill
January 13, 2010
A visit by the president or any other world leader qualifies as a Special Event. So do visits by other celebrities and dignitaries. For security personnel such visits also entail special workloads, the consideration of all potential hazards and dangers, the emphasis on a clear chain of command, and a
Special-Event Planning – Processes & Procedures
Glen Rudner
January 13, 2010
In today’s complicated world the definition of “”Special Events”” has expanded exponentially and now includes a host of activities ranging from Super Bowls and presidential inaugurations to high-school all-star games and spelling championships. Whatever the event, though, the keys to proper preparation are advance planning, the assignment of specific responsibilities
Improving Individual Protection from CBRN Threats In a Down Economy: Challenges and Solutions for 2010
Gary Dunn
January 13, 2010
A judicious combination of grant funds and dual-purpose equipment, the building of integrated protection ensembles, and a continuing focus on new product development will be the keys to company success in the coming year, and probably well beyond, says Gary Dunn, Avon Protection Systems’ vice president of Sales and Marketing.
New and Emerging Shelter Technology Provides Solutions for Responders
Ron Houle
January 13, 2010
In many emergency situations the most important and longest-enduring task is finding proper shelter for disaster victims and their families. Ron Houle, DHS Systems’ vice president of government relations, points out that the use of new high-tech fabrics and a focus on advanced technology is leading to the development of
The New Preparedness Challenge: Transitioning Resilience from Theory to Reality
Dennis R. Schrader
February 10, 2010
Prevention, Response, and Recovery used to be the principal objectives of the U.S. homeland-security strategy. That blessed trinity has now expanded to a better balanced quartet, thanks in large part to various studies and official reports that have focused public and political attention on the need for Resilience as well.
Has Resilience Become the New Protection
Leslie-Anne Levy and Monica Giovachino
February 10, 2010
Two CNA officials discuss the once frequently ignored relevance of Resilience – yes, with a capital “R” – as a major component of the U.S. “Grand Strategy” for homeland-security and how it evolved from a passing thought to a sudden realization and eventually to a nationally known buzzword.
GPS-Equipped Vehicles and the EMS Infrastructure
Joseph Cahill
February 3, 2010
The political/budgetary decision to purchase and install GPS devices on EMS ambulances (and sometimes other vehicles) should never be based on cost alone. For three reasons: (1) They save lives. (2) They facilitate closer control and better management of the overall EMS fleet. (3) Thanks to the first two reasons,
Common Standards for CBRN PPE – An International Code
Diana Hopkins
January 27, 2010
Today’s well dressed emergency responder may not be featured in many fashion magazines and/or on TV commercials, but the personal protective equipment he or she is wearing is not only functional but also, usually, a very tight fit. An accessory bonus: It might also save his or her life.
Advance Planning: The Key to Preparedness for Special Events
Jennifer Smither
January 27, 2010
Goal: Ensure that all goes well before, during, and after a major public event. How to do so: Prepare an all-contingency plan, well in advance and involving all stakeholders involved, provide enough flexibility to cope with unexpected/unforeseeable “what if” contingencies, then practice, practice, practice.
Next Month: A Summit of Transcendent Importance
Jack Herrmann
January 27, 2010
The fifth annual Public Health Preparedness Summit (16-19 February in Atlanta) will focus on the new and emerging problems facing the nation’s, and world’s, public health preparedness professionals in the dangerous New World of the 21st century. A first-person report from the chairman of the Summit Planning Committee.
Citizen Involvement: Capitalizing on Terrorist Failures
Joseph W. Trindal
January 27, 2010
The Christmas Day plans of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab were unrudely interrupted when the other passengers on Northwest Flight 253 foiled his murderous attempt to kill them all. The collective heroism they demonstrated was not just another instance of heroism by everyday citizens but also a shining example for others facing
Public Health Security for Mass Gatherings
Bruce Clements
January 20, 2010
A mass gathering has been defined by the World Health Organization as a planned or unplanned event at which the number of attendees is “sufficient to strain the planning and response resources of the community, state, or nation.” Fortunately, the strategies needed to address the public health challenge represented by
Virtual USA to Enhance Disaster Management
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
January 20, 2010
The technological journey from VIPER to Virtual Alabama to Virtual USA is long and sometimes tedious. But it is probably the best and perhaps only sure way to take today’s communications systems from the dangerous present to a future that is safer, technologically sounder, and economically more prudent.
Special Events: Detail-Oriented Details
Joseph Cahill
January 13, 2010
A visit by the president or any other world leader qualifies as a Special Event. So do visits by other celebrities and dignitaries. For security personnel such visits also entail special workloads, the consideration of all potential hazards and dangers, the emphasis on a clear chain of command, and a
Special-Event Planning – Processes & Procedures
Glen Rudner
January 13, 2010
In today’s complicated world the definition of “”Special Events”” has expanded exponentially and now includes a host of activities ranging from Super Bowls and presidential inaugurations to high-school all-star games and spelling championships. Whatever the event, though, the keys to proper preparation are advance planning, the assignment of specific responsibilities
Improving Individual Protection from CBRN Threats In a Down Economy: Challenges and Solutions for 2010
Gary Dunn
January 13, 2010
A judicious combination of grant funds and dual-purpose equipment, the building of integrated protection ensembles, and a continuing focus on new product development will be the keys to company success in the coming year, and probably well beyond, says Gary Dunn, Avon Protection Systems’ vice president of Sales and Marketing.
The Multi-Tracking Evolution for Emergency Preparedness: 2010 and Beyond
Andy Nunemaker
January 6, 2010
The increase in terrorist attacks in recent years – combined with the ability, and need, to deal both more promptly and more effectively with natural disasters – has led to a greater emphasis on new multi-tracking technologies that, EMSystems CEO Andy Nunemaker points out, give political leaders as well as
Impact of eLearning on Hospital Emergency Preparedness
Howard Levitin
January 6, 2010
Rapid advances in eLearning technology have led to rapid advances in the preparedness training available to Emergency Department personnel in hospitals throughout the country, according to DQE President Howard Levitin. However, he adds, that training should be very carefully planned not only to be compatible with the individual hospital’s incident
What Gets Measured, Gets Done – The Long and Winding Road of Preparedness Measurement
Timothy Beres
December 30, 2009
How does one measure preparedness, particularly in the field of homeland defense? Slowly, most of the time – and very carefully – is the correct answer. But there are other relevant questions that first must be answered. What is being measured, for example? And who, or what agency, is in
Protecting Citizens by Predicting Future Threats
Jennifer Smither
December 30, 2009
The threat is imminent, and can become a reality at almost any time. But no one knows about it except those who plan to carry out the threat. Chicago’s new District Intelligence Bulletin System (DIBS) is helping to even the odds by the extremely rapid dissemination, to law-enforcement agencies throughout
Degrees of Progress – Emergency Management: Today and Tomorrow
Kay C. Goss
December 23, 2009
Pandemics, wildfires, hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and an occasional tsunami – they are all in a day’s work (not all in the same day, though) for the highly professional emergency managers now assigned to a higher seat at the decision-makers’ table, and whose primary duty is teaching the nation not only
The Jeff Cooper Principles: Changes Needed in Personal Defensive Preparedness
Joseph W. Trindal
December 16, 2009
From time immemorial, and in every society on earth, those who enforce the law have themselves been targeted for death or injury by those who break the law. The attacks against U.S. police and other law-enforcement professionals have become both more frequent and more violent in recent years. Fortunately, there
Hospital Preparedness 2010: Are Additional Advances Possible?
Craig DeAtley
December 16, 2009
A greater focus on NIMS objectives seems likely, as well as some HICS modifications. But the possibility of maintaining recent-year funding levels is already very unlikely, and the final version of the healthcare-reform bill, if enacted, has yet to be determined.
First-Person Report – Forecast 2010: A New Model for Disaster Management
Mark Merritt
December 16, 2009
When the moisture level in Iowa climbed several inches, and then several feet, last year, the residents of the Hawkeye state knew they were in for a very wet summer. The still-ongoing recovery process from the 2008 drenching required several new approaches, a courageous decision by the governor, and some
2010: Will It Be ‘The Year of the IMT’?
Stephen Grainer
December 9, 2009
Eight years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks U.S. planners say that the nation is now “better” prepared than it was in 2001 – but not yet totally prepared. What they do not say is that total preparedness is a philosophical as well as financial impossibility. Continued improvements are the second
The Coast Guard Looks Ahead: A Closer Spirit of Cooperation With Local Agencies
Corey Ranslem
December 9, 2009
For many decades the U.S. Coast Guard was the nation’s “”forgotten service”” – except in time of war. In an era when international terrorism is the greatest threat to the U.S. homeland, though, the multi-mission service has moved front and center to a starring role. But it needs help from
Emergency Preparedness in Healthcare – 2010 & Beyond
Theodore Tully
December 9, 2009
Emergency planners, political and budget decision makers, and the general public are almost always more focused on preparing for last year’s hurricane than they are concerned about this year’s sudden earthquake, or tsunami, or – much more likely – long-predicted pandemic. Which is why common sense must sometimes take precedence.
Party Crashers Should Go From White House to Big House
Bradley A. Blakeman
December 9, 2009
Allegations, accusations, denials, congressional hearings, alleged cover-ups, and a raft of unanswered questions. That is the residue (so far) of one of the most publicized and, for practical purposes, least substantive “news stories of the year.” There are, though, a few “actual facts,” so to speak, that might also be
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