Most recently published

Fusion Centers & Public Health Agencies: Unlikely or Natural Partners?
Adam Bulava
August 26, 2009
What once seemed an unlikely alliance – a nationwide working partnership between federal agencies and state/local law-enforcement and public-health agencies – is not only working well but also providing synergistically improved results.

Responding to Incidents in a Neighboring Port
Corey Ranslem
August 26, 2009
The U.S. port system is huge, complex, and immensely important to the nation’s economy and to homeland security. The 24/7 protection of that system is an extremely difficult task and usually involves a host of different organizations and agencies working in close cooperation with one another.

EMS: Increased Emphasis on the Medical Aspect
Joseph Cahill
August 26, 2009
The still ongoing professionalization of the EMS field has been a gradual but hugely successful undertaking that has resulted not only in the saving of many, many lives but also has made those lives richer, less painful, and longer-lasting.

Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Six
Adam Montella
August 26, 2009
The ten volunteers continue their quest for survival – but are suddenly rocked by the unexpected, and unexplained, disappearance of one of their members. The “real” loss of this one person is in some ways emotionally more distressing than the cataclysmic loss of the entire nation in which they had

Qualifications, Credentials, and a Need for Speed
Glen Rudner
August 19, 2009
Progress in the development of a national credentialing system has ranged from slow to slower. Which is no longer good enough for government work, particularly in the new Age of Terrorism when the nation’s enemies strike suddenly, at random, and without remorse.

Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Five
Adam Montella
August 19, 2009
The volunteers learn that hard work, good intentions, and ingenious solutions will not ensure their survival. What also is needed is elected or appointed leadership. And maybe a few common-sense laws applicable to all hands.

National Recovery Doctrine: The Next Preparedness Frontier
Dennis R. Schrader
August 19, 2009
Recovery operations cannot begin until the first responders have finished their work. But recovery plans can and should be in place well before disaster strikes. To date, though, there has been very little movement on the promulgation of a detailed Recovery Doctrine.

The Development of National Standards for Credentialing
Diana Hopkins
August 12, 2009
Who goes there? And what are his/her skills, professional qualifications, and other capabilities? The only sure way to answer these and other questions posed in times of crisis is through a national credentialing system that takes into account a long list of practical requirements and possible pitfalls.

Managing the SNS Stockpile: A Case Study
Joseph Cahill
August 12, 2009
The Strategic National Stockpile (of vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and other medical supplies) is one of the most important “”tools”” available to fight a pandemic. This case study tells how two states worked with Upp Technology Inc. to sharpen that tool and make it exponentially more effective.

Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Four
Adam Montella
August 12, 2009
The volunteers continue their efforts to build a new and better world from the destruction all around them. But they also must take time to protect themselves from attack by other survivors not as well intentioned.

Emergency Services Credentialing: FEMA Leads the Way
Kay C. Goss
August 5, 2009
NCR, ANSI, and Commonwealth of Virginia also in the vanguard as states, cities, and even private-sector agencies and organizations pool resources to standardize and upgrade security checks at major events that attract large crowds – including terrorists and other criminals seeking to gain national and global recognition.

A New and Challenging Era for Rural Homeland Security
Jonathan A. Dudek
August 5, 2009
For more than two centuries the great state of Maine was known and cherished for its rustic simplicity – which, of course, made it a particularly attractive take-off point for two of the Islamic fundamentalists involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Seven
Adam Montella
September 2, 2009
Another trip (always dangerous) to the L.A. River teaches the Colonists that the challenges they face are psychological and emotional as well as physical. They also know that they need a continuing supply of protein; fortunately, there is a lot of it scurrying about the warehouse.

Fusion Centers & Public Health Agencies: Unlikely or Natural Partners?
Adam Bulava
August 26, 2009
What once seemed an unlikely alliance – a nationwide working partnership between federal agencies and state/local law-enforcement and public-health agencies – is not only working well but also providing synergistically improved results.

Responding to Incidents in a Neighboring Port
Corey Ranslem
August 26, 2009
The U.S. port system is huge, complex, and immensely important to the nation’s economy and to homeland security. The 24/7 protection of that system is an extremely difficult task and usually involves a host of different organizations and agencies working in close cooperation with one another.

EMS: Increased Emphasis on the Medical Aspect
Joseph Cahill
August 26, 2009
The still ongoing professionalization of the EMS field has been a gradual but hugely successful undertaking that has resulted not only in the saving of many, many lives but also has made those lives richer, less painful, and longer-lasting.

Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Six
Adam Montella
August 26, 2009
The ten volunteers continue their quest for survival – but are suddenly rocked by the unexpected, and unexplained, disappearance of one of their members. The “real” loss of this one person is in some ways emotionally more distressing than the cataclysmic loss of the entire nation in which they had

Qualifications, Credentials, and a Need for Speed
Glen Rudner
August 19, 2009
Progress in the development of a national credentialing system has ranged from slow to slower. Which is no longer good enough for government work, particularly in the new Age of Terrorism when the nation’s enemies strike suddenly, at random, and without remorse.

Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Five
Adam Montella
August 19, 2009
The volunteers learn that hard work, good intentions, and ingenious solutions will not ensure their survival. What also is needed is elected or appointed leadership. And maybe a few common-sense laws applicable to all hands.

National Recovery Doctrine: The Next Preparedness Frontier
Dennis R. Schrader
August 19, 2009
Recovery operations cannot begin until the first responders have finished their work. But recovery plans can and should be in place well before disaster strikes. To date, though, there has been very little movement on the promulgation of a detailed Recovery Doctrine.

The Development of National Standards for Credentialing
Diana Hopkins
August 12, 2009
Who goes there? And what are his/her skills, professional qualifications, and other capabilities? The only sure way to answer these and other questions posed in times of crisis is through a national credentialing system that takes into account a long list of practical requirements and possible pitfalls.

Managing the SNS Stockpile: A Case Study
Joseph Cahill
August 12, 2009
The Strategic National Stockpile (of vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and other medical supplies) is one of the most important “”tools”” available to fight a pandemic. This case study tells how two states worked with Upp Technology Inc. to sharpen that tool and make it exponentially more effective.

Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Four
Adam Montella
August 12, 2009
The volunteers continue their efforts to build a new and better world from the destruction all around them. But they also must take time to protect themselves from attack by other survivors not as well intentioned.

Emergency Services Credentialing: FEMA Leads the Way
Kay C. Goss
August 5, 2009
NCR, ANSI, and Commonwealth of Virginia also in the vanguard as states, cities, and even private-sector agencies and organizations pool resources to standardize and upgrade security checks at major events that attract large crowds – including terrorists and other criminals seeking to gain national and global recognition.
Protecting the Super Bowl – A Perfect Defense Is Mandatory
Diana Hopkins
July 29, 2009
The cost, and the challenge, of providing security at the Super Bowl and other major sports events has escalated exponentially in the almost eight years since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. And there are absolutely no fumbles allowed.
Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Two
Adam Montella
July 29, 2009
The ten volunteers continue their efforts to create a new civilization despite attempts by the Marauders seeking to steal the basic essentials found in the abandoned warehouse. The greatest challenges facing the volunteers, though, are their own fears and uncertainties.
Wisconsin Air Guard Hosts Full-Scale Joint Exercise
Alyson Berzinski and Eric Liesse
July 27, 2009
The Army and Air National Guard’s annual international Operation Global Patriot exercise, hosting roughly 3,000 National Guard Troops from forty-five different states and six different coalition nations. The exercise’s overall training goal is for different coalition nations and National Guard units to work together in real-world scenarios.
The PPO & Surge Capacity: A Different Type of ‘Insurance’
John J. Burke
July 22, 2009
The reverberations from last month’s Washington, D.C., Metro crash were heard throughout the country – and set off a silent “”security alarm”” of sorts in the Town of Sandwich, Massachusetts, where emergency planners had their own good reasons for paying special attention.
Special Events: Reality TV for Training & Exercises
Joseph Cahill
July 22, 2009
People, weather disasters, terrorist attacks, and other criminal activities are inherently unpredictable. Which does not mean that law-enforcement and healthcare agencies cannot prepare for them by using the “special events” calendar as a training curriculum.
Security Planning for Major Events
Joseph Watson and Joseph W. Trindal
July 22, 2009
The template is there, in the Secret Service after-action reports on previous NSSEs. So are the Guidelines, issued by the Department of Justice. All that state and local emergency managers have to do, therefore, is read, heed, practice – and maybe pray a little.
Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week One
Adam Montella
July 22, 2009
No one knew exactly what happened, or how much damage their world had suffered. But they all knew that life would never again be the same. They were few in number, but they had somehow survived. By joining together they might continue to survive. But how, and for how long?
Providing Systems Engineering Support to State & Local Jurisdictions
Dennis R. Schrader
July 15, 2009
The federal government has told the nation’s states and cities to build up their homeland-security capabilities – a difficult and costly task at any time, but even more so during a recession. Here is one way to solve the “unfunded mandates” dilemma.
Premiere Performances: NSSEs, Non-NSSEs – And the Security Risks Involved
Neil C. Livingstone
July 15, 2009
The most perfectly planned and carefully implemented security plan can easily go awry. All it takes is one suicidal terrorist or deranged assassin to make a major special event much more exciting, and dangerous – for participants and spectators alike – than originally anticipated.
Emergency Management & Special Events: Challenges, Support, Best Practices
Kay C. Goss
July 15, 2009
There are few if any challenges so daunting to emergency managers than the planning and implementation of the security measures needed to protect the principals and attendees at NSSEs and other highly publicized events. The greatest success occurs when nothing happens.
London 2012: Protecting the Olympic Games
Andy Oppenheimer
July 8, 2009
The greatest challenge facing UK and London officials will not be the staging of a worthy successor to China’s sterling 2008 Games, but maintaining tight security in an open society where the cuisine may be less varied but freedom and diversity are much more highly valued.
Vigilant Guard 2009
Domestic Preparedness
July 7, 2009
Iowa, Kansas and Puerto Rico held annual Vigilant Guard training exercises.
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