Most recently published
New Tools to Help with HICS Implementation
Craig DeAtley
December 5, 2007
A job well begun is half done – supposedly. Recently issued Hospital Incident Command System guidelines may not be half the job, but they should make it much easier and considerably less complicated.
The Vile and Versatile Internet: A New Tool for the Cyber-Savvy Terrorist
Joseph Steger
November 28, 2007
The Internet is arguably the greatest cross-cultural bridge in the history of mankind. Its global reach enhances business, research, and personal relationships at the speed of light. In addition, it is a tremendously underestimated and versatile tool now being massively used by terrorists. Its most attractive features include the user’s
A New NIMS Challenge: Train to Compliance, or Train for Competence?
Stephen Grainer
November 28, 2007
Should a state train its first responders to meet federally-mandated “compliance” criteria (and thereby become eligible for future funding), or to develop true/new operational capabilities?
Spores: The Threat of a Catastrophic Attack on America
Neil C. Livingstone
November 28, 2007
The first anthrax terrorist attack on the United States was relatively minor. Now a second attack, exponentially more lethal, is almost certain. When, not if, it happens, the decision makers in Congress & the White House will have only themselves to blame
The Mid-Atlantic All-Hazards Forum – Hugely Successful
James D. Hessman
November 21, 2007
Those who attended the regional conference in Baltimore earlier this month found it eminently worthwhile and developed a long list of solutions to current problems – and an even longer list of new dangers and difficulties lurking just over the horizon.
The Evolution of Devolution
Joseph Cahill
November 14, 2007
Who, when, how, and under what circumstances – those are only a few of the questions that are asked, and must be answered, in political, legal, and sometimes even combat situations calling for a transfer of decision-making command authority.
Damage and Debris – The Difficult Decisions Involved
Kirby McCrary
November 14, 2007
When an earthquake, tornado, or hurricane causes horrendous property damage, the “cleanup crew” (a veritable army of debris-removal workers) faces a number of major challenges, not the least of which is documenting the amount of work done.
Maintaining EMS Equipment in Times of Crisis
Joseph Cahill
November 7, 2007
EMS technicians and other first responders can and do work miracles each & every day. But not if they do not have the right rolling stock or medical systems or other equipment, or enough of it, or if the equipment they do have is not properly maintained.
The 2006 All-Hazards Report: Yesterday’s Warnings to Meet Today’s Disasters
John F. Morton
October 24, 2007
The states of the Mid-Atlantic region provide a helpful all-hazards primer that their sister states throughout the rest of the country should read and heed. Eight new “pillars of wisdom” are discussed in meaningful detail, and numerous lessons learned.
Friends and Neighbors, Duties and Responsibilities
MaryAnn Warren
October 24, 2007
A timely first-person report from Susquehanna County (Pa.) on the unforeseen (and to some extent unforeseeable) difficulties in coping, personally as well as professionally, with torrential rain, widespread floods, and other disasters.
Glenn Cannon, Assistant Administrator for Disaster Operations, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Glenn Cannon
October 24, 2007
His views on the post-Katrina reorganization mandated by Congress, his directorate’s working relationships with other FEMA branches, and the challenge of coping with both “notice” and “no-notice” disasters and emergencies.
The Sorting – Life-or-Death Decisions on the Scene
Joseph Cahill
October 17, 2007
When requests for aid overwhelm the resources available, whether the medical situation occurs in a small town or a big city, life-or-death decisions must be made – immediately, in many cases – about which patient receives immediate help and who waits. During day-to-day operations triage is largely a function assigned
Dennis R. Schrader, Deputy Administrator, National Preparedness, FEMA
Dennis R. Schrader
December 12, 2007
The new DHS “All Hazards” leader shares his views on the funding and operations of Incident Management Assistance Teams, Emergency Operations Centers, and other components of today’s “forward leaning” Federal Emergency Management Agency.
New Tools to Help with HICS Implementation
Craig DeAtley
December 5, 2007
A job well begun is half done – supposedly. Recently issued Hospital Incident Command System guidelines may not be half the job, but they should make it much easier and considerably less complicated.
The Vile and Versatile Internet: A New Tool for the Cyber-Savvy Terrorist
Joseph Steger
November 28, 2007
The Internet is arguably the greatest cross-cultural bridge in the history of mankind. Its global reach enhances business, research, and personal relationships at the speed of light. In addition, it is a tremendously underestimated and versatile tool now being massively used by terrorists. Its most attractive features include the user’s
A New NIMS Challenge: Train to Compliance, or Train for Competence?
Stephen Grainer
November 28, 2007
Should a state train its first responders to meet federally-mandated “compliance” criteria (and thereby become eligible for future funding), or to develop true/new operational capabilities?
Spores: The Threat of a Catastrophic Attack on America
Neil C. Livingstone
November 28, 2007
The first anthrax terrorist attack on the United States was relatively minor. Now a second attack, exponentially more lethal, is almost certain. When, not if, it happens, the decision makers in Congress & the White House will have only themselves to blame
The Mid-Atlantic All-Hazards Forum – Hugely Successful
James D. Hessman
November 21, 2007
Those who attended the regional conference in Baltimore earlier this month found it eminently worthwhile and developed a long list of solutions to current problems – and an even longer list of new dangers and difficulties lurking just over the horizon.
The Evolution of Devolution
Joseph Cahill
November 14, 2007
Who, when, how, and under what circumstances – those are only a few of the questions that are asked, and must be answered, in political, legal, and sometimes even combat situations calling for a transfer of decision-making command authority.
Damage and Debris – The Difficult Decisions Involved
Kirby McCrary
November 14, 2007
When an earthquake, tornado, or hurricane causes horrendous property damage, the “cleanup crew” (a veritable army of debris-removal workers) faces a number of major challenges, not the least of which is documenting the amount of work done.
Maintaining EMS Equipment in Times of Crisis
Joseph Cahill
November 7, 2007
EMS technicians and other first responders can and do work miracles each & every day. But not if they do not have the right rolling stock or medical systems or other equipment, or enough of it, or if the equipment they do have is not properly maintained.
The 2006 All-Hazards Report: Yesterday’s Warnings to Meet Today’s Disasters
John F. Morton
October 24, 2007
The states of the Mid-Atlantic region provide a helpful all-hazards primer that their sister states throughout the rest of the country should read and heed. Eight new “pillars of wisdom” are discussed in meaningful detail, and numerous lessons learned.
Friends and Neighbors, Duties and Responsibilities
MaryAnn Warren
October 24, 2007
A timely first-person report from Susquehanna County (Pa.) on the unforeseen (and to some extent unforeseeable) difficulties in coping, personally as well as professionally, with torrential rain, widespread floods, and other disasters.
Glenn Cannon, Assistant Administrator for Disaster Operations, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Glenn Cannon
October 24, 2007
His views on the post-Katrina reorganization mandated by Congress, his directorate’s working relationships with other FEMA branches, and the challenge of coping with both “notice” and “no-notice” disasters and emergencies.
The Hospital Incident Command System – No Longer HEICS
Craig DeAtley
October 10, 2007
The professional guidelines developed to help the nation’s hospitals cope with a broad spectrum of emergencies have been so successful and so well-received that they have been expanded, revised, and refined to encompass non-emergency situations as well.
EMS Professionals and the CERTification of Volunteers
Joseph Cahill
October 10, 2007
The willingness of so many citizen volunteers to serve on Community Emergency Response Teams adds an extra dimension of capability to already overworked (and sometimes overwhelmed) EMS staffs. There are a few precautions also worth noting, though.
Protecting Our Protectors: Defending America’s First Responders
Barbara Mikulski
October 3, 2007
It is unconscionable that the “American heroes” who protect “our homes, our businesses, and our communities” have not been given the tools they need to carry out their dangerous jobs. Now they will be, thanks to the initiatives pushed by this legislator.
Joseph Becker, Senior Vice President of Disaster Services, American Red Cross
Joseph C. Becker
September 19, 2007
The ARC’s new operational framework for the Age of Terrorism. National Preparedness Month. Working relationships with local and state agencies. Pet sheltering, the national shelter data system, and the ARC blood program.
Building a Strong Emergency-Management Profession
Kay C. Goss
September 11, 2007
One of the nation’s foremost experts in the still emerging field of emergency management provides her insider’s point of view of the guiding principles – including both a vision and a mission statement – on which this important new field was founded.
Building a Strong Emergency-Management Profession
Kay C. Goss
September 11, 2007
One of the nation’s foremost experts in the still emerging field of emergency management provides her insider’s point of view of the guiding principles – including both a vision and a mission statement – on which this important new field was founded.
Preparing Hospitals for Use as Fallout Shelters
Kirk Paradise
September 11, 2007
Forward-looking planners in Huntsville, Alabama, are seeking to determine the feasibility of using medical facilities as fallout shelters to cope with mass-casualty incidents involving a nuclear or “dirty” bomb.
Rear Admiral David P. Pekoske, USCG, and Rear Admiral Brian M. Salerno, USCG
John F. Morton, David P. Pekoske and Brian M. Salerno
September 11, 2007
Their views on current and future maritime-security operations, the USCG’s relationships with other agencies, new security standards being considered, and the service’s interface with the Navy, CBP, and various port stakeholders.
Debris Monitors – Cleaning Up and Clearing Out
Kirby McCrary
September 5, 2007
The crisis is not really “over” until the paperwork has been completed – in full, on time, and frequently in triplicate. In the field of debris removal adherence to that old saying is sometimes the difference between bankruptcy and prosperity.
James Lee Witt, CEO, James Lee Witt Associates
John F. Morton and James Lee Witt
September 5, 2007
The former FEMA administrator discusses the agency’s reorganization process, the proposed establishment of a national catastrophic-insurance fund, FEMA’s working relationship with the ARC, and the rationale for upgrading the agency to cabinet-level.
Systems and Solutions – The Gateways to Interoperability
Gary Simpson
August 22, 2007
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, brought to light, in stark reality, one of the greatest problems facing public safety entities around the world – communications interoperability. Since 9/11 many jurisdictions have spent millions of dollars to upgrade communications systems with features that are designed to improve their ability
The Doctors Plot – Its Implications for America
David P. Wright
August 15, 2007
Security experts dismiss the attempt by Islamic doctors to blow up a London nightclub as an “amateurish” operation. But that misses the real point, which is that physicians – people who know how to make biological weapons – are now on the terrorist team.
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