Most recently published
Chemical Sector Perspectives
Patrick Coyle
October 5, 2022
The Chemical Sector is one of 16 sectors identified as critical infrastructure under the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. Domestic Preparedness invited one subject matter expert to answer important questions about this sector and how the sector and its interdependencies can affect any community.
Lessons From Leading Virtual Operations
Jennifer Pearsall
October 5, 2022
Over the past two and a half years, most emergency preparedness professionals experienced some level of virtual work, even at emergency operations centers (EOC). And it appears that some aspects of working virtually is here to stay ā including during a response. This article describes some lessons learned from one
Military Combat Skills for Civilian Disaster Response
Lisa Nenno and Timothy Miller
September 28, 2022
During their service, military personnel acquire a broad range of lifesaving skills that are critical when on the frontline during wartime. Effective medical triage is one of the skills needed during combat and any major disaster or catastrophic event. When preparing and training for all hazards, the learned experience from
Taking Flight ā Creating a Robust Aviation Response, Part 1
James Origliosso and Sky Terry
September 28, 2022
General aviation pilots have been finding ways to assist their communities during emergencies and disasters for many years. However, over the past two years, significant advances in disaster preparedness have been made as emergency response plans were created and exercised to integrate volunteer aviation response into other community response efforts.
Tribal Nations Test Their Communications Capabilities
Bruce Fitzgerald
September 22, 2022
A 9.0-magnitude earthquake is a predictable scenario along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. This article describes how the tribal nations in the Pacific Northwest are preparing their region for this catastrophic event. This exercise allowed tribal and non-tribal participants to evaluate their resources and test their communications capabilities.
Building Resource Capacity ā Start Now
Andrew (Andy) Altizer and Timothy S. Murphy
September 21, 2022
Building resource capacity involves research, planning, and execution that should begin now. Identifying potential dangers, considering āwhat ifā scenarios, capitalizing on other events and incidents, and overcoming barriers are key components for building resilient communities. This article explains how to get started.
Respecting Tribal Emergency Management
John Pennington
September 14, 2022
Emergency management professionals tend to exhibit what they routinely advocate within their respective communities āĀ resilience. As the field of emergency management continues to evolve, its leaders and their organizations must adjust and adapt to more than just response scenarios. They are expected to speak to the still lingering questions of
Uvalde Shooting ā A Predictable Surprise
William H. Austin
September 14, 2022
When intentional acts of violence occur, people often wonder if the incident was preventable. For example, after a mass shooting killed 19 students and 2 teachers in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022, many were questioning the predictability of the gunmanās actions and the decision-making process of the responders. This
Credentialing a Nationās Volunteer Responder Network
Patty Ridings
September 7, 2022
Catastrophic earthquakes and a desire for residents to help their neighbors inspired the creation of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). Since its creation in 1986, CERT has become a nationwide program that continues to evolve. This article describes how a new digital solution is closing the credentialing gap between citizen
Strategic Depth & the Fight Against Violent Extremism
Richard Schoeberl and Cochran Pruett
September 7, 2022
Despite the deaths of Islamic State and al-Qaida leadership, violent extremism is not gone. This article describes why, despite recent successful strikes against terrorist groups, intelligence agencies and others tasked with protecting their communities must stay vigilant. More strategic depth is needed to help reduce the possibility of the extremist
Successful Application ā Virtual Emergency Operations Center
Judy Kruger and Kyle R. Overly
August 24, 2022
Before 2019, partner agencies coordinated incident command primarily from a physical emergency operations center (EOC). This practice shifted to virtual EOCs during the COVID-19 pandemic for many agencies. Virtual EOCs can effectively address community needs through all phases of consequence management. Emergency management and partner agencies have found virtual on-scene
How Natural Disasters Exacerbate Human Trafficking
Lindsey Lane and Hailey York
August 24, 2022
Human trafficking is the worldās second-largest criminal industry. In the wake of natural disasters, the risk to vulnerable populations rises. This article informs preparedness and response professionals on how to better protect their communities and prepare their workforces to identify the signs of human trafficking, understand recruiting methods, consider pre-existing
Taking Flight ā Creating a Robust Aviation Response, Part 2
James Origliosso and Sky Terry
October 12, 2022
Volunteer general aviation pilots have assisted their communities during emergencies and disasters for many years. This is the second of a two-part article on their disaster preparedness efforts in the Pacific Northwest. In this part, they participate in two separate yet coordinated functional earthquake and tsunami disaster exercises.
Chemical Sector Perspectives
Patrick Coyle
October 5, 2022
The Chemical Sector is one of 16 sectors identified as critical infrastructure under the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. Domestic Preparedness invited one subject matter expert to answer important questions about this sector and how the sector and its interdependencies can affect any community.
Lessons From Leading Virtual Operations
Jennifer Pearsall
October 5, 2022
Over the past two and a half years, most emergency preparedness professionals experienced some level of virtual work, even at emergency operations centers (EOC). And it appears that some aspects of working virtually is here to stay ā including during a response. This article describes some lessons learned from one
Military Combat Skills for Civilian Disaster Response
Lisa Nenno and Timothy Miller
September 28, 2022
During their service, military personnel acquire a broad range of lifesaving skills that are critical when on the frontline during wartime. Effective medical triage is one of the skills needed during combat and any major disaster or catastrophic event. When preparing and training for all hazards, the learned experience from
Taking Flight ā Creating a Robust Aviation Response, Part 1
James Origliosso and Sky Terry
September 28, 2022
General aviation pilots have been finding ways to assist their communities during emergencies and disasters for many years. However, over the past two years, significant advances in disaster preparedness have been made as emergency response plans were created and exercised to integrate volunteer aviation response into other community response efforts.
Tribal Nations Test Their Communications Capabilities
Bruce Fitzgerald
September 22, 2022
A 9.0-magnitude earthquake is a predictable scenario along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. This article describes how the tribal nations in the Pacific Northwest are preparing their region for this catastrophic event. This exercise allowed tribal and non-tribal participants to evaluate their resources and test their communications capabilities.
Building Resource Capacity ā Start Now
Andrew (Andy) Altizer and Timothy S. Murphy
September 21, 2022
Building resource capacity involves research, planning, and execution that should begin now. Identifying potential dangers, considering āwhat ifā scenarios, capitalizing on other events and incidents, and overcoming barriers are key components for building resilient communities. This article explains how to get started.
Respecting Tribal Emergency Management
John Pennington
September 14, 2022
Emergency management professionals tend to exhibit what they routinely advocate within their respective communities āĀ resilience. As the field of emergency management continues to evolve, its leaders and their organizations must adjust and adapt to more than just response scenarios. They are expected to speak to the still lingering questions of
Uvalde Shooting ā A Predictable Surprise
William H. Austin
September 14, 2022
When intentional acts of violence occur, people often wonder if the incident was preventable. For example, after a mass shooting killed 19 students and 2 teachers in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022, many were questioning the predictability of the gunmanās actions and the decision-making process of the responders. This
Credentialing a Nationās Volunteer Responder Network
Patty Ridings
September 7, 2022
Catastrophic earthquakes and a desire for residents to help their neighbors inspired the creation of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). Since its creation in 1986, CERT has become a nationwide program that continues to evolve. This article describes how a new digital solution is closing the credentialing gap between citizen
Strategic Depth & the Fight Against Violent Extremism
Richard Schoeberl and Cochran Pruett
September 7, 2022
Despite the deaths of Islamic State and al-Qaida leadership, violent extremism is not gone. This article describes why, despite recent successful strikes against terrorist groups, intelligence agencies and others tasked with protecting their communities must stay vigilant. More strategic depth is needed to help reduce the possibility of the extremist
Successful Application ā Virtual Emergency Operations Center
Judy Kruger and Kyle R. Overly
August 24, 2022
Before 2019, partner agencies coordinated incident command primarily from a physical emergency operations center (EOC). This practice shifted to virtual EOCs during the COVID-19 pandemic for many agencies. Virtual EOCs can effectively address community needs through all phases of consequence management. Emergency management and partner agencies have found virtual on-scene
Reduce Burnout & Increase Retention in Emergency Management
Kesley Richardson
August 10, 2022
In emergency management (EM), the landscape of incoming professionals is evolving from second-career professionals to first-career college graduated practitioners. This change spotlights the difference between management and leadership and its effects on the retention and burnout of professionals. EM professionals see growth in organizations, with āprojected growth between 2016 and
The Expanding Role of Tactical Medicine
Ian Pleet
August 10, 2022
Effective trainings are ones where the participants remember and later implement what they learned into their daily operations. Not everyone knows how they would respond in a true emergency. However, some trainings provide a more realistic glimpse into disaster scenarios than others. This first-hand account describes what it was like
Wanted: Mental Health Support for Disaster Trauma
Mary McNaughton-Cassill, Mary Schoenfeldt and Ruth Baugher Palmer
August 3, 2022
Disaster response organizations have become increasingly adept at meeting the basic needs of survivors, including shelter, food, water, and medical treatment. However, traumatic disaster-related experiences ā including threats to life, exposure to death and injury, and the destruction of homes and communities ā also take aĀ psychological tollĀ on survivors. CommonĀ responses to
Responding Respectfully to People With Disabilities
James Martin
August 3, 2022
Police officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, doctors, nurses, and others in emergency response roles are regularly tasked with responding to emergencies and disaster sites and communicating with various people who have been involved in or witnessed an incident. However, someĀ researchĀ has shown that there is āa gap in first respondersā
Creating a Common Operating Picture for Wildfire Season
Akshay Birla
July 27, 2022
Life is beginning to return to normal following the past two years of the pandemic, but the world is still as unpredictable as ever. When it seems as though one catastrophic situation is coming to an end, another tends to emerge as the newest public safety issue. One set of
Societal Violence & Its Impact on Critical Infrastructure
Nathan DiPillo and Tim Scarrott
July 27, 2022
The ānew normalā following the COVID-19 outbreak is still evolving. Although some people have welcomed the relief from many years of commuting and focused on personal growth and time with family, others have become disenfranchised, isolated, depressed, or lack purpose and empathy. As the United States reels from the recent
Four Takeaways From the Nashville Christmas Bombing
Robert F. Kelly and Dean C. Alexander
July 20, 2022
The Nashville Christmas bombing provides valuable lessons about targeted violence incidents. This research on pre-attack indicators shares four key takeaways for law enforcement and other preparedness professionals to understand regarding lone wolf and leaderless resistance attacks. Knowing other pre-attack indicators may help thwart a future attack even when the motive
Teleforensic Tools ā From Telemedicine to Law Enforcement
Michael Melton
July 20, 2022
Telemedicine capabilities have become valuable medical tools to provide life-saving treatment to patients where and when needed. Similarly, off-site skills and knowledge can be transferred to on-site law enforcement personnel through teleforensics to identify and thwart threats, while increasing crime clearances. This article describes how expanding capabilities, identifying needs, delivering
Public Health Preparednessā Finding Its Path Forward
Raphael M. Barishansky
July 13, 2022
Public health preparedness has emerged and matured as a distinct discipline since the events of 9/11 and the subsequent Ameri-thrax attacks. Although, in the past, public health agencies were pushed to the forefront of various emergencies, the planning and infrastructure for public health emergency response were not funded and not
Making Communications a Predictable Lifeline Solution
Charles J. Guddemi
July 13, 2022
Community lifelines ensure that businesses and the government can continue functioning and society can thrive. However, a breakdown in daily operations is inevitable when one or more lifeline is lost. In communications, this means a disruption in technology that has become interwoven into societal norms ā talking, texting, data transfer,
How The Best Get Better: Partnerships & A Trifecta Disaster
Judy Kruger and Scott Harris
June 21, 2022
Japan is more prepared for future disasters due to communications and annual investments into exercises and drills with local and international partners. Tokyo Disney Resort leveraged private-public partnerships to increase preparedness in employees, guests, business services, critical infrastructure facilities, and government stakeholders to manage future disruptions caused by natural disasters.
Public Safety Grant Programs Changes ā A 10-Year Review
Kurt Bradley
June 15, 2022
Article Out Loud Change is inevitable. As society continues to progress in the ādigital age,ā so has applying for various federal grant programs. It is becoming almost impossible to apply to these programs via a paper application, as in the past. To remain competitive when applying for these grants, it
Follow Us
Get Instant Access
Subscribe today to Domestic Preparedness and get real-world insights for safer communities.
