Most recently published
The Dangers of Not Protecting the ā3Psā During Events
Kole (KC) Campbell
November 24, 2021
On 5 November 2021, an apparent crowd crush at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas resulted in ten deaths and untold injuries. While the criminal investigation is in its early stages at the time of this article, the music festival undoubtably represents some failures of safety and security planning
Cassandraās Curse: Disasters Revisited
Rodney Andreasen
November 17, 2021
The study of Greek mythology can provide examples of failure to heed the call of emergency management specialists and experts. The story of Cassandra is an illustration of this warning. To win her favor, the Greek god Apollo gave her power to predict the future. However, once she received the
Another Opportunity to Prepare for Quarantines
Robert C. Hutchinson
November 10, 2021
An article published in 2013 discussed the considerable challenges of quarantine order implementation and enforcement during a future pandemic or other serious threats to public health. That discussion was after the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), but before the re-emergence of the
Space Aliens ā Emergency Management Roles & Responsibilities
Michael Prasad
October 27, 2021
Planning for the emergency management needs of space aliens on Earth, in terms of their well-being before, during, and after disasters could be the plot of a science fiction movie script. The movie District 9 has a similar premise: the aliens that arrived on Planet Earth were not warriors, but
The Future of Emergency Management: Managing Scarcity
Robert J. (Bob) Roller
October 20, 2021
The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters coupled with the reemergence of military threats from peer and near-peer adversaries overseas will greatly reduce the ability of emergency managers to meet the needs of disaster survivors.
It Is Time to Adopt & Implement Resilient Building Codes
Dominic Sims, Pete Gaynor and Craig Fugate
October 20, 2021
As a result of the changing climate, natural hazards like hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires are expected to continue to increase in both intensity and frequency. Therefore, it is critical that communities around the globe prioritize increasing their overall resiliency.
Afghanistan ā A Haven for Violent Extremism
Anthony L. Clark, Richard Schoeberl and Anthony (Tony) Mottola
October 6, 2021
The rapid collapse of Afghanistan creates uncertainty and fears around how swiftly the Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaida can rebuild, mobilize, and plan attacks on the West under a Taliban-led government. As conflict breeds instability, volatility will certainly follow the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. There will likely be a reconstitution
Influence of Aum Shinrikyo on the U.S. Emergency Response
Bobby Baker Jr.
September 29, 2021
Reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it is essential to not only remember that fateful day, but to highlight the events that precipitated it, examine lessons learned and policies established, and consider programs and policies needed to sustain prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities in the
Never Forget: Focusing Events & Opportunity for Change
Nim Kidd
September 22, 2021
Devastating events can open windows of opportunity. In emergency management, focusing events like 9/11 create opportunities for change. Tragedies like 9/11 or devastating hurricanes create a flurry of activity in the short period that follows. This activity typically involves conversations about how to make things better or make change. However,
September 11 ā Remembrance & Recovery
Anthony S. Mangeri
September 15, 2021
It is difficult to imagine that the attacks of 9/11 occurred 20 years ago. Emergency managers build systems to mitigate the potential impacts of disasters on communities. An emergency managerās job is to plan for the worst and prepare communities for that one moment when it is time to lead.
Security Lessons Learned ā Part 2, Las Vegas Shootings
Daniel Rector
September 8, 2021
Many of the previous stories and after-action reviews conducted for the 2017 Las Vegas shootings have focused on organizersā and public safety officialsā responses in the aftermath of the attack. In contrast, this article focuses on the eventsā security strengths and weaknesses and then offers recommendations for other event planners
Security Lessons Learned ā Part 1, Boston Marathon Bombings
Daniel Rector
September 1, 2021
Acts of terrorism continue to affect communities worldwide. As the public tries to retain a semblance of everyday life by attending outdoor events, emergency planners must adapt to new intelligence and learn from past attacks. A review of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings identifies the event security plansā strengths and
Resilience After 2021: Unfinished Business & Future Agenda
Robert McCreight
December 1, 2021
In 2021, many questions have been raised about resilience. Is more known about resilience and have more leverage tools been retained to establish resilience at will than a decade ago? What ideas and notions were expected 10 years ago in energizing resilience tasks, activities, and operations? Has the leverage needed
The Dangers of Not Protecting the ā3Psā During Events
Kole (KC) Campbell
November 24, 2021
On 5 November 2021, an apparent crowd crush at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas resulted in ten deaths and untold injuries. While the criminal investigation is in its early stages at the time of this article, the music festival undoubtably represents some failures of safety and security planning
Cassandraās Curse: Disasters Revisited
Rodney Andreasen
November 17, 2021
The study of Greek mythology can provide examples of failure to heed the call of emergency management specialists and experts. The story of Cassandra is an illustration of this warning. To win her favor, the Greek god Apollo gave her power to predict the future. However, once she received the
Another Opportunity to Prepare for Quarantines
Robert C. Hutchinson
November 10, 2021
An article published in 2013 discussed the considerable challenges of quarantine order implementation and enforcement during a future pandemic or other serious threats to public health. That discussion was after the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), but before the re-emergence of the
Space Aliens ā Emergency Management Roles & Responsibilities
Michael Prasad
October 27, 2021
Planning for the emergency management needs of space aliens on Earth, in terms of their well-being before, during, and after disasters could be the plot of a science fiction movie script. The movie District 9 has a similar premise: the aliens that arrived on Planet Earth were not warriors, but
The Future of Emergency Management: Managing Scarcity
Robert J. (Bob) Roller
October 20, 2021
The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters coupled with the reemergence of military threats from peer and near-peer adversaries overseas will greatly reduce the ability of emergency managers to meet the needs of disaster survivors.
It Is Time to Adopt & Implement Resilient Building Codes
Dominic Sims, Pete Gaynor and Craig Fugate
October 20, 2021
As a result of the changing climate, natural hazards like hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires are expected to continue to increase in both intensity and frequency. Therefore, it is critical that communities around the globe prioritize increasing their overall resiliency.
Afghanistan ā A Haven for Violent Extremism
Anthony L. Clark, Richard Schoeberl and Anthony (Tony) Mottola
October 6, 2021
The rapid collapse of Afghanistan creates uncertainty and fears around how swiftly the Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaida can rebuild, mobilize, and plan attacks on the West under a Taliban-led government. As conflict breeds instability, volatility will certainly follow the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. There will likely be a reconstitution
Influence of Aum Shinrikyo on the U.S. Emergency Response
Bobby Baker Jr.
September 29, 2021
Reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it is essential to not only remember that fateful day, but to highlight the events that precipitated it, examine lessons learned and policies established, and consider programs and policies needed to sustain prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities in the
Never Forget: Focusing Events & Opportunity for Change
Nim Kidd
September 22, 2021
Devastating events can open windows of opportunity. In emergency management, focusing events like 9/11 create opportunities for change. Tragedies like 9/11 or devastating hurricanes create a flurry of activity in the short period that follows. This activity typically involves conversations about how to make things better or make change. However,
September 11 ā Remembrance & Recovery
Anthony S. Mangeri
September 15, 2021
It is difficult to imagine that the attacks of 9/11 occurred 20 years ago. Emergency managers build systems to mitigate the potential impacts of disasters on communities. An emergency managerās job is to plan for the worst and prepare communities for that one moment when it is time to lead.
Security Lessons Learned ā Part 2, Las Vegas Shootings
Daniel Rector
September 8, 2021
Many of the previous stories and after-action reviews conducted for the 2017 Las Vegas shootings have focused on organizersā and public safety officialsā responses in the aftermath of the attack. In contrast, this article focuses on the eventsā security strengths and weaknesses and then offers recommendations for other event planners
COVID-19: Impact on Financial Fraud
Michael Breslin
August 25, 2021
The past 16 months have been challenging. COVID-19 left a trail of destruction and a tremendous loss of life. It has had an impact on almost every aspect of daily life. The economy, supply chains, social norms, schools, and places of worship were all affected. The pandemic also led to
Emergency Management Projects in a Quasi-Pandemic World
Sarah Keally
August 18, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic put many projects on hold and stalled efforts to build the workforce and train the next generation. Now that agencies are revisiting pre-pandemic projects, the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management in Virginia offers a best practices approach for introducing internship programs and filling critical operational and
Building Codes Support Disaster Preparedness & Resilience
Karl Fippinger
August 11, 2021
Building codes and standards have long been a silent partner in the health, safety, and welfare of communities and are becoming increasingly more important in society. Todayās emergency managers and community leaders face a multitude of risks including extreme weather events such as hurricanes, tornados, straight-line winds, flooding, drought, and
Psychological Effects of COVID-19 on Frontline Workers
Hannah Bennett
August 4, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the lives of healthcare workers and first responders ā impacts they are still feeling. As workers on the frontlines, these people took a harder hit than the rest of the American population when COVID-19 swept across the nation. Several studies have shown that the pandemic
Red Teaming for Disaster Preparedness
Kole (KC) Campbell
July 28, 2021
Many companies and government offices were unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic and sustained lockdowns, despite years of warnings and guidance from experts and the federal government. This lack of preparedness cost companies dearly, from delays in setting up work from home software to supply chain disruptions that could have been
Telecommunication Overload ā The 2021 Edition
Erik Westgard
July 21, 2021
āTelecommunication overloadā is a commonly used term that is a regular feature of various emergency scenarios. However, one fact needs to be remembered. Although some copper carrier network pieces are still in place in the United States, nearly all new investment is going into fiber backbones and updated wireless services.
Start or Restart VOADs/COADs During the Preparedness Phase
Michael Prasad
July 14, 2021
Volunteer and community organizations active in disaster (VOADs/COADs) operate best by using their four Cās: cooperation, coordination, collaboration, and communication. Emergency managers can build or strengthen this whole community capability in their own jurisdictions through public-private partnerships (PPPs), by performing the four Eās ā empower, endow, educate, and entrust.
Situational Awareness for Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
Akshay Birla
July 7, 2021
In an emergency response, multiple groups of stakeholders such as city, county, state, and federal agencies are brought together to solve a crisis or execute a mission. While groups of individuals from within an agency may have a shared understanding of their mission, organization, hierarchy, and norms of engagement, proper
The Other Life of Command Trucks
Erik Westgard
June 23, 2021
For many years, large outdoor sporting events have requested government and nongovernment organization mobile command and communications trucks to support races. Although traditionally used by incident commanders, volunteer amateur radio groups have found various ways to collaborate during special events and use these resources in Minneapolis, Minnesota to support medical
Online & Social Media Risks ā Protecting Children, Part 2
Michael Breslin and Robert Lowery Jr.
June 16, 2021
The nation has experienced unprecedented times due to the COVID-19 pandemic given the requisite need for social distancing and isolation experienced from stay-at-home orders. Daily lives were transformed. For homebound children, this was disruptive and changed daily routines. While at home, children engaged in a variety of safe and supervised
Online & Social Media Risks – Protecting Children, Part 1
Michael Breslin and Robert Lowery Jr.
June 9, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic brought child predators into peopleās homes. In the critical areas of human trafficking and child exploitation, the risks to children increased due to criminals shifting their methods and techniques to online streaming services. Increased virtual learning and stay-home mandates forced children to transition from a classroom environment
Fixing Americaās Healthcare Supply Chain
James M. Rush Sr.
June 2, 2021
The buildup to World War II illustrated the negative effect that huge wartime demand for medical supplies, equipment, and pharmaceuticals had on public and private healthcare systems in the United States. After the war, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) began building and pre-positioning federally owned medical materiel in storage depots
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