Most recently published
Local Role in Preparedness & Resilience to Natural Disasters
Roland Temah
January 17, 2017
Natural disasters begin locally and may affect one or more communities simultaneously. However, a community approach to preparedness and resilience â with local government officials identifying the different natural disasters that make their communities vulnerable â can greatly influence response and sustainability efforts to counteract potential challenges. To achieve effective
Enhancing Incident Management for Local Responders
Jeffrey Driskill Sr.
January 16, 2017
Since 2003, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) has required local officials to report NIMS compliance actions to their respective emergency management agencies, which in turn reported these results to the state. The National Incident Management System is entering its 14th year with varied degrees of accomplishment.
Sailing Toward Port Resilience
Yuri Graves
January 11, 2017
A sturdy boat and a knowledgeable crew increase the odds for a safe voyage. To build a sailboat with a strong, sturdy foundation, the keel is laid and the hull is made to balance and support the entire boat while at sea. Similarly, community preparedness also needs a strong foundation
Ghosts of Old Vulnerability
Douglas McDaniel
January 11, 2017
There are few conversations today capable of surfacing guttural emotional responses quite like a discussion related to bias and inequalities. The challenge is clear. From the most elementary perspective, if the existence of bias and/or inequalities is acknowledged, it is illogical to then ignore the possibility that adverse impacts are
The Year of the Railway Station
Steven Polunsky
December 21, 2016
The year 2017 should be a great year for mobility and infrastructure in the United States. All signs are pointing to a robust economy, and policymakers are looking favorably on transportation projects â road, rail, air, public, private, and in between. In particular, the upcoming year will see a number
Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Emergency Management
Darren E. Price
December 21, 2016
Responding to disasters is a critical function for first responders and the emergency management community. Rotary and fixed-winged aircraft have traditionally performed disaster response missions, such as overhead damage assessments, reconnaissance, and missing person searches. However, with the advancement of unmanned aircraft systems, there is an opportunity to perform conventional
Bombing an Ideology: No One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Richard Schoeberl
December 20, 2016
Stretching from Belgium to France, the United States to Iraq, the world has been blemished with terror attacks ranging from active shooter scenarios at entertainment venues, to plowing vehicles into crowded streets. Over the past decade, the United States has joined the global community of those exposed to the consequences
Tomorrowâs Emergency Management Capabilities
Jeffrey Kaliner
December 14, 2016
If someone were to walk into a high school classroom today and ask the students about their future professions, there may be one or possibly two students who wish to pursue emergency management. However, as much as the field has grown since 2001, emergency management is still not the dream
Making the Grid Great Again
J. Michael Barrett
December 14, 2016
As the dust from the recent election settles, one of the first orders of business for the incoming Trump administration is a massive public infrastructure investment plan. Although the economic benefits associated with improved infrastructure are popular with many citizens and both sides of the political aisle, the real-world practicalities
Noncriminal Alien Self-Identification Program
Armin Cate
December 14, 2016
The removal of criminal illegal aliens is a top priority for President-Elect Donald Trump. However, identifying, locating, processing, and deporting 3 million criminal aliens among the 20 million illegal aliens in the United States would completely overwhelm the removal process currently in place. One proposed program may help speed the
Preparing for a New Pandemic With an Old Plan
Robert C. Hutchinson
December 7, 2016
The measurable level of national planning and preparedness for a serious pandemic threat or biological attack continues to be a subject of great discussion, debate, and concern in the United States and around the world. This level of readiness continues to be a challenge as identified in regular studies, reports,
Meta-Leadership 2.0: More Critical Than Ever
Leonard J. Marcus
November 23, 2016
Over the past decade, meta-leadership, a methodology developed at the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard, has become a widely adopted framework for leading in emergency preparedness and response. Over that time, both the model and methods have advanced based on field experience. This article presents the latest thinking and
Time Value of Capability: Expenditures vs. Savings
Charles Eaneff
January 18, 2017
The business of domestic preparedness seems to be a likely priority in 2017, and the relationship between the time value of state and local capabilities and federal disaster relief policies are sure to evolve. For public safety professionals â including police, fire, emergency medical, and emergency management services â the
Local Role in Preparedness & Resilience to Natural Disasters
Roland Temah
January 17, 2017
Natural disasters begin locally and may affect one or more communities simultaneously. However, a community approach to preparedness and resilience â with local government officials identifying the different natural disasters that make their communities vulnerable â can greatly influence response and sustainability efforts to counteract potential challenges. To achieve effective
Enhancing Incident Management for Local Responders
Jeffrey Driskill Sr.
January 16, 2017
Since 2003, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) has required local officials to report NIMS compliance actions to their respective emergency management agencies, which in turn reported these results to the state. The National Incident Management System is entering its 14th year with varied degrees of accomplishment.
Sailing Toward Port Resilience
Yuri Graves
January 11, 2017
A sturdy boat and a knowledgeable crew increase the odds for a safe voyage. To build a sailboat with a strong, sturdy foundation, the keel is laid and the hull is made to balance and support the entire boat while at sea. Similarly, community preparedness also needs a strong foundation
Ghosts of Old Vulnerability
Douglas McDaniel
January 11, 2017
There are few conversations today capable of surfacing guttural emotional responses quite like a discussion related to bias and inequalities. The challenge is clear. From the most elementary perspective, if the existence of bias and/or inequalities is acknowledged, it is illogical to then ignore the possibility that adverse impacts are
The Year of the Railway Station
Steven Polunsky
December 21, 2016
The year 2017 should be a great year for mobility and infrastructure in the United States. All signs are pointing to a robust economy, and policymakers are looking favorably on transportation projects â road, rail, air, public, private, and in between. In particular, the upcoming year will see a number
Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Emergency Management
Darren E. Price
December 21, 2016
Responding to disasters is a critical function for first responders and the emergency management community. Rotary and fixed-winged aircraft have traditionally performed disaster response missions, such as overhead damage assessments, reconnaissance, and missing person searches. However, with the advancement of unmanned aircraft systems, there is an opportunity to perform conventional
Bombing an Ideology: No One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Richard Schoeberl
December 20, 2016
Stretching from Belgium to France, the United States to Iraq, the world has been blemished with terror attacks ranging from active shooter scenarios at entertainment venues, to plowing vehicles into crowded streets. Over the past decade, the United States has joined the global community of those exposed to the consequences
Tomorrowâs Emergency Management Capabilities
Jeffrey Kaliner
December 14, 2016
If someone were to walk into a high school classroom today and ask the students about their future professions, there may be one or possibly two students who wish to pursue emergency management. However, as much as the field has grown since 2001, emergency management is still not the dream
Making the Grid Great Again
J. Michael Barrett
December 14, 2016
As the dust from the recent election settles, one of the first orders of business for the incoming Trump administration is a massive public infrastructure investment plan. Although the economic benefits associated with improved infrastructure are popular with many citizens and both sides of the political aisle, the real-world practicalities
Noncriminal Alien Self-Identification Program
Armin Cate
December 14, 2016
The removal of criminal illegal aliens is a top priority for President-Elect Donald Trump. However, identifying, locating, processing, and deporting 3 million criminal aliens among the 20 million illegal aliens in the United States would completely overwhelm the removal process currently in place. One proposed program may help speed the
Preparing for a New Pandemic With an Old Plan
Robert C. Hutchinson
December 7, 2016
The measurable level of national planning and preparedness for a serious pandemic threat or biological attack continues to be a subject of great discussion, debate, and concern in the United States and around the world. This level of readiness continues to be a challenge as identified in regular studies, reports,
Data Accountability: Starting Over With a New Administration
Michael Jacoby
November 16, 2016
Over the next few months, precious time will be lost trying to quickly update newly elected officials on key health and life safety issues that have been discussed for years among their predecessors and the public. Only time will tell how the new occupants of the White House and Congress
High-Consequence Decisions: What It Takes
Wendy D. Walsh
November 15, 2016
In September 2016, more than 30 people gathered at the Harvard Faculty club to discuss topics related to leadership and the decision-making process. Most in the room had been faced with making critical life-and-death decisions at some point in their careers, and some on a regular basis. These participants were
Summer Air Traffic Delays â Warnings vs. Reality
Leonard J. Marcus
November 9, 2016
The aviation system remains a prime target for terrorists. The traveling public, airlines, and airports grew impatient in the face of long security lines. As a result, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was often in the news, until its leaders undertook a systematic process of transformation to both enhance security
The Human Factors in Leadership Decision Making
Eric J. McNulty
November 1, 2016
Preparedness and response organizations have realized many benefits from adopting the Incident Command System (ICS) and similar formal management structures. Performance, however, depends on how people behave as humans within that system â particularly in stressful, fast-moving environments. Integrating behavioral training into ICS training may help improve performance and outcomes.
Preparedness Perspective â Active Shooters & Lone Wolves
Thomas J. Lockwood and Peter LaPorte
October 26, 2016
 Various drills and exercises highlight efforts to protect communities against various types of attacks involving transportation, buildings, historic sites, sporting events, and so on. Attacks and hostage-taking incidents around the world expose vulnerabilities that need to be assessed in all communities to determine: what they need to drill, who
Cambridge Police Introduce First-of-Its-Kind Trauma Training for Officers
Paul Ames
October 26, 2016
On 7 June 2016, the Cambridge (Massachusetts) Police Department conducted a law enforcement officer training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to help bridge the understanding gap between officers and the citizens they serve. The training included more than 20 Cambridge career police officers and more than 15 representatives
Think Tank Discussion: Active Shooter Situations
International Association of Emergency Managers
October 26, 2016
The International Association of Emergency Manager (IAEM) Think Tank on 17 October 2016 focused on active shooter situations from the emergency management perspective. The event was held at the IAEM Annual Conference, with over 250 people attending in person, many on the webinar, and even more over the phone.
Beyond Running, Hiding, and Fighting
Aric Mutchnick
October 19, 2016
The U.S. Department of Homeland Securityâs âRun. Hide. Fight.©â model serves as the foundation for active shooter preparedness. However, it does not address the needs of those with liability and duty-of-care concerns who must manage an event and minimize casualties before police arrive. A new approach to active shooter training
Protecting Civil Liberties for Suspicious Activity Reports
Jerome H. Kahan
October 19, 2016
In the United States, First Amendment rights protect the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of citizens. However, in the absence of legal requirements for establishing prior probable cause or reasonable suspicion when reporting suspicious behavior, questions arise about the degree to which the suspicious activity reporting, Nationwide SAR Initiative,
The âNot If, But Whenâ Fallacy: Active Shooter Preparedness
Research Group at University of Maryland
October 12, 2016
 The phrase âItâs not if, but whenâ may distort how certain organizations perceive emergency preparedness, especially in cases such as active shooter threats. This common expression leads to inaccurate threat perceptions and can result in leaders becoming complacent. Emergency managers should be aware of this potential odd pairing of
One Mission for Active Shooter Response: Saving Lives
Richard C. Hunt
October 12, 2016
“Law enforcement and healthcare organizations â including emergency medical services (EMS), trauma centers, and other hospitals â have a common mission in active shooter attacks: saving lives. Law enforcement stops the shooter, healthcare stops the bleeding, but both must work together to ensure early access to victims and their rapid
Active Shooter School Preparedness: An Update
Kay C. Goss
October 5, 2016
Schools, colleges, and universities are diverse communities that present especially challenging situations. Safety officials know that they have to be extremely well prepared for a vast array of potentially difficult situations that can spiral. Fortunately, many resources exist to help communities prepare for such dangerous scenarios.
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