Most recently published
Alaska – Building a Firm Foundation on Shaky Ground
John W. Madden
March 26, 2014
The Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964 did more than advance the study of plate tectonics, it demonstrated to the world that communities can be resilient following a catastrophic incident when everyone works together. In 2014, Alaskans will lead the nation in a full-scale exercise that will bring the earthquake from
FINAL REPORT: Support to Local Authorities (When They Are Overwhelmed)
H. Steven Blum
March 21, 2014
Local authorities must continue to prepare for disasters, despite cuts in grant funding. To address this topic, LTG H. Steven Blum, (Ret.) USA, led a discussion with subject matter experts at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Club in Colorado. That discussion and survey results from a nationwide audience of
Preparing for Extreme Weather Events
Kay C. Goss
March 19, 2014
The United States has received significant attention for its extreme weather events in 2014, with the worst drought in recorded history in California and significant moist snow, sleet, and ice in the eastern and southern states. The year 2013 had its share of extreme weather, as well, including:Winter Storm Nemo’s multiple
Natural Disasters: Challenges & Opportunities
Stephen Grainer
March 19, 2014
Diverting a tornado, deflecting high winds, and steering a hurricane away from landfall are not within the scope of practice for emergency planners and managers. However, planning and training for a large-scale natural disaster with the right tools will help jurisdictions prepare for both common and uncommon incidents.
Ten Winter Issues Every City Should Address
Crystal Kline and Kim Fuller
March 12, 2014
City officials rely on accurate weather forecasts to make decisions, but weather has proven to be difficult to predict. When a city is caught off-guard, officials must make many difficult decisions while the nation watches. It is imperative to know how to address severe weather incidents before the next snow,
Rising Waters & Tough Decisions
Margaret Davis
March 12, 2014
The benefits of owning a beach property come with a great risk of flooding. As Superstorm Sandy demonstrated in 2012, the National Flood Insurance Program cannot sustain rebuilding efforts at the existing insurance rates. This means making difficult choices: build and incur significant costs; raise properties into the air; or
Preparedness & Progress for Emerging Pathogenic Threats
Robert C. Hutchinson
March 12, 2014
Equipment, plans, and personnel are only as good as their ability to perform when needed. When disaster strikes, it is imperative that local, state, and federal levels of government, emergency management, volunteer organizations, and healthcare coalitions are all operationally ready and trained to use all of the “stuff” they have
Preparing for the U.S. Tsunami Threat
Christa Rabenold
March 5, 2014
The 50-year anniversary of the Great Alaska Earthquake and Tsunamis serves as a reminder that the United States is still vulnerable to such threats. Advancements in earthquake and tsunami science, coupled with preparedness efforts to create awareness and exercise plans, are helping agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Opioids – Overdoses & Antidotes
Joseph Cahill
March 5, 2014
In 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency related to the opioid crisis. Indeed, overdoses and deaths from opioids have skyrocketed over the past decade. In 2017, deaths from opioids were six times higher than in 1999. Opioids impact the quality of life
E357 State Individual Assistance Operations
Domestic Preparedness
March 1, 2014
The Emergency Management Institute is offering this four-day course on state individual assistance operations. This course is intended to enable participants to coordinate state response and recovery operations for individuals and families.
Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning (E0131)
Domestic Preparedness
February 27, 2014
No amount of exercising is constructive without a structured evaluation that enables the jurisdiction or organization to identify strengths, weaknesses, gaps, and disconnects. This course, offered by the Emergency Management Institute, focuses on a systematic exercise and improvement planning program for federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and other organizations.
Exercise Extent-of-Play Agreements
George Yantosik and Ken Lerner
February 26, 2014
Large-scale disasters require response efforts from multiple organizations that must plan and exercise well in advance. For a successful joint exercise, there must be points of agreement, including: scope of exercise, degree of participation by each organization, coordination of exercise activities, and evaluation process for lessons learned from the exercise.
California – A Growing Response to Persistent Drought
Mark Ghilarducci
March 26, 2014
The average person in the United States uses between 80 and 100 gallons of water per day. California’s multiyear drought has broken new records, created unprecedented reductions in water supply, and demands personal conservation techniques. The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has been leading the charge toward mitigating this widespread
Alaska – Building a Firm Foundation on Shaky Ground
John W. Madden
March 26, 2014
The Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964 did more than advance the study of plate tectonics, it demonstrated to the world that communities can be resilient following a catastrophic incident when everyone works together. In 2014, Alaskans will lead the nation in a full-scale exercise that will bring the earthquake from
FINAL REPORT: Support to Local Authorities (When They Are Overwhelmed)
H. Steven Blum
March 21, 2014
Local authorities must continue to prepare for disasters, despite cuts in grant funding. To address this topic, LTG H. Steven Blum, (Ret.) USA, led a discussion with subject matter experts at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Club in Colorado. That discussion and survey results from a nationwide audience of
Preparing for Extreme Weather Events
Kay C. Goss
March 19, 2014
The United States has received significant attention for its extreme weather events in 2014, with the worst drought in recorded history in California and significant moist snow, sleet, and ice in the eastern and southern states. The year 2013 had its share of extreme weather, as well, including:Winter Storm Nemo’s multiple
Natural Disasters: Challenges & Opportunities
Stephen Grainer
March 19, 2014
Diverting a tornado, deflecting high winds, and steering a hurricane away from landfall are not within the scope of practice for emergency planners and managers. However, planning and training for a large-scale natural disaster with the right tools will help jurisdictions prepare for both common and uncommon incidents.
Ten Winter Issues Every City Should Address
Crystal Kline and Kim Fuller
March 12, 2014
City officials rely on accurate weather forecasts to make decisions, but weather has proven to be difficult to predict. When a city is caught off-guard, officials must make many difficult decisions while the nation watches. It is imperative to know how to address severe weather incidents before the next snow,
Rising Waters & Tough Decisions
Margaret Davis
March 12, 2014
The benefits of owning a beach property come with a great risk of flooding. As Superstorm Sandy demonstrated in 2012, the National Flood Insurance Program cannot sustain rebuilding efforts at the existing insurance rates. This means making difficult choices: build and incur significant costs; raise properties into the air; or
Preparedness & Progress for Emerging Pathogenic Threats
Robert C. Hutchinson
March 12, 2014
Equipment, plans, and personnel are only as good as their ability to perform when needed. When disaster strikes, it is imperative that local, state, and federal levels of government, emergency management, volunteer organizations, and healthcare coalitions are all operationally ready and trained to use all of the “stuff” they have
Preparing for the U.S. Tsunami Threat
Christa Rabenold
March 5, 2014
The 50-year anniversary of the Great Alaska Earthquake and Tsunamis serves as a reminder that the United States is still vulnerable to such threats. Advancements in earthquake and tsunami science, coupled with preparedness efforts to create awareness and exercise plans, are helping agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Opioids – Overdoses & Antidotes
Joseph Cahill
March 5, 2014
In 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency related to the opioid crisis. Indeed, overdoses and deaths from opioids have skyrocketed over the past decade. In 2017, deaths from opioids were six times higher than in 1999. Opioids impact the quality of life
E357 State Individual Assistance Operations
Domestic Preparedness
March 1, 2014
The Emergency Management Institute is offering this four-day course on state individual assistance operations. This course is intended to enable participants to coordinate state response and recovery operations for individuals and families.
Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning (E0131)
Domestic Preparedness
February 27, 2014
No amount of exercising is constructive without a structured evaluation that enables the jurisdiction or organization to identify strengths, weaknesses, gaps, and disconnects. This course, offered by the Emergency Management Institute, focuses on a systematic exercise and improvement planning program for federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and other organizations.
Cyber Grand Strategies: Technology vs. Human Interaction
Bonnie Butlin
February 19, 2014
One lesson learned from the National Security Agency leaks in 2013 is that disrupting terrorist activities in cyberspace requires more than just the latest technology. Human interaction plays a critical role in thwarting criminal activity while protecting personal information and privacy. Canada offers one example of leveraging human networks and
Fusion Centers & the Public Health Advantage
Raphael M. Barishansky and Seth Komansky
February 19, 2014
Law enforcement as well as public health agencies could benefit from sharing interdisciplinary information through the state fusion centers. Four public health situations would particularly benefit from such partnerships: bioterrorism attacks; communicable disease outbreaks; suspicious activity reports; and the use of illicit drugs.
The Real NCIS: An Interview With Thomas Betro
Aaron Sean Poynton
February 19, 2014
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s (NCIS) former Director Thomas Betro provides insights on how to keep the U.S. homeland safe from both physical threats and cyberthreats. He shares information specific to NCIS’s responsibilities, technologies, and efforts to protect against cyber, piracy, and insider threats.
Information Systems – Advancing Capabilities & Increasing Risks
Craig DeAtley
February 12, 2014
When hospitals transition from paper documents to an electronic healthcare information system, patient records become easier to track and to link between clinicians and hospitals. However, these advanced capabilities and benefits involve certain risks – higher costs, program failures, staffing needs, and security concerns. Protecting sensitive information from potential threats
The Operational Imperative of Cybersecurity & Resilience
Tom Ridge
February 12, 2014
As technology advances, so do the interconnected relationships among various technologies, communities, and infrastructures. This interconnectedness creates greater efficiency, but also raises many concerns. The consequences of not making cybersecurity an integral part of risk management and strategic decision-making plans can be devastating.
CHEMPACK 2.0: A Policy Roadmap
Timothy Stephens
February 11, 2014
Since 2003, the CHEMPACK program has been in place to help protect U.S. emergency responders and receivers, as well as civilians, in the event of a nerve-agent attack. By pre-positioning medical countermeasures, antidotes are readily available as needed. It is now time to reevaluate and update the program to include
Bridging the Medical Ladders
Joseph Cahill
February 5, 2014
Paramedics acquire a wealth of skills and knowledge, but their tasks are physically demanding and the risk of injury is high. Rather than discarding their training and starting over, these skilled professionals instead could transition to higher-level, less-strenuous job positions. With a few changes, hospitals and communities can continue to
E0176 Hazus-MH for Floodplain Managers
Domestic Preparedness
February 5, 2014
The Emergency Management Institute is offering a course that provides in-depth instruction and hands-on exercises for certified floodplain managers and other emergency planners. Participants will develop the skills needed to effectively use the Hazus tools for modeling the impacts of riverine and coastal flooding on communities. This course uses highly
Virginia – Using Social Media the Right Way
Tanya Ferraro
February 5, 2014
A zombie apocalypse or sharknado attack may not be imminent, but the opportunities they present to emergency management professionals are compelling. In Virginia, emergency planners are showing the human side of emergency management, connecting with community members, and influencing personal and community preparedness.
Hospital Emergency Response Training for Mass Casualty Incidents
Domestic Preparedness
February 4, 2014
The Center for Domestic Preparedness is offering a three-day training course for hospital responses to mass casualty incidents. This course provides medical operation guidance to hospitals, emergency medical services (EMS), healthcare facility personnel, and others who may be involved in a mass casualty incident.
Call for Help – Defending the Food Supply
Amy Kircher
January 29, 2014
There are plots to use food as a delivery mechanism for weapons of mass destruction and plots to intentionally alter food products for economic gain. As such, food defense is everybody’s business. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently asking for comments that would help mitigate the intentional adulteration
Food Defense Activities – A Year in Review
Jason Bashura
January 22, 2014
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a staff of people dedicated to protecting the nation’s food supply. These Food Defense and Emergency Coordination Staff members are actively participating in conferences, meetings, and exercises throughout the year and providing valuable tools to national and international stakeholders. A summary of the
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