Most recently published
Radiological Emergencies – Public Health Responsibilities/Challenges
Audrey Mazurek and Raphael M. Barishansky
August 14, 2013
Over the past decade, U.S. public health agencies (local, state, and federal) have seen an increase of responsibility in preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating emergencies. In addition to planning for responses to naturally occurring disease outbreaks, these agencies are often key partners in responding to weather
Passenger Air Travel – When the Bullets Run Out
Clay W. Biles
August 14, 2013
In a passenger aircraft, there is nowhere to run when something suddenly goes wrong. Which is the primary reason that U.S. air marshals are now flying, strategically seated, on many domestic and international flights to thwart a possible terrorist threat against the aircraft and its passengers. The air marshals are
Nuclear Meltdown – The Need for Timely & Honest Information
Janette D. Sherman and Joseph J. Mangano
August 14, 2013
Similarities can be drawn between two nuclear disasters that occurred 27 years apart, in different countries. Dealing with a nuclear disaster in the United States or elsewhere still requires having accurate information – which must be delivered in time to help emergency responders deal with potentially major consequences. As long
Special Decontamination Considerations: Bridging the Gap
Ryan Hay
August 12, 2013
Following exposure to radiological or other hazardous materials, decontamination efforts often focus on the people directly involved, but other concerns also must be considered – the use of weapons and/or possible harm to animals, for example. Pennsylvania’s Lehigh County has developed a best practices approach to ensuring that response teams
Hospital Decontamination – High Costs & Limited Benefits
Craig DeAtley
August 7, 2013
Article Out Loud The primary reason why the Emergency Department of almost any U.S. hospital or other healthcare facility should be ready and able to respond to a hazardous material release is to protect patients, staff, and the hospitals’ own facilities from avoidable contamination. However, unlike many other patient-care procedures
Staple Foods, Grain Tonnages & Daring Rescues
Joseph Cahill
August 7, 2013
It takes special equipment, and specially trained people, to rescue anyone trapped in a massive silo containing thousands of bushels of grain. Knowing what to do and how to do it – safely and successfully – could prevent fatalities caused by suffocation, toxic inhalation, or even an explosion.
Subject Matter Experts & the Theory of Relativity
Sheri Donahue
July 30, 2013
Subject matter experts play a key role in protecting both real and virtual space. Although they may not consider themselves to be “experts,” many private sector stakeholders play a critical part in protecting the nation by sharing their specialized knowledge with the law enforcement community.
Holistic Security – Various Ways to Reduce Vulnerability
Armond Caglar
July 24, 2013
Even multiple isolated incidents may not be enough to raise a red flag that intellectual property theft is being planned. By ensuring that each incident is reported through the proper channels and analyzed along with other reported incidents, agencies and corporations may be able to thwart potential cyber crimes before
Incident Gridlock – Overwhelming a City
Glen Rudner
July 24, 2013
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration concluded in 2007 that there is a weakness in the infrastructure’s ability to handle the movement of people following a natural or manmade disaster. The 2013 Boston Marathon bombings serve as a prime example of how transportation facilities and government agencies manage complex incidents that
A Major Step Forward: Private Sector Resilience Coordination
Joseph W. Trindal
July 24, 2013
Emergency operation centers are no longer the exclusive property of government agencies. Various states are now incorporating centers that specifically focus on the private sector stakeholders the Business Emergency Management Operations Center in Washington, D.C., is one of the latest additions to a growing trend.
When Cyber Space Meets the Real World
Markus Rauschecker
July 17, 2013
Emergency managers should not neglect their basic emergency management principles when faced with a cyber incident. Although information technology (IT) professionals have the technical expertise, emergency managers maintain responsibility for coordinating the response to cyber incidents. Therefore, by working together, emergency managers and IT professionals can provide a more effective
Seeing National Preparedness Through the Public Health Lens
Raphael M. Barishansky
July 17, 2013
Lee caused less damage and fewer fatalities, but vigorously reinforced the lethal lessons learned from Irene less than two months ago – namely, that: (a) There is absolutely no substitute for advance planning; (b) Planning must be as totally comprehensive, in every way, as is humanly possible; and (c)That saving
Radioactive Sources – An Invisible Hazard
Stephen Jolly
August 21, 2013
Medical and industrial facilities, universities and colleges, cargo containers, and floodwaters have something in common with nuclear power plants – all of them can be a source of nuclear radiation. Knowing where radiation might be “hiding” within a community is the first step that emergency managers should take to protect
Radiological Emergencies – Public Health Responsibilities/Challenges
Audrey Mazurek and Raphael M. Barishansky
August 14, 2013
Over the past decade, U.S. public health agencies (local, state, and federal) have seen an increase of responsibility in preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating emergencies. In addition to planning for responses to naturally occurring disease outbreaks, these agencies are often key partners in responding to weather
Passenger Air Travel – When the Bullets Run Out
Clay W. Biles
August 14, 2013
In a passenger aircraft, there is nowhere to run when something suddenly goes wrong. Which is the primary reason that U.S. air marshals are now flying, strategically seated, on many domestic and international flights to thwart a possible terrorist threat against the aircraft and its passengers. The air marshals are
Nuclear Meltdown – The Need for Timely & Honest Information
Janette D. Sherman and Joseph J. Mangano
August 14, 2013
Similarities can be drawn between two nuclear disasters that occurred 27 years apart, in different countries. Dealing with a nuclear disaster in the United States or elsewhere still requires having accurate information – which must be delivered in time to help emergency responders deal with potentially major consequences. As long
Special Decontamination Considerations: Bridging the Gap
Ryan Hay
August 12, 2013
Following exposure to radiological or other hazardous materials, decontamination efforts often focus on the people directly involved, but other concerns also must be considered – the use of weapons and/or possible harm to animals, for example. Pennsylvania’s Lehigh County has developed a best practices approach to ensuring that response teams
Hospital Decontamination – High Costs & Limited Benefits
Craig DeAtley
August 7, 2013
Article Out Loud The primary reason why the Emergency Department of almost any U.S. hospital or other healthcare facility should be ready and able to respond to a hazardous material release is to protect patients, staff, and the hospitals’ own facilities from avoidable contamination. However, unlike many other patient-care procedures
Staple Foods, Grain Tonnages & Daring Rescues
Joseph Cahill
August 7, 2013
It takes special equipment, and specially trained people, to rescue anyone trapped in a massive silo containing thousands of bushels of grain. Knowing what to do and how to do it – safely and successfully – could prevent fatalities caused by suffocation, toxic inhalation, or even an explosion.
Subject Matter Experts & the Theory of Relativity
Sheri Donahue
July 30, 2013
Subject matter experts play a key role in protecting both real and virtual space. Although they may not consider themselves to be “experts,” many private sector stakeholders play a critical part in protecting the nation by sharing their specialized knowledge with the law enforcement community.
Holistic Security – Various Ways to Reduce Vulnerability
Armond Caglar
July 24, 2013
Even multiple isolated incidents may not be enough to raise a red flag that intellectual property theft is being planned. By ensuring that each incident is reported through the proper channels and analyzed along with other reported incidents, agencies and corporations may be able to thwart potential cyber crimes before
Incident Gridlock – Overwhelming a City
Glen Rudner
July 24, 2013
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration concluded in 2007 that there is a weakness in the infrastructure’s ability to handle the movement of people following a natural or manmade disaster. The 2013 Boston Marathon bombings serve as a prime example of how transportation facilities and government agencies manage complex incidents that
A Major Step Forward: Private Sector Resilience Coordination
Joseph W. Trindal
July 24, 2013
Emergency operation centers are no longer the exclusive property of government agencies. Various states are now incorporating centers that specifically focus on the private sector stakeholders the Business Emergency Management Operations Center in Washington, D.C., is one of the latest additions to a growing trend.
When Cyber Space Meets the Real World
Markus Rauschecker
July 17, 2013
Emergency managers should not neglect their basic emergency management principles when faced with a cyber incident. Although information technology (IT) professionals have the technical expertise, emergency managers maintain responsibility for coordinating the response to cyber incidents. Therefore, by working together, emergency managers and IT professionals can provide a more effective
A Roadmap for Improving Cyber Preparedness
Monica Giovachino and Sarah Tidman
July 10, 2013
The U.S. information security and technology communities are no longer solely responsible for protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats – emergency managers also play an increasingly important role in that task. Increasing the overall level of cyber preparedness therefore requires closer coordination, information sharing, and effective planning, as well as
Listeria – When Food Bites Back
Dana Pitts
June 26, 2013
Food safety is a top priority at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the only agency tasked with tracking human cases of foodborne illness at the national level, the CDC works – in collaboration with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food Safety &
Governmental Laboratories: Protecting the Public’s Health
Chris Mangal
June 25, 2013
The Annual Meeting of the Association of Public Health Laboratories hosted more than 500 participants who share the common goal of improving public health efforts and laboratory preparedness. Through workshops and online resources, people from multiple disciplines can learn more about the role of public health laboratories in detecting and
Promoting Food Security in Disaster Relief Situations
Scott McCallum
June 19, 2013
In 2011, 14.9 percent of U.S. households (17.9 million households) were “food insecure,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s study, Household Food Security in the United States in 2011. Those numbers equate to slightly more than 50 million Americans living in food-insecure households: 33.5 million adults and almost 17
Early Detection of Zoonotic Emerging Infectious Diseases
Thomas Cotter and Earl Stoddard
June 19, 2013
In 2009, the H1N1 pandemic strain of influenza served as a dramatic wake-up call for biosurveillance experts around the world. Despite major advances in domestic and global surveillance capabilities, H1N1 was spreading rapidly across the United States long before a vaccine could be developed, tested, and mass-produced in time to
Counter-Agroterrorism 101
Patrick P. Rose
June 19, 2013
Some biological agents – anthrax and ricin, for example – can be used as weapons against human targets; others specifically attack animals and food crops. Both types of attack, though, can have devastating effects on the economy and on the morale and overall wellbeing of a nation. To mitigate these
SURVEY: Special Event Plans – When Things Go Wrong
Domestic Preparedness
June 16, 2013
DomPrep would like to know your opinions and experiences in response to key questions that were developed as a result of earlier discussions. Special events occur in large and small communities – and so do disasters. Your responses will help other emergency planners, responders, and receivers better plan for and
Food Safety: An Emergency Manager’s Perspective
Kay C. Goss
June 12, 2013
Emergency management is an evolving discipline that requires a progressive emergency manager to fulfill new and expanding requirements for success. Successful leaders in this field follow a systematic problem-solving process and excel at coordinating multiple agencies and information sources rather than simply being experts in one subject. The seven and
Protecting the Milk Supply During a Foreign Animal Disease Outbreak
Danelle Bickett-Weddle and Pamela Hullinger
June 12, 2013
With thousands of farms and millions of cattle scattered across the United States, regulators, dairy producers, and veterinarians strive to protect the nation’s food supply, including the milk supply chain from cow to breakfast table. Emergency preparedness planners, therefore, must work with agricultural suppliers to protect milk and other food
Defending the Food Supply: The Basic Recipe
Michéle Samarya-Timm
June 12, 2013
Protecting the food supply chain and defending against intentional contamination requires preventive/defensive efforts at all levels of government, particularly within local communities. All stakeholders therefore must be able to identify vulnerabilities, integrate federal requirements, and determine the resources and training needed to effectively protect the nation’s food supply.
The Boston Bombings – Redefining Shelter in Place
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
June 5, 2013
When a bomb explodes, a biological or chemical agent is released, or an active shooter is at large, time is of the essence. In some situations, having residents shelter in place, although costly and inconvenient, may be the fastest and only way to stop the perpetrator and reduce the number
Protecting Water, Diluting Threats, Saving Lives
Joseph Cahill
June 5, 2013
Water, water everywhere, and all of it fit to drink. Reservoirs supply drinking water to communities throughout the United States. Protecting such a large area, including the surrounding land, poses many challenges and raises red flags when unauthorized visitors come too close.
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