Most recently published
The Fallacy of Disaster Resilience
Joseph Cahill
August 1, 2012
Doctors, nurses, and other highly visible professionals get the greatest credit, deservedly, in most public-health incidents and events. Playing increasingly important roles, though – before, during, and after such incidents – are the nation’s unsung and much less publicized sanitarians whose special expertise in numerous operational scenarios is finally being
Resilience & Emergency Management: All Hazards, All Phases, All Stakeholders
Kay C. Goss
August 1, 2012
Although there is no universally accepted definition of the term “Resilience,” there is no doubt that planners and responders throughout the world are working to achieve it. The residents of Greenburg, Kansas, are a typical example. After the city was hit in 2007 with an EF5 tornado broader in scope
Shipboard Emergencies – 1000 Miles From Nowhere
Corey Ranslem
July 25, 2012
In 1990, a cruise ship travelling from Norway to Denmark – the Scandinavian Star – turned into a “floating fireball” within 45 minutes after a small hallway fire erupted, resulting in 158 deaths. Better ship construction and new maritime training standards target such disasters and help prevent future tragedies with
Lightweight Networks – Enabling the Homeland Security Enterprise
Dennis R. Schrader
July 24, 2012
One of the geniuses of “the American system” is the frequently complex working relationships between the federal branch of government and the private sector. More than two centuries of experience show that coordination, cooperation, and collaboration continue to be the keys to eventual success – despite some complications from time
Colorado Builds a New Generation of Emergency Managers
Christopher Mailliard
July 23, 2012
The next generation of first responders is starting earlier and growing faster, thanks in large part to new educational initiatives. High school now offers not only initial emergency management courses, but also classroom training with hands-on operational experience, college credits, and opportunities for a broad range of professional careers.
Harris Corporation Conducts First Nationwide Public Safety LTE Demonstration
Domestic Preparedness
July 20, 2012
Harris Corporation has successfully conducted the first live, multi-state demonstration that showcased the powerful capabilities of 700 MHz Band LTE (Long Term Evolution) for first responders. Users at multiple sites across the United States tapped into the LTE network to share streaming video, voice, mapping and presence to support various
U.S. Citizens: The First Line of Defense
Vernon Herron and Michael Vesely
July 18, 2012
Today, as in the Colonial era, homeland defense and emergency management begin at home. Homeowners and their neighbors are often the first responders available when disaster strikes. Whether they are ready to meet that challenge is not always certain, but individual citizens are starting to learn the fundamentals of planning,
Canada Emergency Management – The Same, But Different
John Saunders
July 18, 2012
As one of the largest countries in the world in terms of its land area, Canada creates a geographic challenge for emergency managers. Its ten provinces and three territories encompass dense urban areas such as the City of Toronto (nearly three million residents) and remote rural areas including many “fly-in”
Emergency Responses – With No Geographic Limits
Christine Thompson
July 18, 2012
In sailing-ship days, it took three months or more to send a message from the United States to New Zealand. Today, those countries are only a mouse click away, as the citizens of Chicago and Christchurch gratefully found out when both major cities were hit hard, and almost simultaneously, by
NIMS – Not an American Exclusive
Stephen Grainer
July 18, 2012
“Management” is in many ways an abstract and somewhat generic term, but most citizens have a general understanding of what the word means. Whether the relatively new U.S. National Incident Management System (NIMS) is of American origin or not is perhaps debatable, but the concept itself is nonetheless useful in
International Medical Missions: Preplanning Essentials
Joseph Cahill
July 11, 2012
An earthquake devastates Haiti, a tsunami smashes into northeast Japan, tornadoes rip through major U.S. cities – all of these disasters attracted responders from around the world who had volunteered to help in the aftermath. Some of the volunteers were well prepared and went through proper channels, but others created
Leveraging the Expanding Social Network
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
July 3, 2012
Blizzards, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, icebergs, and volcanic eruptions are just some of the natural hazards found across the unique Canadian terrain. Although knowing who is charge during an incident can be a challenge under the existing political structure, emergency managers continue to communicate, collaborate, and learn from other nations to
Building/Improving Community Health Resilience
Jeffrey Stiefel
August 1, 2012
In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, reporters show images of communities that are faced with destruction and a need to rebuild. However, there is often an even greater devastation with even harder pieces to pick up – the mental and physical health effects. Both types of recovery are required
The Fallacy of Disaster Resilience
Joseph Cahill
August 1, 2012
Doctors, nurses, and other highly visible professionals get the greatest credit, deservedly, in most public-health incidents and events. Playing increasingly important roles, though – before, during, and after such incidents – are the nation’s unsung and much less publicized sanitarians whose special expertise in numerous operational scenarios is finally being
Resilience & Emergency Management: All Hazards, All Phases, All Stakeholders
Kay C. Goss
August 1, 2012
Although there is no universally accepted definition of the term “Resilience,” there is no doubt that planners and responders throughout the world are working to achieve it. The residents of Greenburg, Kansas, are a typical example. After the city was hit in 2007 with an EF5 tornado broader in scope
Shipboard Emergencies – 1000 Miles From Nowhere
Corey Ranslem
July 25, 2012
In 1990, a cruise ship travelling from Norway to Denmark – the Scandinavian Star – turned into a “floating fireball” within 45 minutes after a small hallway fire erupted, resulting in 158 deaths. Better ship construction and new maritime training standards target such disasters and help prevent future tragedies with
Lightweight Networks – Enabling the Homeland Security Enterprise
Dennis R. Schrader
July 24, 2012
One of the geniuses of “the American system” is the frequently complex working relationships between the federal branch of government and the private sector. More than two centuries of experience show that coordination, cooperation, and collaboration continue to be the keys to eventual success – despite some complications from time
Colorado Builds a New Generation of Emergency Managers
Christopher Mailliard
July 23, 2012
The next generation of first responders is starting earlier and growing faster, thanks in large part to new educational initiatives. High school now offers not only initial emergency management courses, but also classroom training with hands-on operational experience, college credits, and opportunities for a broad range of professional careers.
Harris Corporation Conducts First Nationwide Public Safety LTE Demonstration
Domestic Preparedness
July 20, 2012
Harris Corporation has successfully conducted the first live, multi-state demonstration that showcased the powerful capabilities of 700 MHz Band LTE (Long Term Evolution) for first responders. Users at multiple sites across the United States tapped into the LTE network to share streaming video, voice, mapping and presence to support various
U.S. Citizens: The First Line of Defense
Vernon Herron and Michael Vesely
July 18, 2012
Today, as in the Colonial era, homeland defense and emergency management begin at home. Homeowners and their neighbors are often the first responders available when disaster strikes. Whether they are ready to meet that challenge is not always certain, but individual citizens are starting to learn the fundamentals of planning,
Canada Emergency Management – The Same, But Different
John Saunders
July 18, 2012
As one of the largest countries in the world in terms of its land area, Canada creates a geographic challenge for emergency managers. Its ten provinces and three territories encompass dense urban areas such as the City of Toronto (nearly three million residents) and remote rural areas including many “fly-in”
Emergency Responses – With No Geographic Limits
Christine Thompson
July 18, 2012
In sailing-ship days, it took three months or more to send a message from the United States to New Zealand. Today, those countries are only a mouse click away, as the citizens of Chicago and Christchurch gratefully found out when both major cities were hit hard, and almost simultaneously, by
NIMS – Not an American Exclusive
Stephen Grainer
July 18, 2012
“Management” is in many ways an abstract and somewhat generic term, but most citizens have a general understanding of what the word means. Whether the relatively new U.S. National Incident Management System (NIMS) is of American origin or not is perhaps debatable, but the concept itself is nonetheless useful in
International Medical Missions: Preplanning Essentials
Joseph Cahill
July 11, 2012
An earthquake devastates Haiti, a tsunami smashes into northeast Japan, tornadoes rip through major U.S. cities – all of these disasters attracted responders from around the world who had volunteered to help in the aftermath. Some of the volunteers were well prepared and went through proper channels, but others created
Hazard Mitigation: Today’s Needs & Recommendations
Megan Clifford and William Meyer
June 20, 2012
In the United States today, losses caused by natural disasters and the frequency of such events are both on the rise. Moreover, because state and federal budgets are still declining, the nation’s emergency management community is constantly challenged to do more with less, while still continuing to improve disaster resilience
All-Hazards Planning for Special Events
Glen Rudner
June 20, 2012
To avoid a recipe for disaster, the following prescription is recommended for all-hazards preparedness: two-thirds planning and one-third execution. Anything and everything can happen at a special event in communities throughout the nation, so the advance planning and training should reflect that fact.
Upgrading Florida Air National Guard’s Communications
Blair Heusdens
June 20, 2012
Communications is a responsibility that can be particularly challenging during emergency-disaster operations. By communicating across a broad spectrum of frequencies and networks, members of Florida’s Air National Guard are able to share their resources with civilian agencies and help bridge the information gap.
Event Management: Visibility in the Fog of Response
W. Craig Vanderwagen
June 19, 2012
Part 4 of Dr. Vanderwagen’s groundbreaking five-part series on the numerous – and extremely difficult – challenges involved in implementing the U.S. National Health Security Strategy. This white paper addresses challenges related to event management and “seeing through the fog” during the intense phase of response – i.e., when events
The National ‘Public Health’ Preparedness Report
Raphael M. Barishansky
June 13, 2012
The 2012 NPR assessment of the nation’s “Public Health and Medical Services” capabilities was encouraging, but there were concerns. Where do these capabilities and concerns stand today?
National Drill – Training Added to ‘BE Safe America’
Len Pagano
June 13, 2012
A lot can be accomplished in 60 days with 2 million people. By emphasizing training, drills, and education, Safe America will be helping families and businesses be better equipped to handle the next major disaster.
Special Events: Pre-Event Planning Checklists
Kay C. Goss
June 13, 2012
Thorough planning that takes into account all of the potential problems, pitfalls, and outright disasters that might be encountered is key to the success of any major special event. Here is a comprehensive list, compiled by a highly respected career professional, of the questions to ask, the intangibles to remember,
The Medical Component of Mass Gatherings
Joseph Cahill
June 6, 2012
During a medical emergency, navigating through large crowds requires more than just lights and sirens. By strategically placing resources, understanding the type of crowd, and preparing for all-hazards events, medical teams will be better equipped to rapidly respond as needs arise.
Honoring Fallen Heroes: Special Security Requirements
David Squires
June 6, 2012
In 2011, the City of Virginia Beach hosted a day of special ceremonies honoring members of a Navy SEAL Team who had been killed in action during a high-risk operation in Afghanistan. The short-notice decision to salute these fallen heroes was fraught with numerous potential difficulties – but the City,
Laboratory Pandemic Preparedness: Maintaining a Warm Base
Kelly Wroblewski
June 6, 2012
Whether deciding to close local schools or to change treatment and testing guidelines at a national level, public health decisions for influenza pandemics are dependent on laboratory results. By developing assays, holding training sessions, developing and utilizing laboratory capacity models, building intra-state communication systems, and introducing other initiatives, the Centers
Integrated Capstone Event Expands Training for Responders
Shannon Arledge
May 30, 2012
Professional athletes focus first on personal training skills, but understand that team training is needed to win games – and championships. The Center for Domestic Preparedness uses that winning philosophy for their “Capstone” events, in which students from many professional disciplines join forces to address realistic scenarios that require their
National Fire Academy Adds New Online Chemistry Course
Domestic Preparedness
May 24, 2012
The U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA) National Fire Academy (NFA) announces the availability of a new NFA Online course: Foundational Concepts of Chemistry (Q228), which provides students with fundamental knowledge to prepare for the more advanced Hazardous Materials curriculum courses.
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