by RODNEY ANDREASEN , An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal.
Active shooters and other violent incidents occur all over the country – in urban and rural areas, in big cities and small towns, in large and small facilities. Many examples demonstrate the need to understand and plan for them and the significant consequences that could follow. This article empowers the reader to better understand how these incidents may occur and ways to better mitigate and respond when healthcare and other facility is threatened.
By CATHERINE L. FEINMAN , An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, March 28, 2018.
On April 12, 2022, a man in a gas mask began shooting passengers in a New York subway car. With millions of passengers traveling each day by rail and subway in the United States alone, the passenger rail industry and the communities they serve are faced with difficult safety and security challenges – from equipment failures to terrorist attacks. This 2018 article shares expert recommendations on how a whole community approach is needed to address these challenges, understand the threats and consequences, and promote a culture of resilience.
By VERNON HERRON & MICHAEL VESELY , An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, July 18, 2012.
The New York shooting incident in the subway demonstrates how citizen awareness campaigns are working. Passengers helped stop the bleed of shooting victims. Eye witness reports pointed police in the right direction. Alert citizens noticed someone suspicious. And the shooter was caught the next day. As discussed in this 2012 article, homeland defense and emergency management begin at home. New Yorkers demonstrated last week that, when they saw something, they not only said something but they also did something.
by CHANDLER LOFLAND & RAYMOND WALKER, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal.
A cyberattack on water treatment plant in Florida significantly elevated sodium hydroxide levels for a brief period of time. A ransomware attack in May 2021 temporarily shut down the Colonial Pipeline. The Texas power grid is currently facing cybersecurity threats from Russia. These are just a few recent examples of critical infrastructure vulnerabilities that emphasize the need to secure and protect the nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure. This article explains how.
By BARBARA REYNOLDS , An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, March 28, 2007.
Crises and catastrophes are and will continue to be among the eternal verities of human life. Coping with them successfully requires effective communications – clear, concise, confident, and comforting. Leaders in Sacramento were recently challenged with this task as they consoled the public following a mass shooting that killed 6 and wounded 12 others.
By JORDAN SCOTT , An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, January 11, 2012.
News travels fast, especially on social media. In 2012, the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) was embracing social media to better prepare its state for earthquakes. Since then, CalOES has continued to advance its efforts to provide early warning notifications to its residents through social media, mobile applications, and wireless alerts.
by SAMBAVI JANI, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal.
Experience required. Many jobs require wide-ranging qualifications and expertise to be able to apply and interview. However, people often ask, “How can I get the experience if I cannot get a job?” A great way to get “a foot in the door” is through internships, which can be vital in the emergency management field. Multifaceted and sometimes fast-paced, this is the type of profession where one must have the drive and passion for helping others and serving the community. Despite some public misconceptions that emergency management is only active during an event (which is often the only time an agency receives media attention), it is a 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year profession. Therefore, exposure to what happens in the field on “blue sky days” and during an emergency or disaster is paramount for someone new to the profession to experience.
By NATIONAL TRIBAL AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, February 14, 2018.
In September 2017, the National Tribal Amateur Radio Association (NTARA) – in conjunction with the Fresno Amateur Radio Emergency Services Group and Tulare County Amateur Radio Club – set up and operated Amateur Radio Special Event Station W7NTV during the National Tribal Emergency Management Council (NTEMC) annual conference. Since 2017, the NTARA and the NTEMC have continued to expand their operations to reach communities across the United States and Canada.
By RESEARCH GROUP AT UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, October 12, 2016.
Recent active shooter events in multiple cities across the United States have raised concern in other communities with people wondering if their city is next. However, the phrase “It’s not if, but when” may distort how certain people 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. This 2016 article explains this odd pairing of a sense of inevitability with complacency, and the importance of being prepared to counter not only the threat, but also the perceptions of threat.
by BRIAN MCGINLEY, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal.
There are moments during a disaster that something needs to be purchased. Depending on the nature of the purchase, it could be something small, perhaps something that can be purchased with a company credit card. On the other hand, it could be a purchase for millions of dollars and, not only do procurement laws come into play, but so could federal procurement laws if the organization is going to seek Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement after the disaster closes. In the moments of needing to spend large dollar amounts, the procurement office should be consulted, not because all purchases need to go through that office, but because they work year-round to establish relationships, contracts, and price lists with suppliers that could save time, money, and allow focus to be on the disaster at hand.
