PUBLIC HEALTH ARCHIVES
Laying the Groundwork for Combating Future Threats
Catherine L. Feinman
November 25, 2019
Understanding history is a critical component of emergency preparedness, response, and resilience. History has a way of exposing preparedness and response gaps and providing a roadmap for best practices going forward. Unfortunately, when not examined and taken into consideration, history tends to repeat itself. As threats evolve over time, the
Domestic Terrorism – Defining a Real Threat
Richard Schoeberl and Anthony (Tony) Mottola
November 13, 2019
Over the past two decades, the United States has focused heavily on preventing attacks from Islamic terrorism movements – or those inspired by these movements. However, recent attacks in the United States over the past few years have prompted much debate on how to combat the threat of domestic terrorism.
Post-Disaster Death Figures Do Not Tell the Whole Story
James M. Rush Sr.
November 6, 2019
In any disaster, there is a cost beyond the immediate mortality figures following a disaster due to a lack of proper medical supplies and treatment in mass care shelters. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes a weekly “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report,” which serves as a clearinghouse for
Overcoming Healthcare Challenges & Finding Solutions
Catherine L. Feinman
October 30, 2019
The healthcare industry presents many challenges for emergency preparedness professionals. The planning process for a major crisis involves numerous stakeholders, each with their own plans and procedures. Emergency medical services and hospitals, in particular, are tasked with managing dynamic, ever-changing environments that are difficult to predict. A medical surge could
Overcoming Challenges of Hospital Preparedness Plans
Stephen Gibson
October 16, 2019
Transitioning from public sector emergency management for a large city to emergency management for a private sector hospital is not easy. The fundamentals of emergency preparedness are the same, but the hospital setting has unique challenges. Each day, there are different numbers of people within the hospital. Some days, the
The Early Years: Shaping a National Stockpile for Preparedness
Greg Burel
October 9, 2019
In today’s emergency response landscape, public health jurisdictions across the United States rely on the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) when incidents prove large enough or severe enough to deplete medicines and supplies needed to protect communities. In just 20 years, the SNS – now managed by the U.S. Department of
Opioid Epidemic & Narcan’s Unintended Consequences
Andrew R. Roszak
October 2, 2019
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
Opioid Epidemic & Narcan’s Unintended Consequences
Andrew R. Roszak, Matt Wiggins and Elizabeth Fiato
October 2, 2019
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
Trauma-Informed Crisis Management
Michael Ross
September 25, 2019
There is a growing industry of “realistic active shooter” drills. Many are focused on teaching participants how to “survive” an event. These drills involve imitation attacks, physical confrontations, fake weapons, and simulated deaths. Some of these drills have led to actual shootings, people being locked in closets or storage rooms,
Life Support – Ensuring Proper Regulation of the Electric Grid
Michael Mabee
September 11, 2019
With few exceptions, human beings in the United States are literally on life support – plugged in to the electric grid. If that connection is unplugged, everything necessary to sustain the human population stops, including: food, water, fuel, transportation, medical resources, communications, and financial resources. According to a 28 March
Government Shutdowns: Emergencies, Disasters, or Expected Events
Kay C. Goss
September 4, 2019
The 35-day government shutdown of 2018-2019 became the longest in U.S. government history. Food banks, firefighters, and community services agencies ramped up their food and other care services. Much like during natural disasters, a significant number of federal workers and contractors did not have sufficient savings to cover expenses during
Emergency Animal Sheltering Options
Richard Green and Timothy Perciful
August 28, 2019
Article Out Loud When there is a need for sheltering animals, there are several options – each comes with advantages and disadvantages. Conditions, agency policies, experiences, resources, or timing typically drive the decision as to what type of shelter is used. Regardless of the type of shelter utilized, the primary
Follow Us
Get Instant Access
Subscribe today to Domestic Preparedness and get real-world insights for safer communities.