PUBLIC HEALTH ARCHIVES
Education – The Ultimate Personal Protective Equipment
Catherine L. Feinman
October 25, 2017
A firefighter would not run into a burning building without turnout gear and self-contained breathing apparatus. A paramedic would not treat and transport a patient without proper body substance isolation precautions. A hazardous materials technician would not attempt to contain a highly toxic chemical spill without donning a Level A
Implications of the Opioid Crisis During Disaster Response
Dawn Thomas
October 24, 2017
During disaster response, individuals suffering from opioid addiction have both similar and unique needs as compared to those suffering from other types of illness. Emergency responders need the resources to manage opioid-addicted victims of a disaster, and response teams must be appropriately staffed to meet the physical and behavioral health
Surviving the First Disaster Deployment
Arthur (Art) Samaras
October 23, 2017
When runners compete in their first marathon or triathlon, they often set goals such as, “I hope to break four hours,” or “I want to beat my brother’s time.” However, a different mindset should be taken for a first attempt at an endurance event. Rather than placing benchmarks or targets,
Hurricane Harvey & What It Means for Future Disasters
Dawn Thomas
October 18, 2017
As initial search and rescue operations in Houston, Texas, following Hurricane Harvey shifted to
recovery efforts, three CNA experts discussed the various challenges metropolitan areas face during,
immediately after, and throughout the long-term recovery from a large-scale disaster. Drawing on their
40 years of collective experience, panel moderator Monica Giovachino, Jason McNamara, and
Three Storms Demonstrate Five Forms of Flooding
John Englander
October 11, 2017
Flooding results from three primary forces: rainfall, coastal storm surge, and rising sea level, made even worse with by runoff and extreme tides. Recently, hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria showcased the new environmental conditions the world faces as well as the devastating damage that can occur when any combination of
Unmanned Aerial Systems & Emergency Management
Kay C. Goss
October 11, 2017
Long before the invention of drones, emergency managers determined the overall scope of a crisis using information from emergency personnel on the ground, and from the chain of command created through the Incident Command System. Today, drones have many capabilities that could enhance response activities and change the way disasters
National Safe Schools Week: Securing Learning Environments
Mark Williams
October 4, 2017
Studies show that children’s learning improves when they feel both physically and emotionally safe. As “National Safe Schools Week” (16-20 October 2017) approaches, it is an appropriate time to discuss how to create these environments through safe schools programs in local communities across the United States.
Exercise Because of Want, Not Because of Need
Nitin Natarajan
September 27, 2017
For decades, governments have conducted emergency preparedness exercises as a method to evaluate
the ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and manmade disasters. There is no
doubt the tens of thousands of exercises conducted across the nation have improved the nation’s
preparedness but, in order to
Active Shooter Incidents: The Rescue Task Force Concept
Robert Mueck
September 20, 2017
The concept of the Rescue Task Force (RTF) came from the Arlington County (Virginia) Fire
Department. Looking at active shooter events around the country, these fire department leaders created a
model that enables emergency medical services (EMS) to provide emergency medical intervention faster and
within the Incident Command System (ICS) construct.
Enhancing Infrastructure Protection Through Special Events
Erin Mohres
September 20, 2017
In an atmosphere of limited resources, critical infrastructure (CI) protection can be difficult to prioritize with crime-fighting and disaster response. Understanding real-world lessons learned from local agencies is one way to make progress. Leveraging the urgency demanded by special events can be a particularly productive path forward. This article offers
Helping School Districts Move Forward After Tragedy
Guy Grace
September 13, 2017
In fall 2013, the Littleton Public Schools District (Colorado), with great support from the
community, passed an $80 million bond election for capital improvements within the school district.
Immediately following the bond election, the Littleton Public Schools Security Department personnel
began planning to implement their portion of the bond funds, which was about
Rethinking Disaster Evacuation
Daniel M. Gerstein and Andrew Lauland
September 11, 2017
No two disasters are the same. Yet it is not unusual for officials to be confronted with a common
critical public safety decision: whether to evacuate the public or advise them to shelter in place. This
crucial decision, which is normally time sensitive, can set the tone for the remainder of the
