HOSPITALS
EMS Professionals and the CERTification of Volunteers
The CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program is a federal initiative that encourages private citizens to volunteer to help out in times of disaster – and gives them a way to do so. Typically, these volunteers receive training in emergency operations well in advance of potential disasters and are deployed primarily to support existing emergency services. CERT was conceived, therefore, as an adjunct to emergency services during a disaster, not as a substitute or replacement for those services. The…
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Biosafety Laboratory Issues and Failures
Robert C. Hutchinson
April 12, 2023
Concerns regarding unexpected biological incidents and their public health implications were discussed in a 2014 Domestic Preparedness biosecurity and bioterrorism article. From the improper possession and storage of decades-old live smallpox virus in a former Food and Drug Administration laboratory (lab) on the National Institute of Health (NIH) campus to

Guidance for Preparing Professionals Mentally for the Worst
James Greenstone and Weldon Walles
March 22, 2023
Professional groups have debated and researched the best practices relating to the standards and quality of care sufficient to maintain minimum standards during a disaster. Due to the fluid nature of a disaster, it is difficult to abide by a standard that will fit every situation. For example, the onset

Linking Resilience and Innovation for Emergency Preparedness
Nia D'Emilio and Christopher Tarantino
February 15, 2023
Most industries suggest a certain level of resilience and innovation. It is important to get through challenging times to keep a company going, and “innovate or die” has long been a mantra of the business world. While these concepts – or in some cases, buzzwords – come up in various lines of

Crisis Standards of Care – A Mental Health Perspective
James Greenstone
January 25, 2023
Crisis standards of care and sufficiency of care are topics of great controversy and debate in professional circles. The reasons may be obvious to most. Traditionally, health care responders are trained and held to the standard of care of their profession when rendering aid. Nothing less is acceptable. The public
Hospitals Archives
Rationale for Structuring Pandemic Response on a War Footing
Thomas Russo
October 26, 2022
Given 20 years of pandemic planning, is it not surprising when people ask, “Why were we not ready?”
This question should be explored whether the time
Resources Not to Be Overlooked
Catherine Feinman
September 28, 2022
The term “whole community” is frequently used in preparedness materials and discussions. In
practice, though, how often is the whole community represented and all community resources
Hospital Response – A Personal Training Experience
Erin Valentine
August 17, 2022
Effective trainings are ones where the participants remember and later implement what they learned
into their daily operations. Not everyone knows how they would respond in
Reduce Burnout & Increase Retention in Emergency Management
Kesley Richardson
August 10, 2022
In emergency management (EM), the landscape of incoming professionals is evolving from second-career professionals to first-career college graduated practitioners. This change spotlights the difference between
Discovering Another New Normal
Catherine Feinman
July 27, 2022
Because of the interconnectedness of so many aspects of society, the authors in this July edition
of the Domestic Preparedness Journal help readers better understand
Stop the Bleed Training for Immediate Responders
Andy Altizer
May 18, 2022
When an injury causes a life-threatening bleed, minutes matter. There may not be enough time for first responders to arrive on the scene, so immediate
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HOSPITALS
EMS Professionals and the CERTification of Volunteers
The CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program is a federal initiative that encourages private citizens to volunteer to help out in times of disaster – and gives them a way to do so. Typically, these volunteers receive training in emergency operations well in advance of potential disasters and are deployed primarily to support existing emergency services. CERT was conceived, therefore, as an adjunct to emergency services during a disaster, not as a substitute or replacement for those services. The…
Most Recent

Publisher’s Note: Auld Lang Syne (A Chance to Recollect and Restore)
MacGregor Stephenson
December 28, 2022
As we come to the end of a challenging year and a tumultuous period, please know that your efforts
are appreciated,

The Importance of Strong Leadership for a Unique Discipline
Catherine Feinman
December 21, 2022
A transformational leadership style can help bridge relationship and communication gaps between
leaders and other community stakeholders. Learn how one young

Find Chances to Make Positive Changes
Catherine Feinman
November 30, 2022
Emergency preparedness and response professionals willingly insert themselves into many emergencies and disasters that they could have avoided in other

Community Resilience & Functional Needs
Marko Bourne
November 1, 2022
On 7 November 2013, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ruled that: (a) New York City’s emergency planning inadequately accommodates people
Hospitals Archives
Closing Preparedness Gaps – Timing Is Everything
Catherine Feinman
March 30, 2022
In some ways, communities are well prepared for emergencies. However, it is critical to
continuously assess systems, structures, models, and procedures to identify even small weaknesses
Application of the Cynefin Framework to COVID-19 Pandemic
Judy Kruger and Romeo Lavarias
February 23, 2022
Article Out Loud Since the spring of 2020, variables such mistrust of government leaders, anti-maskers, and economic concerns complicated COVID-19 community response. The Cynefin framework
Four Key Elements of Crisis Prevention
Catherine Feinman
February 23, 2022
A crisis can occur when a situation becomes unstable, circumstances suddenly change, or tension and
stress heighten. However, not all events need to reach the
The First Open-Source Equitable Decision Intelligence Model
Eric Kant, Joel Thomas, Chauncia Willis, Sarah K. Miller, Nissim Titan, Tzofit Chen, Brian Kruzan, Camila Tapias and Alexa Squirini
January 5, 2022
When incidents are catastrophic and/or happen in compromised environments, complexity can increase
rapidly and dramatically, compromising response objectives and resulting in catastrophic failure. The
cost of these
Another Opportunity to Prepare for Quarantines
Robert C. Hutchinson
November 10, 2021
An article published in 2013 discussed the considerable challenges of quarantine order implementation and enforcement during a future pandemic or other serious threats to public
Building Resilience Into the Planning Process
Catherine Feinman
October 27, 2021
Whether constructing a home, creating community programs, or developing multijurisdictional plans
and procedures, it is not enough to just construct, create, or develop. A home that
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