When community leaders in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery invest in engagements with community members, the return on investment can be measured in lives, properties, and money saved. The authors in this August edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal describe ways to strengthen the entire community against known and not-yet-known threats.
Featured in this issue: Editor’s Note: Community Engagement – Strength in Numbers by Catherine L. Feinman; Lessons in Social Media – Preparing Kids and Community Leaders for Disasters by Patricia Frost and Michael Prasad; Return on Investments in Public Engagement by June Isaacson Kailes; Realizing the Power of Community in Disaster Recovery by Aaron Clark-Ginsberg; Bridging Preparedness: State Medication Reserves for Pandemics and Beyond by Angie Im; Dual-World Tabletop Exercises – Addressing Unmet Infrastructure Needs by Charles (Chuck) L. Manto; A Homeland Vulnerability Continues by Robert C. Hutchinson; and Vulnerability and Exploitation – Human Trafficking After Natural Disasters by Benjamin Thomas Greer.
Disasters inherently come with known and unknown threats. One looming emerging threat is human trafficking because traffickers capitalize on the vulnerability these events create to exploit victims. However, when properly trained, emergency management and disaster responders are uniquely positioned to identify, prevent, and mitigate exploitation before and after an emergency.
Full article by Benjamin Thomas Greer and Nathan DiPillo, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, August 28, 2024. In this feature article, a subject matter expert in the […]
The U.S. critical infrastructure is vulnerable to many forms of cyber and electromagnetic threats. This article presents a new tabletop exercise concept for addressing these ongoing threats to critical infrastructure. Similar to medical research groups that involve treatment and control groups, two exercise groups would work simultaneously on the same scenario and injects, but one would receive a “treatment” of additional resources.
Full article by Charles (Chuck) L. Manto, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, August 21, 2024. In this feature article, a consultant and developer focused on protecting telecommunications […]
No two communities are the same. Each community has unique vulnerabilities, capacities, and needs, and each has its own leaders, areas of cooperation, and areas of disagreement. Understanding these factors and building on the community’s strengths are critical steps in disaster recovery.
Full article by Aaron Clark-Ginsberg, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, August 21, 2024. In this feature article, a behavioral and social scientist understands that no two communities […]
Public engagement and participation involve community members in problem-solving, decision-making, and policy development. This article shares some new practices for creating actionable opportunities for key stakeholders to participate in decisions that affect their communities. Result-centered engagement can help protect people with disabilities and other community partners from many adverse impacts of emergencies.
Full article by June Isaacson Kailes, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, August 14, 2024. In this feature article, a disability policy consultant reminds community leaders that public engagement […]
When community leaders in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery invest in engagements with community members, the return on investment can be measured in lives, properties, and money saved. The authors in this August edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal describe ways to strengthen the entire community against known and not-yet-known threats. 
Featured in this issue: Editor’s Note: Community Engagement – Strength in Numbers by Catherine L. Feinman; Lessons in Social Media – Preparing Kids and Community Leaders for Disasters by Patricia Frost and Michael Prasad; Return on Investments in Public Engagement by June Isaacson Kailes; Realizing the Power of Community in Disaster Recovery by Aaron Clark-Ginsberg; Bridging Preparedness: State Medication Reserves for Pandemics and Beyond by Angie Im; Dual-World Tabletop Exercises – Addressing Unmet Infrastructure Needs by Charles (Chuck) L. Manto; A Homeland Vulnerability Continues by Robert C. Hutchinson; and Vulnerability and Exploitation – Human Trafficking After Natural Disasters by Benjamin Thomas Greer. 
Disasters inherently come with known and unknown threats. One looming emerging threat is human trafficking because traffickers capitalize on the vulnerability these events create to exploit victims. However, when properly trained, emergency management and disaster responders are uniquely positioned to identify, prevent, and mitigate exploitation before and after an emergency. 
Full article by Benjamin Thomas Greer and Nathan DiPillo, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, August 28, 2024. In this feature article, a subject matter expert in the […] 
The U.S. critical infrastructure is vulnerable to many forms of cyber and electromagnetic threats. This article presents a new tabletop exercise concept for addressing these ongoing threats to critical infrastructure. Similar to medical research groups that involve treatment and control groups, two exercise groups would work simultaneously on the same scenario and injects, but one would receive a “treatment” of additional resources. 
No two communities are the same. Each community has unique vulnerabilities, capacities, and needs, and each has its own leaders, areas of cooperation, and areas of disagreement. Understanding these factors and building on the community’s strengths are critical steps in disaster recovery. 
Public engagement and participation involve community members in problem-solving, decision-making, and policy development. This article shares some new practices for creating actionable opportunities for key stakeholders to participate in decisions that affect their communities. Result-centered engagement can help protect people with disabilities and other community partners from many adverse impacts of emergencies. 