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Article Out Loud-NARCAN: THE SPRAY THAT SAVES

Joseph Cahill June 14, 2023
  A pharmacist and member of a Disaster Medical Assistance Team shares his personal account of the challenges his team overcame when responding to Hurricane Katrina in this 2005 article. Listen on

Article Out Loud – Staying Ahead of ‘The Big One’

Joseph Cahill April 11, 2023
Having an expandable plan, reinforced by and during daily operations, is the best way to prepare for the next major disaster. The planning model described in this 2013 article was as invaluable then as it is today.

Article Out Loud – Green Building Plus Greater Safety Equals Survival

Joseph Cahill March 7, 2023
Whether building a house or an entire community, the emphasis on lowering the carbon footprint and/or reducing energy costs could and should be complemented by “off the grid” considerations and a broad spectrum of disaster-resistant features more needed today than ever before.

Article Out Loud – Special Facilities – More Than Just Shelters

Joseph Cahill August 2, 2022
Emergency managers are tasked with creating disaster plans to protect the people within their jurisdictions. With numerous possible scenarios, any disaster may require the establishment of special facilities to provide sheltering, vaccinations, and other emergency services to the public.

Article Out Loud – Evacuation Planning: A Long, Long Way to Go

Joseph Cahill May 4, 2022
The laws are in place but are often unenforceable. Transportation assets are available but are almost always overcommitted. Clear mandates from local, state, and federal decision-makers are obviously needed to restore order from the current chaos.

Adrift – The No-Win Scenario in Responder Training

Joseph Cahill March 24, 2015
In a training scenario, a lose-lose situation may make a lasting impression on students, but does little to improve the decision-making skills of the responders. Regularly faced with making life-or-death decisions, emergency responders should receive training that includes no-win as well as winnable alternatives, thus reflecting real-life scenarios while not

Data-Driven Decisions – Lies & Statistics

Joseph Cahill February 18, 2015
As the old saying goes, there are “lies, damned lies, and statistics.” The reality of how statistical data is gathered, compared, and used can make the decision-making process more difficult. In emergency medical services, setting the bar based on available statistics affects both lives and budgets, so decisions must be

Community Paramedicine – Bringing the Hospital Home

Joseph Cahill December 10, 2014
As hospitals fill with patients and the cost of medical care rises, the use of community paramedicine also may increase. To fill the gap between routine doctor visits and emergency transport to hospitals, communities have the opportunity to expand the use of highly trained paramedics to better serve their populations’s

‘Old-School’ Response to Medical Emergencies

Joseph Cahill November 10, 2014
This current emergency medical services (EMS) dispatch and response process has evolved significantly over the past few decades. A dispatcher records the details of a 911 call in a web-based application. That information flows through a computer terminal into an ambulance. The unit responds using directions from a global positioning

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Article Out Loud – Why Public Works Needs a Seat at the Planning Table

January 8, 2025
This is an article by Greg Hoffnung, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, January 8, 2025. Despite their critical role in disaster response, public works agencies are not always included in the emergency planning process. Key steps can help ensure that these and other agencies can more effectively respond

Article Out Loud – Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence in Emergency Management

December 18, 2024
This is an article by Alex Hagen and Jon Barr, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, December 18, 2024. Recent research into the relationship between AI and emergency management uncovered an environment prepared for AI-based solutions. While AI must overcome some infrastructure hurdles, technologies to prevent, mitigate, and recover

ARTICLE OUT LOUD – Introducing AI to the Emergency Management Workforce: A Case Study

December 18, 2024
This is an article by Lenora G. Borchardt, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, December 18, 2024. AI can contribute to professional competency and learners’ success while efficiently training emergency management professionals and managing the bottom line. Learn how AI can create competency and outcomes-based learning tailored to each

ARTICLE OUT LOUD – Protecting Critical Infrastructure From Weaponized Drones

December 4, 2024
Electricity substations are traditionally only protected by chain-link fences and signage warning of the dangers of high voltage. However, this still leaves property vulnerable, especially to weaponized drones attacking from above, a mode of terrorism being used more extensively across the world and at home. Learn about the vulnerability of

ARTICLE OUT LOUD – Why Messaging Matters: A Regionalized Approach to Alerts and Warnings

November 27, 2024
Full article by Soraya Sutherlin, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness. Effective, timely, and unified communication across jurisdictions is essential for saving lives. The 2015 ExxonMobil refinery explosion highlighted the urgent need for coordinated, cross-jurisdictional alerting. Emergency managers, public safety officials, and policymakers must come together to prioritize a

ARTICLE OUT LOUD – The Nexus Between Major Events and Human Trafficking

November 27, 2024
Full article by Madeline Mann and Lindsey Lane, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, November 27, 2024. Most available data do not support the misconception that large-scale events lead to increased human trafficking. Rather, available evidence underscores a harsh truth: Human trafficking is a pervasive problem every day, not
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Domestic Preparedness

2883 Highway 71 E
P.O. Box 285
Del Valle, TX 78617-9998

Editorial Statement

Founded in 1998, Domestic Preparedness continues to be a pioneering thought leader in the emergency preparedness, response, and recovery space. The multidisciplinary editorial focus helps professionals acquire critical information to develop collaborative, real-world solutions. With relevant, multidisciplinary, whole-community intelligence from the front lines, practitioners can learn from diverse perspectives. The authoritative, practitioner-centered, multimedia information platform disseminates intelligence the way busy management-level public- and private-sector professionals want to learn. This is the trusted source for content written by practitioners, for practitioners, with relevant, real-world best practices.

DomesticPreparedness.com, the Domestic Preparedness Journal and the Weekly Brief include facts, views, opinions, and recommendations of individuals and organizations deemed of interest. The Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Texas A&M University System do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of, or otherwise endorse, these views, facts, opinions or recommendations.
©2025 Texas Division of Emergency Management

Domestic Preparedness

2883 Highway 71E

P.O. Box 285

Del Valle, TX 78617-9998

Editorial Statement

Founded in 1998, Domestic Preparedness continues to be a pioneering thought leader in the emergency preparedness, response, and recovery space. The multidisciplinary editorial focus helps professionals acquire critical information to develop collaborative, real-world solutions. With relevant, multidisciplinary, whole-community intelligence from the front lines, practitioners can learn from diverse perspectives. The authoritative, practitioner-centered, multimedia information platform disseminates intelligence the way busy management-level public- and private-sector professionals want to learn. This is the trusted source for content written by practitioners, for practitioners, with relevant, real-world best practices.

DomesticPreparedness.com, the Domestic Preparedness Journal and the Weekly Brief include facts, views, opinions, and recommendations of individuals and organizations deemed of interest. The Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Texas A&M University System do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of, or otherwise endorse, these views, facts, opinions or recommendations.
©2025 Texas Division of Emergency Management
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