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Article Archive by Year

Beachie Creek Fire – A Practitioner’s Firsthand Account

When disaster strikes, sometimes those trained to respond find themselves and their families fleeing from the fire. Once their families are safe, they jump back in to assist wherever needed. This scenario happened to one emergency manager when the Beachie Creek wildfire engulfed surrounding Oregon communities with little warning.

How One Town Stood Up to a Category 4 Storm

When Category 4 Hurricane Ian crossed Florida in September 2022, more than 4 million Florida homes and businesses lost power. However, one town kept the lights on and was spared the devastation the cities surrounding it faced. With resilience and sustainability in mind, this author shares the planning involved in

Publisher’s Note: Auld Lang Syne (A Chance to Recollect and Restore)

As we come to the end of a challenging year and a tumultuous period, please know that your efforts are appreciated, and the sacrifices of you and your families have a significant and positive impact on all of our communities. On behalf of the Domestic Preparedness Journal, its staff, and

How Technology Systems Impact Critical Infrastructure

Operational technology systems that run many critical infrastructure functions are becoming more dependent on information technology. As these worlds converge, emergency preparedness professionals must address the related security challenges. This article shares some lessons learned and uses a foundational knowledge of the topic to inspire possible solutions.

Applying Environmental Design to Prevent Active Shooters

Active shooter trainings can help prevent some injuries and deaths. However, additional measures should also be taken to prevent the attack from occurring. This article describes how to apply environmental design to thwart attackers.

Implementing “Stop the Bleed” for Future K-12 Educators

How have recent school shootings impacted future K-12 educators and what new skills will help better prepare them for potential threats? One study at the University of North Alabama combined training and research to answer this question.

Maintaining a Strong Volunteer Force

Volunteers are a lifeline for many nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies during emergencies and disasters. However, recruiting and retaining good volunteers can be difficult. This article shares some simple strategies and tools for any emergency preparedness professional seeking to build and maintain a strong volunteer force.

Value of Enterprise Data Management in Emergency Management

An enterprise data management program emphasizes the importance of managing information as an asset and protecting it from misuse or loss. Knowing the landscape of data and how to manage it is critical to an organization’s recovery and sustainability after a disaster. This article explains the need to coordinate data

“Moneyball” for the Wildland Fire System

The wildfire management community has made great strides incorporating new decision support tools into how it plans for and responds to wildfire incidents. Despite improvements in risk assessment and management at the incident scale, increasing fire activity and critical resource shortages reveal a system under strain in need of strategies

PPD-44: Implications for Domestic Incident Management

An essential national incident management guidance document is finally available to responders nationwide. This document will significantly improve a unified response to and recovery from large-scale incidents. However, additional work is needed to create an enhanced unity of effort and fully integrated response among federal, state, and local responders.

Beachie Creek Fire – A Practitioner’s Firsthand Account

When disaster strikes, sometimes those trained to respond find themselves and their families fleeing from the fire. Once their families are safe, they jump back in to assist wherever needed. This scenario happened to one emergency manager when the Beachie Creek wildfire engulfed surrounding Oregon communities with little warning.

How One Town Stood Up to a Category 4 Storm

When Category 4 Hurricane Ian crossed Florida in September 2022, more than 4 million Florida homes and businesses lost power. However, one town kept the lights on and was spared the devastation the cities surrounding it faced. With resilience and sustainability in mind, this author shares the planning involved in

Publisher’s Note: Auld Lang Syne (A Chance to Recollect and Restore)

As we come to the end of a challenging year and a tumultuous period, please know that your efforts are appreciated, and the sacrifices of you and your families have a significant and positive impact on all of our communities. On behalf of the Domestic Preparedness Journal, its staff, and

How Technology Systems Impact Critical Infrastructure

Operational technology systems that run many critical infrastructure functions are becoming more dependent on information technology. As these worlds converge, emergency preparedness professionals must address the related security challenges. This article shares some lessons learned and uses a foundational knowledge of the topic to inspire possible solutions.

Applying Environmental Design to Prevent Active Shooters

Active shooter trainings can help prevent some injuries and deaths. However, additional measures should also be taken to prevent the attack from occurring. This article describes how to apply environmental design to thwart attackers.

Implementing “Stop the Bleed” for Future K-12 Educators

How have recent school shootings impacted future K-12 educators and what new skills will help better prepare them for potential threats? One study at the University of North Alabama combined training and research to answer this question.

Maintaining a Strong Volunteer Force

Volunteers are a lifeline for many nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies during emergencies and disasters. However, recruiting and retaining good volunteers can be difficult. This article shares some simple strategies and tools for any emergency preparedness professional seeking to build and maintain a strong volunteer force.

Value of Enterprise Data Management in Emergency Management

An enterprise data management program emphasizes the importance of managing information as an asset and protecting it from misuse or loss. Knowing the landscape of data and how to manage it is critical to an organization’s recovery and sustainability after a disaster. This article explains the need to coordinate data

“Moneyball” for the Wildland Fire System

The wildfire management community has made great strides incorporating new decision support tools into how it plans for and responds to wildfire incidents. Despite improvements in risk assessment and management at the incident scale, increasing fire activity and critical resource shortages reveal a system under strain in need of strategies

PPD-44: Implications for Domestic Incident Management

An essential national incident management guidance document is finally available to responders nationwide. This document will significantly improve a unified response to and recovery from large-scale incidents. However, additional work is needed to create an enhanced unity of effort and fully integrated response among federal, state, and local responders.

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Article Out Loud – Leader of the Pack – Canine Detection

In the wake of a disaster, time is critical for locating survivors and recovering bodies. This type of work requires training, skills, and abilities acquired by canines due to their unique anatomy and physiology. However, there are key considerations before implementing K9 programs.

Article Out Loud – Fostering Public Buy-In to Support Public Safety

Emergency managers often go unnoticed until a disaster occurs. However, disaster response efforts are much more effective when communities work together and trust their local responding agencies. Learn how one county has changed its mindset to develop stronger community partnerships and buy-in before the next disaster.

Article Out Loud – Food Safety: An Emergency Manager’s Perspective

Protecting a nation’s food supply chain is a major concern in all political jurisdictions, but can be made less difficult by, among other actions: implementing mitigation controls; enforcing inspections, assessments, and compliance; ensuring international food safety; improving rapid-response capabilities; and developing preparedness partnerships.

Article Out Loud – Green Building Plus Greater Safety Equals Survival

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 – Data Sharing – A Necessary Public Safety Tool

Criminal activities are not limited to jurisdictional boundaries, nor should the ability to share information collaboratively. Cooperative data sharing within and between jurisdictions is essential for today’s law enforcement demands. As such, law enforcement and other public safety agencies must work together to create a safer and more just society.

Article Out Loud – An Integrated Public Safety Approach for Evolving Threats

Evolving threats require integrated public safety approaches. Concepts like the Rescue Task Force, models like the Cynefin Framework, and numerous other available resources can help communities develop collaborative response plans for evolving threats and complex coordinated attacks like fire as a weapon.

Article Out Loud – Earthquake Preparedness in Non-Earthquake Country

On the afternoon of 23 August 2011, a rumbling in the ductwork was heard overhead in a chemistry classroom on the fourth floor of a brand-new building at Montgomery College in Maryland. As a laboratory safety class was getting ready to begin, the noise quickly transitioned to a swaying of

Article Out Loud – Holistic Security – Various Ways to Reduce Vulnerability

Even multiple isolated incidents may not be enough to raise a red flag that intellectual property theft is being planned. By ensuring that each incident is reported through the proper channels and analyzed along with other reported incidents, agencies and corporations may be able to thwart potential cyber crimes before

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