Recent leaks about government surveillance programs that track U.S. and U.K. phone calls and
internet communications have raised major concerns over the privacy of personal communications. There
may be even greater difficulties, though, if current ties between the federal government and the U.S.
“hacker” community are weakened or, perhaps, severed entirely.
Subject matter experts play a key role in protecting both real and virtual space. Although they may not consider themselves to be “experts,” many private sector stakeholders play a critical part in protecting the nation by sharing their specialized knowledge with the law enforcement community.
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration concluded in 2007 that there is a weakness in the infrastructure’s ability to handle the movement of people following a natural or manmade disaster. The 2013 Boston Marathon bombings serve as a prime example of how transportation facilities and government agencies manage complex incidents that have wide-reaching effects.
Emergency operation centers are no longer the exclusive property of government agencies. Various
states are now incorporating centers that specifically focus on the private sector stakeholders the
Business Emergency Management Operations Center in Washington, D.C., is one of the latest additions to a
growing trend.
Emergency managers should not neglect their basic emergency management principles when faced with a cyber incident. Although information technology (IT) professionals have the technical expertise, emergency managers maintain responsibility for coordinating the response to cyber incidents. Therefore, by working together, emergency managers and IT professionals can provide a more effective response.
Lee caused less damage and fewer fatalities, but vigorously reinforced the lethal lessons learned from Irene less than two months ago – namely, that: (a) There is absolutely no substitute for advance planning; (b) Planning must be as totally comprehensive, in every way, as is humanly possible; and (c)That saving of human lives must be at the very top of the priority list.
Public health emergencies, including infectious disease and natural disasters, are issues that every community faces. To address these threats, it is critical for all jurisdictions to understand how law can be used to enhance public health preparedness, as well as improve coordination and collaboration across jurisdictions. As sovereign entities, tribal nations have the authority to create their own laws and take the necessary steps to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. Thus, legal preparedness for tribal nations is crucial to public health response.
The U.S. information security and technology communities are no longer solely responsible for protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats – emergency managers also play an increasingly important role in that task. Increasing the overall level of cyber preparedness therefore requires closer coordination, information sharing, and effective planning, as well as frequent assessments.
Food safety is a top priority at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the only agency tasked with tracking human cases of foodborne illness at the national level, the CDC works – in collaboration with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food Safety & Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) – 24/7 to stop and prevent dangerous outbreaks. Stakeholders involved in the U.S. food system, from farmers to regulators to consumers, rely on the CDC for information to help keep the food supply safe.
The Annual Meeting of the Association of Public Health Laboratories hosted more than 500 participants who share the common goal of improving public health efforts and laboratory preparedness. Through workshops and online resources, people from multiple disciplines can learn more about the role of public health laboratories in detecting and investigating emerging threats.
Recent leaks about government surveillance programs that track U.S. and U.K. phone calls and
internet communications have raised major concerns over the privacy of personal communications. There
may be even greater difficulties, though, if current ties between the federal government and the U.S.
“hacker” community are weakened or, perhaps, severed entirely. 
Subject matter experts play a key role in protecting both real and virtual space. Although they may not consider themselves to be “experts,” many private sector stakeholders play a critical part in protecting the nation by sharing their specialized knowledge with the law enforcement community. 
Emergency managers should not neglect their basic emergency management principles when faced with a cyber incident. Although information technology (IT) professionals have the technical expertise, emergency managers maintain responsibility for coordinating the response to cyber incidents. Therefore, by working together, emergency managers and IT professionals can provide a more effective response. 