Most recently published
Hospital Emergency Departments – Infectious Diseases: The First Line of Defense
Theodore Tully
November 24, 2010
Very few Emergency Departments in U.S. hospitals can cope with a major outbreak of infectious diseases. But there is much that could & should be done before an outbreak occurs. Improved communications between and among all major medical facilities in the same geographic area should be the first priority, along
Biodetection: Today, Tomorrow & Years Later
Glen Rudner
November 17, 2010
Most U.S. counterterrorism experts and senior DHS and DOD officials agree that the greatest danger now facing the nation is not a nuclear attack but a biological warfare agent – which would be extremely difficult to detect, much less counter. There has been some limited progress in U.S. detection capabilities,
Swabs and Samples; Assays and Analytes
Patti Riggs
November 17, 2010
The collection of “samples” at the scene of a crime – or a toxic release or other possible mass-casualty incident – calls for extremely detailed planning, precise execution, and constant vigilance. Here is a short list of some of the numerous dangers and difficulties involved – some of them terminal
DomPrep Executive Briefing on PS-Prep
Martin D. Masiuk
November 17, 2010
The well attended 15 November DomPrep Executive Briefing on the Department of Homeland Security’s new “Private-Sector Preparedness” program not only provided a wealth of information for those participating but also raised several exceptionally relevant questions – on a broad range of closely related topics. The one virtually unanimous conclusion (no
UTMB: From Disaster Planning to Long-Term Recovery
Cameron W, Slocum and James Lee Witt
November 10, 2010
Established in 1891 as the Medical Department of the University of Texas and housed in a single building with a class of 23 students, the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) today is a sprawling and modern health science center with an annual budget of $1.5 billion. Home to
‘Pathogens for Knuckleheads’: The Enemy Within – Invisible & Infectious
Christina M. Flowers
November 10, 2010
A possible nuclear attack against the U.S. homeland gets more attention, but homeland-security experts say an attack involving biological weapons could be much more devastating in its consequences. The warhead of such weapons would be pathogens – which, as this primer “for Knuckleheads” points out, are low in cost, easy
Bio-Preparedness: From the Top Down
Jennifer Smither
November 3, 2010
A smart leader recruits the most capable assistants he/she can find – and uses them wisely. But some topics in today’s dangerous world are of such transcendent importance – bio-preparedness, for example – that decisions cannot be relegated to subordinates. And neither can the drills, training sessions, and tabletop exercises
The Driving Forces Behind Policy Making
Joseph Cahill
November 3, 2010
EMTs and other responders face a host of dangers at the scene of a major accident. But the greatest danger, in many cases, is on the open highways and crowded streets that must be navigated, often at high speed, to and from a multi-vehicle collision or the sudden fire that
‘My Loved One Was in That Accident – Can You Help Me?’
Craig DeAtley
October 27, 2010
A plane crash, a toxic-chemical spill, and other “mass-casualty” incidents all represent just the beginning of an extremely complicated response and recovery process. One of the most important “collateral duties” will be the dissemination of timely information to the media, the general public, and the worried families of those dead,
Field-Proven Medical Skills for Law-Enforcement Units
Joseph W. Trindal
October 27, 2010
Thanks to major improvements in military medical care, even on the battlefield itself, the U.S. combat KIA (killed in action) casualty rate has declined dramatically for more than half a century. Question: Could the same medical skills, training, and equipment be used to reduce the KIA rate of U.S. police
Reducing the H1N1 Risk: Public-Private Social Media Partnerships
Timothy Tinker and Marko Bourne
October 27, 2010
In business, in politics, and in sports, one of the oldest human truths is that, “If you can’t beat them, join them!” That seemingly eternal verity is being tested again, very effectively, by CDC and the nation’s healthcare communities are using widgets, tweets, and Whyville to persuade the public at
Technology and Equipment: Training Needed on Both
Jennifer Smither
October 26, 2010
Baltimore knows, and so do the great states of Oregon and Pennsylvania, that the first requirement in preparedness training is having the right type of equipment – in the quantities needed to meet all possible contingencies. The “other” first requirement is to ensure that all users of that equipment are
The Limits of Detection: A New Horizon Beckons
Chris Weber
November 24, 2010
To enter, or not to enter? That is the first and most important question facing first responders arriving at the scene of a major incident where there is reason to believe the area may be contaminated by biological agents. Lives are at stake, though, so quick decisions are mandatory, and
Hospital Emergency Departments – Infectious Diseases: The First Line of Defense
Theodore Tully
November 24, 2010
Very few Emergency Departments in U.S. hospitals can cope with a major outbreak of infectious diseases. But there is much that could & should be done before an outbreak occurs. Improved communications between and among all major medical facilities in the same geographic area should be the first priority, along
Biodetection: Today, Tomorrow & Years Later
Glen Rudner
November 17, 2010
Most U.S. counterterrorism experts and senior DHS and DOD officials agree that the greatest danger now facing the nation is not a nuclear attack but a biological warfare agent – which would be extremely difficult to detect, much less counter. There has been some limited progress in U.S. detection capabilities,
Swabs and Samples; Assays and Analytes
Patti Riggs
November 17, 2010
The collection of “samples” at the scene of a crime – or a toxic release or other possible mass-casualty incident – calls for extremely detailed planning, precise execution, and constant vigilance. Here is a short list of some of the numerous dangers and difficulties involved – some of them terminal
DomPrep Executive Briefing on PS-Prep
Martin D. Masiuk
November 17, 2010
The well attended 15 November DomPrep Executive Briefing on the Department of Homeland Security’s new “Private-Sector Preparedness” program not only provided a wealth of information for those participating but also raised several exceptionally relevant questions – on a broad range of closely related topics. The one virtually unanimous conclusion (no
UTMB: From Disaster Planning to Long-Term Recovery
Cameron W, Slocum and James Lee Witt
November 10, 2010
Established in 1891 as the Medical Department of the University of Texas and housed in a single building with a class of 23 students, the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) today is a sprawling and modern health science center with an annual budget of $1.5 billion. Home to
‘Pathogens for Knuckleheads’: The Enemy Within – Invisible & Infectious
Christina M. Flowers
November 10, 2010
A possible nuclear attack against the U.S. homeland gets more attention, but homeland-security experts say an attack involving biological weapons could be much more devastating in its consequences. The warhead of such weapons would be pathogens – which, as this primer “for Knuckleheads” points out, are low in cost, easy
Bio-Preparedness: From the Top Down
Jennifer Smither
November 3, 2010
A smart leader recruits the most capable assistants he/she can find – and uses them wisely. But some topics in today’s dangerous world are of such transcendent importance – bio-preparedness, for example – that decisions cannot be relegated to subordinates. And neither can the drills, training sessions, and tabletop exercises
The Driving Forces Behind Policy Making
Joseph Cahill
November 3, 2010
EMTs and other responders face a host of dangers at the scene of a major accident. But the greatest danger, in many cases, is on the open highways and crowded streets that must be navigated, often at high speed, to and from a multi-vehicle collision or the sudden fire that
‘My Loved One Was in That Accident – Can You Help Me?’
Craig DeAtley
October 27, 2010
A plane crash, a toxic-chemical spill, and other “mass-casualty” incidents all represent just the beginning of an extremely complicated response and recovery process. One of the most important “collateral duties” will be the dissemination of timely information to the media, the general public, and the worried families of those dead,
Field-Proven Medical Skills for Law-Enforcement Units
Joseph W. Trindal
October 27, 2010
Thanks to major improvements in military medical care, even on the battlefield itself, the U.S. combat KIA (killed in action) casualty rate has declined dramatically for more than half a century. Question: Could the same medical skills, training, and equipment be used to reduce the KIA rate of U.S. police
Reducing the H1N1 Risk: Public-Private Social Media Partnerships
Timothy Tinker and Marko Bourne
October 27, 2010
In business, in politics, and in sports, one of the oldest human truths is that, “If you can’t beat them, join them!” That seemingly eternal verity is being tested again, very effectively, by CDC and the nation’s healthcare communities are using widgets, tweets, and Whyville to persuade the public at
Hospital Emergency Planning: Hospitals Qualify as Critical Infrastructure
Theodore Tully
October 20, 2010
How does one define “critical”? Far too often in today’s interconnected world, that important designation is awarded retrospectively – i.e., after a terroristic attack or major weather disaster. A credible case can be made, though, that major hospitals and other healthcare facilities deserve that description because of their intrinsic value
Another Look at EMS Staffing in Action
Joseph Cahill
October 13, 2010
As this year’s U.S. elections clearly demonstrate, there is a built-in conflict between voters’ desire for more and improved services and the equally compelling requirement, at all levels of government, to reduce expenditures. In the field of emergency medical services, this problem is particularly difficult to resolve because not only
Functional Needs Support Services: A New Paradigm in Emergency Shelter Operations
Bruce Clements
October 13, 2010
Everyone in any given community throughout the world suffers when a hurricane, earthquake, or other disaster occurs. Those who suffer the most, though, are usually those already suffering from other problems, specifically including medical impairments that make it difficult to function on their own, or even with assistance. Fortunately, new
The Reality of On-Scene Medical Control Physicians
Raphael M. Barishansky
October 6, 2010
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system in the United States functions primarily under the philosophy that EMS should – as efficiently as possible – assess, treat, and then quickly transport a patient to the appropriate hospital for definitive treatment by physicians. If needed, Medical Control (MC) is supplied off-line in
Emerging Trends in CBRN Detection – Moving Forward
Glen Rudner
September 29, 2010
The goal is clear: to protect the U.S. homeland from CBRN attacks today, tomorrow, and far into the future. But the race – against an implacable enemy – is endless, there are numerous gaps and pitfalls blocking the way forward, and the winner may not necessarily be the runner who
Nuclear Smuggling: Detection Challenges & Hasty Acquisition
Joseph W. Trindal
September 22, 2010
The Department of Homeland Security’s Customs & Border Protection branch has several immensely important responsibilities. There is no other challenge, though, quite so daunting as its primary duty of keeping nuclear weapons and/or devices from entering any of the more than 300 U.S. ports of entry from overseas. Making that
NIMS-ICS & the Private Sector – Good Fit, or a Stretch?
Stephen Grainer
September 22, 2010
Nine years later, and nothing has changed! Well, that is not exactly true. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is alive and, although not always moving forward at flank speed, has made considerable progress in several ways. Many relatively new programs should be expanded and upgraded, though, particularly those involving
Resilience: Developing Professionalism, Clarifying the Incentives
Dennis R. Schrader
September 15, 2010
The QHSR, the BUR, NFPA, and PS-Prep are marching in lockstep in their combined efforts to upgrade the nation’s awareness of resilience as a primary goal of preparedness planning, training, and implementation. Here are some helpful guidelines that political decision makers, budget managers, and operating professionals alike might find useful
A Primer on PPE Training for Tactical Officers
Richard Schoeberl
September 15, 2010
Personal Protective Equipment, particularly and specifically including PPE clothing, provides excellent but not 100 percent guaranteed safety against the CBRNE weapons and devices that are the terrorists’ weapons of choice in today’s increasingly dangerous world. But using PPE properly and effectively takes both time and training, and can add significantly
DomPrep Survey: PS-Prep, Is It Relevant
Domestic Preparedness
September 15, 2010
In this latest Survey, DomPrep asked members of the “DomPrep40” about the relevance – to their own programs and professional communities – of the so-called PS-Prep (Public Sector Preparedness) program mandated and authorized under Public Law 110-53. Here is a brief summary, by Albert Romano, of the sometimes surprising answers
Gauging The Threat of an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack
Scott Stewart and Nathan Hughes
September 15, 2010
Among the various threats to the safety and security of a nation, an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack should not be overlooked. The potential threat of an EMP attack has been recognized since the early 1960s, but the growing debate surrounding this possibility parallels modern civilizations’ growing dependency on electronics and
The EMS Role on FAST Teams & HazMat Assignments
Joseph Cahill
September 1, 2010
The risks may be theoretically “controlled” but they are still risks – and controls don’t always work. Which is the reasoning behind the “two-in/two out” rule, the need for an EMS specialist on scene, and the ethical imperative guiding the decisions of political leaders and emergency managers.
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