Most recently published
U.S. Vaccine Development: Expediting the Process
Diana Hopkins
October 20, 2010
Influenza and many other diseases spread with the speed of summer lightning. The “cure” for these frequently fatal viruses moves at a much slower pace – largely because the testing and validation processes take so long. Fortunately, there are new approaches coming into play to expedite those processes while still
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
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
U.S. Vaccine Development: Expediting the Process
Diana Hopkins
October 20, 2010
Influenza and many other diseases spread with the speed of summer lightning. The “cure” for these frequently fatal viruses moves at a much slower pace – largely because the testing and validation processes take so long. Fortunately, there are new approaches coming into play to expedite those processes while still
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
TOPOFF 4 & Looking Glass RDD Lessons Learned
Brandy Jones
September 1, 2010
There are still many important lessons to be learned from the massive “Looking Glass” tabletop exercise carried out almost three years ago just a dirty-bomb’s throw from downtown New York City. Here is a quick and easy primer on some of the most important of those lessons.
‘IT Security for Knuckleheads’: Ten Basic Steps
Allan Carey
August 25, 2010
The still misunderstood, and sometimes even frightening, term “Cyber Security” has entered the common vocabulary in force in recent years. It is generally agreed that the lack of cyber security is dangerous, and potentially catastrophic. But there are a number of common-sense guidelines to follow to protect an organization’s, or
Review of Medical Countermeasures and a New Federal Approach
Martin D. Masiuk
August 25, 2010
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announces the allocation of $1.9 billion for new U.S. medical countermeasure capabilities – plus five “breakthrough” initiatives to get the ship underway and on a course both straight and true.
The Insurance Industry’s Role in PS-Prep
Donald Byrne
August 18, 2010
The much-revered U.S. “private citizen” has become increasingly critical of all levels of government in recent years, according to most recent polls and surveys. And justifiably so, according to a virtual army of pundits and commentators – and many politicians themselves. But that same beloved private citizen, if he or
Public Safety Agencies Fight to Protect Privacy via Cyber Security
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
August 18, 2010
The numerous technological advances in security systems in recent years have created new opportunities for growth, for improved operational capabilities, and for both legal and moral complications. Question: What is the dividing line between improved security and personal privacy – or is there one?
Decision-Making in Chemical Warfare Agent (CWA) Response
Christopher Wrenn
August 18, 2010
This is the first of a four-part series on Chemical Detection and Decontamination for Multiple Applications. In response to releases of CWA, there may not be one technology or one “answer” that is correct. The responder must take into account all of the clues to determine the presence or absence
Update on Private Sector Preparedness (PS-Prep) Standards
Diana Hopkins
August 11, 2010
The 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks against the WTC Towers & the Pentagon theoretically “galvanized the nation” – but it still took roughly three years before the 9/11 Commission recommended the development and promulgation of “private-sector preparedness standards.” Another six years have passed, and three of those standards are ready
Lessons Learned from EOCs & Their IT Support
Sophia Paros
August 11, 2010
The 2009 inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American commander in chief, was the biggest – and, of course, best publicized – national “special event” on the long and growing list of emergency-management best-case/worst-case scenarios. Fortunately, most of the lessons learned two years ago involved relatively minor
Security Standards to Help Keep Federal Facilities Safe
W. Craig Conklin
August 4, 2010
Two major new DHS (Department of Homeland Security) publications are now available to help federal officials throughout the country tighten the physical security of the office buildings, warehouses, and – literally – hundreds of thousands of other taxpayer-funded federal facilities entrusted to their care.
Monitoring the Monitor: Additional Breakthroughs Predicted
Joseph Cahill
August 4, 2010
More and better clot busters, instant timelines, smarter (maybe even genius level) cellular technology, and open-source software. All are part of the still ongoing revolution in medical monitoring devices that started with the EKG and defibrillator and has already saved untold thousands of lives in almost every country in the
Evacuation in the United Kingdom: Reshaping Policy
Andy Oppenheimer
July 28, 2010
The “9/11” attacks on the World Trade Center Towers in New York City differed in several respects from the “7/7” bombings of the London transit system. But both of these mass-casualty disasters led to the belated public recognition of terrorism as a clear and present danger – and, from there,
Emergency Management: An International Focus
Kay C. Goss
July 28, 2010
The International Association of Emergency Managers provides a golden example by demonstrating how global-outreach programs can benefit all members of a specific professional community – and, not incidentally, the varied publics they serve. Here is a must-read insider’s report from a recognized U.S. expert.
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