Most recently published

Field-Based Patient Tracking: Real-Time Data Sharing Comes of Age
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
November 4, 2009
The old saying that the job “”isn’t done until the paperwork has been completed”” is particularly true if the “paperwork” data – vital signs, indications of internal bleeding, etc., collected at the scene of a car accident or other incident – is somehow lost before, during or after the patient’s

Mass-Casualty/Medical-Surge Capabilities: Closing the Gap
Kay C. Goss
October 28, 2009
The U.S. government, and most major American cities, have worked diligently, and with considerable success, since the 9/11 terrorist attacks to upgrade their homeland-defense capabilities. But “better” is not the same as “enough” – and probably never will be.

Expanded Duty for EMS Techs: Tactical Decisions
Joseph Cahill
October 28, 2009
Most medium-sized or larger U.S. communities are now better prepared than ever before to cope with “routine” incidents such as car crashes and motorcycle accidents. But a much smaller number is able to deal with truly major incidents that stress not only the rescue equipment available but also the skills

Expanded-Duty EMS: Heavy Rescue
Joseph Cahill
October 28, 2009
Most medium-sized or larger U.S. communities are now better prepared than ever before to cope with “routine” incidents such as car crashes and motorcycle accidents. But a much smaller number is able to deal with truly major incidents that stress not only the rescue equipment available but also the skills

Communicating With the Public During a Pandemic Influenza
Amanda Rhyne and Sarah Weiss
October 28, 2009
The United States is home to probably the most ethnically diverse population in the world. That is a blessing in many ways – but it poses major difficulties for emergency-management officials and other leaders in times of crisis, when the responsibility of warning the public becomes a polyglot challenge.

Telemedicine: Funding Increases & Rapid-Paced Development
Diana Hopkins
October 21, 2009
It started with extremely low-tech audio communications, and in recent years telemedicine technology has spawned a spectrum of much more advanced systems and devices that are of literally life-or-death importance to many citizens in distress. But the paperwork – specifically including development and performance standards – has not kept up.

HLS & EM: Blueprinting the Future
Dennis R. Schrader
October 21, 2009
Today’s homeland-security and emergency-management professionals are highly skilled and exceptionally well motivated. Their second most important goal, though – after keeping the nation safe – is to ensure that their second- and third-generation successors are even more competent and capable than the first-generation leaders now setting the pace.

SAMU & EMS: The Principle Differences
Joseph Cahill
October 14, 2009
The goal is the same – doing the most good for the most patients. But there are several significant, and perhaps educational, differences between the way that French medical-response units are trained and operate as compared with their American counterparts.

NIMS & ICS: The Next Level
Stephen Grainer
October 14, 2009
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) resumed the “next” series of its NIMS (National Incident Management System) Incident Command System (ICS) training in August with the delivery of eight ICS position-specific Train-the-Trainer (T-t-T) programs in College Station, Texas, where the Texas Forest Service (TFS) is headquartered – on the

Organophosphates: A Clearly Present Danger
John Temperilli
October 14, 2009
Properly used, chemicals can benefit mankind in many ways. Improperly used – by terrorists, for example – they can be more of a curse than a blessing, and as weapons of mass destruction could be even more dangerous, over a longer period of time, than a nuclear missile.

The Unglamorous Side: Parking Lots, Manhole Covers, and Homeland Security
Neil C. Livingstone
October 7, 2009
The critical infrastructure of the United States is now better protected than it was before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The same cannot be said for the parking lots next to government buildings, power plants, and other possible targets – most of which can be entered through 22 million “access points”

Understanding Public Health Mutual Aid
Raphael M. Barishansky
October 7, 2009
Friends helping friends, neighbors helping neighbors – it’s Biblical, it’s common sense, and it’s the right thing to do. But it’s also much more complicated in today’s world, when mass-casualty incidents can cause so much damage that very few communities can recover without outside help.

Ham Radio – An Emergency Tool for Public Health
Barry Kanne
November 4, 2009
Many citizens served their communities heroically in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and some of their stories are well known – but most of them remain untold. One of the still relatively unknown heroes is a legally blind New Orleans jazz musician, who also happens to be an amateur radio

Field-Based Patient Tracking: Real-Time Data Sharing Comes of Age
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
November 4, 2009
The old saying that the job “”isn’t done until the paperwork has been completed”” is particularly true if the “paperwork” data – vital signs, indications of internal bleeding, etc., collected at the scene of a car accident or other incident – is somehow lost before, during or after the patient’s

Mass-Casualty/Medical-Surge Capabilities: Closing the Gap
Kay C. Goss
October 28, 2009
The U.S. government, and most major American cities, have worked diligently, and with considerable success, since the 9/11 terrorist attacks to upgrade their homeland-defense capabilities. But “better” is not the same as “enough” – and probably never will be.

Expanded Duty for EMS Techs: Tactical Decisions
Joseph Cahill
October 28, 2009
Most medium-sized or larger U.S. communities are now better prepared than ever before to cope with “routine” incidents such as car crashes and motorcycle accidents. But a much smaller number is able to deal with truly major incidents that stress not only the rescue equipment available but also the skills

Expanded-Duty EMS: Heavy Rescue
Joseph Cahill
October 28, 2009
Most medium-sized or larger U.S. communities are now better prepared than ever before to cope with “routine” incidents such as car crashes and motorcycle accidents. But a much smaller number is able to deal with truly major incidents that stress not only the rescue equipment available but also the skills

Communicating With the Public During a Pandemic Influenza
Amanda Rhyne and Sarah Weiss
October 28, 2009
The United States is home to probably the most ethnically diverse population in the world. That is a blessing in many ways – but it poses major difficulties for emergency-management officials and other leaders in times of crisis, when the responsibility of warning the public becomes a polyglot challenge.

Telemedicine: Funding Increases & Rapid-Paced Development
Diana Hopkins
October 21, 2009
It started with extremely low-tech audio communications, and in recent years telemedicine technology has spawned a spectrum of much more advanced systems and devices that are of literally life-or-death importance to many citizens in distress. But the paperwork – specifically including development and performance standards – has not kept up.

HLS & EM: Blueprinting the Future
Dennis R. Schrader
October 21, 2009
Today’s homeland-security and emergency-management professionals are highly skilled and exceptionally well motivated. Their second most important goal, though – after keeping the nation safe – is to ensure that their second- and third-generation successors are even more competent and capable than the first-generation leaders now setting the pace.

SAMU & EMS: The Principle Differences
Joseph Cahill
October 14, 2009
The goal is the same – doing the most good for the most patients. But there are several significant, and perhaps educational, differences between the way that French medical-response units are trained and operate as compared with their American counterparts.

NIMS & ICS: The Next Level
Stephen Grainer
October 14, 2009
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) resumed the “next” series of its NIMS (National Incident Management System) Incident Command System (ICS) training in August with the delivery of eight ICS position-specific Train-the-Trainer (T-t-T) programs in College Station, Texas, where the Texas Forest Service (TFS) is headquartered – on the

Organophosphates: A Clearly Present Danger
John Temperilli
October 14, 2009
Properly used, chemicals can benefit mankind in many ways. Improperly used – by terrorists, for example – they can be more of a curse than a blessing, and as weapons of mass destruction could be even more dangerous, over a longer period of time, than a nuclear missile.

The Unglamorous Side: Parking Lots, Manhole Covers, and Homeland Security
Neil C. Livingstone
October 7, 2009
The critical infrastructure of the United States is now better protected than it was before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The same cannot be said for the parking lots next to government buildings, power plants, and other possible targets – most of which can be entered through 22 million “access points”
Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Ten
Adam Montella
September 23, 2009
The ambitious, entertaining, and stunningly innovative series ends with the volunteers’ “Exodus” – “Escape” would be an equally accurate description – to a new and seemingly better world 150 miles or so south, a bit further inland, and apparently blessed with a greater abundance of the resources needed for human
Agricultural Incidents and Effective Multi-Agency Coordination
Mark Ghilarducci and Frank Castro
September 16, 2009
An attack on U.S. cities could topple skyscrapers, destroy seaports, and block highways, tunnels, and bridges. Those are all local effects. An attack on the nation’s food supply could sicken the entire nation, so coordinating a response and recovery operation require a different approach.
CARD’s Incident Command System for Community Responders
Ana-Marie Jones
September 16, 2009
Introduction to an innovative PowerPoint presentation on the how-to fundamentals of developing a united approach for a broad spectrum of agencies pooling their resources to deal with community emergencies faster and more effectively.
Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Nine
Adam Montella
September 16, 2009
The Colonists fight, then reunite, but recognize that their chances of long-term survival diminish almost visibly with each passing week. They have done well – exceptionally well, under the circumstances – but know that a brighter tomorrow is many miles away. Can they make it?
Public Health, EMS, Emergency Management: Partners in Preparedness
Kay C. Goss
September 9, 2009
The brave new world of the 21st century has added weapons of mass destruction to the already long list of dangers facing individual citizens, political jurisdictions & humanity in general. The new keys to survival are not good weather and good luck, but cooperation and collaboration at all levels of
Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Eight
Adam Montella
September 9, 2009
The survivors gain an additional member, and encounter not one but several additional problems. Tempers flare, supplies dwindle – but human genius provides a spark of mobile optimism. What are the lessons learned that future generations can use to develop and implement their own survival plans?
Team Typing & Other Innovations: The California Way
Jan Dunbar
September 2, 2009
Mutual aid – between emergency responder agencies, and between cities, counties, and other political jurisdictions – is a noble goal, and worth striving for. But all the good will in the world is meaningless if equipment compatibilities are lacking, there are no uniform training rules, and other essential criteria are
Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Seven
Adam Montella
September 2, 2009
Another trip (always dangerous) to the L.A. River teaches the Colonists that the challenges they face are psychological and emotional as well as physical. They also know that they need a continuing supply of protein; fortunately, there is a lot of it scurrying about the warehouse.
Fusion Centers & Public Health Agencies: Unlikely or Natural Partners?
Adam Bulava
August 26, 2009
What once seemed an unlikely alliance – a nationwide working partnership between federal agencies and state/local law-enforcement and public-health agencies – is not only working well but also providing synergistically improved results.
Responding to Incidents in a Neighboring Port
Corey Ranslem
August 26, 2009
The U.S. port system is huge, complex, and immensely important to the nation’s economy and to homeland security. The 24/7 protection of that system is an extremely difficult task and usually involves a host of different organizations and agencies working in close cooperation with one another.
EMS: Increased Emphasis on the Medical Aspect
Joseph Cahill
August 26, 2009
The still ongoing professionalization of the EMS field has been a gradual but hugely successful undertaking that has resulted not only in the saving of many, many lives but also has made those lives richer, less painful, and longer-lasting.
Discovery Channel TV Series: The Colony – Week Six
Adam Montella
August 26, 2009
The ten volunteers continue their quest for survival – but are suddenly rocked by the unexpected, and unexplained, disappearance of one of their members. The “real” loss of this one person is in some ways emotionally more distressing than the cataclysmic loss of the entire nation in which they had
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