In 2017, many natural and manmade disasters affected communities across the United States. Each of these disasters posed many public health challenges, including funding, interagency, and workforce issues. Two subject matter experts from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Georgia Department of Public Health share their lessons learned from these disasters and provide insight on public health concerns that need to be addressed. This is Segment 1 of a two-part interview.
In this podcast, DomPrep Advisor Andrew Roszak talks with NDPC Chairman Colonel Alphonse Davis, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), and Jeffrey Mayne, director of Louisiana State University’s NCBRT, to learn more about the Consortium, its partners, the trainings offered, and its ability to adapt to the nation’s constantly changing training needs. For example, recent shooting incidents have increased the demand for campus emergency active shooter programs. The NDPC has created a standardized training model that is applicable to all emergency management disciplines. The training courses are offered at no cost to local, state, and tribal agencies. As of 31 December 2017, the NDPC has trained more than 2.7 million participants.
On 22 March 2018, DomPrep Advisor Andrew Roszak spoke with Dr. David Dyjack, director of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), about the field of environmental health as it relates to disaster response and mitigation as well as overall community resilience. Unlike public health, which specializes in the social and policy realms, the field of environmental health is scientific and technically oriented to ensure that communities are safe from various environmental contaminants and allergens.
With so many graduate degrees available, it can sometimes be confusing to know which to pursue when entering the world of emergency and disaster preparedness and response. DomPrep Advisor Andrew Roszak addressed one broad-based degree that covers many areas critical for managing disasters. In this podcast, Dr. Randolf Burnside of Southern Illinois University’s Political Science Department and Dr. Anirudh Ruhil of Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs share their insight about the Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) degree and how it can help prepare professionals for jobs in both the public and private sectors.
On 2 February 2018, DomPrep Advisor Andrew Roszak held an exclusive interview with J. Matthew Massoud, case manager for Monroe County Social Services. In this podcast, Massoud shares his experience from the Florida Keys as his community continues to recover from Hurricane Irma. He offers tips for others who may someday find themselves in a similar situation, and provides possible approaches for filling the gaps when federal assistance is no longer available.
Launched by Methodist minister William Booth and the East London Christian Mission in 1865, The Salvation Army provides services during both daily operations and times of disaster. More than just thrift stores and bell ringers, The Salvation Army provides small- and large-scale disaster relief – from house fires to major hurricanes. This “Army of Good” includes about 5,000 officers, 60,000 employees, and more than 1 million volunteers located in 26 countries and across the United States.
On 16 May 2017, DomPrep hosted a podcast recording with a panel of subject matter experts to discuss the topic of federal grant funding. The discussion was moderated by Andrew Roszak, senior director for emergency preparedness at Child Care Aware® of America.
On 18 April 2017, DomPrep hosted a podcast recording with a panel of subject matter experts to discuss the topic of children in disasters. The discussion was moderated by Andrew Roszak, senior director for emergency preparedness at Child Care Aware® of America. This 40-minute discussion addresses key topics for building community resilience and response, explaining the roles that healthcare coalitions and child care providers can play, emphasizing the value of block grants and legislation, and providing unique ways to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.
The recent assassination of North Korea’s Kim Jong Nam raises questions about the VX nerve agent, which could affect emergency responders who have not been recently trained or have not come in direct contact with this deadly chemical. On Thursday, 2 March 2017, DomPrep hosted a 30-minute audio podcast with four subject matter experts. This 30-minute discussion addresses: The approximate amount of lethal material available worldwide, the reasons that chemical weapon agents are a clear and present threat to local and state officials, the difficulty in detecting them, the need for prompt awareness and response, and the ways in which chemical weapons have become the new norm.
On 18 January 2017, DomPrep’s publisher Martin Masiuk met with Joseph Trindal, president and chief operating officer at Coastal International Security, to discuss the challenge of retaining personnel in law enforcement and possible solutions for addressing this problem. As long-term personnel retire, so too does their knowledge. Challenges by external forces, escalation of violence toward officers, and technological challenges each can have adverse effects on recruiting and retaining personnel. Possible solutions involve maintaining high standards and vetting procedures for new officers, beginning efforts at the grade-school level, improving public opinion, building community support, leveraging best practices, and training officers on new technologies and community-centric practices.
