The Dangers of Not Protecting the “3Ps” During Events | Domestic Preparedness Photo: ©iStock.com/egdigital
Preparedness

The Dangers of Not Protecting the “3Ps” During Events

by Kole (KC) Campbell -

On 5 November 2021, an apparent crowd crush at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas resulted in ten deaths and untold injuries. While the criminal investigation is in its early stages at the time of this article, the music festival undoubtably represents some failures of safety and security planning and execution. The death count and reported injuries are too high to be the normal cost of holding events. Disturbing videos from the event, in addition to statements from concert goers and first responders, belie assertions that initial observations by subject matter experts are impossible until the completion of the investigation. The events at Astroworld are a reminder of the need to “protect the 3Ps” at concerts and special events, and the fact that these activities must be balanced.

 
Commentary

Safety: Protecting Communities From Dangers & Risks

by Catherine L. Feinman -

The word safety is commonly used in the workplace and sounds good when it is tacked onto other words or used in phrases – for example, public safety, safety officer, safety lock, safety culture, safety goggles, and various slogans like “safety first,” just to name a few. However, the true meaning of the word should not get lost in such casual terms used in daily routines.

Resilience

Cassandra’s Curse: Disasters Revisited

by Rodney Andreasen -

The study of Greek mythology can provide examples of failure to heed the call of emergency management specialists and experts. The story of Cassandra is an illustration of this warning. To win her favor, the Greek god Apollo gave her power to predict the future. However, once she received the gift, she refused further advances, angering Apollo. In retaliation, he cursed her with an additional power of an inability to convince anyone the predictions were true. For emergency managers and other related agencies, Cassandra has come to represent the challenges faced when trying to convince others that predicted events will happen.

Healthcare

Another Opportunity to Prepare for Quarantines

by Robert C. Hutchinson -

An article published in 2013 discussed the considerable challenges of quarantine order implementation and enforcement during a future pandemic or other serious threats to public health. That discussion was after the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), but before the re-emergence of the Ebola virus in West Africa. The level of preparedness for the rapid execution of federal quarantines has not greatly improved since 2013. The nation’s readiness may have even diminished during the current pandemic due to social, political, and organizational discord.

Commentary

Human-Machine Teaming: A Vision of Future Law Enforcement

by Corey Fallon, Kris Cook & Grant Tietje -

Neither human nor robot, a digital police officer (D-PO) is a vision in machine teammates: an artificial intelligence-based partner that can be reached through multiple devices including the patrol car’s on-board computer and officers’ mobile devices. A D-PO has access to multiple data sources including live security camera feeds and criminal databases as well as other D-POs assigned to officers. Scientists and engineers, like those at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), are working in the field of human-machine teaming to bridge the gap between today’s tools and the machine teammates of the future.

Updates

Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the U.S. Approach to Strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention

The National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, announces intention to strengthen and revitalize the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the Ninth Review Conference.

Fire Protection Research Foundation Receives Grants to Help Improve Firefighter Safety, WUI Evacuation Modeling, and More

The Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF), the research affiliate of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), has received four direct grants that will advance safety in a variety of areas.

A Secure Environment to Create the Future of Cybersecurity Solutions

The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are partnering to develop CISA’s Cybersecurity Laboratory.

AmeriCorps Makes more than $10 Million Available to Senior Volunteer Programs

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, announced today it will make more than $10 million available to new AmeriCorps Seniors grantees to address ongoing needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

DHS Selects Northeastern University to Lead Center of Excellence for Engineering Secure Environments from Targeted Attacks

Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced the selection of Northeastern University to lead a consortium of U.S. academic institutions and other partners for a new Center of Excellence for Engineering Secure Environments from Targeted Attacks (ESE).