Each day, there are opportunities to acquire new knowledge and skills as well as opportunities to share current knowledge and skills with others. This is especially true in the emergency […]
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting a near-normal 2018 Atlantic
hurricane season: the formation of 10-16 named storms, with 5-9 becoming hurricanes (1-4 of these
potentially becoming major hurricanes). For the past 10 years, the New York City (NYC) Emergency
Management Department has been educating children in NYC schools through the Ready New York Kids
Program. Each presentation focuses on three key messages: make a plan, get supplies, and prepare a Go
Bag.
Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones) offer great value for public safety, with support and guidance needed at the local, state, and national levels when considering such systems. UAS offer a profound new view and situational awareness of significant incidents, events, and disasters. This article describes the value of UAS and provides guidance for jurisdictions considering implementing UAS programs.
Illegal manufacturing of fentanyl continues to rise and, with it, the dangers of clandestine drug laboratories to responders. Dangerous crime scenes like these are not limited to any one location. Responders everywhere need to prepare to encounter them at any point. Portable gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) equipment can help hazardous materials (hazmat) response teams quickly identify white powders, like fentanyl, and associated cutting agents on-scene.
Counterinsurgency and emergency management are two seemingly unrelated concepts, yet they have a lot in common in terms of the strategies necessary to succeed. In each case, empowerment is the ultimate key to success. For counterinsurgency, it is about empowering the host country and, for emergency management, it is about empowering local jurisdictions. Although empowerment is the central theme, the strategies to achieve empowerment include diplomacy, relationship building, and trust.
Disasters can take many forms – naturally occurring like a volcanic eruption or solar flare, human-caused like a terrorist attack or radioactive material release, or technological like a cyberattack or data breech. Although a specific threat or hazard may be unavoidable, whether it eventually becomes a “disaster” is not a certainty. Averting disaster requires making the right decisions at the right time – from the crisis leaders to the boots on the ground.
New York City has various disaster preparedness teams that are specially equipped to manage many
types of threats. One such team involves canines trained to perform search and rescue tasks. Canines
have helped save lives at critical times following disasters such as 9/11, when finding survivors among
rubble and debris is especially challenging. A Dutch Shepherd named Diesel is one responder who
currently works with New York City Police Department to prepare for the next disaster.
If there were a prolonged nationwide, multi-week or multi-month power failure, neither the federal government nor any state, local, tribal, or territorial government – acting alone or in concert – would be able to execute an effective response. This bleak outlook results from understanding that so many critical infrastructures depend on electricity. As such, effective recovery cannot be expected through top-down assistance alone. Without electric power, the goods and services essential to protect life and property would be at risk by day three or perhaps longer depending on preparedness levels. Consequently, it is vital that citizens, households, communities, businesses, and governments be as informed and prepared as possible.
Crises are among the most daunting challenges for leaders. The very nature of true crises –
complex, high-consequence events that threaten physical, emotional, economic, and/or reputational health
– test a leader’s ability to discern what is happening and what is to be done. The word “crisis” derives
from the Greek “krisis” or decision. The contemporary understanding of the word stems from Middle
English usage of the medical Latin variant that means “the turning point in a disease,” when the patient
either lives or dies. These are the types of decisions today’s crisis leaders are asked to make in
situations ranging from forest fires to active shooter incidents.
The increased reliance on emergency text alerts to receive warnings of natural or manmade disasters is a capability that most people have come to expect. Listening to broadcast radio warnings of severe weather happening miles away has transformed into more precise, geo-located alerts that target specific locations. The benefits of this technology are profound and should lead to people taking action when an alert comes in because they know that the threat is timely and accurate to their locations. New technologies could save many lives during future disasters.
Each day, there are opportunities to acquire new knowledge and skills as well as opportunities to share current knowledge and skills with others. This is especially true in the emergency […] 
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting a near-normal 2018 Atlantic
hurricane season: the formation of 10-16 named storms, with 5-9 becoming hurricanes (1-4 of these
potentially becoming major hurricanes). For the past 10 years, the New York City (NYC) Emergency
Management Department has been educating children in NYC schools through the Ready New York Kids
Program. Each presentation focuses on three key messages: make a plan, get supplies, and prepare a Go
Bag. 
Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones) offer great value for public safety, with support and guidance needed at the local, state, and national levels when considering such systems. UAS offer a profound new view and situational awareness of significant incidents, events, and disasters. This article describes the value of UAS and provides guidance for jurisdictions considering implementing UAS programs. 
Illegal manufacturing of fentanyl continues to rise and, with it, the dangers of clandestine drug laboratories to responders. Dangerous crime scenes like these are not limited to any one location. Responders everywhere need to prepare to encounter them at any point. Portable gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) equipment can help hazardous materials (hazmat) response teams quickly identify white powders, like fentanyl, and associated cutting agents on-scene. 
Counterinsurgency and emergency management are two seemingly unrelated concepts, yet they have a lot in common in terms of the strategies necessary to succeed. In each case, empowerment is the ultimate key to success. For counterinsurgency, it is about empowering the host country and, for emergency management, it is about empowering local jurisdictions. Although empowerment is the central theme, the strategies to achieve empowerment include diplomacy, relationship building, and trust. 
If there were a prolonged nationwide, multi-week or multi-month power failure, neither the federal government nor any state, local, tribal, or territorial government – acting alone or in concert – would be able to execute an effective response. This bleak outlook results from understanding that so many critical infrastructures depend on electricity. As such, effective recovery cannot be expected through top-down assistance alone. Without electric power, the goods and services essential to protect life and property would be at risk by day three or perhaps longer depending on preparedness levels. Consequently, it is vital that citizens, households, communities, businesses, and governments be as informed and prepared as possible. 
Crises are among the most daunting challenges for leaders. The very nature of true crises –
complex, high-consequence events that threaten physical, emotional, economic, and/or reputational health
– test a leader’s ability to discern what is happening and what is to be done. The word “crisis” derives
from the Greek “krisis” or decision. The contemporary understanding of the word stems from Middle
English usage of the medical Latin variant that means “the turning point in a disease,” when the patient
either lives or dies. These are the types of decisions today’s crisis leaders are asked to make in
situations ranging from forest fires to active shooter incidents. 
The increased reliance on emergency text alerts to receive warnings of natural or manmade disasters is a capability that most people have come to expect. Listening to broadcast radio warnings of severe weather happening miles away has transformed into more precise, geo-located alerts that target specific locations. The benefits of this technology are profound and should lead to people taking action when an alert comes in because they know that the threat is timely and accurate to their locations. New technologies could save many lives during future disasters. 