Critical Infrastructure Archives

Status of Preparedness: Emergency Medical Services

Seth Komansky February 10, 2016

Responders in the pre-hospital emergency medical field must be in a state of readiness at all times. Working on the front lines of an emergency incident requires the ability to leverage external resources, the determination to harden operations, and the skillfulness to manage patient surge.

Fire Department Preparedness Made Simple

Michael E. Cox Jr. February 9, 2016

In the fire service, it is time for leaders to think strategically, challenge long-held assumptions, and move beyond the “norm,” to ensure that their communities are fully prepared for any emergency or incident they may encounter. This can be achieved through careful planning, effective communication, and extensive training.

Development of Metrics for Personal Preparedness

Shannan Saunders, Jeff Hayes, Daniel Ellis, Dolph Diemont, Megan Chamberlain, Bruce Lockwood, Randy Robertson and Meloyde Batten-Mickens January 27, 2016

Many emergency management agencies provide valuable information to assist individuals within their communities to prepare for a variety of disasters. However, a method for measuring the success of such programs is needed to determine their effectiveness and to develop new programs to ensure community resilience.

Whole Community – A Five-Year Look Back

Catherine L. Feinman January 27, 2016

Over the past five years, the term “Whole Community” has become a common catch phrase. However, the question is, “How well is this concept being implemented?” On 16 November 2015, DomPrep hosted a roundtable discussion with subject matter experts to answer this question and share key takeaways and suggestions for

Four Steps to Improve Whole Community

Vincent B. Davis January 20, 2016

The whole community concept has come a long way over the past five years, but it is time for the mission focus and community outreach to change with the changing needs of the target populations. To effectively make these changes, the effort will require establishing measurable benchmarks and creatively collaborating

Animals as Part of the Whole Community

Anne McCann and Richard Green January 20, 2016

Animal issues are people issues. As such, all species household pets, service and assistance animals, agricultural animals/livestock, wildlife, and other animals (including zoo animals, shelter animals, and animals used in medical research) – must be an integral part of a community’s disaster plan at the local, state, and federal levels.

The Whole Community Paradigm Shift

Anthony S. Mangeri January 13, 2016

Over the years, communities developed a dependence on the federal government for assistance following a disaster. However, such actions are not sustainable and require the support of partners throughout each community. In the modern threat environment, the need for a whole community approach is more important than ever.

Uncertain Impact of Critical Biosecurity Reports

Robert C. Hutchinson January 6, 2016

Although many lessons have been learned from Ebola and other infectious diseases, planning needs are quickly diverted when the previous threat is overshadowed by another emerging or re-emerging disease, or other homeland security threat. However, without adequate prioritization, planning, and preparedness, the nation may be set for failure when the

Training Programs & National Preparedness: An Analysis

Brandon J. Pugh December 23, 2015

There is a positive relationship between first responder training and national preparedness. A comprehensive examination of three different models shows that training is an invaluable component of homeland security. These key findings summarize detailed analysis conducted on the links between training, response capabilities, and funding.

Overcoming Notification Systems Challenges

William (Bill) Betcher December 23, 2015

Emergency response, information technology, and healthcare communications are three scenarios in which notification systems play a critical role. Recent disasters have demonstrated the benefits of crowdsourcing during response efforts, so notification systems are leveraging this responsiveness through two-way communication technology that can both disseminate and receive information.

Reimagining Epidemic Communications

Renske Erion, Emily Grubert, Simon Mosbah, Michelle Munyikwa, Biswajit Paul and Christine Tran December 16, 2015

In the first week of December 2015, professionals involved in epidemic preparedness at the national level participated in a forum convened by graduate students from Emerging Leaders in Science and Society (ELISS), a leadership development program hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), in Washington, D.C.

Climate Change Presents an Emerging, Dynamic Set of Hazards

Jeffrey Rubin December 9, 2015

Despite ongoing political controversy about climate change, one leading organization released a position statement that supports scientific research on weather extremes, which are some of the visible indicators of a changing climate. Changes in weather and habitats need to be addressed to mitigate the potential negative consequences to health and

TWITTER

Get Instant Access

Subscribe today to Domestic Preparedness and get real-world insights for safer communities.

Sign up for Updates!