Emergency Management Archives

Innovations in Healthcare Disaster Management for Veterans

Jessica Wambach Brown January 12, 2016

Although fewer than 40 percent of U.S. veterans receive care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the agency strives to have broad access to reliable medical care during a disaster. The Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center and its partners are exploring ways to improve healthcare resilience both inside

Children as the Catalyst for Change

Yuri Graves January 6, 2016

The smallest members of a community have the potential to make the biggest changes. Smokey Bear was created in the 1940s to help prevent forest fires. “Duck and Cover” was created in 1951 to teach personal protection in case of a nuclear explosion. The 2010s need a new campaign to

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.

The Art of Awareness for Emergency Medical Calls

Seth Komansky and Raphael M. Barishansky December 23, 2015

Civilian responders have successfully acquired many skills that were originally developed by military services. Situational awareness is one such skill that would be beneficial to adapt to the civilian members of the emergency medical services. Maintaining a heightened sense of awareness would help responders stay “in the loop.”

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

Forging New Partnerships for Healthcare Preparedness

Jessica Wambach Brown December 9, 2015

In the first week of December 2015, more than 1,000 professionals in healthcare-related organizations, emergency management agencies, public health departments, emergency medical services (EMS), nongovernmental organizations, and academia met in San Diego, California, to discuss ways to bolster partnerships within and between these disparate groups.

Food for Thought: Emergency Shelters & Food Allergies

Andrew R. Roszak December 9, 2015

When one peanut has the ability to kill, it is necessary to examine the practices and procedures used in public yet confined spaces such as emergency shelters. By following simple steps, emergency managers are able to perform shelter operations while limiting exposure to allergens and contaminants that could turn a

Responders Can Teach CDP Training Through the Indirect Training Program

Domestic Preparedness December 5, 2015

Emergency responders who attend the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) training can easily become qualified to share that training with their colleagues back home through the CDP’s Indirect Training Program. Several CDP courses offer a “”train-the-trainer”” option by taking an additional day of training at the CDP’s Anniston, Alabama, campus.

How the Nation Is Failing in Public Health Preparedness

Patrick P. Rose November 17, 2015

As public health funding and staffing continue to decline, communities are left more vulnerable to the next catastrophic public health emergency. The United States is failing in its public health preparedness efforts. The nation’s resilience depends on the government and public health making critical changes to reverse this downward trend.

To Help Identify Causes of Fatal Fires Nationwide, NASFM Launches Online Training Program

Domestic Preparedness November 15, 2015

Over a five-year period, the cause of ignition in the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) was unknown in almost three out of every five home fire deaths. Recognizing the reporting gap in NFIRS, the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) has launched a free, online training program for

Public Health’s Role Beyond Biologicals

Audrey Mazurek and Raphael M. Barishansky November 11, 2015

Public health’s role is often synonymous with biological events such as Ebola, H1N1, and SARS, but the field of public health offers many capabilities that are relevant to chemical, radiological, nuclear, and explosive events as well. To leverage these capabilities, a joint effort from the federal, state, and local levels

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