EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ARCHIVES
Enterprising Solutions: Buying/Building New State & Local Preparedness Capabilities
Dennis R. Schrader and John F. Morton
April 17, 2012
For more than a century, the United States has followed a “forward defense” strategy – in other words, fighting the nation’s battles overseas rather than in the United States itself. The 9/11 terrorist attacks led to the realization that homeland security must now begin at home. The federal government has
An Exercise in Utility: The Role of Public Health
Raphael M. Barishansky and Audrey Mazurek
April 11, 2012
The federal funding streams that improved U.S. preparedness capabilities, at all levels of government, so significantly in the first decade after the 9/11 attacks have already declined, and additional reductions are just over the horizon. But a lack of funds can be overcome, at least in part, by careful planning,
Foodborne Outbreaks in Minnesota: Training and Performance
Kimberley Wetherille and Evan Henke
April 11, 2012
There are almost 50 million foodborne illnesses “of various types” in the United States, and over 3,000 deaths annually. Those are the grim statistics that persuaded the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the FDA, and NACCHO to expand and upgrade programs already in place to detect, control, and
Food Fight – Bioterrorism & Emergency Response Capabilities
Joseph Cahill
April 11, 2012
Infected salad bars and the “improved” technological capabilities of modern-day terrorist groups have combined to make U.S. responders, and the American people, much more cautious about what they eat. Fortunately, that heightened awareness has led to a much closer scrutiny of restaurants, super markets, food-processing plants, and the super-rich diet
Laboratories and First Responders: Collaborating for Effective Response
Maureen Sullivan
April 10, 2012
Each day, events occur that engage personnel from multiple disciplines who are each tasked with the common goal of protecting the nation from all hazards threats. Even though laboratorians, police officers, firefighters, and hazmat technicians wear different uniforms, they all share the common goal of protecting the public and thus
Dual-Use Disasters: Lessons for Preparedness Professionals
Earl Stoddard
April 4, 2012
Actions have consequences – not all of which are intended, or desired. Some military actions, for example, are intended to intimidate another nation – but instead lead to an outright war. The same is true in the fields of medicine and biological research that, while expanding the range of knowledge
Aligning Priorities with Healthcare Coalitions
Andrew R. Roszak
April 3, 2012
Growth in the number and capabilities of the nation’s healthcare coalitions will undoubtedly continue for the foreseeable future – as will the operational capabilities of those coalitions. Helping that growth, and making the coalitions both more capable and more cost-effective, is a new plan (going into effect this summer) to
A Helping Hand from the Defense CBRN Response Force
Jamie Stowe
March 28, 2012
The recent upgrading of the Defense Department’s former CBRN Consequence Management Response Force means that states, cities, and smaller communities throughout the country will have much greater medical response capabilities – personnel as well as equipment – than was ever before possible.
CBRN FUNDING: Going Backwards Is Not Smart
Stephen Reeves
March 28, 2012
The huge budget problems now facing the nation are on a collision course with the rapidly escalating possibility of new CBRN incidents and events that could devastate entire communities. A distinguished former Department of Defense program official puts the dilemma into context and provides several useful guidelines to follow.
The Detection Triage – A Systematic Approach to Identification
Glen Rudner
March 21, 2012
Success in any field of human endeavor usually requires not only education and training but also having at hand the best “tools” available to do the job – no matter what that job entails. In hazmat or CBRNE incidents, the tools used by emergency responders include a broad array of
Narrowing the Search for the Best Detection Devices
Thomas Norstrand
March 21, 2012
Even the best trained and most highly motivated responders can be no better than their equipment. This means that the search for and purchase of the best equipment available must always be a top priority for senior management with critical decision-making responsibilities.
Equipment Standardization – A New-Old Approach
Jordan Nelms
March 21, 2012
The so-called “standardization” of equipment is intended to lower costs, simplify procurement decisions, and also improve training and operational capabilities – theoretically, at least. When the standards previously approved are not followed, though, or are simply ignored, new and complex difficulties follow in short order. When those difficulties complicate CBRNE
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