EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ARCHIVES
Technology Development & Science-Based Solutions
Rachel A. Bartholomew and Richard Ozanich
October 21, 2015
Science-based research is useful in analyzing and reducing risks through the development of new technologies for detecting, sampling, and studying various contaminants and unknown substances. Teams of scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory play a large role in ensuring that first responders have the necessary tools to perform their critical
Modular Solutions for Compounding Pharmacies & Biosafety Facilities
Jessica Wambach Brown and Allan Swan
October 21, 2015
A decade after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region, the effects of underprepared healthcare systems are still apparent. Nearly a year after the first case of Ebola was diagnosed on U.S. soil, the West African nations most affected by the disease remain burdened by insufficient infrastructure to properly isolate
The Continuing Battle Over Privacy vs. Security
Ellen C. Cornelius
October 14, 2015
In this electronic age, there is a constant struggle between sharing critical information and protecting individual privacy with adequate security to prevent data and documents from falling into the wrong hands. To address these concerns, expectations of privacy, knowledge of liabilities, and development of policies must be examined.
Congress to Decide Funding for Public Health Emergencies
LaMar Hasbrouck
September 28, 2015
Federal spending on public health emergency preparedness, response, and recovery has been falling since 2005, and Congress is now considering how much to spend in the 2016 fiscal year. The final spending figure will play a key role in determining how well the American people are protected from disease, injury,
A Federal Agency’s Journey to Protect Its Workforce From Infectious Diseases
Robert J. (Bob) Roller
September 23, 2015
From a presidential executive order to comprehensive workforce protection, the U.S. Department of Homeland Securityâs infectious disease protection process is constantly evolving. The departmentâs centralized guidance/decentralized execution planning paradigm with reliance on a robust lessons learned process ensures an increasingly resilient workforce against biological threats and hazards.
The Politics of School Safety & Security
Wayne Bergeron
September 23, 2015
Sir Earnest Benn, political publisher and British baronet (1875-1954) once said that, âPolitics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.â For school safety and security, the stakes of getting it wrong are too high to
Public Health & Political Knowledge
Audrey Mazurek and Raphael M. Barishansky
September 16, 2015
Public health professionals fill vital roles in homeland security preparedness. One of these roles is to ensure that government decision makers are well informed on issues that may affect the life and health of â perhaps not all, but at least most of â their community members.
Role of Local Government in Counter-Radicalization
Romeo Lavarias
September 9, 2015
The war against terror cannot be won solely on the battlefield, but instead must be fought with a counter-radicalization strategy. Implemented at the local level (i.e., mayorâs, sheriffâs, and/or governorâs offices), with the coordinated effort of federal, state, and local organizations, this strategy could address and counter the critical factors
A Case for Political Leadership in Disaster Response & Recovery
Jason McNamara
September 2, 2015
Among some professional emergency managers and media outlets, the role of senior elected officials in incident response and recovery efforts is, at best, perceived as unhelpful. However, political engagement is necessary for effective disaster response and recovery, and continuous, meaningful involvement of elected officials is an essential element of the
Setting & Maintaining Realistic Recovery Expectations
Stephen Grainer
August 26, 2015
There are many challenges as well as numerous nuances associated with disaster recovery operations that must be addressed by all levels of governmental, nongovernmental, and private sector agencies and organizations in order to ensure ongoing attention to all facets of the recovery effort, effectively building a resilient community.
Planning for Recovery: The Public Health Perspective
Marc Barbiere
August 19, 2015
Public health agencies at all levels have extensive experience recovering from disasters, mostly without the benefit of a pre-disaster recovery plan. Established guidance from a number of federal agencies coupled with an inclusive planning process can help public health agencies ensure that they and the critical services they provide are
Screening Risk Analysis Tools for Resilience of Critical Infrastructure & Regions
Jerry P. Brashear, Paula Scalingi and Ryan Colker
August 19, 2015
Resilience, a central element in any recovery, is established before potentially disastrous events. Twenty-one federally sponsored risk methods and tools were screened for possible use as the core of a defensible, repeatable risk/resilience management process that would capture the greatest benefits for available budgets. None was fully ready for this
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