SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ARCHIVES
Destination Decisions: Back to the Future, Again and Again
Joseph Cahill
December 2, 2009
Ambulance drivers, EMTs, and other responders may not yet be able to perform brain surgery or heart transplants at the accident scene – but that time might be not too far off, thanks to rapid and continuing advances in medical technology, ultrasound and data-retrieval systems, and other scientific breakthroughs.
DMORT Teams and Their Role in MFIs
Frank P. Saul
November 24, 2009
Recent-year increases in the number of mass-fatality incidents, combined with the increasingly bizarre nature of some of those incidents, have led to the formation of specially trained medico-legal teams to deal with the on-site aftermath. This is their story, which is more complicated, and sophisticated, than anything seen on national
Expanding the Definition of Public Health
Raphael M. Barishansky
November 24, 2009
The field of medicine has come a long, long way from the early 20th-century tradition of family doctors, homespun remedies, and much lower life expectancies. People are healthier today, and usually live longer lives, but the technology of terror also has grown exponentially, creating a need for a new public-health
Case Study: Influenza Preparedness in Marin County
Mary Lilley
November 18, 2009
Something like an earthquake – not as loud or as immediately terrifying, but longer lasting and immensely more lethal. That is more or less how the leaders of California’s Marin County viewed the approach of the H1N1 pandemic, and why they were so determined to take whatever measures were needed
Biopreparedness and the Hydra of Bioterrorism
Diana Hopkins
November 11, 2009
Science is wonderful! Except when it is not. One of the almost inevitable problems facing researchers in the biological sciences is how to ensure that their discoveries are used to benefit mankind. Unfortunately, achieving that enviable goal may be a true Mission Impossible.
Mortuary Services & The Lessons Learned From Real-Life Tragedy
Jennifer Smither
November 11, 2009
First responders do their utmost to save the lives of those seriously injured in mass-casualty incidents. Medical examiners and local volunteers have what is sometimes a more difficult job: identifying the bodies, “processing” the remains, and notifying the victims’ families.
New and Emerging Al Qaeda Threats
Neil C. Livingstone
November 11, 2009
The term “global war on terrorism” is now politically incorrect, in at least some circles. There is mounting evidence, though, that some terrorists do not agree and are already planning new attacks against domestic targets on the U.S. homeland.
Ham Radio – An Emergency Tool for Public Health
Barry Kanne
November 4, 2009
Many citizens served their communities heroically in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and some of their stories are well known – but most of them remain untold. One of the still relatively unknown heroes is a legally blind New Orleans jazz musician, who also happens to be an amateur radio
Field-Based Patient Tracking: Real-Time Data Sharing Comes of Age
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
November 4, 2009
The old saying that the job “”isn’t done until the paperwork has been completed”” is particularly true if the “paperwork” data – vital signs, indications of internal bleeding, etc., collected at the scene of a car accident or other incident – is somehow lost before, during or after the patient’s
Mass-Casualty/Medical-Surge Capabilities: Closing the Gap
Kay C. Goss
October 28, 2009
The U.S. government, and most major American cities, have worked diligently, and with considerable success, since the 9/11 terrorist attacks to upgrade their homeland-defense capabilities. But “better” is not the same as “enough” – and probably never will be.
Communicating With the Public During a Pandemic Influenza
Amanda Rhyne and Sarah Weiss
October 28, 2009
The United States is home to probably the most ethnically diverse population in the world. That is a blessing in many ways – but it poses major difficulties for emergency-management officials and other leaders in times of crisis, when the responsibility of warning the public becomes a polyglot challenge.
Telemedicine: Funding Increases & Rapid-Paced Development
Diana Hopkins
October 21, 2009
It started with extremely low-tech audio communications, and in recent years telemedicine technology has spawned a spectrum of much more advanced systems and devices that are of literally life-or-death importance to many citizens in distress. But the paperwork – specifically including development and performance standards – has not kept up.
Follow Us
Get Instant Access
Subscribe today to Domestic Preparedness and get real-world insights for safer communities.
