The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule classifying in vitro diagnostic devices for the detection of Bacillus bacteria into class II (moderate-risk) with special controls. Bacillus bacteria detection devices are prescription devices that provide a preliminary identification of Bacillus anthracis and other Bacillus species to help diagnose cases of anthrax and other diseases caused by Bacillus bacteria.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) awarded Smiths Detection Inc. a contract for 300 Computed Tomography systems and associated ancillary equipment and services. This technology will vastly enhance threat detection capabilities for carry-on baggage and overall effectiveness at airport security checkpoints across the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) invites industry, academia, laboratories, and the innovation community to submit white papers related to 12 first responder technology funding opportunities. The new Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicitation (BAA 18-02 Call 0001) will remain open until 1 May 2019.
On 26 March 2019, President Donald J. Trump signed the Executive Order on Coordinating National Resilience to Electromagnetic Pulses, the first-ever comprehensive whole-of-government policy to build resilience and protect against electromagnetic pulses (EMPs). Without protection, these temporary electromagnetic signals can disrupt, degrade, and damage technology and critical infrastructure systems across large areas.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Enhanced Dynamic Geo-Social Environment (EDGE) virtual training platform provides a safe, immersive environment where first responders, and now educators, can hone their skills and prepare for a multitude of incident responses. Built on the same video gaming platform as popular titles like Fortnite, EDGE was intentionally designed to be easily accessed, easily used, and easily integrated into agencies’ existing training protocols.
As part of the President’s 2020 Budget, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed new funding across multiple aspects of our nation’s food safety system to ensure a more secure and modern food safety framework.
This free video training series, created by the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), Department of Emergency Health Services, with assistance from the Maryland Department of Health, and funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is designed to meet the needs of first responders who are expected to deal with the health needs of people who find themselves in health emergencies they cannot manage on their own.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen released the details of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Budget request to Congress for DHS and its component agencies and offices. The DHS request includes $51.7 billion in discretionary funding and an additional $19.4 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund. The Budget request provides critical resources to help frontline personnel do their jobs to secure the homeland against all threats and hazards, and it ensures DHS is able to defend Americans against emerging dangers.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is working with its partners to prepare healthcare systems and enhance response capabilities so we are ready to protect American communities. To prepare the nation to face rapidly evolving and complex health threats, the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response is enhancing regional preparedness, developing response plans, conducting exercises to ensure those plans can be implemented effectively, and training medical responders from the National Disaster Medical System.
As a critical part of the global response, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is developing and deploying medical countermeasures, which may help save lives by protecting individuals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from infection and may reduce the severity of disease. Within HHS, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response plays a critical role in medical countermeasure development and use.
