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Section 1-Response & Containment

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Recommendations


    2. Galveston Best Practice: Public Emergency Response Fusion Center |

    The Galveston, Tx. county emergency management center is the first in the nation to combine a National Weather Service office with an emergency management department of local government. The 23,500-square-foot building has been designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane (winds in excess of 155 mph) and will house the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service, Galveston County 9-1-1 District and members of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

    3. Port Security: Intermodal Transport System |

    Many port facilities are under economic stress from several fronts, including antiquated technology, environmental restrictions, just-in-time manufacturing practices, overlapping federal/state/local jurisdictions, and the lack of basic technological infrastructure to orchestrate a global network for intermodal asset security monitoring and tracking.  Land competition and environmental regulations likely will further restrict the geographic expansion of current port facilities.  Further, the information systems for managing the supply chain still largely depend on manual date entry processes. 

    4. Community Shuttle Squad: A pre-trained volunteer vehicle 'pony express' to assist responders |

    Many smaller communities have a limited number public sector vehicles and drivers available during crisis for any purposes other than response, containment or law enforcement.  Having a pre-trained and qualified volunteer vehicle squad available to assist first responders by delivering assets, messages and other volunteers could significantly reduce the logistical strain on public sector assets during the first hours of crisis.  Using the Virtual Surge Depot with its two-way wireless messaging capability to catalog the drivers and their vehicle capabilities, and managing real-time deployment with the Critical Decision System GIS overlay, local responders could expand their own capability without drawing down against their own response assets or personnel.  

    5. Paying for disaster response: creating clear lines of responsibility |

    There is too much worry over who is going to pay for responses to a disaster. Currently, there are Urban Search & Rescue teams that can respond while the the lines of response and responsibility are clear enough that arguing over the bill obfuscates the problem.

    6. Stovepiping and information sharing: change the culture and change the outlook |

    The ability to communicate and bring new ideas to the forefront is essential when thinking about homeland preparedness. Local governments need to communicate better between each other. They need to make sure that their first responders are properly coordinating their plans, training etc. First reponders need to cross train so that they better understand functions other than their primary function area. They need to insist that training etc. be conducted beyond functional and jurisdictional lines. They need to be constant and effective advocates for the safety needs of their community Private Industry need to share their expertise. They need to participate in local planning and exercises. Community/citizens need to be prepared to protect their homes and families during the first few days of an emergency. They need to be more awre of weather threats etc. They need to make sure they have advanced knowledge of resources present in their community, and how to access them.


    Best Practices


    7. Crowdsourcing emergency response Pt. 3 - Crowdsourcing in Action |

    January 2011: This is the last post in a three-part series focusing on crowdsourcing in relation to emergency response during a crisis. The idea of accruing large amounts of data from the public during an emergency, or sending data out to be crunched by the masses, is at the heart of this actionable information and situational awareness relationship: from crisis mapping to handling the incredible amount of data during an emergency.

    8. Response to historic flooding in Australia |

    January 2011: Australian government authorities are working overtime to try and help the communities of Queensland in the midst of epic flooding, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. More than 9,000 homes in Brisbane, the country's third largest city, are expected to be impacted by flood waters, while the city's downtown central business center cut it's electricity, the BBC reported.

    9. In Memoriam: John Solomon 1963 - 2010 |

    We were very saddened by the passing of our friend John Solomon last November. John was a friend and a great resource for inspiration through his blog In Case of Emergency, Read Blog. Throughout the years, his work provided the germination of many of the stories that I have used to work on community preparedness and resilience in the face of natural and man-made disasters. I also will remember warmly our wonderful and productive email exchanges. His stories and blog posts proved insightful and I will remember him fondly. Below are a few examples of the helpful work of John's we used to write about how our country is working toward sustainability, resiliency and preparedness during an emergency or crisis. John's obituary can be read here. Thanks John, we'll miss you.

    10. Arizona citizens quick to respond in Tucson shooting |

    January 2011: When Jared Lee Loughner opened fire killing six people during a Congressional meet and greet in Tucson on January 8 , citizens present at the gathering were instrumental in tackling and disarming the gunman thus preventing any more casualties. According to the Arizona Republic, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik identified the three men and one woman as Patricia Maisch, Roger Salzgeber, Bill Badger and Joseph Zamudio. The official timeline of the response said the first 911 call was received at 10:11:56 a.m. "Within one minute of the first deputy's arrival, the suspect was in custody and medical personnel began treating the injured," the Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a press release.

    11. Researchers announcement advancements in disaster communications |

    November 10 '08: Researchers working on disaster response communication technologies have announced new advancements in understanding how radio frequencies behave in difficult areas such as collapsed buildings, mine shafts and tunnels, CNN reported. Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology told the cable news channel that a "sweet spot" frequency has been found which allows radio communication to travel the farthest.

    12. Report finds nonprofits underprepared in DC area |

    October 27 '08: In a report that is being considered a first of its kind for the DC area, the Washington Post reported a new collaboration between the Nonprofit Roundtable and Deloitte to look at the ability of nonprofit groups to coordinate and respond to a disaster.

    13. Hurricane Ike wrap-up |

    It has been one month since the formation of Hurricane Ike, the ninth named storm of the 2008 hurricane season. Since the storm hit the Texas coast, more than 300 people are still missing while the storm claimed 67 lives, and could end up costing close to $22 billion officials said. The storm also was responsible for high winds and rain in the interior parts of the country, causing power outages, flooding and gas shortages in the Midwest and Southeastern US.

    14. New radio technology developed to help communications in buildings and underground |

    August 8 '08: The National Institute of Standards and Technology announced recently the creation of a new radio communications technology that can extend the range of radio communications for first responders working in buildings, underground and in other similarly difficult areas. The mesh network and breadcrumb system, Computer World reported, uses "relay devices [which] run software that can notify emergency crews when they need to place another of the breadcrumbs along their route to extend the range of communications down a hallway or tunnel."

    15. Report looks at mass transportation's role in emergency response |

    July 29 '08: A Congressionally-mandated study, funded by the Federal Transit Administration and compiled by the Transportation Research Board has looked at the role of mass transportation before, during and after an emergency. Writers of the report said the study's aim was "to explore the capacity of transit systems serving ... locations in times of emergency."

    16. Private organization works to help respond in the first 72 hours |

    June 20 '08: The First Response Team of America is a privately run organization to help communities respond and recover in the first days after a disaster. On its website, the organization said it helps local, state and federal first responders "by removing the initial obstacles that local emergency and government officials encounter when dealing with a natural or manmade disaster."

    17. Midwest flooding hits communities and food prices hard |

    June 18 '08: Flood waters from the Mississippi River are working their way south to communities in Illinois, Missouri and other states CNN reported. The destruction from the severe storms over the Midwest have caused large-scale evacuations, as well as causing a surge in global food prices. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that fuel costs will likely rise due to damage to corn crops which produce ethanol used as an additive in gasoline.

    18. Partnership looking into emergency organ donor response |

    June 4 '08: In New York City, the New York Times reported a new federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration which will fund "a team of medical experts and bioethicists ... looking to expand the city's donor pool by deploying a 'rapid organ-recovery ambulance' to collect and preserve the organs of people who die of cardiac arrest." If successful, the new program could add as many as 22,000 people to the nation's donor pool.

    19. Community Foundation's 9/11 Survivor's Fund closes and serves as financial recovery model | final-survivors-fund-process-doc.pdf

    June 3 '08: On its created by the Community Foundation announced it was closing operations after seven years of providing recovery outreach for those surviving families who were affected by the attacks on 9/11 in Washington DC. In conjunction of the fund's closure, the Community Foundation has released a final report to the community, and a disaster recovery process outline.

    20. Citizen groups working to respond to China disaster |

    May 30 '08: Chinese government officials are utilizing grassroots citizen groups to help with disaster recovery efforts in Sichuan province, the Washington Post reported. The groups are using Internet technologies such as chat groups and online social networking to organize themselves.

    21. China rushes to evacuate thousands in danger from quake lakes |

    May 27 '08: Reuters has reported Chinese officials rushing to evacuate more than 100,000 people who could be in danger of drowning if more than 35 'quake lakes' caused by landslides after the recent earthquake burst. Chinese state-run news agnecy Xinhua reported a possible evacuation of up to 1.3 million people.

    22. California partnership plans for "Big One" earthquake |

    May 23 '08: The Associated Press reported state and local officials in California have partnered with more than 300 scientists, first responders and private sector stakeholders to "create a realistic crisis scenario that can be used for preparedness," if the expected "Big One" earthquake were to erupt along the San Andreas Fault. In the press release the US Geological Survey said a response exercise has been planned for November 2008 called "Golden Guardian '08" which will focus on a magnitude 7.8 temblor that lasts four minutes.


    23. Oreck during Katrina |

    May 21 '08: When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, company officials at vacuum cleaner company Oreck rushed quickly to respond in order to make sure that company employees would be safe while maintaining continuity of operations. The Denver Post reported that to help restore business operations the company set up a "backup computer system and a call center on the high ground of Colorado. With these communications centers," Oreck was able to restore its operations quickly.

    24. Limited supplies hampering response and recovery efforts in Myanmar |

    May 08 '08: Five days after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, international aid organizations are trying to reach those most affected by the storm while a lack of fuel supplies and local resources is creating another potential problem as the dead begin to pile up, CNN reported. Shortages of relief supplies and resources continues to grow while the military junta in control of the government is restricting access to parts of the country by foreigners, the cable news channel reported.

    25. ENE works to respond and restore environment after disasters |

    May 07 '08: In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, environmental experts together with federal, state and local government officials worried about the potential devastating environmental effects of the storm which could unleash chemicals, sewage and other pollutants into the flood waters released by the broken levees. The CDC released an announcement saying partnerships were being formed to help prevent widespread damage. Buffalo, NY-based Ecology and Environment, Inc., works to help their federal, state and local partners respond and recovery from such disasters and their impacts on the environment.

    26. Response to Cyclone Nargis |

    May 06 '08: Relief aid agencies heading to the affected region's of Myanmar's Irrawady Delta are facing challenges due to the remote location of many villages and the destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis, the New York Times reported. "Bad roads, a lack of cooperation from the country's military government and a breakdown in telecommunications are factors that could hamper relief efforts," the Times reported.

    27. Cyclone in Myanmar kills tens of thousands |

    May 6 '08: Reuters has reported nearly 22,500 people dead after a massive cyclone hit the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar. The New York Times reported that international aid groups and first responders are moving to help send relief supplies to the affected areas as officials in the capital city Yangon have said the death toll is expected to rise.

    28. New report outlines pandemic treatment priorities |

    May 5 '08: According to the Associated Press, a new report outlines treatment priorities during a pandemic. The findings in the report were compiled by a partnership of federal and state officials along with experts from the medical and academic communities. "The proposed guidelines are designed to be a blueprint for hospitals" the AP reported.

    29. Resolve Marine deploys for water-based response operations |

    May 2 '08: To help federal, state and local officials respond to emergencies on the water, Resolve Marine Group has developed a national network of professional responders who can handle chemical spills, on-board fires, and natural disasters. In recent past, the group helped local officials in San Francisco when an oil tanker spilled several tens of thousands of gallons into the San Francisco Bay.

    30. Portable water filtration and moveable base camp solutions |

    May 1 '08: Wired Mag previewed several products which seek to help emergency and disaster response professionals using up-to-date technology. Among the most notable were the portable water filtration devices, and the disaster-reconnaissance trailer. Both technologies are now available on the market for immediate use.

    31. Tornadoes hit Virginia, state of emergency declared |

    April 29 '08: According to the Washington Post, at least 200 people were injured when a series of tornadoes ripped through Southeastern Virginia. Governor Time Kaine declared a state of emergency while emergency medical officials in Suffolk at the Sentara Obici Hospital set up an incident command center and triage stations outside after the hospital was mildly injured after the storms.

    32. New earthquake preparedness and safety report released |

    April 25 '08: The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program has released its new 2008 earthquake reduction program that "outlines a cooperative program of earthquake monitoring, research, implementation, education, and outreach activities performed by the NEHRP," the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security reported.

    33. Honeywell partners with Butler University |

    April 23 '08: Honeywell announced in a press release that it would be partnering with Butler University to deploy Honeywell's Instant Alert© emergency notification system. The emergency alert service was announced last summer.

    34. Illinois governor lauds school response and safety program |

    April 22 '08: In a press release, Illinois Governor Rod J. Blagojevich said efforts to train first responders, school faculty, personnel and school children to confront the dangers of events such as the Columbine High School shooting have resulted in more than 4,500 training sessions. Gov. Blagojevich said, "Schools have enthusiastically embraced the training opportunities and guidance we are offering, and I believe real progress has been made."

    35. New wireless radio network for City of San Jose |

    April 14 '08: In a press release, a new wireless radio network for first responders in the City of San Jose was announced by Harris Stratex. The new $9.1 million radio network will integrate emergency response communications for the city interoperably among fire, police, EMS and other agencies and it will be available for 31 agencies in the Santa Clara County area.

    36. 3M works to develop technology solutions for homeland security and first responders |

    April 11 '08: 3M has developed a series of technology solutions for the first responder, and homeland security communities. Specifically, 3M has developed nine products which "address the problems that are confronted by local government First Responders on a daily basis and to help prepare these agencies in the event of a catastrophe in their community."

    37. New report outlines using private sector resources to help augment disaster response |

    April 3 '08: A new report released by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University has looked into the ways in which the private sector is able to augment, and in some salient cases, improve upon the overall federal response to a disaster. The report highlights the mechanics behind the private sector's ability to help communities recover from a disaster and the ways in which the public sector can augment those capabilities.

    38. Arkansas flooding damages farming communities - state officials working to respond |

    March 28 '08: The Associated Press reported in Arkansas that recent flooding - which could be the worst the state has seen in 100 years - has left 35 counties under a state of emergency. One death has been reported as well. The heavy flooding also has devastated the winter wheat crops Reuters reported.

    39. New biodetection technology released by partnership | innovative-biosensors.pdf

    March 26 '08: Innovative Biosensors has announced a new bio-monitoring technology partnership with Universal Detection Technology to develop a new early-warning monitoring which will "protect people from bioterrorism and other infectious health threats," a press release reported.

    40. Chemical industry helps during Cyber Storm II | cyber_storm_i.pdfcyber_storm_11.pdf

    March 24 '08: In a press release the American Chemistry Council's Chemical Information Technology Center (ChemITC) said it had "facilitated the participation of 10 chemical companies" during the Cyber Storm II cyber security response drill. According to officials, the industry IT group helped to coordinate existing response and recovery plans as well as technology resiliency communications processes.

    41. Hawaii hospitals participate in mock bioterror response drill |

    March 24 '08: The Star Bulletin reported a partnership of 12 hospitals across Hawaii which participated in a mock bioterror response drill. The exercise, conducted in partnership by the state's Department of Health and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii simulated exposure to anthrax and was meant to simulate the activation of the Strategic National Stockpile, a press release read. (Additional reading here, and here.)

    42. CDC exercise focuses on challenges posed by pandemic |

    March 19 '08: The Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy at the University of Minnesota (CIDRAP), reported that a recent pandemic response exercise conducted by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta was the fourth in a series of similar exercises begun in January 2007.

    43. Atlanta begins cleanup and recovery after tornado |

    March 17 '08: City and police officials in Atlanta are working to restore order to the downtown area after a tornado smashed through several neighborhoods CNN reported. The storm's 130 mph winds "slammed into skyscrapers as well as landmarks like the CNN Center and the Georgia Dome ... Dozens of streets remained blocked Monday as cleanup crews gathered debris and downed limbs and trees, piling it on sidewalks or in dumpsters positioned on cordoned-off roads," the cable news channel reported.

    44. Companies partner to create pollution response and training depots |

    March 12 '08: To help respond to oil and chemical pollution disasters, two Canadian companies have created a new partnership which will establish emergency response equipment depots around the world as well as allow personnel access to pre-existing training centers, a press release announced. The Swire Group and Lamor Corporation partnership will be able to handle Tier I - Tier III oil spills.

    45. Proxtronics solution establishes radiation baseline information for situational awareness |

    March 11 '08: The technical and management services company Proxtronics, based in Springfield, VA has developed a Mobile Transportation Radiation Monitoring System (MOTRAMS) which measures and establishes baseline radiation levels along roadways, railways, waterways and within communities.

    46. San Diego releases after action report on wildfire response |

    March 10 '08: Texas A&M University's Home Station blog which covers topics related to homeland security (HLS) reported that San Diego County has released an after action report covering the 2007 wildfires.

    47. Christian Appalachian Project partners with Enterprise for response transportation |

    March 6 '08: Sometimes during disasters, those who are responding may not have all the transportation resources they need to make sure that the affected communities can be reached. The Christian Appalachian Project has developed a partnership with the rental car company Enterprise to provide cars and rental vans on short notice.

    48. Harvard hosts emergency evacuation webcast |

    March 5, 2008: The Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University will be hosting an online emergency evacuation seminar with a focus on major cities in the country March 5. At the webinar will be several emergency managers - the event will be moderated by the Kennedy School's Program on Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management.

    49. IBM develops 3-D virtual business solution |

    February 29 '08: Continuity Central has reported a new development from IBM that allows a 3-D virtualization of a business environment. According to the company's press release the new solution can bring in "real-time data from different facilities into a 3-D environment to visualize hot spots, data flow, server utilization and more to better monitor and manage the entire IT platform."

    50. House Foreign Affairs Committee moves to create "Civilian Response Corps" |

    February 29 '08: The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved legislation recently which would create "standby groups of civilian specialists with diverse skills" who would be called upon to help respond to domestic and international crises, a press release from the Friends Committee on National Legislation announced.

    51. Coalition of major city water utilities partner to respond to water emergency |

    February 28 '08: Reuters has reported the formation of a new coalition of several major US city water utilities who are working "to improve research into the impacts of climate change on water utilities, develop strategies for adapting to climate change," and to help conserve water consumption, the coalition's press release said. The Water Utility Climate Alliance was formed by the Cities of New York, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, Denver, the San Diego County Water Authority, Southern Nevada Water Authority, and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California which combined serve more than 36 million people.

    52. Power outage in Southern Florida shuts down communities but prompts quick response | regional-disaster-guide.pdf

    February 27 '08: The Miami Herald reported that a major power outage which hit Southern Florida "disrupted life in nearly every imaginable way," after what the Sun-Sentinel reported was a nuclear power plant shutdown which triggered a chain reaction that left more than 1 million people without power.

    53. VMWare develops disaster recovery virtualization software |

    February 27 '08: ContinuityCentral.com reported that virtualization software company VMWare has developed a new disaster recovery solution for businesses called the Site Recovery Manager. The SRM will enable organizations "to deliver centralized management of recovery plans, automate the recovery process and enable dramatically improved testing of recovery plans."

    54. Meals-ready-to-eat help during disasters |

    February 26 '08: Ameriqual, makers of meals-ready-to-eat, has developed the APack self-heating emergency meal. The APack has a long shelf-life - up to three years, and can be ready to eat in under 10 minutes, the company's product website read. The company also contracts with the Department of Defense to provide MREs to American military personnel, the Evansville Courier & Press reported.

    55. Sprint's communications resiliency |

    February 26 '08: During the 2007 hurricane season wireless telecomm companies operating in the Gulf Coast deployed communications resiliency solutions to ensure a sustainable information infrastructure. Sprint was no different and has employed a variety of solutions through their Emergency Response Team to make sure that first responders and community stakeholders are able to share information before, during and after an event.

    56. CDC releases state public health response preparedness report |

    February 21 '08: Reuters reported that a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that many states in the are more prepared for a public health emergency or biological attack "but still lacked trained staff and specialized facilities."

    57. The Pentagon as a first responder | securityandclimatechange.pdf

    February 20 '08: In the Financial Times, John Podesta from the Center for American Progress wrote that the US military will have five "key areas" to confront when facing the challenges posed by climate change. In many cases, Podesta wrote, the Pentagon will be the world's most capable first responder when helping affected communities afflicted by disasters.

    58. Harris announces land mobile radio for secure interops communications |

    February 19 '08: In a press release the Harris Corporation announced a new land mobile radio that provides interoperable communications capability for federal agencies needing to talk to first responders on a secure link. The new multiband radios can provide "multi-agency communications across multiple frequency bands," including VHF and UHF.

    59. Wyoming builds statewide interops communications system |

    February 19 '08: Wyoming officials have announced a new statewide interoperable communications system which will link first responders, emergency management and government officials together, the Torrington Telegram Online reported. The system is called Wyolink and it will be 80 to 85 percent complete by March this year. Eventually, officials said the system will be linked to other states' systems.

    60. GATech partners with Austin company to develop technology to kill anthrax spores quickly |

    February 14 '08: Georgia Tech has partnered with Austin, Texas-based company Stellar Micro Devices to develop a new anthrax-killing technology which is able to effectively kill the spores in hours, as opposed to the 26 months is took to clean the Brentwood postal facility outside of Washington D.C. in 2001 at a total coast of $130 million, a GATech news story reported.

    61. Ahura Scientific develops handheld chemical ID device |

    February 14 '08: HSDailyWire.com reported that Ahura Scientific has released a new handheld chemical ID device which "allows first responders to analyze" compounds in the field. The device, called the TruDefender FT is three pounds and uses Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, the company's press release said.

    62. Emergency lodging assistance from Corporate Lodging Consultants |

    February 14 '08: Corporate Lodging Consultants provides first responders a place to stay when a disaster strikes by working with local, state and federal emergency management officials. Through its Emergency Lodging Assistance program, the company can provide "lodging reimbursement for pre-qualified individuals from designated disaster areas," the company's website said. The ELA program is funded through FEMA and administered by CLC.

    63. EDS helps municipalities develop effective emergency response apparatae |

    February 13 '08: International IT consulting and resource management company EDS has been participating in several case studies involving the cities of Anaheim, California and Montreal, Quebec among others. Specifically, EDS helped the municipalities to increase their ability to respond to disasters, streamline information sharing among stakeholders, and to integrate computer aided dispatch systems and launch virtual emergency management solutions.

    64. Avaya's partnership in Miami-Dade |

    February 13 '08: In Miami-Dade County, Florida emergency management officials told Government Computer News back in 2004 that they were operating their response operations based on 25-year-old technology. To help the county with a more modernized telecommunications solution, Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based Avaya helped install a voice over IP community response solution.

    65. USVI company provides drinkable water through portable stations in Caribbean |

    February 12 '08: Seven Seas Water, based in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands has developed a specialized water delivery and desalinization process for the tropics in addition to donating $20 million to finding ways of making clean water cheaper and more available to areas which typically have little water to use.

    66. RAE Systems deploys sensor network technology during TOPOFF 4 |

    February 7 '08: RAE Systems was selected to deploy a wireless AreaRAE toxic gas and radiation sensor network during the TOPOFF 4 exercises held in Guam and Oregon last October, a press release announced.

    67. Midwives provide care for women without access to hospitals during disasters | midwives-in-emergencies.pdf

    February 7 '08: In the Kansas City Star Deborah Smithey, the President of the Missouri Midwives Association said that communities should incorporate midwives into local emergency response plans because of their specific training "in homes and out-of-hospital settings."

    68. Google announces initiative aimed at pandemic and infectious disease response | predict_prevent_brief.pdf

    February 6 '08: On its official blog, Google has announced a series of five initiatives, including one that will locate and respond to areas around the globe where infectious disease and pandemic have arisen. The Predict and Prevent program will work to pinpoint locations of disease as well as identify resources, manpower, information and data which can respond, mitigate current or prevent additional outbreaks.

    69. Oxford group releases report on law enforcement and changes to climate | oxford-international-police-climate-change.pdf

    February 5 '08: A new report has been released by the UK-based Oxford Group, which works to find sustainable solutions to security questions facing the UK and the rest of the world. The new report outlines the potential challenges law enforcement agencies will face in the coming years if changes in the climate begin to stress resources among communities in both the developed and developing world.

    70. Honeywell's partnership with Operation USA |

    February 1 '08: To help communities who have been affected by disasters or other crises, Honeywell has partnered with Operation USA. The partnership's focus is to "rapidly and expertly [provide] on-the-ground aid by sending vital life-saving supplies and cash grants to assist communities in rebuilding."

    71. Spacenet releases new emergency communications vehicle |

    January 30 '08: Spacenet has announced a new Emergency Communications Vehicle (ECV) "for disaster recovery and first responder organizations," the press release said. Spacenet's ECV "can typically be deployed in ten minutes or less and provides converged data, voice and video communications." The ECV vehicle is based on a HUMMER 2 and can be connected to Spacenet's Connexstar satellite service - the same technology used in the EPIC interoperable solution.

    72. First Water Systems releases white paper on county plan for clean water during emergencies |

    January 30 '08: A white paper has been released by First Water Inc., which outlines a plan to deliver potable water to counties affected by a disaster. The company said its water purification technology, "will augment current options and enhance the County's ability to respond to any type of disaster where water quality or availability is comprised," rather than replacing current bottled water delivery systems.

    73. Medical distro company awards EMS education scholarships and provides emergency medical supplies |

    January 29 '08: EMS scholarship grants have been awarded to 33 recipients around the country, medical distribution company Bound Tree Medical announced. The biannual scholarship was developed by the company "to reduce the financial burden of individuals that are focused on starting or furthering their education in the EMS field," the company said on its website.

    74. L3 subsidiary develops wireless mine communication safety network |

    January 28 '08: Global Security and Engineering Solutions, a division of L3 Communications has developed a wireless communication safety system which can be installed in mines. The Deseret Morning News reported that 900 megahertz network can "provide a high level of reliable, clear and audible communication throughout all areas of a mine, even around corners deep in a mine."

    75. American Hotel Association partners with renovation and remediation company |

    January 24 '08: Hospitality Net reported earlier last year, just before hurricane season, that the American Hotel & Lodging Association was partnering with Response, a recovery, cleanup, renovation and remediation company. The company has had a history with renovation and disaster remediation services for hotels on a national and regional level following the Katrina and Charlie hurricanes. The AH&LA will use Response's First Response Program.

    76. Mine Safety Appliance gives equipment to PA communities during floods |

    January 24 '08: Mine Safety Appliances partnered with regional state officials in Southwestern Pennsylvania in 2004 when some of the worst flooding in decades inundated communities. MSA delivered "approximately 6,000 air-purifying respirators, along with safety eyewear, coveralls and first aid kits."

    77. DHS launches National Response Framework Resource website |

    January 23 '08: The Department of Homeland Security has launched a new resource website called the National Resource Framework Resource Center. The website's goal is to allow for emergency management officials, community organizations, religious organizations and public officials to come together and share best practices and ideas as well as find solutions to some of their preparedness and response questions.

    78. Crisis consulting from CR4 |

    January 22 '08: CrisisR4 is a company which provides crisis counseling for companies in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. The company works to provide "Readiness, Response, Resilience and Recovery" and says that they "view emergencies as a Crisis Cycle, believing that groups go through the four phases (aforementioned) when dealing with a critical incident."

    79. Cox Enterprises launches crisis management site | oshapandemic.pdf

    January 22 '08: Security Solutions.com reported that Cox Enterprises has launched a new crisis management site for its employees and business partners. On the site, the company has provided emergency readiness, preparedness and response information including pamphlets for families on such topics as national emergencies, pandemics and school safety. However, according to the site, "much of the current content ... focuses on what to do in preparation for" a global outbreak of avian flu.

    80. Rapid Response© emergency response system installed in Idaho schools |

    January 22 '08: Regional school officials in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho said last summer that they would begin to use the Prepared Response Inc.,'s Rapid Response© crisis management system. Rapid Response© has been used in other parts of the country such as South Carolina.

    81. Interfaith organization provides disaster relief, organization and partnership building in New York City | nydis-ar-2007-final.pdf

    January 18 '08: The New York Interfaith Disaster Services was established in 2003 after the attacks on 9/11. The 501(c)(3)'s mission is to provide "disaster readiness, response and recovery services for New York City." NYDIS' mission in disaster recovery includes "all phases of a disaster life cycle, including sustained advocacy, mitigation education, preparedness training, disaster planning, and recovery programs."

    82. Core Street builds credential capability in the field without needing networking |

    January 17 '08: Core Street announced a partnership with the Los Angles Urban Area Security Initiative in 2006 to use the company's PIVMAN System credential verification technology. The PIVMAN System was selected by SuperCom, now known as Vuance.

    83. Anheuser-Busch pre-stages water in hurricane-prone areas |

    January 16 '08: Earlier in 2007, with the hurricane season just about to start, Anheuser-Busch announced it was pre-staging canned water around the Gulf and Southeastern Atlantic coasts. 12,850 cases of canned water were delivered to relief organizations and local emergency response agencies. An additional fact sheet from the National Conference of State Legislatures showed that the company also gave support to law enforcement and relief agencies as well as financial support and transportation/trucking capabilities during Hurricane Katrina.

    84. Edison Electric Institute gives Chicago electric company award for disaster recovery |

    January 15 '08: Commonwealth Edison electric company - also called ComEd - received an award from the Edison Electric Institute for its efforts in recovering from the "Storm of the Decade", which hit Chicago August 2007, a press release read.

    85. AT&T's Network Disaster Recovery |

    January 14 '08: Networks like Verizon have been working to prepare their networks in the event of a large-scale disaster like a hurricane. Similarly, AT&T's Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) has been developed to recover voice and data services quickly in the affected area of a disaster.

    86. Carmax initiates disaster recovery and response operations for employees and customers |

    January 11 '08: Carmax has initiated a company-wide disaster relief program to help its customers and employees with disaster relief. The program's goals are two-fold: to look for ways to assist local community organizations working on disaster relief; and to help employees with recovery after a disaster.

    87. Hearts of STIHL provide pre-positioned chainsaws in hurricane-prone areas for cleanup and recovery |

    January 8, '08: In a press release, the STIHL chainsaw company's USA headquarters announced the Hearts of STIHL program - a bifurcated initiative to pre-position chainsaws in hurricane-prone areas during Hurricane Katrina and to help local emergency response funding for communities by matching grant money.

    88. Hexayurts provide quick portable shelter through Disastr.org partnership |

    January 8 '08: The makers of the Hexayurt, a portable and quick-setup emergency shelter have been working on the Disastr.org emergency evacuation plan for cities and communities using a peer-to-peer resource allocation process which would provide sheltering for potentially hundreds of thousands of people. The value of having portable emergency shelters using scant resources was evident when the company participated in the 2006 Strong Angel III exercise, the New York Times reported.

    89. Driving simulation program helps EMS, police and fire train for hazardous conditions |

    January 7 '08: In New Jersey, NorthJersey.com reported that local EMS, fire and police officials will begin to train for hazardous driving conditions using a computer program developed by New York-based Doron Precision Systems. The simulators will be installed later this year at the Law & Public Safety Institute in Mahwah, NJ.

    90. State Bar of Arizona hosts emergency preparedness seminar |

    January 4 '08: The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel reported that the State Bar of Arizona will host an emergency preparedness and response seminar later this month. The seminar will focus on business community management issues and the legal implications which could arise from disasters such as pandemics, man-made disasters, or natural emergencies.

    91. PODS offer quick disaster shelter |

    December 20 '07: The Associated Press reported earlier this year that the rental container company PODS has developed a PODS Rapid Response Team to help provide shipping and emergency shelter capabilities to those affected by disasters. The containers can be air conditioned and are able to "be used to transport food, water and medical supplies to impacted areas or as a storage container for household items and assets of homeowners and businesses," as well as temporary shelters, the company's website read.

    92. HUMMER partners with Red Cross to coordinate disaster transportation |

    December 17 '07: Hummer has been working with the American Red Cross to coordinate and provide emergency vehicle and transportation services during emergencies through a program called HUMMER Owners Prepared for Emergencies (HOPE).

    93. Western Union to help U.N. response agencies |

    December 13 '07: Western Union has announced a new partnership with the United Nations' Central Emergency Response Fund by being the first corporate donor to the international response and aid agency. In a press release Western Union said its corporate donation would help on-going humanitarian and response operations around the world.

    94. New RAND report focuses on rail safety |

    December 12 '07: In a press release, the RAND Corporation announced a new study which "gives rail security planners and policymakers a framework to develop cost-effective plans to secure their rail systems from terrorist attacks." The authors cite terrorist attacks in London and Madrid as highlighting the "vulnerability of rail travel and the importance of rail security for passengers."

    95. Oil and gas companies provide ambulance service in western state |

    December 11 '07: The Associated Press reported that in several western states, oil and gas companies are providing ambulance service for workers in the natural gas fields. In Sublette County, Wyoming, Shell, EnCana, Ultra and BP have "contributed $900,000 toward the new ambulance and a place to house it." Meanwhile county officials have given $500,000 for the ambulance service.

    96. Oregon officials say ham radio operators saving grace during storms |

    December 7 '07: A Fox News affiliate in Portland, Oregon reported that while the recent storms knocked out power and some basic cell and phone services for thousands of residents, local amateur ham radio operators were hailed as essential components in the response and recovery.

    97. Georgia officials say preparations are needed to mitigate water shortage |

    December 6 '07: The Associated Press reported state officials at the Georgia Emergency Management Agency are working on water shortage mitigation plans in the face of a looming crisis. According to the AP, Georgia residents "may be down to just a few months of easily accessible water, and the faucets could run dry if reservoirs aren't replenished soon."

    98. States of emergency in Northwest as storms kill 5 |

    December 5 '07: The Seattle Post Intelligencer reported that a state of emergency has been declared in Washington by Governor Chris Gregoire and in Oregon by Governor Ted Kulongoski. The late fall storms have knocked out power to more than 50,000 people while completely inundating Interstate 5. Officials said the road should re-open Thursday or Friday pending little damage to the infrastructure, however some estimates put the total cost of damage in the hundreds of millions.

    99. Blu-Med to work with Idaho and New York communities to increase hospital surge capacity |

    December 4 '07: BLU-MED Response Systems, a Washington State-based partner with the National Congress, has announced two new contracts to help communities in Idaho's District Four and Suffolk County, New York increase their hospital surge capacity capabilities. In a press release, the company said it would provide two types of deployable medical shelters which could handle a full-scale medical emergency.

    100. National Traffic Incident Management Coalition urges holiday safety |

    November 21 '07: Officer.com reported that during the holiday season with record numbers of travelers, federal, state and local officials urge safety using the National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management. Use of the system will help increase public safety awareness in addition to creating a more "unified" approach to making travel more safe, officials said.

    101. Remote conference capability technology helps responders during field exercise |

    November 15 '07: An online collaborative tool designed for businesses to hold meetings over the Internet has been deployed in the field to help first responders share information real-time. In a press release from Citrix Online's GoToMeeting, a public/private partnership designed to test communities' abilities to respond to fire emergencies in multicultural settings, an emergency response operation was conducted through funding provided by the Department of Homeland Security and with the cooperation of FIRE 20/20, a research and education non-profit organization which is working to integrate fire preparedness and response into the business world.

    102. Blu-Med deploys portable centers of operation for medical response in the field |

    November 13 '07: In August of this year, Blu-Med Response Systems was able to assemble a 30,000 square-foot Mobile Field Hospital, which is similar to a Combat Support Hospital. According to the press release, the 200-bed MFH was assembled 12 hours ahead of schedule during the California Rough & Ready 2007 Exercise.

    103. California community helps to organize and participate in state emergency response exercise with university |

    November 13 '07: In Stockton, California, the Record reported that community leaders are working with the University of the Pacific and the Port of Stockton to develop and execute the Golden Guardian 2007 emergency response exercise which will begin on Wednesday.

    104. Coast Guard and local San Franciscans respond to Bay Area oil spill |

    November 9 '07: The Associated Press reported that a 58,000-gallon oil spill in San Francisco Bay has prompted a cleanup and response effort from local residents and environmental groups working to contain the slick which has spread at least 15 miles out into the Pacific Ocean. To help with the cleanup and response efforts, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that local residents are aiding emergency crews who have established remote and mobile operations units along the beaches.

    105. Time and information critical to response of Bay Area oil spill officials say |

    November 9 '07: The Associated Press reported that a 58,000-gallon oil spill in San Francisco Bay has prompted a cleanup and response effort from local residents and environmental groups working to contain the slick which has spread at least 15 miles out into the Pacific Ocean. To help with the cleanup and response efforts, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that local residents are aiding emergency crews who have established remote and mobile operations units along the beaches.

    106. California fire response under review by Governor-appointed panel |

    November 8 '07: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered a review of Southern California's response to the recent wildfires which burned more than 2,000 homes, the NBC affiliate in San Diego reported. Gov. Schwarzenegger has said a task force will look into ways that response efforts could be tweaked to produce better results for the future.

    107. Geo-imaging formatting by company helps firefighters in California |

    November 6 '07: Two geospatial technology companies have partnered to provide responders in California with detailed images of last month's wildfires, GISUSer.com reported recently. The companies, TerraGo Technologies and GeoEye took the large file images, each totaling about 19 gigs each, and compressed them into pictures only 600 mb each so that the pictures could distributed more easily.

    108. Huntsville reusing fallout shelters for emergency response |

    November 5 '07: Emergency management and local government officials in Huntsville, Alabama have reopened their fallout shelters to help with response operations in the event of a large emergency or radiological disaster, Physicians for Civil Defense wrote. The program was designed by local officials to help buffer the impact of potentially hundreds or even thousands of people displaced by a nuclear or radiological disaster and who would seek a safe haven.

    109. Churches gather in California to discuss wildfire response and recovery |

    November 2 '07: Disaster News Network reported a gathering of local and state California officials with community church groups, relief organizations and church leaders "to bring local churches together in order to better coordinate their response efforts," during the recent devastating wildfires.

    110. Fires in SoCal help review disaster response ops |

    October 29 '07: The New York Times reported that the fires in Southern California are giving federal disaster response officials an opportunity to review their recovery operations - a first since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. According to the Times, part of the disaster response operations include making sure that federal relief funds are given to those who need them and avoid fraudulent claims.

    111. Lessons-learned cited response to California fire |

    October 24 '07: In Southern California, as wildfires continue to burn, close to 1 million people have been evacuated while President Bush declared a state of emergency allowing for federal aid and resources to be sent to the state. Officials have said they have learned from Hurricane Katrina, the LA Times reported.

    112. Wildfires in California prompt quick response and evacuation |

    October 22 '07: The Los Angeles Times has reported that local communities in Southern California are rushing to respond to the intense wildfires sweeping through at least seven counties. More than 30,000 reverse 9-1-1 calls were made to residents urging them to evacuate from the "unrestrained fires." Local emergency officials also have partnered with area businesses to organize an effective response, the Times found.

    113. New Study finds gaps in response for children | response-for-children.pdf

    October 3 '07: According to Agence France-Presse, a new report from the Pediatrics journal has found that in a disaster the most vulnerable population will be the children.

    114. Lack of information sharing during Deutsche Bank fire |

    October 3 '07: The New York Times reported that fire fighters responding to the Deutsche Bank fire in New York City on August 18 were not aware of a special sealed staircase designated for emergency response. "The stairwells were sealed with heavy plywood and plastic to prevent toxic materials from escaping and hinged trap doors were put in the plywood slabs, yet the escape plan was never brought to the attention of firefighters assigned to respond."

    115. Lessons-learned and partnerships discussed at emergency managers conference |

    October 2 '07: In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the annual National Emergency Managers Association conference attendants said they focused on recent lessons-learned after heavy snowfalls this past winter and vernal torrential rains flooded the state activating record response measures. The Norman Transcript reported "Networking and sharing experiences were the messages" of the conference.

    116. Florida responders train using National Grid System |

    September 6 '07: Responders in South Florida are learning to use a new national location system to train for disasters, Naples Daily News reported. Using the National Grid System, the Southwest Florida Urban Search and Rescue learned how to send information about the location of disasters and their victims.

    117. CERT training prepares community for flooding |

    September 4 '07: The Coulee News in Wisconsin reported that during the recent intense flooding in Midwest states some residents in La Crosse County were ready to respond and give assistance to local first responders and emergency management officials.

    118. Church of Latter Day Saints helps local disaster response |

    August 28 '07: Recently, when a magnitude 8.0 earthquake shook Peru, the Mormon Church mobilized disaster response resources and recovery supplies to help to affected communities. Church leaders said on their website that disaster and response efforts were helped through existing resources and congregational help.

    119. California announces new emergency medical response portable shelters |

    August 27 '07: Environmental News Network reported that California state officials unveiled three new mobile civilian emergency medical response shelters - the largest of their kind - during a demonstration in Los Alamitos. The shelters can contain up to 200 beds along with "other new medical assets".

    120. Atlanta partnership seen as best practice model for EMS response |

    August 23 '07: USA Today reported recently that a partnership between the City of Atlanta, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Emory University called the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival program, uses an Internet-based database approach to combine several formats and medical records data to help create EMS performance reports and has improved survival rates for heart attack victims.

    121. Chemical Safety Board releases report on North Carolina chemical plant explosion response and best practices | synthron-final-report.pdf

    August 21 '07: The Chemical Safety Board released a report earlier in July which outlined several missteps in corporate emergency preparedness which led to a faulty response and one death at the Synthron chemical plant in Morgantown, North Carolina.

    122. Ohio town creates Clergy Crisis Response Team to help victims of tragedies cope |

    August 20 '07: In Fairfield, Ohio, Fire Chief Don Bennet has created the Clergy Crisis Response Team "in an attempt to support the citizens which encounter traumatic events within the community."

    123. Double whammy for Hawaii with hurricane and earthquake tests island preparedness |

    August 14 '07: In Hawaii, residents and responder officials are bracing for Hurricane Flossie while a 5.3 earthquake struck the Big Island under a hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning, CNN reported. To help residents stay informed about the impending storm - which has been downgraded to a Category 3 and is not expected to hit the islands directly - the Honolulu Advertiser has posted a disaster preparedness page on its website.

    124. City of Tallahassee recognized for interoperable communications network integration program |

    August 10 '07: Government Technology reported that the City of Tallahassee has been recognized by the Public Technology Institute for its Public Safety Project, a city-wide interoperable communications network.

    125. New wireless network in Minneapolis helps with disaster response |

    August 6 '07: First responders in Minneapolis said that the city's new wireless network - just two months old - has been invaluable in sending and receiving information to help with response and recovery efforts after the I-35W bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River. PC World reported that the new network has "helped the city with communications, moving large mapping files to the recovery site, and is supporting wireless cameras that are being installed to help with recovery operations."

    126. Response begins after Minneapolis bridge collapse |

    August 2 '07: The Associated Press reported Minneapolis police officials have said at least seven people died when a bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed during rush-hour traffic. Authorities have not said what caused the crash, though they did rule out foul play. Reuters said the eight-lane bridge served as a major artery for the city and that the collapse happened while the bridge was under renovations.

    127. Service offers medical information to help situational awareness for 911 calls |

    July 31 '07: Local officials in San Ramon Valley are considering partnering with a medical information distribution service which would compile residents' information that could then be used to build smart lists of special needs during emergencies, the Contra Costa Times reported. Some of the obstacles facing the implementation of the plan include pricing, privacy and security.

    128. Medical wilderness response |

    July 26 '07: The Wall Street Journal reported that medical schools and emergency response programs have added wilderness-medicine to their curricula. Medical officials say as more people enjoy outdoor activities and with an increase in disasters in remote locations, it is important that response operations are able to incorporate wilderness scenarios.

    129. Mass town plans community bio and medical preparedness |

    July 23 '07: The Harvard Post reported that the town has been planning on working to mobilize some of the 6,000 residents to help respond in the event of a bio-terror attack or a pandemic outbreak. "Ken Gikas, of the Region II Emergency Preparedness Coaltion, said he will work with the (Board of Health) to identify and seek out members of the community who are willing to support emergency and bioterrorism preparedness efforts," the Post wrote.

    130. Highest wildfire alert for Western states |

    July 20 '07: Firefighting officials in the Western states have raised the fire alert and preparedness level to its highest, the Associated Press reported. The hot summer weather, coupled with drought conditions and high winds have created "perfect conditions" for the blazes, CNN reported. Additionally, firefighter manpower resources are low, so officials have said there is a chance of international recruitment from Canada and Australia.

    131. AMA-backed report pushing for increased health response capability and integration | health-system-preparendess.pdf

    July 20 '07: The American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association have released a new report (see link below to download the report), which calls for repairing "gaping holes in the U.S. disaster response system," the Government Health IT website reported.

    132. Pipe explosion in New York kills one, injures dozens | gao-infrastructure-2007.pdf

    July 19 '07: One person was killed and about 30 were injured when an underground steam pipe in Midtown Manhattan exploded sending a jet of hot water several stories high and shaking the nearby city streets, the New York Times reported. Among those injured were several responders, the New York paper continued.

    133. Operation Golden Phoenix in California |

    July 18 '07: In California, the eight-day training exercise Golden Phoenix has gathered more than 60 law enforcement and response agencies to simulate a magnitude-7.9 earthquake, the Wittier Daily News reported. Organizers hope to test the communications abilities of those participating in the event.

    134. Update: Remote disaster hubs to provide clean water and energy without infrastructure |

    July 17 '07: Shelter Architecture has developed a portable, energy independent, and "small scale, self contained ecosystem," called The Hub which can provide shelter to first responders and disaster victims during emergencies.

    135. Alternatives for emergency communications systems |

    July 12 '07: A new post on Continuity Central by Dr. Jim Kennedy, NCE, MRP, MBCI, CBRM, Business Continuity Services Practice Lead and Consulting Member of Technical Staff for Lucent Technologies has illustrated alternatives for establishing emergency communications systems after a disaster. Dr. Kennedy wrote that relying on traditional lines of communication such as land-lines and cell phone networks hinders a company, organization, or government's ability to relay critical information in a timely manner.

    136. Honeywell announces mass notification service for healthcare and academic institutions |

    July 11 '07: In a press release, Honeywell announced a new web-based notification system for the healthcare industry and academia. Instant Alert© Plus can send 100,000 30-second phone calls about disasters, terrorist attacks, or other emergencies to cell phones, pagers, email, PDS's or regular land-line phones.

    137. Texas floods cause largest response mobilization in state history |

    July 11 '07: "Unprecedented" was the word used to describe the response in Texas after more than 45 days of flooding that left more than a dozen people dead and hundreds more stranded, NPR reported. Officials told the public radio network that the search and rescue operations were the largest the state had ever mobilized.

    138. Canadian businesses learn business continuity best practices from SARS outbreak |

    July 11 '07: ITWorld Canada reported that many companies around the Toronto, Ontario area have learned business continuity best practices after the city was besieged by a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2002. Those best practices were discussed during the World Conference on Disaster Management held this week.

    139. South Carolina school system employs emergency management database and network |

    July 10 '07: Kershaw County school system in South Carolina announced recently that it has installed an emergency and crisis management system for the 2007-2008 school year according to GIS User.com article posted by the network's company, Prepared Response Inc..

    140. Michigan city to test emergency vehicle alert system |

    July 9 '07: In Dearborn, Michigan city officials are working on a new emergency vehicle alert system which will be installed on city street intersections to alert drivers about oncoming response vehicles, the Associated Press reported. Three intersections will have the alert system installed to test its viability.

    141. Texas and Oklahoma communities hit by torrential rains |

    June 29 '07: According to the Associated Press, the torrential rains which have killed at least 12 people in Texas and Oklahoma are projected to stay for the next couple of days, exacerbating the flood levels and pushing emergency responses. Evacuation orders for 2,00 of Parker County, Texas were issued while in San Antonio there have been 52 street closures and 43 high-water rescue calls made.

    142. U.S. Fire Administration releases volunteer emergency responder report |

    June 28 '07: The U.S. Fire Administration has released a report detailing recruitment of volunteer fire fighters and retaining them. The report comes during an active Western fire season which has been stretching responder and local services. In response to civilian preparedness issues, the administration also has released a preparedness set of guidelines.

    143. Charleston blaze kills 9 firefighters |

    June 19 '07: The Associated Press reported that a huge blaze at a furniture warehouse in Charleston, S.C. has killed nine firefighters who responded to the inferno. While nine died, two warehouse employees were rescued according to City Mayor Joseph P. Riley during a morning news conference.

    144. Mobile communications and networking companies partner to release command center for hurricane response |

    June 14 '07: Two global communications and network companies have partnered to create a mobile emergency response command center which can be used for field operational management for the 2007 hurricane season, a press release announced. The companies, PacStar and SpaceNet will design the Emergency Preparedness Integrated Communications system.

    145. Oregon scientists recreate town to study tsunami impact | tsunamievacuation.pdf

    June 13 '07: A $1 million project, funded by Oregon State University, is studying the impacts of repeated tsunamis on a replica model of the town of Seaside in the hopes that researchers will be able to help develop more effective evacuation and warning systems in case of a killer wave, the Gazette-Times reported.

    146. Communications abilities bolstered by new system LA officials say |

    June 7 '07: According to officials in Louisiana, during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the single largest hurdle to response and rescue operations was the complete breakdown of communication among all levels of government, first responding agencies and emergency management operations. The Times Picayune reported that a new $32 million emergency communications system was installed which will allow officials from multiple parishes communicate with each other.

    147. Home improvement stores say they are ready for hurricane season in FL |

    June 4 '07: Home improvement stores in Florida told the Tallahassee Democrat that they have prepared for this year's hurricane season by stocking up on essential preparedness and rebuilding supplies as well as stocking centralized depot points to help with any reconstruction efforts after large storms.

    148. Recent TB case reveals gaps in pandemic response and preparedness |

    June 1 '07: Over the last week, a 31-year old Atlanta man infected with a rare strain of tuberculosis resistant to almost all forms of medication traveled from the U.S. to Europe and back again potentially infecting dozens of people with the deadly virus while American and European health officials failed to share critical information about his whereabouts, and exposed gaps in international pandemic response and preparendess the International Herald Tribune and other news sources reported.

    149. CDC quarantines man with drug-resistant TB |

    May 30 '07: Center for Disease Control officials have quarantined an airline traveler who has been diagnosed with a fatal drug-resistant form of tuberculosis CNN reported. The man, who flew from the U.S. to France and who returned to the U.S. by car via Toronto, was the first person to be ordered under such guidelines since 1963.

    150. Financial sector to test flu pandemic readiness | oshapandemic.pdf

    May 29 '07: Financial sector officials have announced a flu pandemic response and preparedness exercise to be help in cooperation with the federal government, FinExtra.com reported. The exercise will take place later in the year and it will last several weeks to help simulate a "full pandemic wave".

    151. Chicago officials say preparedness exercises increase response capabilities |

    May 25 '07: City officials in Chicago have said that recent emergency response exercises have increased their capability to act quickly, a local NBC affiliate reported. Cortez Trotter, the Chicago chief emergency officer told the station results from an earlier massive emergency drill which included the evacuation of 3,000 people from 4 city buildings "were positive."

    152. Forecasters urge oil industry to move stockpiles before hurricane season |

    May 24 '07: According to Reuters forecasters have urged the oil industry to move their stockpiles away from the Gulf Coast before the start of the 2007 hurricane season to protect U.S. supplies. The suggestion was made after weather predictions for this year's summer storm season harbinged an active cycle with some saying it is "almost certain there is going to be significant production disruption in the Gulf of Mexico this year."

    153. Verizon readies networks for hurricane season |

    May 24 '07: In a press release, Verizon announced it is readying its networks for the 2007 hurricane season to make sure that service continues in the event of a disaster. Much of the preparation is through the development of "smart" networks which can re-route communications when damages occur and through extensive inventory cataloguing to help send supplies to repair damaged communications infrastructure.

    154. North Carolina Gov. says state is ready for hurricane season |

    May 23: North Carolina Governor Mike Easly told the News & Observer that his state was ready for the 2007 hurricane season, which forecasters have said will be very active with already one tropical storm on the books. Despite the state's readiness, Easly also said that manpower and equipment was down because of Iraq deployments.

    155. Florida evacuation route gas stations to install backup generators |

    May 17 '07: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said on Monday that gas stations along the state's hurricane evacuation routes must install emergency backup generators, NBC 6 and the Associated Press reported. However, Crist sent a letter to about 254 of the gas stations which have not installed the mandatory generators, the NBC affiliate reported.

    156. Creating contingencies for banking institutions along the Gulf Coast |

    May 16 '07: Maintaining business continuity after disasters is essential on the road to recovery. To help businesses and financial institutions along the Gulf Coast, the FDIC has been working to compile best practices and business continuity plans which can serve as templates for other members of the community.

    157. New online tool for hazmat responders |

    May 14: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has released a new website designed to provide valuable information about hazardous chemicals and proper response techniques for first responders, Government Technology reported. The site, called Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO) Chemicals, is an addition to the original information suite developed over the last twenty years.

    158. Fires grow around the country |

    May 11 '07: Several large fires around the country are burning while firefighters and local residents work to contain the blazes, the Associated Press reported. Meanwhile, CNN has provided a national map showing the wildfires.

    159. Kansas town rebuilds after tornado |

    May 7 '07: Local residents in Greensburg, Kansas are beginning to return and rebuild after a tornado flattened the town on Friday, CNN reported. However, efforts are hampered by a lack of resources and several incidents of looting in the aftermath, local news sources reported.

    160. Oakland bridge collapse good model for response to terrorist attack using tankers | nationalrdinfrastructureplan.pdf

    May 2 '07: Security experts told the San Francisco Chronicle that a recent tanker crash, which spewed thousands of gallons of fuel causing a massive fire and the subsequent collapse of a busy overpass in the San Francisco metro area, highlights the dangers posed by potential terrorists who would use similar tactics by employing tankers as weapons.

    161. Ardent Sentry to coordinate Canadian and U.S. state and local response | ardent-sentry.pdf

    May 1 '07: According to a press release from the U.S. Northern Command, the U.S., and Canadian governments will cooperate with state and local authorities in Alaska, Indiana and Rhode Island, among other northern East Coast states during the response exercise called Ardent Sentry-Nothern Edge 07. The exercise will be the largest NORTHCOM has organize and will be held from April 30 to May 18.

    162. Georgia wildfire forces evacuation of surrounding communities |

    April 30 '07: According to the On Deadline blog at USA Today, more than 700 firefighters in Southern Georgia were working to put out wildfires which have consumed more than 100 square miles of swampland. The Associated Press reported that by Monday, about 70 percent of the blazes had been contained.

    163. California overpass collapses after tanker crash |

    April 30 '07: A 17-foot stretch of a major overpass on the Bay Area freeway collapsed this weekend after a gas tanker crashed, causing intense heat and flames reaching almost 200 feet, the LA Times reported. The collapses of the overpass caused heavy traffic on Monday morning as commuters headed to work and it prompted a declaration of emergency from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

    164. In Case of Emergency |

    April 24 '07: In May 2005, an English first responder Bob Brotchie devised the In Case of Emergency program which would tag certain phone numbers on peoples' cell phones so that in an emergency, those on the scene could contact the victims' family or friends. The program later caught on globally and is now in the U.S..

    165. Operation Vector in California |

    April 19 '07: California National Guard troops and Los Angeles first responders are participating in a major emergency response exercise code named "Operation Vector", the Los Angeles Times reported. The three-day training exercise will include "a Hollywood-style convergence of" and earthquake coupled with a bioterror attack.

    166. Group says recent college shooting highlights academic institutional emergency preparedness necessity |

    April 18 '07: The National Crime Prevention Council said that the recent tragic school shootings at Virginia Tech where 32 people were killed, highlights the imperative for "all higher education campuses [to] continually update and rehearse emergency plans and emphasize a campus community-wide crime prevention strategy," a press release announced.

    167. FEMA announces possible missed deadline to revamp national response plan | national-response-plan.pdf

    April 18 '07: The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently sent a letter to Congress saying that its revisions to the National Response Plan might not be able to hit the June 1 deadline, the Associated Press reported.

    168. Campus response to fatal shootings at Virginia Tech |

    April 17 '07: On Monday, 32 people were killed at Virginia Tech after a gunman stormed a dormitory and the engineering school, killing many students execution-style the Roanoke Times reported. Response to the shootings has been under question after email notifications about the first shooting came nearly two hours later according to local and regional officials who have asked whether more could have been done to save the lives of students and faculty, the Times reported.

    169. Minneapolis enhanced 911 system helps situational awareness and response |

    April 16 '07: A computer aided-dispatch (CAD) 911 call system in Minneapolis is helping law enforcement, fire and medical personnel respond to emergency calls in the city, a press release announced. The system was built over the course of two years and came online in March 2007.

    170. New emergency preparedness center to open in Ohio community |

    April 16 '07: The Toledo Free Press reported that with money from the Department of Homeland Security and the state of Ohio, the Owens Community College has built a 110-acre, $20.5 million emergency preparedness training facility for first responders near the Toledo area.

    171. Broadcast companies work to prepare communications along Gulf Coast for upcoming hurricane season |

    April 13 '07: Broadcast companies working in the Gulf Coast region will begin to prepare for the upcoming 2007 hurricane season by implementing a new emergency alert messaging platform called ALERT FM a press release announced. The new system will be showcased during the National Association of Broadcasters 2007 Show, in Las Vegas April 14 - 19.

    172. Iowan counties practice pandemic response |

    April 12 '07: More than a half-dozen counties in Iowa will participate in emergency preparedness drills simulating a pandemic, Radio Iowa reported. The exercises also will include a full-scale exercise with law enforcement and EMT's as well as county and local health officials.

    173. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week |

    April 12 '07: The second full week in April is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. The week, honoring those in the emergency response industry who are instrumental in sending the right and timely information to those in the field, was mandated by Congress in 1994 after several states, prompted by California, began to recognize the responders' efforts.

    174. Reinventing the 911 system to handle new technology |

    April 9 '07: The 911 system in many parts of the country is facing difficulties as state and local governments try to upgrade the systems to handle new technologies such as cell phones and text messaging, the New York Times reported according to state, local and regional officials.

    175. VA issues first responders field credentials |

    April 5 '07: Virginia first responders in the City of Alexandria and in Arlington County are the first in the country to receive First Responder Authentication Credentials for quick field identification and response, WTOP reported. The FRAC cards, as they are called, are encoded with vital biographical and technical information and can be read by a wireless device.

    176. Asian responders practice bird flu response |

    April 3 '07: The World Health Organization and members of response communities in Japan and Southeast Asia participated in a simulated bird flu pandemic response exercise, Agence France-Presse reported. More than 1,000 experts and responders were involved in the exercises in Manila, Philippines.

    177. North Dakota responders practice nighttime airport emergency response |

    March 28 '07: About 150 North Dakotan first responders and members of area schools, police, fire, public health agencies, airport personnel, and public schools will participate in a nighttime emergency response exercise at the Bismark Municipal Airport, the Bismark Tribune reported. The nighttime exercise was chosen because of the logistical difficulties it presents, organizers said.

    178. Researchers say better collaborative technologies could boost emergency response coordination |

    March 22 '07: A new report released at a recent communications technology conference has found that collaborative applications in the field could help first responders close the "knowledge gap" which exists between emergency management directors and responders at the scene, the State College Local News reported.

    179. New University of Georgia study finds U.S. unprepared to respond to nuclear attack |

    March 22 '07: A three-year study by the University of Georgia has found that the U.S. is not ready to respond to a nuclear attack, a press release read. The study, which has called "the most advanced and detailed simulation published in open scientific literature," found that surge capacity inadequacies and a breakdown in response services would result from a large nuclear attack in a major American city.

    180. Disaster aid groups working with company to provide versatile blanket |

    March 19 '07: A disaster, all-weather blanket designed by the Polymer Group based in Charleston, S.C. is being used all over the world by disaster recovery groups because it is so versatile, the Associated Press reported. Called the "All Day, Every Day" blanket, company officials said it is "warmer than traditional blankets woven of cotton or wool," and can repel water as well as being resistant to diseases.

    181. VA first to issue first responder credentials for field response |

    March 15 07: First responders in Virginia will be the first in the nation to be issued credentials for the field, a news release announced. More than 1,400 First Responder Authentication Credentials (FRAC) will be sent out through a joint venture sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security in the National Capital Region, the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

    182. Alabama responders found problems communicating during recent severe weather disaster |

    March 14 '07: Recently Alabama Homeland Security officials installed an $18 million radio communications system to boost capabilities for the state's first responders, EMS and police and fire officials. However, the Associated Press reported that during a recent severe weather disaster responders had difficulty talking with one another.

    183. Oregon National Guard trains with local firefighters |

    March 14 '07: Members of the Oregon National Guard trained recently with local firefighters during a two-day training exercise designed to boost cooperation between state and local responders with the National Guard, Guard Experience reported. Officials at the training exercise said it was important to "enhance the capabilities of those first on the scene" of a disaster. Officials said they thought of the mutual training exercise after their experience with Hurricane Katrina.

    184. FBI to host anti-terror exercises in Boston area for regional agencies and localities |

    March 12 '07: FBI Special Agent Warren T. Bamford told the Boston Globe that if a terror cell were to plan an attack on U.S. soil, local and state police would be on the front line of response. "If we're going to stop a terrorist attack, the person it's going to be stopped by is a police officer of citizen."

    185. California responders test communications abilities during simulated terrorist strike |

    March 9 '07: In San Diego, local first responders paired with regional emergency services personnel, police officials and members of the California Department of Forestry to test communications equipment reliability, News10 in San Diego reported. The exercise simulated a terrorist attack on the Alvarado Water Treatment Facility.

    186. National Capital Region credential program tested for field use |

    March 9 '07: First responders, members of the private sector and government officials have been testing new credentialling technology designed to increase field and situational awareness during a response to a disaster in the National Capital Region, a press release announced. During the "Winter Storm" exercise in February, officials worked to implement the "test to verify the integration and interoperability of credential system attributes such as qualifications, authorizations, certifications and privileges."

    187. New Jersey first responders hold conference to train for emergency response |

    March 8 '07:" More than 1,800 firefighters, police, EMS, emergency management operators and others will participate in the New Jersey Emergency Preparedness Association's ninth annual conference to enhance "the abilities of police, fire and medical response units," New Jersey.com reported.

    188. Pennsylvania officials to plan emergency response exercise to test new management technology |

    March 7 '07: According to a web release emergency management officials in Pennsylvania are planning to test a new emergency field management technology designed to increase field situational awareness. Members of South Central Regional Counter Terrorism Task Force will test the Incident Collaborator technology later this year.

    189. VA town to be center of national emergency drill |

    March 6 '07: A two-part exercise in Hampton Roads, VA will gather emergency management officials, and federal, state and military officials to test emergency response operations simulating a simultaneous terrorist attack and hurricane along the East Coast, the Virginia Pilot reported.

    190. New York State community gets increased situational awareness with new 911 call center |

    March 2 '07: A new E911 call center in the Town of Lockport, New York in Niagra County has given emergency management officials a leg-up in situational awareness and communications capabilities, the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal Online reported. The multi-million dollar facility allows 911 operators locate and track emergency response equipment, vehicles, manpower and increases the center's ability to handle distress calls.

    191. Recent response to storms prompt change in Seattle's emergency management services |

    March 1 '07: Seattle's Mayor Greg Nickels announced recently that there would changes to his city's emergency management and response systems after recent storms hit causing power outages and widespread damage, the Seattle Post Intelligencer reported.

    192. White House runs roadside bomb emergency response drill |

    February 26 '07: Top level White House officials ran an emergency response exercise to test the Bush administration's ability to communicate and respond to a roadside bomb attack in the U.S., the Associated Press reported. The three-hour exercise was supervised by White House homeland security advisor Frances Townsend - President Bush did not participate in the exercise however.

    193. Vermont police practice response to school shooting emergency |

    February 23 '07: The Times Argus reported in Vermont that state and local police are practicing their coordination and response to a school shooting and how the various levels of law enforcement communicate with each other during the emergency. Drills in Rutland County were attended by about 50 officers, the Times Argus reported.

    194. Ohio volunteers get CERT training |

    February 22 '07: The Salem News in Ohio reported that as Community Emergency Response Training programs have been offered by the local Emergency Management Agency residents in the community have been signing up for the training. Officials told the Salem News that the diverse backgrounds of the volunteers have provided well-needed experience to help team cooperation during an emergency.

    195. States urge residents to stay prepared during Severe Weather Week |

    February 21 '07: In Georgia and Florida, state lawmakers and governors are urging residents to stay prepared and vigilant for all types of natural disasters during Severe Weather Awareness Week. The Courier Herald in Georgia and a press release from Florida Governor Charlie Crist's office both announced plans to include the public in safety and response preparedness initiatives statewide.

    196. Tribal volunteers help Florida residents respond to disaster |

    February 21 '07: In Florida, communities hit by recent tornados are getting recovery help from Native American tribal volunteers through the Tribal Civilian Community Corps, an organization begun and modeled after the National Civilian Community Corps.

    197. Grocery store chains prepare bird flu contingencies |

    February 20 '07: The Associated Press reported that grocery store chains have been readying themselves for the potentialities of an avian flu pandemic. "Unlike other critical infrastructure sectors like water, energy and health care, the food industry isn't getting much help from state and federal governments when it comes to disaster planning."

    198. Emergency call center in California integrates technology and operations |

    February 15 '07: In Ventura County, California, a new emergency call center has incorporated technology and operations into one location designed specifically for 911 emergency services, the Ventura County Star reported via LexisNexis.

    199. Midwest snow storm tests Indiana responders |

    February 15 '07: The severe winter storm that moved across the Midwest and into the Mid Atlantic and Northeast this week dumped ice and snow causing more than a dozen fatalities and slowing air and highway traffic. In Indiana, coordination among state and local responder agencies along with the Department of Homeland Security and the Red Cross helped to reduce the impact of the storm, responder officials told the South Bend Tribune.

    200. Red Cross agencies share terrorism and disaster response experiences |

    February 14 '07: The American Red Cross in Greater New York recently sponsored an international conference of Red Cross emergency managers from the U.S., Great Britain and Spain, Voice of America reported. The gathering's goal was to share information about lessons learned during the terrorist attacks in London, Madrid and New York in the last five years.

    201. Hybrid vehicle response training in Missouri |

    February 13 '07: With the rise of hybrid vehicles on the road, emergency responders on the scene of an accident are faced with new electrical and airbag systems, and batteries in the cars that could create hazards after an accident. The Oberly Monitor Index reported that a new program has begun to train Missourian first responders on hybrid vehicles with the cooperation with Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.

    202. DHS to create National Advisory Council |

    February 9 '07: The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have announced the creation of a National Advisory Council that will be comprised of federal, state and local emergency management directors, non profit organizers, and private sector businesses and organizations who will work to redesign FEMA, a DHS press release announced.

    203. Companies prepare for bird flu pandemic |

    February 7 '07: Small and large corporations and businesses around the U.S. are planning on ways to make sure if an influenza pandemic were to strike, operations would be able to continue, Reuters reported. To help businesses plan for pandemic response and preparedness, the U.S. Department of Occupational Health and Safety Administration released a series of guidelines designed to maintain such vital business operations as food supply distribution and electricity production.

    204. WVA local doctors learn about bioterror preparedness and response |

    February 7 '07: In West Virginia, members of the Wheeling medical community, state, county and local emergency management officials as well as fire chiefs, and physicians are scheduled to gather at a symposium designed so that they can discuss ways in which hospitals and the medical community can prepare and respond to a bioterror attack, the Wheeling Intelligencer reported.

    205. New federal pandemic response plans outlined |

    February 7 '07: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta issued new pandemic guidelines last week, the New York Times reported. The guidelines came after state and local government and health officials asked the federal government for suggestions on how to prepare and respond to a pandemic such as bird flu.

    206. Emergency animal response program in Florida |

    February 6 '07: The Miami Herald reported recently that emergency managers from several Florida communities participated in a four-day class designed to teach large animal emergency response. The class included "water rescue, mud rescue, trailer accident simulations, and search and rescue," the Herald reported.


    Public Private Partnerships


    207. DHS, Social Networks and Emergency Awareness |

    January 2012: (Hat tip to PolicyMic. A recent report out from Reuters outlined the current ongoing program at the Department of Homeland Security to monitor social networks with the intention of collecting "information used in providing situational awareness and establishing a common operating picture". The networks include Twitter, Facebook, Hulu, Wikileaks as well as sites like Drudge Report, Huffington Post and others.

    208. Response to historic flooding in Australia |

    January 2011: Australian government authorities are working overtime to try and help the communities of Queensland in the midst of epic flooding, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. More than 9,000 homes in Brisbane, the country's third largest city, are expected to be impacted by flood waters, while the city's downtown central business center cut it's electricity, the BBC reported.

    209. In Memoriam: John Solomon 1963 - 2010 |

    We were very saddened by the passing of our friend John Solomon last November. John was a friend and a great resource for inspiration through his blog In Case of Emergency, Read Blog. Throughout the years, his work provided the germination of many of the stories that I have used to work on community preparedness and resilience in the face of natural and man-made disasters. I also will remember warmly our wonderful and productive email exchanges. His stories and blog posts proved insightful and I will remember him fondly. Below are a few examples of the helpful work of John's we used to write about how our country is working toward sustainability, resiliency and preparedness during an emergency or crisis. John's obituary can be read here. Thanks John, we'll miss you.

    210. The Gulf Oil Spill and the Chesapeake Bay |

    June 2010: According to the Baltimore Sun though there are initial response plans for cooperation, currently, there is no specific emergency response system for the Chesapeake Bay should there be an accident from an oil spill. William C. Boicourt from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science at Horn Point told the Sun, "There is no functioning [emergency response] system on the Bay in the terms of what we can call operational." Officials with the Coast Guard did tell the Sun there are contingency efforts in coordination with federal, state and local officials to work with the "party responsible" for the accident who is ultimately in charge of cleanup efforts.

    211. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Day |

    October 14 '08: Last week, October 8, the United Nations observed the International Day for Disaster Reduction. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said recent disasters such as Cyclone Nargis and the Wenchuan Earthquake have pushed highlighted the imperative for international disaster response initiatives and partnership for local, state and international communities and governments.

    212. Hawaii hospitals participate in mock bioterror response drill |

    March 24 '08: The Star Bulletin reported a partnership of 12 hospitals across Hawaii which participated in a mock bioterror response drill. The exercise, conducted in partnership by the state's Department of Health and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii simulated exposure to anthrax and was meant to simulate the activation of the Strategic National Stockpile, a press release read. (Additional reading here, and here.)

    213. Wyoming builds statewide interops communications system |

    February 19 '08: Wyoming officials have announced a new statewide interoperable communications system which will link first responders, emergency management and government officials together, the Torrington Telegram Online reported. The system is called Wyolink and it will be 80 to 85 percent complete by March this year. Eventually, officials said the system will be linked to other states' systems.

    214. Interfaith organization provides disaster relief, organization and partnership building in New York City | nydis-ar-2007-final.pdf

    January 18 '08: The New York Interfaith Disaster Services was established in 2003 after the attacks on 9/11. The 501(c)(3)'s mission is to provide "disaster readiness, response and recovery services for New York City." NYDIS' mission in disaster recovery includes "all phases of a disaster life cycle, including sustained advocacy, mitigation education, preparedness training, disaster planning, and recovery programs."

    215. Hexayurts provide quick portable shelter through Disastr.org partnership |

    January 8 '08: The makers of the Hexayurt, a portable and quick-setup emergency shelter have been working on the Disastr.org emergency evacuation plan for cities and communities using a peer-to-peer resource allocation process which would provide sheltering for potentially hundreds of thousands of people. The value of having portable emergency shelters using scant resources was evident when the company participated in the 2006 Strong Angel III exercise, the New York Times reported.

    216. Journal report finds disasters challenging government and community partnership |

    November 14 '07: According to Science Daily, a new report released by the peer-reviewed International Journal of Emergency Management, has said that "an increase in the complexity of disasters [has made] it more difficult to manage a response" between local and state communities and the private sector. The report found, "It will be the responsibility of citizens and local government officials to work together to adapt the programmes [sic] to their communities' preparedness needs."

    217. Partnership in Oregon helps to create large mobile disaster response operations agreement | large-structure-management.pdf

    October 17 '07: According to a press release, the Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission (MERC) with the Red Cross' Oregon Trail Chapter to develop a first-of-its-kind mega-shleter "agreement of its kind in Oregon that provides response and coordination of services and operations during major emergency and disaster relief efforts."

    218. Response exercise partners Wisconsin community with railroad |

    September 12 '07: More than 35 federal, state and local agencies and 200 to 300 officials, responders and community volunteers participated in a mock train derailment/chemical spill disaster exercise in Portage, Wisconsin in cooperation with Canadian Pacific Railroad the Portage Daily Register reported.

    219. First responders get disaster training from chemical and rail industry |

    August 29 '07: In a press release, chemical and railroad industry experts announced training programs for California first responders through a partnership called Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response. TRANSCAER, started in 1986, is a partnership designed to teach best practices to those responding to chemical and railroad disasters.

    220. Insurance company protects client homes from fires in West |

    August 28 '07: The New York Times reported one insurance company helping to protect its clients' assets from wildfires in Western states by deploying fire prevention crews to spray houses with retardant. AIG Insurance "has deployed a crew to Idaho as part of its Wildfire Protection Unit for high-end clients who are willing to pay what the company says is an average of $10,000 annually for homeowner's insurance."

    221. Texas business and local government partner for disaster preparedness and response |

    August 1 '07: Texas businesses and state/local governments are working together to help bolster overall preparedness efforts since Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005. Under direction from the state's Division of Emergency Management, response officers from retailers and government officials are "conducting mock drills alongside" each other, the Houston Chronicle's story appearing in My San Antonio.com reported.

    222. Partnership in U.K. coordinating academic and scientific communities for disaster response |

    July 25 '07: In the United Kingdom, a partnership between academia, the scientific community and local emergency response organizations is working to "explore the interface between physical and social science approaches to managing disaster risk and uncertainty." The partnership, called the Science and POlice Interfaces for Disaster Reduction, or SPIDER Network, was founded in 2006 and is primarily focused on disaster mitigation research.

    223. Texas hurricane evacuation plans call for partnership with oil companies |

    June 27 '07: When hurricanes threaten Texas coastal communities, evacuations are slowed when motorists run out of gas, only to find that fuel supplies are limited along the designated evacuation routes. To help mitigate gas shortages, Texas Governor Rick Perry implemented a Task Force on Evacuation, Transportation, and Logistics which was developed with the partnership of oil companies Shell, Citgo, Chevron, Valero, ConocoPhilips, Exxon Mobil and Marathon, the Associated Press reported.

    224. National Service to increase disaster response and preparedness programs |

    June 18 '07: The Corporation for National & Community Service has announced that it will increase its disaster response and preparedness efforts in the Gulf Coast area as well as other parts of the country through greater cooperation with state and local governments. In its press release, the agency said it will "develop common objectives and measurable targets to make the national service enterprise even more effective in its disaster preparedness and response work."

    225. IBM releases pandemic prediction software |

    June 8 '07: Reuters reported that IBM has released pandemic prediction software which will be donated to public health officials to help predict and mitigate any possible international health emergency. The software, called Spatiotemporal Epidemiological Modeler or STEM will be available to more than 20 health agencies worldwide.

    226. Looking at nuclear attack impact on major city |

    May 31 '07: The Homeland Security Watch blog has posted an article about the public/private partnership between the Canadian Defense Department's R&D agency and Battelle "to produce a schematic illustrating a 'preliminary analysis on the economic impact of a nuclear weapon event in Vancouver.'"

    227. Dartmouth releases new CBRNE virtual training tool |

    May 22 '07: Dartmouth College has announced the release of a new virtual training tool for first responders which focuses on chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive emergencies. The new computer-based tool has more than 16 hours of training material and is the first course in the college's Interactive Media Laboratory's Virtual Terrorism Response Academy.

    228. CERT helping Florida responders prepare | national-response-plan.pdf

    May 21 '07: Community Emergency Response Teams have been forming in the Manatee area in Florida to prepare for the summer heat, fire season and hurricane season, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune report via LexisNexis. Art Wessan, a CERT volunteer in University Park told the paper the members of his community "are the firs responders in the event of a cataclysmic event that has 911 overwhelmed like a (Hurricane) Katrina situation."

    229. Michigan State and Ford partner for preparedness and response |

    May 21 '07: On Tuesday, May 22 the Ford Motor Company and Michigan State University will participate in a disaster preparedness and response competition to test the car company's ability to address emergency situations, an MSU press release announced.

    230. Severe weather conference in Baltimore to highlight hurricane preparedness |

    April 13 '07: Severe weather experts, state and local government officials and emergency response personnel were on-hand in Baltimore for the 22nd Annual Severe Storms Awareness Conference, a local NBC affiliate, WBAL reported.

    231. Local PA nurse working with state officials for pandemic preparedness |

    April 12 '07: In East Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the Post Gazette reported that local Quaker Valley school nurse Darcy Yeloushan has been working with here counterparts on the state level to prepare the school and the surrounding area for a flu pandemic by developing a response plan.

    232. Mass university practices emergency response drills |

    April 11 '07: Members of the University of Massachusetts' Medical Response Corps will participate in an emergency response drill with the cooperation of community and local health and government leaders, the Daily Collegian reported. The exercises will coincide with other similar drills in Western Massachusetts.

    233. Communications company working with Richmond response services to create seamless communications network |

    April 11 '07: WiFi-Planet reported that in Richmond, Virginia emergency response service officials have been working with the communications technology company InMotion to create seamless wireless communications and data-transfer networks to help with response operations.

    234. CDC and OnStar partner for auto disaster response |

    March 23 '07: The Associated Press reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta have partnered withe General Motor Corp.'s OnStar service to help improve response times to automobile accidents. On Wednesday, General Motors announced "a partnership with federal health officials to create guidelines ... for the use of real-time crash data to help emergency services."

    235. FEMA to fund hurricane hazard plan for New Orleans |

    March 20 '07: The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Port of New Orleans have entered into an agreement whose goal would be to mitigate the impact of any future hurricane along the Gulf Coast, a FEMA press release announced. About $50,000 in federal funding was earmarked for the project.

    236. National volunteer response exercise to be held in Michigan |

    March 19 '07: The state of Michigan and the federal government are cooperating in an exercise to test the state's ability to mobilize volunteers "in the event of a federal public heath emergency," a press release from the Michigan Department of Community Health. Among those participating in the exercise: the Office of Public Health Preparedness and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

    237. Arizona votes to create citizen responder corps |

    March 6 '07: Arizona lawmakers voted recently to create a citizen responder corps much like the National Guard, but with the mission to help local and state first responders during a natural or man-made disaster, the Yuma Sun reported.

    238. Montana tribes training for hazmat response |

    March 5 '07: Tribal members from the Confederated Salish-Kootenai and Blackfoot tribes have been taking an 18-month course to train for hazmat disaster response, the Daily Interlake reported. The 24-member crew, called the Hazardous Action Workers Keeping Safe (HAWKS) "will be specialists on how to handle hazardous materials and what to do in the event of "agro-terrorism", the Daily reported.

    239. Florida community organizes for CERT program under direction of former nurse |

    February 27 '07: The Brandenton Herald reported recent efforts in the Lakewood Ranch area near Sarasota to organize community members to be prepared for disasters. Joan Robbins, a retired nurse who moved to the area in 2004 with her husband, has been credited with organizing the community's emergency preparedness committee and for mobilizing the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.

    240. Michigan teens get SERT training |

    February 21 '07: In Burton, Michigan, students at Faith High School are working with local firefighters to train for the Student Emergency Response Team certificate in the hopes that they will be able to help first responders in the event of a disaster that affects their schools, the Flint Journal reported via LexisNexis.

    241. Washington State community implements plan to prepare households for disaster |

    February 19 '07: In Bothell, Washington, the city council has announced a community-wide plan that will target every household to develop a broad foundational level of emergency response a press release announced. The plan, called "Operation: Every House Prepared," will begin March 3 with the city delivering 15,000 emergency preparedness informational packets to citizens in the City of Bothell, and the Snohomish County Fire Protection District #10 households.

    242. Maryland students get CERT training |

    February 19 '07: 14 students from Smithsburg High School in Washington County, Maryland participated in a Community Emergency Response Team training seminar sponsored by the local volunteer fire department, the Herald-Mail reported. In addition to the high school students, members of a local Boy Scout troop participated.

    243. Episcopal Church releases flu pandemic response and preparedness plan |

    February 19 '07: According to federal guidelines issued earlier this month, the focus of pandemic response should rely on the local level with state and local community organizations working to install a chain of command and communication to help keep communities running. The Episcopal Church announced their pandemic preparedness and response plans for all dioceses and parishes recently.

    244. Florida healthcare coalition works to share information, resources and training for disasters |

    February 15 '07: In Palm Beach County, Florida, a group of hospitals, medical responder agencies and non profit organizations have been working to share information, training experience and resources to help prepare for a medical, natural or man made disaster, the Palm Beach Post reported.

    245. Local high school ham operator hobbyists help first responders in Dallas |

    February 5 '07: A Dallas Morning News story reported in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services via LexisNexis found high school students in the Dallas area were helping first responders by learning to use and operate ham radios. The amateur radio club begun at Rowlett High School pairs the students with adult sponsors who teach the kids about the technology, how to communicate and the uses of the radios.

    246. Earthquake preparedness urged in Midwest states |

    January 31 '07: From 1811 to 1812, three massive earthquakes struck along the New Madrid Seismic Zone in Missouri causing massive damage to villages and towns in an area hundreds of miles in diameter. To raise earthquake awareness in the area on the upcoming anniversary of the quakes on February 7, Disaster News reported local and state emergency management agencies and seismologists urging people to prepare themselves for another large temblor.

    247. California university runs emergency drill |

    January 29 '07: Working with school administrators, faculty, students, the local police departments, campus law enforcement and emergency response experts, Humboldt State University ran a mock disaster scenario to test the community's and school's disaster preparedness, the Times Standard reported. The day-long exercise was overseen by former FEMA Director James Lee Witt's disaster preparedness organization.

    248. Louisiana medical research organization studies hurricane response |

    January 26 '07: Researchers at the Louisiana State Medical Society Educational and Research Foundation have received a grant totaling $254,000 from the Physician's Foundation for Health Systems Excellence to conduct a study analyzing state and local emergency evacuation and preparation plans during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Shreveport Times reported.

    249. South Dakota responders learn from terrorism response exercise |

    January 24 '07: In South Dakota, responders participating in a terrorism response exercise said experience was the best teacher, reported. The recent statewide exercise sponsored by the South Dakota Department of Health gave responders and government leaders valuable lessons-learned for future events officials said.

    250. Alabama counties partner with local organizations for disaster preparedness |

    January 23 '07: Members of the local community, government officials, disaster responders, and private organizations gathered from the Atmore and Escambia counties in Alabama recently to hold a disaster preparedness and response town hall-type meeting, the local Atmore Advance reported. The focus of the meeting was to plan a community-wide disaster drill "to test the response of emergency workers, public and private."

    251. Easy to use communications technology helps National Capital Region respond |

    January 8 '07: Recently, the Washington D.C. metro area received high marks for its first responders' ability to communicate and efficiently share information regarding a disaster. A press release detailed some of the reasons for the area's ability to become more flexible in sharing information citing low training thresholds and the ease with which the communications equipment can be obtained and distributed.

    252. Dogs help first responders in Tenn |

    November 15 '06: Responders in Tennessee are using dogs to help rescue and recovery efforts, Firehouse.com reported Tuesday. The Tennessee Task Force One is only just one of 28 emergency response groups trained in the US using dogs to help locate victims of terrorist attacks or natural disasters.

    253. Miami and area developing hurricane evacuation and response plan |

    October 26 '06: Should a Category 5 hurricane strike the Florida coast, federal officials working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, are developing a plan to help state officials prepare for mitigation or response in the even that Miami is hit or that elderly and weakened levees on Lake Okeechobee break, the Miami Herald reported Wednesday.

    254. Tennessee moves to upgrade 911 system into digital network |

    October 25 '06: State officials in Tennessee have voted to begin construction on an infrastructure modernization plan which would digitally connect the state's 911 and responder emergency systems into a centralized network, the Associated Press reported this week.

    255. NCORP and Manchester College help focus emergency preparedness and response |

    October 18 '06: Local responder officials, private sector crisis management chiefs and members of private organizations and the religious community gathered in Indiana to discuss emergency response, preparedness and management during a Crisis Response Summit co-hosted by the National Council on Readiness and Preparedness and Manchester College in Indiana on Monday.

    256. Fire departments receive federal money to help reduce and respond to blazes |

    October 9 '06: Grants to firefighters around the country from homeland security funds will total close to $485 million in the 2006 fiscal year, according to Department of Homeland Security press releases and announcements. The grants are a part of a larger DHS-led program called the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program that is working to coordinate the national level of preparedness and response of firefighters.

    257. Emergency preparedness training for school officials |

    September 21 '06: Teachers and school administrators in California's San Ramon Valley school district are learning basic fire-fighting, triage and wound treatment skills so that faculty will be able to effectively respond to an emergency situation, the Contra Costa Times reported earlier this month.

    258. Emergency healthcare and medical response |

    September 11 '06: At a regional workshop for medical first responders and emergency officials, the Assistant Secretary of Health Admiral John Agwunobi said the US has a "long way to go before we can say we are prepared for any and every hazard," a Utah NBC affiliate, KSL reported.

    259. Robotic first responders |

    August 31 '06: Disaster response crews and military personnel are relying more on robotic assistance in the field despite some drawbacks. Using new technology and increased dexterity, the machines "are being tested for use in military situations and civilian catastrophes," McClatchey News Services reported Wednesday. However many say that humans and dogs are still the best tools to use in recovery, response and emergency situations.

    260. Researchers develop cheap radiation and nuke detection device |

    August 23 '06: A group of private inventors in San Francisco were able to design and build a radiation detection device for $12,000 which can be used in ports to search for possible smuggled nuclear materials, Wired reported Tuesday.

    261. The stadium as an emergency shelter |

    July 21 '06: In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a new report, published by the International Association of Assembly Managers seeks to find best practices and coordinated efforts at helping to improve emergency conditions for "mega-shelters".

    262. Public/Private cooperation best for medical response to pandemic |

    July 18 '06: A new article published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found the greatest benefit to pandemic flu preparedness is an "effective coordination among state and local public health authorities and individual health care providers." The article, the result of work compiled by the American College of Physicians, looked at the responsibilities set forth in federal plans to plan, prevent and address the threat of a flu pandemic, should it hit the United States. In the article, eight recommendations were given to help address better practices and methods of confronting pandemic response.

    263. Blue Cascades III complete |

    July 4 '06: A huge earthquake strikes the West Coast causing massive damage and the potential for a destructive tsunami while putting thousands of lives at risk. That is the scenario which involved more than 330 emergency management officials and first responders from more than 150 organizations simulated in California during the Blue Cascades III exercise, the program's press release read. The two-day event, sponsored by the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region hoped to "prepare and examine mitigation, response, restoration, and long-term recovery activities for potential large-scale natural or man-made disasters such as an earthquake, terrorist attack, or tsunami."

    264. Standard communication protocol developed for first responders |

    June 23 '06: A new standard has been ratified by the Organization of the Advancement of Structured Information Standards which will allow federal, state and local governments, as well as a myriad of private organizations and non-governmental organizations to share information, Government Computer News reported. "The Emergency Data Exchange Language Distribution Element (EDXL-DE) Version 1.0 has been designated a standard by Oasis, which serves as the de facto international standards body," and it will allow emergency information to be transfered across jurisdictions. The creation of the standard was in part, with the help of the Department of Homeland Security.

    265. LA emergency preparedness plans |

    June 8 '06: City officials in Los Angeles voted on Monday to develop an emergency preparedness plan in the event of a large natural disaster or terrorist strike, a local CBS News affiliate reported. The announcement came as the White House planned to release a report on advancements of city councils around the country regarding emergency management and disaster preparedness, National Public Radio broadcast earlier. Part of the money needed to increase the city's disaster preparedness plans will come from federal funding from the Department of Homeland Security which announced new grant allocations this week.

    266. Student Emergency Response Teams |

    June 7 '06: Preparedness through government programs in cooperation with the private sector in airports, sea ports and along the border are all ways that federal officials and their state and local counterparts say is one way to help keep the nation prepared for a major natural disaster or terror attack. But a new pilot program, to keep schools prepared in case of an emergency, is being adopted by schools across the country. In Wisconsin, students at the Chippewa Falls public schools are participating in the Student Emergency Response Team program (SERT). "It's a program for kids from 13 to 18 years old. They're getting a three-day lesson in everything from putting fires out to dealing with a mass-casualty terrorist disaster," a local ABC affiliate reported Tuesday.

    267. Miami-Dade homeland security officials ask for resident participation |

    June 5 '06: Miami-Dade County Homeland Security officials held an instructional meeting with residents last week to help raise community awareness regarding spotting suspicious activity the Miami Herald reported recently. Under a new program begun in coordination with federal efforts nationally, local homeland security officials said that it was important residents become able to spot suspicious activity and that they report that activity. "The officers gave a run-down of the bureau's job, which is to gather, investigate and disseminate intelligence to avoid or quickly react to local attacks," the Herald reported.

    268. Radios for Red Cross |

    May 10 '06: As federal officials plan for hurricane season - discussing ways to increase responders' abilities to communicate in times of crisis - the private sector has been mirroring those preparations in communications' abilities.

    269. Red Cross to revamp before 2006 hurricane season |

    April 5 '06: National Public Radio reported Wednesday that the Red Cross is revamping its organization in preparation of the 2006 hurricane season.

    270. Ready America preparedness and response |

    April 3 '06: The ability to assess risks, harden targets, prepare for responses, respond to emergencies as needed and learn from past mistakes are the most valuable tools the first responder community has, according to three days of lectures, talks and breakout sessions at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in Cambridge, Mass. In cooperation with the National Council on Readiness and Preparedness, the school worked with national, state and local leaders as well as executives from the private sector to help "clarify" ways in which response to national and natural emergencies can be improved, and strengthened through greater communication, awareness and efficiency.

    271. Volunteerism in New Orleans |

    March 17 '06: The Christian Science Monitor reported Friday that as many as 10,000 college students from around the United States are spending their spring breaks helping recovery and cleanup efforts in New Orleans.

    272. Agreement at Indiana schools will help manage information in the feild |

    January 19 '06: The Department of Homeland Security will give federal grant money to Purdue University which has partnered with the Indiana University School of Medicine to help with analytical software development to disseminate information on a large scale right as a major event unfolds and while the response process is underway, the Journal and Courier, a local paper in Lafayette, Indiana reported.

    273. Educational grants from DHS |

    January 17 '06: Department of Homeland Security funding and grants to help protect and prepare communities for national and natural disasters are also needed by educational institutions to help research, preparedness and coordination with federal, state and local resources. Bangor Daily News in Maine reported last week that some school districts in the state have been given DHS grants - money that will be used in surveillance and preparedness according to the guidelines in the grant reward.

    274. NYC hospitals get radiation detection |

    January 2 '06: New York City officials announced recently that they will begin to equip the city's hospitals with radiation detection systems to help them prepare for surge capacity in the event of a dirty bomb attack, the Associated Press reported.

    275. Two communities develop and train on tracking systems |

    November 28 '06: Two communities in Mississippi and Massachusetts are developing tracking technologies to help them protect and prepare although the goals of the tracking are very different. In Mississippi, researchers at the state's University are working to develop a tracking system to help protect inland waterways. In Massachusetts, health officials are helping community members learn to use elderly patient tracking technology.


    Reports


    276. 2009 Congressional Testimony by the Hon. George W. Foresman | foresmantestimony.pdf

    Congressional Testimony on ReadyCommunities Partnership initiatives and Crisis Response Officer


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    277. Survivor's Fund | final-survivors-fund-process-doc.pdf

    This report outlines the steps the Community Fund established to create an effective, case-based approach to disaster outreach. The Survivor's Fund was established immediately after the attacks on 9/11 by community leaders in the Washington DC area. The Fund closed earlier in March of 2008 after it had raised more than $25 million from local residents to help the families devastated by the attacks.

    278. Using the Private Sector as augment for disaster response | hurricane_response_more_effective.pdf

    This is a report released by George Mason Univ.'s Mercatus Center on Global Prosperity Initiative. It talks about the breakdown of reliance on a centralized federal response system used in cases like Katrina and how the private sector was much more resilient in helping to respond and recover. At the heart of this argument however is not that the private sector should take over disaster response, it's that because many private sector stakeholders have huge and effective supply chain and infrastructure in place, they can augment a public sector response.

    279. Midwives in emergencies | midwives-in-emergencies.pdf

    In 2006/2007, the World Health Organization released a report on incorporating midwifery and nursing into disaster situations in the developed and developing worlds. The report found that midwives and nurses play a trusted and integral role in emergency response within disaffected and depressed communities which typically have few resources.

    280. County Plan for Water Availability During Emergencies | first-water-inc.pdf

    This white paper, released by First Water Inc., outlines the ways counties can hope to plan and execute an effective program to provide potable water to counties in the U.S. who have been affected by a disaster.

    281. New York Disaster Interfaith Services | nydis-ar-2007-final.pdf

    According to this annual report, the NYDIS: "New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS) is a 501(c)(3) faith-based federation of service providers and charitable organizations who work in partnership to provide disaster readiness, response, and recovery services for New York City. Our mission is to coordinate, develop, and support these disaster services to mitigate the harm of, prepare for, and respond to all hazards – both natural and human-caused. NYDIS provides secular human services to faith communities and individuals alike, regardless of membership status or religious affiliation. In times of crisis, NYDIS convenes its leadership to network with government agencies and local, state, and national organizations involved in disaster management."

    282. Local Governments for Sustainability | preparing-communities-for-climate-change.pdf

    **NB** Some pictures in this report may appear dark because of compression. To download the original report (5.6 Mb) you can visit this link: http://www.iclei.org/documents/USA/download/0709climateGUIDEweb.pdf

    This report released by the ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability - addressing the steps all sizes of communities can take to help incorporate changing climate patterns into their overall preparedness and response systems. Topics include possible pandemic, drought, severe storms and emergency response challenges and possible solutions.

    283. Manpower's cooperation with Florida for workforce recovery after hurricanes | manpower-rebranding.pdf

    This case study published by Manpower, outlines the cooperation between the public and private sectors which can connect existing resources to challenges faced during an initial recovery after a disaster. Manpower was able to provide the state of Florida's smaller communities with a workforce using residents from the affected communities which helped to establish a strong foundation for economic and job force recovery.

    284. Synthron Chemical Disaster | synthron-final-report.pdf

    This report, released by the Chemical Safety Board found that a lack of corporate preparedness and foresight led to a faulty response which led to the death of one employee as well as 14 injured.

    285. Volunteer emergency responder recruitment and retention |

    The U.S. Fire Administration released this report detailing the current state of volunteer recruitment for their emergency response services in the U.S. The report found that citizens were still willing to contribute time and resources so long as a certain set of criteria were in place.

    286. Cooperative Outreach Training Program | cooperativeoutreachdhs.pdf

    The Department of Homeland Security developed the outreach program to provide training for state and local first responders and also to deliver those capabilities in a cost-effective and efficient way.

    287. Assessment of damage by Hawaiian earthquake | hawaii-comprehensive-communications-review-report-1.05

    After the earthquakes struck Hawaii in 2006, communications lines, as well as the power grid, succumbed to massive amounts of damage cutting government and responders' ability to communicate. Media officials had a hard time sending out messages as well while most of the islands' communities were without power for some time. This is a report looking into ways to mitigating earthquake damage and an assessment of the response.

    288. American College of Physicians report on pandemic response | flu-pandemic-response-paper.pdf

    The American College of Physicians released this paper to recommend ways to prepare the medical community for pandemic response. In the paper, the ACP supports local task forces and the use of volunteer physicians and health care providers in coordinated, federally-led response efforts on the local level.

    289. Credentials in the field for clearer response | firstrespondercredentials.pdf

    An outline of how to credential first responders in the field so that identification during a response is quick and efficient. The credentialing would create a baseline of operations so that emergency management operators would know the who/what/when/where/how of the response.

    290. County emergency management plans | county-emergency-management-plan.pdf

    County emergency management is important in the larger response context. This report by the National Association of Counties looks into counties' abilities to handle disaster response operations and the current state of county response preparedness in the U.S..

    291. Changes to the National Response Plan | change-to-the-national-response-plan.pdf

    As the challenge of national response evolves, so does the plan which coordinates the federal, state and local government agencies. Changes to the National Response Plan can be found here.

    292. Questions raised by Hurricane Katrina and the disaster | brookings-katrina-report.pdf

    After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast region, federal, state and local governments as well as community, private, relief organizations and academic institutions asked what are the implications of such a large disaster on the affected communities and the nation as a whole. This Brookings Institute paper handles some of those questions.

    293. Hawaii emergency communications report | hawaii-comprehensive-communications-review-report-1.05

    After large earthquakes shook Hawaiian communities in October, 2006, the state's government released a report detailing best practices to increase state and local first responders' abilities to communicate and respond during a disaster when the information infrastructure has been damaged.

    294. Recommendations from the Institutes of Medicine - emergency room and surge capacity | emergency-care-findings-and-recsiom.pdfemergency-medical-response-report.pdf

    During the summer of 2006, the Institutes of Medicine released a series of reports which looked at the nation's emergency rooms' abilities to handle surge capacity and the general state of health of those emergency rooms. The IOM recommended that in order to be prepared to handle large-scale disasters, hospitals must increase their ER capacity.

    295. Center for American Progress outlines biosecurity plan | biosecurity-report.pdf

    The Center for American Progress has found that less than fifteen states or cities in the U.S. "have the capability to administer stockpiled vaccines or other drugs on a large scale," and that "20 percent of Americans live in states where hospitals lack the medical equipment necessary when handling a severe health crisis."

    296. The National Homeland Security Strategy | national-strategy-for-homeland-security.pdf

    The National Strategy for Homeland Security, released in July 2002, outlined the initial move by the federal government to establish a national network dedicated to protecting and preparing the U.S. against the threat of a terrorist attack or a large-scale natural disaster. The creation of the Department of Homeland Security amalgamated more than 22 pre-existing federal agencies under one aegis.

    297. The National Response Plan | national-response-plan.pdf

    The National Response Plan was released in 2004. It outlines the process and fundamental guidelines for the communication and coordination of federal, state and local emergency management operations. In the words of DHS, the plan "establishes a comprehensive all-hazards approach to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents."

    298. National Governors Association Pandemic Preparedness Report | governors-association-flu-report.pdf

    The National Governors Association released its flu pandemic preparedness report to help to give state and local governments resources and tools needed to formulate specific pandemic mitigation and preparedness plans as well as to begin to develop alternative methods of quarantining and spread control.

    299. International Assocation of Fire Chiefs hazardous materials report | fire-chiefs-report.pdf

    The International Association of Fire Chiefs in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration released a final report in 2006 that looked at hazardous materials response, incident planning and management as well as methods on training departments to handle better emergencies involving hazardous materials.


    300. Century Foundation report Forgotten Homeland | century-foundation-report.pdf

    The Forgotten Homeland is a task force report released by the Century Foundation that focuses on homeland security efforts in place in the U.S. and the state of homeland preparedness. The report came to three main conclusions: that urban areas are the most at risk of a terrorist attack; that public/private partnerships will be the most effective homeland security initiatives; and that the federal government must work to improve their performance on responsibilities such as port security and border protection.


    301. Trust for America's Health Bioterror Preparedness Report | bioterrorreportresponse2006.pdf

    Trust for America's Health is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to assess the nation's ability to respond to medical disasters and disease prevention. The report released looked at the current state of bioterror preparedness in the U.S. five years after the attacks on 9/11.

    302. SAFECOM Interoperable Baseline Survey | 2006nationalinteroperabilitybaselinesurvey.pdf

    The National Interoperability Baseline Survey was mandated by the Department of Homeland Security and addresses interoperable communications efforts being implemented across the U.S. The report also helps to provide a national picture of advances in improvements to public safety wireless communications.

    303. Department of Defense's role in disaster response | dodinhomelanddefensed20050630homeland.pdf

    After the attacks on September 11, 2001 the Department of Defense released it's Homeland Security initiatives that would focus the government agency's role in protecting the U.S. against the threat of terrorism. In the Strategy for Homeland Defense and Civil Support, the DOD outlines how it would protect the country as well as respond to a major disaster.

    304. Mass Casualty Guide Planner | MassMedicalCareGuideCumScantResources-0.pdf

    This guide was written with mass casualty events in mind - it provides information regarding evacuation, surge capacity, response, containment and quarantine methods to help communities develop effective plans for pandemics, terrorist incidents and other MCE's.

    305. The Role of the National Guard in emergency response | national-guard-and-emergency-management.pdf

    This report released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies looks at the evolving responsibilities of the National Guard after the attacks on 9/11 and the subsequent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of note is the traditional participation of local first responders in the National Guard who, because of the wars, are no longer in their communities.

    306. National Planning Scenarios | nationalplanningscenariosapril2005_web.pdf

    The Department of Homeland Security released these planning scenarios for fifteen different events which would require cooperation, response and containment from all levels of government as well as help from community-based organizations, the private sector and individual citizens. The National Planning Scenarios were written to provide "the design basis for exercises throughout the Nation," to help prepare for catastrophic events.

    307. Response capabilities and relationships between state and local health departments | rand-report-on-medical-structure-and-response.pdf

    This RAND Corporation report focuses on state and local health departments' public health preparedness plans and emergency management guidelines. The report also looks at the relationship between state and local health departments and whether those relationships help to build robust emergency response capabilities.

    308. International Fire Chief Mutual Aid | internationalpolicechiefmutualaidsystems.pdf

    International Fire Chief Mutual Aid for integration with the National Incident Management System

 

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