A topic that often bridges various disciplines and jurisdictions - and sometimes is overlooked in the "big picture" - is security related to environmental health. To address questions surrounding this topic, DomPrep asked readers how they define environmental health and where it fits within the national and international security arena.
The natural and built environments affect personal and population health, but the effects are often only visible over time. Countering the threat of harmful substances and organisms in food, water, air, and soil requires a multidiscipline approach. Determining where environmental health and security fits alongside public health strategy and homeland security will help the nation better prevent, mitigate, and respond to such threats.
The natural and built environments affect personal and population health, but the effects are often only visible over time. Countering the threat of harmful substances and organisms in food, water, air, and soil requires a multidiscipline approach. Determining where environmental health and security fits alongside public health strategy and homeland security will help the nation better prevent, mitigate, and respond to such threats.
Public health encompasses pandemics and bioterrorism incidents as much as injury and illness threats following other types of disasters. This podcast interview brings together subject matter experts to discuss the challenges, roles, and responsibilities of state, local, and federal agencies when dealing with a public health disaster.
An article, a flash poll, and a podcast each addressed the same question: Where does the nation stand on preparedness for biological threats? As the world watches to see how West Africa manages the latest Ebola outbreak, public health officials must continue to train, educate, staff, and fund their forces to be ready when they too must face a major biological threat.
In 2001, almost 3,000 people died after the 9/11 attacks. In 2005, more than 1,800 people died because of Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent floods. Receiving less attention, in the United States alone, more than 3,000 people die of influenza each year. With other public health threats having already crossed the border, it is time to connect the dots and better address national public health security.
An article, a flash poll, and a podcast each addressed the same question: Can a country that faces daily civil disturbances adequately secure a major special event? Many factors involved in training public and private security personnel make this question difficult to answer - temporary staff, types of training, and level of training to cite a few.
To address the gaps and concerns revealed in a recent article and flash poll, subject matter experts discussed training efforts necessary to ensure adequate security at large-scale special events. The challenge of securing special events can be compounded by daily responsibilities, especially where civil violence exists.
For any large-scale special event, it is important to expect the unexpected. The United States Park Police took the time to plan and train with private sector partners for the annual Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run to discover gaps and mitigate potential hazards and incidents that may present before, during, or after the event.
Events such as the Boston Marathon bombing highlight the need to prepare for the unexpected. On 3 April 2014, the United States Park Police held a first-of-its-kind tabletop exercise with event organizers of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. This podcast provides insights on the importance of bringing external partners to the table during the special event planning process.
