On 18 November 2013, DomPrep hosted an executive briefing at The National Press Club to present the Resilience 2013 - Survey & Report. The survey outlined in this report is the second of a series that Booz Allen Hamilton has partnered on with DomPrep Journal. The survey drills down into policy challenges for federal programs and understanding impacts at the state and local levels, where the majority of the resilience effort is realized.
Food, like water and air, is essential to sustain life. As such, when someone deliberately taints that sustenance at any point in the food supply chain, the result can be devastating. This report addresses the topic of food defense, which is of great importance to the preparedness community, but it often is not widely understood, especially outside the food and agriculture sector.
Biological weapons are the most significant threat the United States now faces. Identifying the signs and symptoms early is the best method of defending against such weapons, but U.S. military personnel are not yet properly equipped and trained to identify and prevent the spread of such threats.
The unthinkable can happen at any time, and in any place. Being able to track and credential first responders in a timely manner against the unseen perils in today's dangerous world can save many lives. This podcast interview provides important insights on the effective use and training of intelligent accountability systems.
Deadly incidents such as the Boston Marathon bombings have raised many concerns among special event planners, emergency managers, and first responders. When an incident occurs at the site of a planned event, which usually has many moving parts, the challenges can become overwhelming. This report goes beyond special event planning to address the unfortunate times when the orderly sequence planned simply "goes wrong."
Resilience for those with functional needs requires two things: (a) that these citizens personally understand what to expect during an emergency response; and (b) that emergency responders understand the physical and psychological impact not only on those with long-time functional needs but also on those suffering from what are described as "newly acquired" disabilities.
September is designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as National Preparedness Month - a time when U.S. agencies and organizations, at all levels, recognize the need for and take steps to improve their own preparedness efforts.
Recent leaks about government surveillance programs that track U.S. and U.K. phone calls and internet communications have raised major concerns over the privacy of personal communications. There may be even greater difficulties, though, if current ties between the federal government and the U.S. "hacker" community are weakened or, perhaps, severed entirely.
The biothreat topic is important not only for the actual risk of attack, but also the perceived risk. To be sufficiently prepared, a balance must be reached - for security, technology, and situational awareness. This report addresses various key components of biodefense - the threats, the costs, and the priorities.
On 22 April 2013, DomesticPreparedness.com hosted an Executive Briefing at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Keynote speaker Major General Stephen Reeves, USA (Ret.), started the discussion, and was followed by subject matter experts - each of whom focused on various key components of biodefense - the threats, the costs, and the priorities. These high-level presentations address the scientific, medical, and government policies required to fully comprehend today's biothreat challenges.
