First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) Course Now Available

The First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST™) training program is now available to organizations and individuals seeking education on handling a life-threatening bleeding emergency. FAST is a Stop the Bleed® course funded with grant support from the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and developed by the Uniformed Services University’s National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health in collaboration with the American Red Cross.

Pandemic Preparedness, From A Local and State Perspective

NIST’s Emberometer Could Gauge Threat of Wildfire-Spreading Embers

As wildfire fronts advance through landscapes or communities on the ground, they also attack from above, launching volleys of glowing embers into the air. Also known as firebrands, these specks of burning debris can glide for up to 40 kilometers (approximately 24 miles) before landing and can cause up to 90% of home and business fires during wildfires. Guidance on fending off ember attacks is sparse, largely because so little is known about embers’ behavior. But a new instrument, dubbed an emberometer, could offer a glimpse at their true nature.

CDC Stands Up New Disease Forecasting Center

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces a new center designed to advance the use of forecasting and outbreak analytics in public health decision making. The Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics will bring together next-generation public health data, expert disease modelers, public health emergency responders, and high-quality communications. The new center will accelerate access to and use of data for public health decision-makers who need information to mitigate the effects of disease threats.

CISA Releases Toolkit to Promote Public Safety Communications and Cyber Resiliency

To assist public safety agencies, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) created the Public Safety Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit to provide guidance and resources supporting the ability of communications networks to withstand damage and minimize the likelihood of a service outage. The toolkit is intended to identify and address emergent trends and issues, consolidate resources, educate stakeholders at all levels of government, and propose mitigations to enable resilient public safety communications.

COVID-19: Impact on Financial Fraud

The past 16 months have been challenging. COVID-19 left a trail of destruction and a tremendous loss of life. It has had an impact on almost every aspect of daily life. The economy, supply chains, social norms, schools, and places of worship were all affected. The pandemic also led to increased risk of financial fraud and cybercrime. The nation seems to be turning the corner on the pandemic, and people are gradually setting their sights on returning to a new normal way of life.

Different Sides of Disaster Support

Disaster support often conjures the image of boots-on-the-ground responders providing aid to survivors on scene. However, disaster support involves so much more that is accomplished at each phase of the disaster management cycle. These efforts include creating codes and standards, building a workforce, providing financial aid, and offering psychological support.

CISA Launches New Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced the standup of the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC), a new agency effort to lead the development of cyber defense operations plans, and to execute those plans in coordination with partners from the federal interagency, private sector, and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT) government stakeholders to drive down risk before an incident and to unify defensive actions should an incident occur.

Emergency Management Projects in a Quasi-Pandemic World

The COVID-19 pandemic put many projects on hold and stalled efforts to build the workforce and train the next generation. Now that agencies are revisiting pre-pandemic projects, the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management in Virginia offers a best practices approach for introducing internship programs and filling critical operational and resource gaps.

Health Care Readiness 2020 Annual Report

During 2020, the nation faced unprecedented challenges, including COVID-19 and other concurrent disasters and emergencies, that required coordinated local, regional, and national responses. This inaugural annual report shares how each of the Health Care Readiness Programs was activated in 2020 to build the preparedness and response capabilities of the U.S. health care system.

Free Psychological Wellness Resources for Fire Departments

Emergency responders face a variety of physical and behavioral health challenges every day. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) provides free tools and resources to help fire and emergency medical services departments foster a safety culture and support the mental and physical health of their members.

Going to a Public Disaster Shelter During the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the 2021 hurricane season in effect, emergency managers, shelter managers, and public health professionals are taking measures to reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 among people who seek safety in a disaster shelter during severe weather events. Find tips and resources to help prepare and lower the risk of infection while staying safe in a shelter.

CERT Train-the-Trainer Course Now Available Online

The Emergency Management Institute will deliver two virtually facilitated offerings of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Train-the-Trainer in August and September. The audience for the course is CERT Basic Training course managers and instructors.

Building Codes Support Disaster Preparedness & Resilience

Building codes and standards have long been a silent partner in the health, safety, and welfare of communities and are becoming increasingly more important in society. Today’s emergency managers and community leaders face a multitude of risks including extreme weather events such as hurricanes, tornados, straight-line winds, flooding, drought, and wildfires, as well as global risks from communicable disease outbreaks and environmental change. Luckily, building codes and standards continue to provide a safe structural foundation for communities as a trusted and proven resource and are regularly evolving to meet the challenges of these dynamic threats.

Key Planning Factors and Considerations for Response to and Recovery From a Chemical Incident for Public Engagement

Key Planning Factors and Considerations for Response to and Recovery From a Chemical Incident is written for response and recovery planners at the regional, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels. A coordinated response and recovery effort will include all levels of government in addition to the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and, potentially, international partners. Planning for a chemical incident requires additional considerations beyond all-hazard preparedness planning, so this document includes strategic and operational issues for consideration when developing response and recovery plans for a chemical incident.

As Drone Popularity and Potential Risk Soars, so too Does S&T Preparedness

The popularity of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), or drones, has grown as the cost has become more affordable. Their nefarious capabilities continue to increase, as well. They can attain high speeds and move in three dimensions with the potential to carry dangerous payloads, smuggle contraband, and conduct illicit surveillance. The applications are endless, which creates a formidable challenge for national security agencies. Adaptation is key to ensuring resilience. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is supporting counter-unmanned aircraft systems research, testing, training, and evaluation across multiple DHS missions and components.

Building Private-Public Partnerships

The guide provides best practices for jurisdictions to establish and maintain a private-public partnership (P3) to help coordinate mitigation, response & recovery planning, and preparedness. P3s also increase community resilience.

Psychological Effects of COVID-19 on Frontline Workers

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the lives of healthcare workers and first responders – impacts they are still feeling. As workers on the frontlines, these people took a harder hit than the rest of the American population when COVID-19 swept across the nation. Several studies have shown that the pandemic increased a person’s likelihood to have negative impacts on mental health and led to the development of new coping strategies among healthcare workers and first responders.

Saving Lives (and Breath) on the Wildland Fire Line

One of the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) main mission focus areas is supporting the development of technologies that vital first responders need to stay safe. S&T and its partners contributed to the design and testing of a new Wildland Firefighter Respirator, which is currently being developed by TDA Research Inc. This has the potential to be a big leap forward in the fight against wildfires.

Fire Department Pipeline Response, Emergency Planning, and Preparedness Toolkit

Millions of miles of pipelines stretch across the United States, transporting hazardous materials through thousands of communities. The National Volunteer Fire Council and the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration want to help fire departments prepare for pipeline incidents. The Fire Department Pipeline Response Emergency Planning & Preparedness (FD PREPP) Toolkit is a free resource designed to help departments conduct pre-incident planning, increase preparedness, and improve response.

DHS Announces New Cybersecurity Requirements for Critical Pipeline Owners and Operators (2nd Directive)

In response to the ongoing cybersecurity threat to pipeline systems, the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced the issuance of a second security directive that requires owners and operators of TSA-designated critical pipelines that transport hazardous liquids and natural gas to implement a number of urgently needed protections against cyber intrusions.