A senior FEMA official discusses her personal experiences during the 17 October 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in California and how it helped her realize that effective response-and-recovery operations require not only the efforts of the "official" federal, state, and local agencies involved but also the cooperation of thousands of individual citizens.
DHS (Department of Homeland Security) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced more than $380 million in grants funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to pay for fire station construction and port & transit security initiatives nationwide while creating jobs and stimulating local economies.
The FP&S (Fire Prevention and Safety) grant program supports projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and fire-related hazards.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region IX, has announced that a public meeting is scheduled for 25 September 2009 to review preliminary evaluation findings on the performance of a full-scale exercise at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in Southern California.
Nextel handsets equipped with TeleNav Track GPS services give the Federal Emergency Management Agency both ease of deployment and reductions in cost for their emergency communications.
The ambitious, entertaining, and stunningly innovative series ends with the volunteers' "Exodus" - "Escape" would be an equally accurate description - to a new and seemingly better world 150 miles or so south, a bit further inland, and apparently blessed with a greater abundance of the resources needed for human survival.
The new breed of Geographic Information Systems - combined with improved communications and well trained, experienced firefighters - may not magically stop California's costly and now seemingly annual wildfires, but they are making serious inroads on the flames and proving to be one of the best procurement decisions the Golden State has ever made.
With IEDs, the proliferation of new chemical and biological threats, and other dangers increasing in both scope and frequency, today's SWAT team needs some built-in EMS capabilities - best provided, of course, by specially trained emergency medical services technicians.
FEMA's Center for Domestic Preparedness has become a world-class model for all-hazards training in a steadily increasing and widely heralded number of courses covering the entire spectrum of the new and still emerging threats in the Brave New World of the 21st century.
Rapiscan Systems Inc. has announced that the Rapiscan 620DV, Rapiscan 632DV, Rapiscan 638DV, and Rapiscan MVXR5000 have been included on the Transportation Security Administration's Candidate Technology List for Air Cargo Inspections.
LIFESAVER bottles produce filtered, sterile drinking water free of bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and all other microbiological waterborne pathogens.
Northrop Grumman Corporation & Syagen Technology have signed a product development and license agreement to further strengthen their collaboration in the development of the next generation of chemical biological mass spectrometry instrumentation.
"This contract will provide vital bioterrorism detection equipment to the DOD for a very sensitive sector of our national security and intelligence," said Jacques Tizabi, CEO of Universal Detection Technology. "As the public & private sectors realize the risks of bioterrorism activity, we will provide them with the necessary tools to meet those risks."
The United States General Services Administration (GSA) listing for GEOMET enables U.S. federal agencies and the military to order GEOMET's personal protective equipment, such as its DTAP-brand chemical protective suits, which are highly regarded in the industry.
The Colonists fight, then reunite, but recognize that their chances of long-term survival diminish almost visibly with each passing week. They have done well - exceptionally well, under the circumstances - but know that a brighter tomorrow is many miles away. Can they make it?
Introduction to an innovative PowerPoint presentation on the how-to fundamentals of developing a united approach for a broad spectrum of agencies pooling their resources to deal with community emergencies faster and more effectively.
An attack on U.S. cities could topple skyscrapers, destroy seaports, and block highways, tunnels, and bridges. Those are all local effects. An attack on the nation's food supply could sicken the entire nation, so coordinating a response and recovery operation require a different approach.
Smiths Detection's new screener is designed to increase throughput while quickly detecting concealed weapons and explosives in security-sensitive buildings and areas.
The Summit will actively engage a vast array of technical and leadership staff from the water, laboratory, and emergency response communities to learn about WLA Program elements, practice the WLA Response Plan (WLA-RP) for incident response, and provide hands-on experience with EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) security-related tools and resources.
The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Defense (DOD) have announced an initiative to grant selected state and major urban area fusion center personnel access to classified terrorism-related information.
"This groundbreaking series of electronic locks means that purchasers will be able to buy a customized solution to secure their facilities today while protecting their access-control investment for years to come," emphasizes Karen Keating, Schlage electronic locking portfolio marketing manager.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommends that the Department of Defense (DOD) direct U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to consistently involve the states in planning, executing, and assessing exercises and improve oversight of corrective actions.
DHS (Department of Homeland Security) Secretary Janet Napolitano and GSA (General Services Administration) Acting Administrator Paul Prouty hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking event to commence the consolidation of a new DHS headquarters at the St. Elizabeth's Campus.
The agreement creates a tri-national task force to develop joint emergency preparedness strategies, develop a tri-national emergency communications & notification plan, and exchange information on hazardous waste to identify threats to the region.
The Altair 4 QuickCheck Station completes most bump and function tests in less than one minute, fast and efficiently verifying instrument gas response and alarm functionality.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it is further bolstering existing explosives detection capabilities by deploying additional tools to screen powdered substances at checkpoints.
In a state already hit hard by out-of-control wildfires, huge economic problems, and various political controversies, it is at least somewhat reassuring that the Golden State is still a national leader in its planning for and ability to cope with mass-casualty incidents and events, both natural and manmade.
The survivors gain an additional member, and encounter not one but several additional problems. Tempers flare, supplies dwindle - but human genius provides a spark of mobile optimism. What are the lessons learned that future generations can use to develop and implement their own survival plans?
The brave new world of the 21st century has added weapons of mass destruction to the already long list of dangers facing individual citizens, political jurisdictions & humanity in general. The new keys to survival are not good weather and good luck, but cooperation and collaboration at all levels of government to provide for the common safety.
The new version of the irms|PM (Patient Management) offers greater flexibility and faster patient processing, creating a more streamlined and user-friendly process for healthcare professionals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced plans to distribute $40 million to state health departments to help prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The investment represents the first time Congress has appropriated HAI prevention funds specifically earmarked for states.
The Uplink Time Difference of Arrival (U-TDOA) is renowned for its ability to accurately and reliably locate any mobile phone in any environment, including indoors. U-TDOA is currently used throughout the United States to locate emergency 911 phone calls dialed by mobile subscribers.
HHS (Health & Human Services) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the selection of John Howard, M.D., as the new director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) where he will play a dual role - in addition to being the director of NIOSH, he also will serve as the World Trade Center Programs coordinator for HHS.
The agreement establishes a bilateral working group through which the Department of Homeland Security of the United States and the Secretariat of Public Security of Mexico will coordinate the installation and operation of the network.
The Inclusive Preparedness Center (IPC) announces the availability of two new practical planners for schools and organizations concerned with continuity-of-operations planning for a pandemic influenza.
This latest fabric from Gore provides breathability not found in other liquid-proof ChemBio garments. By allowing moisture vapor from perspiration to escape from the garment, this fabric reduces heat stress and increases comfort, allowing the wearer to remain engaged for up to eight hours without compromising his or her safety.
"Dennis Schrader is a forward thinking leader and consummate professional," said MIPT's (Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism) Executive Director David Cid. "While Deputy Administrator of the National Preparedness Directorate at the Federal Emergency Management Agency he was first to recognize our potential as a training & professional development center and provided vital support for our transformation."
The Coumil and Panmil are part of the new line of CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) protective garment solutions that utilize the latest technologies to help defence & homeland security personnel swiftly don highly protective and low body burden CBRN garments and respond to the situation at hand for extended operational periods.
Another trip (always dangerous) to the L.A. River teaches the Colonists that the challenges they face are psychological and emotional as well as physical. They also know that they need a continuing supply of protein; fortunately, there is a lot of it scurrying about the warehouse.
Mutual aid - between emergency responder agencies, and between cities, counties, and other political jurisdictions - is a noble goal, and worth striving for. But all the good will in the world is meaningless if equipment compatibilities are lacking, there are no uniform training rules, and other essential criteria are dissimilar.
D.C. police official says Mobile ARIS is a "strong defender" of the public's health and safety. "The Mobile ARIS takes any guesswork out of identifying radiation threats, performing this critical function automatically and instantly," said an official in whose jurisdiction Thermo Fisher tested the system.
The Web-based Rapid Responder from Prepared Response Inc. provides the district and the Nez Perce Tribal Police, Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office, Idaho State Police, FBI, and other local, state, and federal first responders with secure and instant access, via computer, to critical campus information including floor plans, aerial imagery, and other important information.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency is using $420 million in Recovery Act funding to replace aging infrastructure and enhance safety at 43 ports of entry across the country - through an objective, thorough, and transparent process.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will begin to use the Non-Disaster Grants Management System (ND Grants) for all of its Fiscal Year 2010 preparedness grants.
"This month, we ask all Americans to visit Ready.gov to learn what they can do to help their families, businesses & communities stay safe during an emergency - whether it be hurricanes like Katrina, the fires we are fighting in California, or pandemic influenza," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano.
