By SARA RUBIN, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, October 24, 2012.
By using mHealth technologies, local health departments can improve their efficiency and effectiveness not only in communicating with the public but also in dispensing medical countermeasures during large-scale pandemics. Current initiatives can offer a starting point on how to integrate mobile technology into local preparedness planning efforts.
By ROBERT C. HUTCHINSON, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 17, 2022.
Although it may not have been readily apparent in early 2020, the federal government did have a comprehensive national strategy and implementation plan for a pandemic threat. Despite having these resources and knowledge, the United States was still unprepared to effectively respond to COVID-19. This article points out the preparedness gaps and the urgency to close them before the next major public health threat.
By ERIN VALENTINE, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 17, 2022.
Effective trainings are ones where the participants remember and later implement what they learned into their daily operations. Not everyone knows how they would respond in a true emergency. However, some trainings provide a more realistic glimpse into disaster scenarios than others. This first-hand account describes what it was like for one participant inside a hospital training facility.
By THOMAS P. RUSSO, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 08, 2012.
Having choices opens many opportunities for patients and responders as well as medical staff within the U.S. healthcare system. However, that benefit has led to complications in communications and the sharing of information. Healthcare coalitions are seeking better ways to meet daily operational goals while at the same time expanding the capabilities available to cope with emergency surges and mass-casualty incidents.
By SETH KOMANSKY, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 23, 2017.
First responders are often deployed to unique operating environments, which include large-scale special events with many participants and spectators: street festivals; road races or marathons; concerts; and sporting events. These environments require leadership to take a forward-thinking posture in the planning process to develop a strategy. It also relies on front-line personnel to execute tactics that vary from day-to-day operations.
By KESLEY RICHARDSON, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 10, 2022.
Emergency management professionals are regularly tasked with high-stress responsibilities, including political pressure, life safety concerns, vulnerable infrastructure, and community vulnerabilities. Three ways to reduce the risk of burnout and increase retention efforts are described in this article: lead with care, invest in psychological support, and look at the schedule.
By IAN PLEET, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 10, 2022.
Mass shootings have spurred agencies to shift from reactive to proactive measures to mitigate threats and their consequences. Tactical medicine plays a significant role in reducing deaths associated with active assailant incidents. This article explains how trained first responders with the correct equipment and the courage to use it can be on the scene, saving lives even before the attacker is subdued.
By THEODORE (TED) TULLY, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, May 02, 2012.
No matter what the Supreme Court decides on the constitutionality of the healthcare reform act, U.S. hospitals must prepare now for major changes in their planning, everyday operations, and both budgetary and personnel resources. Many of those changes may be costly. Most will be time-consuming and/or difficult to implement. But in the long term, almost all will benefit - the hospitals themselves, their medical staff, and -most important of all - their patients.
By STEPHEN GRAINER, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, May 15, 2013.
The United States already has a national system in place that can help responders "manage" any disaster situation - both natural and manmade. By adapting and modifying the concepts and processes of the Incident Command System, large and small jurisdictions alike can easily incorporate several categories of specialized response teams into complex response efforts.
By JAMES MARTIN, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 03, 2022.
Emergency preparedness often involves preparing for a particular type of disaster. However, each disaster can affect people differently depending on their individual physical and mental abilities. This article helps emergency preparedness and response professionals address the needs of individuals with disabilities and access and functional needs and know how to respond respectfully and provide the best possible care.
