Disaster-response operations are always risky, and almost always complicated. The risks and complications are demonstrably much greater, though, when the incident occurs in a major port, which is already a dangerous place to work and, in addition, has in recent years become a particularly attractive target for terrorists.
The still young 21st century has already seen more acts of major terrorism, and more natural disasters, than ever before in recorded history. Most nations are for that reason improving their preparedness and response capabilities. But that is not enough - those capabilities must be thoroughly tested through a probably unending series of drills, exercises, and both individual and team training programs.
With training programs offered in a "true toxic environment," the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) offers the perfect environment to test and develop new requirements, guidelines, and procedures for personal protective equipment (PPE). Building user confidence in PPE is yet another opportunity offered to emergency responders at the CDP.
In the long history of disaster medicine, it has never been more apparent than now how important it is to collaborate with a wide variety of disciplines and jurisdictions, both nationally and abroad. Responders from around the world can learn a lot from the UK's expanding disaster medicine education and training programs.
The NFL's energetic but belated start on pre-season training is a timely reminder that even the best-conditioned and most highly skilled players cannot rest on last year's laurels. The same is true, but much more so, of emergency responders, whose goal is not to win the Super Bowl but to save human lives - sometimes including their own.
The massive increase in workload at FEMA's Center for Domestic Preparedness has led to not only a parallel increase in the center's own specialized capabilities but also a Noble upgrading of facilities, equipment, and the training curriculum. The other good news, for state and local budget managers, is that all expenses are federally funded.
Whatever the outcome of the current and long-running debt-limit controversy at the highest levels of government, it seems certain that the funding of emergency preparedness and national defense programs both will be cut to at least some extent. Here is some helpful advice that prudent planners might want to use to survive even the most serious cutbacks now being contemplated.
In today's stressed economy almost all U.S. cities and states are seeking new ways to obtain funds and, at the same time, reduce expenditures. This does not necessarily mean there will be an immediate, and massive, reduction in preparedness grants. But those grants must be written more carefully, more persuasively, and strictly in accordance with the rules postulated by HHS and DHS.
The mounting of a successful response to a major disaster requires the combined skills of firefighters, emergency managers, policemen, and other experienced professionals. It helps considerably, though, if they can talk to one another - ask anyone who lived through the London subway bombings, the Rhode Island nightclub fire, or the NIU campus shootings.
"Man-caused incidents" - the politically correct term used to describe terrorist attacks - have increased in frequency and severity in recent years and are likely to continue to do so far into the future. Which is one of many good reasons why U.S. emergency managers are focusing more attention on the so-called "I&I" (Intelligence & Investigations) Function.
