The distinguished former director of Maryland's DOT Engineering & Emergency Services presents his knowledgeable views on the effective use of design to improve and facilitate not only all-hazards long-range planning but also incident-response capabilities and on-site effectiveness.
For understandable reasons, major disasters - e.g., earthquakes and tsunamis - get most of the headlines and more of the public funds available even in economically difficult times. Local jurisdictions would be well advised, therefore, not only to focus greater attention on emergencies closer to home but also to ask for neighborly assistance if and when needed.
Question #1: Is the United States prepared to cope with new terrorist attacks in which CBRNE weapons are used to destroy the nation's critical infrastructure and kill thousands of U.S. citizens at the same time? Answer: Not yet, but policy guidelines have been established and the long-range planning process has started. Question #2: Is there anything else that should be done?
by Dr. Craig Vanderwagen, M.D., RADM, USPHS (Retired) -
A distinguished former HHS official explores the major policy, budgetary, and operational factors involved in protecting not only the continued good health of the American people but also the post-incident resilience of U.S. cities, states, "and the United States as a whole." In Upp Technology Inc.'s five-part white-paper series, Dr. Vanderwagen also focuses on a broad spectrum of such related topics as mandatory interventions, logistics management, and the importance of advance planning.
Future chemical challenges facing the United States far into the foreseeable future will be both more frequent and more deadly than those encountered in the halcyon years of the 20th century. Which is why the time is NOW to prepare to meet those challenges head-on and, if prevention does not work, to be much better equipped to deal with the lethal aftermath.
All citizens should not only be better prepared for major earthquakes but also practice how to protect themselves if and when earthquakes actually occur. The goal of the Great Central ShakeOut, which is hosted by the Central United States Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC), is to help people and organizations meet both of these objectives.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the availability of IS-906, Workplace Security Awareness, a no-cost training course developed by the department's Office of Infrastructure Protection Sector-Specific Agency Executive Management Office. The online training now available provides guidance to individuals and organizations on how to improve security in the workplace.
It might look like a yacht and might even maneuver like a yacht. But it could be, instead, a cleverly disguised missile launcher, in yacht's clothing, entering New York Harbor or coming up the Potomac to strike a new blow for Islamic fundamentalism and against the wicked American imperialists. Here is a quick preview of how U.S. decision-makers are hoping to deal with this immensely violent new threat "From the Sea."
The protection of high-value sites is one of the principal tasks spelled out in federal, state, local, and private-sector resilience policies and programs - most of which focus primarily on risk assessments, advance planning, and the implementation of effective security measures. A "fourth leg" - functional security testing - is needed, though, to balance and buttress the other three legs that have to date been receiving the bulk of attention, and most of the fiscal resources as well.
Despite facing some of the most deadly combat environments in the nation's history, the d"saved rate" of forward-deployed U.S. military units on the frequently shifting battleground in Pakistan and Afghanistan is also at a record high - thanks in large part to the medics/corpsmen, doctors, nurses, and CCATT-enriched aerovac units also serving on the front lines.
