The Christmas Day plans of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab were unrudely interrupted when the other passengers on Northwest Flight 253 foiled his murderous attempt to kill them all. The collective heroism they demonstrated was not just another instance of heroism by everyday citizens but also a shining example for others facing similar act-or-die choices in the future.
The technological journey from VIPER to Virtual Alabama to Virtual USA is long and sometimes tedious. But it is probably the best and perhaps only sure way to take today's communications systems from the dangerous present to a future that is safer, technologically sounder, and economically more prudent.
by Ron Houle, Vice President of Government Relations, DHS Systems LLC -
In many emergency situations the most important and longest-enduring task is finding proper shelter for disaster victims and their families. Ron Houle, DHS Systems' vice president of government relations, points out that the use of new high-tech fabrics and a focus on advanced technology is leading to the development of more durable and more efficient shelters that should ameliorate this problem considerably both now and for years to come.
by Gary Dunn, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Avon Protection Systems Inc. -
A judicious combination of grant funds and dual-purpose equipment, the building of integrated protection ensembles, and a continuing focus on new product development will be the keys to company success in the coming year, and probably well beyond, says Gary Dunn, Avon Protection Systems' vice president of Sales and Marketing.
In today's complicated world the definition of "Special Events" has expanded exponentially and now includes a host of activities ranging from Super Bowls and presidential inaugurations to high-school all-star games and spelling championships. Whatever the event, though, the keys to proper preparation are advance planning, the assignment of specific responsibilities to specific agencies, and the establishment of a clear chain of command.
Special Events are exciting, enjoyable, and frequently historic - last year's U.S. presidential inauguration is the prime example. For emergency managers, security personnel, and other behind-the-scene participants, though, they also are a massive responsibility fraught with hidden dangers, an unending workload, and - far too often - enjoyable only when "nothing happens."
Rapid advances in eLearning technology have led to rapid advances in the preparedness training available to Emergency Department personnel in hospitals throughout the country, according to DQE President Howard Levitin. However, he adds, that training should be very carefully planned not only to be compatible with the individual hospital's incident command system but also to accommodate the budgetary and staffing realities affecting, and usually constraining, the daily operations of those same hospitals.
The increase in terrorist attacks in recent years - combined with the ability, and need, to deal both more promptly and more effectively with natural disasters - has led to a greater emphasis on new multi-tracking technologies that, EMSystems CEO Andy Nunemaker points out, give political leaders as well as emergency managers more accurate and more comprehensive information updates - in real time.
Pandemics, wildfires, hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and an occasional tsunami - they are all in a day's work (not all in the same day, though) for the highly professional emergency managers now assigned to a higher seat at the decision-makers' table, and whose primary duty is teaching the nation not only how to cope but also how to survive.
From time immemorial, and in every society on earth, those who enforce the law have themselves been targeted for death or injury by those who break the law. The attacks against U.S. police and other law-enforcement professionals have become both more frequent and more violent in recent years. Fortunately, there are seven USMC-tested principles for personal survival that can be used to turn the tables on the lawbreakers.
