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.
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.
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.
The U.S. port system is huge, complex, and immensely important to the nation's economy and to homeland security. The 24/7 protection of that system is an extremely difficult task and usually involves a host of different organizations and agencies working in close cooperation with one another.
What once seemed an unlikely alliance - a nationwide working partnership between federal agencies and state/local law-enforcement and public-health agencies - is not only working well but also providing synergistically improved results.
Progress in the development of a national credentialing system has ranged from slow to slower. Which is no longer good enough for government work, particularly in the new Age of Terrorism when the nation's enemies strike suddenly, at random, and without remorse.
The Strategic National Stockpile (of vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and other medical supplies) is one of the most important "tools" available to fight a pandemic. This case study tells how two states worked with Upp Technology Inc. to sharpen that tool and make it exponentially more effective.
For more than two centuries the great state of Maine was known and cherished for its rustic simplicity - which, of course, made it a particularly attractive take-off point for two of the Islamic fundamentalists involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
NCR, ANSI, and Commonwealth of Virginia also in the vanguard as states, cities, and even private-sector agencies and organizations pool resources to standardize and upgrade security checks at major events that attract large crowds - including terrorists and other criminals seeking to gain national and global recognition.
by Spc. Eric Liesse & Pfc. Alyson Berzinski, 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment -
The Army and Air National Guard's annual international Operation Global Patriot exercise, hosting roughly 3,000 National Guard Troops from forty-five different states and six different coalition nations. The exercise's overall training goal is for different coalition nations and National Guard units to work together in real-world scenarios.
