Smartphones and other personal electronic devices could, in regions where they are in widespread use, function as early warning systems for large earthquakes according to newly reported research. This technology could serve regions of the world that cannot afford higher quality, but more expensive, conventional earthquake early warning systems, or could contribute to those systems.
FLIR Systems Inc. has received the second full-rate production order under a U.S. Department of Defense contract to support the Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Dismounted Reconnaissance Sets, Kits, and Outfits (DR SKO) program. The contract is for FLIR's integrated chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives threat response system and related spares and services.
A Memorandum of Cooperation recently signed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, M.B. Ch.B., chairperson of the African Union Commission, formalizes collaboration between the African Union Commission and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in creating the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (African CDC).
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a new feature to its free app that enables users to receive National Weather Service alerts for up to five U.S. locations. In addition, the app also provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and disaster recovery centers, and tips on how to survive natural and manmade disasters.
The World Health Organization's new registration system will enable it to: (a) build a global roster of foreign medical response teams ready to deploy for emergencies; (b) set minimum standards for international healthcare workers; and (c) allow teams to clearly outline the services and skills that facilitate a more effective response and better coordination between aid providers and recipients.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) selected the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as the lead institution for a new DHS Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence (COE), which will address the challenges facing communities across the United States that are vulnerable to coastal hazards, including hurricanes and floods.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded more than $11 million in first-year funding for nine research projects supporting enhanced diagnostics to rapidly detect antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. The awardee institutions will develop tools to identify certain pathogens that frequently cause infections in health care settings.
Following the award-winning international success of their widely recognized line of panoramic infrared search and track cameras, HGH Infrared Systems is proud to announce the launch of their latest Spynel model, the Spynel-M. The Spynel-M continuously captures full panoramic, high-resolution infrared images every second to provide real-time security against conventional and asymmetrical.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and public health partners have investigated several recent clusters of shigellosis in Massachusetts, California and Pennsylvania and found that nearly 90 percent of the cases tested were resistant to ciprofloxacin (Cipro), the first choice to treat shigellosis among adults in the United States.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced $73 million to be invested this year to rehabilitate and assess dams across the nation to ensure this critical infrastructure is protecting Americans from harm, securing public health, and expanding water supplies in drought-affected areas. About 150 projects and assessments in 23 states will be funded.
