Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has announced the release of FY 2013 Funding Opportunity Announcements for eight U.S. Department of Homeland Security preparedness grant programs - totaling over $1.5 billion. Such grants assist states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments, non-profit agencies, and the private sector in strengthening the nation's ability to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies in support of the National Preparedness Goal and the National Preparedness System.
For the six-month hurricane season, which begins June 1, NOAA's Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook says there is a 70 percent likelihood of 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 7 to 11 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher). These ranges are well above the seasonal average.
Z-Medica, a leading developer and marketer of hemostatic agents, has announced it has launched the first-ever line of products designed to meet the unique needs of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The line includes products designed and packaged for faster deployment and more efficient inventory management for EMS centers.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced that more than half of all doctors and other eligible providers have received Medicare or Medicaid incentive payments for adopting or meaningfully using electronic health records (EHRs). HHS has met and exceeded its goal for 50 percent of doctor offices and 80 percent of eligible hospitals to have EHRs by the end of 2013.
Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1), along with the Incident Support Team cache, has been activated by FEMA through the Texas Division of Emergency Management and will deploy from their facility in College Station to Oklahoma. The 80-member TX-TF1 "White" Team is a Type 1 Urban Search & Rescue Team consisting of Technical and Canine Search components along with Heavy Rescue personnel and equipment.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners, including the National Weather Service, continue to closely monitor the effects of severe weather - including this week's tornados - that have impacted the Central United States. FEMA encourages those in the areas affected or potentially affected to continue to monitor radio, TV stations, and/or the National Weather Service for the latest information.
President Barack Obama has signed the following presidential memorandum to advance the goal of cutting aggregate timelines for major infrastructure projects in half, while also improving outcomes for communities and the environment. The quality of the U.S. infrastructure is critical to maintaining the nation's competitive edge in a global economy and to securing a better path to energy independence.
FLIR Systems has announced that its Integrated Systems division was awarded a contract for an integrated perimeter intrusion detection security solution for Vancouver International Airport in Vancouver, BC, Canada. FLIR's solution consists primarily of a number of CommandSpace Argus ground surveillance systems and Cameleon Tactical Command and Control Software.
The Department of Homeland Security's National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) Office of Cybersecurity & Communications Acting Assistant Secretary Roberta Stempfley, and National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) Director Larry Zelvin address NCCIC's role, responsibilities, and future planning to protect the Nation's critical infrastructure from cyber attacks, secure federal networks, and coordinate private sector cyber threat information sharing.
Wearing a bulky HazMat suit during responder decontamination makes it difficult to maneuver, and leads to many slips and falls. After watching emergency responders resort to the use of walkers, traffic cones, and other objects not designed for their specific needs during decontamination, DQE has developed the Decon Stability Cane. Responders can now move with greater ease by grasping the security provided by the Decon Stability Cane.
