The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate has awarded $950,000 to Deltares USA and Deltares to develop a community-oriented, flood hazard modeling process using open source data, models and software. This effort supports the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s goal to build a culture of preparedness, and to reduce fatalities and property losses from flood disasters.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), one of the National Institutes of Health, announced that it has awarded 11 grants with a total first-year value of approximately $17 million to establish the Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases (CREID). The global network will involve multidisciplinary investigations into how and where viruses and other pathogens emerge from wildlife and spillover to cause disease in people.
From 2009 to 2019, there have been an average of 64,100 wildfires annually, burning an average of 6.8 million acres each year. This year, wildfires present a tougher challenge to emergency managers and shelter operators, because shelters need to protect people from both wildfires and the spread of COVID-19.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently launched a webpage to promote the rebranded Tribal Emergency Communications Program, which supports direct consultation to tribes and Alaska Native communities to strengthen public safety communications.
Dräger announced the opening of a new production facility in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania that will manufacture and distribute N95 respiratory protection masks. The 45,660-square-foot facility will have three employee shifts throughout the day, operating 24/7 to ensure the mass production and supply of National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approved N95 respiratory protection masks to frontline workers.
On 27 March 2020, the CARES Act was signed into law. One provision of this new statutory authority requires the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to maintain a publicly available, up-to-date list of the devices the FDA has determined to be in shortage. In addition, the FDA is providing a list of medical devices for which the FDA has been notified that manufacturing has been permanently discontinued.
The Bridge 4 Public Safety app, a free, interoperable, secure collaboration app is now available for authorized response personnel. The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) developed this app in partnership with the Mobility 4 Public Safety (M4PS) – a consulting firm that specializes in regional, interoperable mobility strategy, and public safety collaboration.
The U.S. Department of Energy Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office announced the creation of the First Five Consortium, co-chaired with Microsoft Corporation. This cross-cut of industry, government, nonprofit, and academia has pledged their in-kind support to develop solutions that will improve the impact mitigation of natural disasters in the United States.
Operation Warp Speed aims to deliver 300 million doses of a safe, effective vaccine for COVID-19 by January 2021, as part of a broader strategy to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics (collectively known as countermeasures).
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) released its 2019 National Profile of Local Health Departments (Profile) report. The Profile is a critical resource for health departments, policymakers, and researchers to better understand funding, workforce, capacity, and other aspects that affect the way services are resourced and delivered by local health departments in their communities.
