The Opioid Crisis & Its Impact on Public Safety | Domestic Preparedness Photo: ©iStock.com/teddyandmia
Commentary

The Opioid Crisis & Its Impact on Public Safety

by Catherine L. Feinman -

The United States is in the midst of an epidemic of addiction to opioids and fentanyl. On 18 September 2018, DomPrep hosted a roundtable discussion at MedStar NRH Rehabilitation Network in Washington, DC, to discuss this threat. The three-hour conversation led by Craig DeAtley, PA-C, emergency manager for MedStar System, examined the extent of the problem, including the harmful risks to operational responders – people who are in physical contact with people as part of their daily work – from fentanyl/opioid exposure. Key discussion points summarized in this article included: impacts on public safety, data collection, best practices, personnel protection, and whole community collaboration.

 
Resilience

The Value of Knowledge & Training in Response Operations

by Anthony S. Mangeri -

In today’s emergency service professions, it is essential to master the core knowledge necessary to understand the research and emerging technology that guide incident response. To become truly prepared to respond, each emergency professional must take the time to develop the knowledge to manage the threat and initiate response operations. Training and education are critical in helping a responder master the competencies needed for response efforts.

Healthcare

Active Threat Response in Nashua, New Hampshire

by Mark A. Hastings -

Prior to 2013, the active threat plans in Nashua, New Hampshire (NH), consisted of separate responses by law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS). There was no coordinated plan. Involvement with area hospitals was not considered other than receiving patients. The Nashua Police SWAT Team and the Nashua Office of Emergency Management recognized this gap. This case study shares this city’s solution for creating and testing an integrated active threat “one plan” (the integration of several previously existing plans).

Preparedness

Special Edition: School Security

by -

In 2017, the Secure Schools Alliance (the Alliance) began a unique relationship with the DomPrep Journal. The goal was to raise awareness of the need to improve K-12 school security within the emergency preparedness community. This special reprint edition is a compilation of this effort, beginning with the macro argument of why school security needs to be improved and concluding with a call to recognize that schools are a critical part of the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, which has been ignored for way too long.

Resilience

FEMA Challenges & Responses, 2017-2018

by Kay C. Goss -

The overall goal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), emergency management programs, and the profession of emergency management is to have the disaster system be federally supported, state managed, and locally executed. FEMA maintains a delicate and fragile balance between leading and nurturing this enormous system and this exciting profession. At the same time, disasters are becoming more frequent, more intense, and more expensive. Nevertheless, as the U.S. Department of Defense has said it can fight three wars at once, FEMA and its partners could handle three disasters at once. Currently, though, FEMA is clearly faced with handling much more than three major disasters at once.

Commentary

September – A Busy Month of Preparedness

by Martin Masiuk -

September always seems to be a very busy month, not just because it is preparedness month but also considering the large number of meetings, conferences, contract/budget/procurement cycles, and so on. This is true for Team DomPrep too. Two important events happened last week that need to be shared with the readership.

Commentary

EMS Is EMS – Own It

by Catherine L. Feinman -

National Preparedness Month is a time for each person to reflect on his or her level of preparedness for the next emergency. This article challenges those in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to do the same. Whether training for Basic Life Support (BLS) or progressing to Advanced Life Support (ALS), all EMS personnel are created equal at their respective levels. They must learn the same skill sets and protocols and pass the same certification exams as all other EMS personnel within their jurisdictions. That, however, is where the “equality” ends.

Updates

DHS Announces Strategy to Protect the Homeland from Electromagnetic Incidents

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the release of the Strategy for Protecting and Preparing the Homeland Against Threats from Electromagnetic Pulse and Geomagnetic Disturbance. The Strategy lays out a clear vision and an approach for DHS to take to protect critical infrastructure and prepare to respond and recover from potentially catastrophic electromagnetic incidents.

HHS Seeks to Repurpose Burn Dressings for Radiation Emergencies

To prepare for radiological and nuclear emergencies, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will work with Argentum Medical, LLC of Geneva, Illinois, to repurpose its commercial product Silverlon for use for low-grade and severe skin radiation injuries after a radiation emergency.

Department of Energy Invests $28 Million to Advance Cybersecurity of the Nation’s Critical Energy Infrastructure

The U.S. Department of Energy announced awards of up to $28 million to support the research, development, and demonstration of next-generation tools and technologies to improve the cybersecurity and resilience of the nation's critical energy infrastructure, including the electric grid and oil and natural gas infrastructure.

French Authorities Choose Elistair’s Orion Tethered Drone as a Persistent Eye in the Sky for Security of the Ryder Cup 2018

A tethered drone built by Elistair was used by the French authorities to ensure continuous aerial surveillance of one of the biggest international sport competitions, The Ryder Cup 2018 held in Paris from 25-30 September.

Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen Statement on Passage of Legislation to Counter Dangerous Unmanned Aerial Systems

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen released a statement on the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which will provide the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice with authorities to counter unmanned aerial systems used for nefarious purposes.