Agriculture & Food Defense Archives

The Key Bridge Collapse – Through the Lens of Community Lifelines

Michael Prasad July 17, 2024

The eight major elements of Community Lifelines use traffic-light-type color-coding to categorize the adverse impact status of a disaster. The article’s author has applied this same system to the recovery efforts following the Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland. Learn how he applied this information-gathering tool to an ongoing recovery

Protecting Infrastructure – Cyber, Physical, and EMP Attacks

David Winks February 21, 2024

Imagine 3,500 spiders, each with their own style, getting together to create a giant web. That’s how this author describes the U.S. power grid and the complexities related to protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure from cyber, physical, and electromagnetic pulse attacks.

National Preparedness Efforts Among Tribal Communities

Lynda Zambrano and Catherine L. Feinman October 9, 2023

Participants at the National Tribal Emergency Management Council’s annual conference in August shared some key takeaways for tribal and nontribal communities to improve their disaster preparedness efforts. Understanding the concerns and challenges is essential.

Water and Wastewater Sector Perspectives

Elston Johnson October 4, 2023

The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency defines the Water and Wastewater Systems Sector as one of “16 critical infrastructure sectors.” Read about this sector’s numerous challenges in maintaining the high level of service necessary to the communities they serve.

Cybersecurity in Hospitals and the Public Health Sector

Dan Scherr and Tanya M. Scherr September 20, 2023

Cyberattacks on healthcare systems affect millions of patients each year. It is critical for agencies and organizations to build a culture of compliance and awareness for the system’s security and the safety of the patients.

Bioterrorism – Could Smallpox Return?

Robert C. Hutchinson September 6, 2023

Although smallpox was eradicated from its human population and reservoir, it is still in designated stockpiles controlled by two nations and possibly in other unknown locations. Learn about the possible threat and the need for greater preparedness and discussion.

Incident Management – The Whataburger Way

Ron Derrick July 19, 2023

The Whataburger Command Center team uses a hybrid form of the Incident Command System when an unexpected event threatens the company’s stability, reputation, or operations. The main goal is to minimize damages and ensure the company’s survival and quick recovery.

Are Public Health Agencies Ready, or Just Prepared?

Raphael M. Barishansky June 21, 2023

Is it time to retire the term public health preparedness and replace it with public health readiness? When building emergency planning efforts and response capabilities, jurisdictions and local health entities must reconfigure existing plans with the readiness factor in mind.

Food and Agriculture Sector Perspectives

Aurelia Berisha, Isaac Dietrich, Ben Dinsmore, Bert Cramer and Heather Allen June 7, 2023

The U.S. Food and Agriculture (FA) Sector is composed of complex production, processing, and delivery systems that can feed people and animals both within and beyond the boundaries of the United States. Beyond domestic food production, the FA Sector also imports many ingredients and finished products, leading to a

Biosafety Laboratory Issues and Failures

Robert C. Hutchinson April 12, 2023

Concerns regarding unexpected biological incidents and their public health implications were discussed in a 2014 Domestic Preparedness biosecurity and bioterrorism article. From the improper possession and storage of decades-old live smallpox virus in a former Food and Drug Administration laboratory (lab) on the National Institute of Health (NIH) campus to

Hazmat on the Rail

Glen Rudner April 5, 2023

Since February 3, 2023, following the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the public has closely followed reports and commentary by media outlets and elected officials. This incident has become more controversial and publicized than others in recent years and has caused a public outcry for change.

How One Town Stood Up to a Category 4 Storm

Jennifer Languell January 4, 2023

When Category 4 Hurricane Ian crossed Florida in September 2022, more than 4 million Florida homes and businesses lost power. However, one town kept the lights on and was spared the devastation the cities surrounding it faced. With resilience and sustainability in mind, this author shares the planning involved in

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