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Special Events Challenges – A Sesquicentennial Example

Stephen Grainer January 9, 2013
Much has changed in 150 years, but there are some constants – weather, geography, population – that are almost always changing. By understanding local climate conditions, the topography and transportation challenges involved, and the sometimes malicious intent of certain attendees, special event planners can prevent or at least mitigate the

CBRNE & NIMS: Complementary, Not Contradictory

Stephen Grainer September 19, 2012
Some critics of the U.S. National Incident Management System (NIMS) have cited a wide variety of examples to justify their claims that the NIMS policy guidelines will not fully and/or effectively serve the nation’s needs in managing future emergency-response situations.

NIMS – Not an American Exclusive

Stephen Grainer July 18, 2012
“Management” is in many ways an abstract and somewhat generic term, but most citizens have a general understanding of what the word means. Whether the relatively new U.S. National Incident Management System (NIMS) is of American origin or not is perhaps debatable, but the concept itself is nonetheless useful in

NIMS/ICS and Drug-Enforcement Operations – Yes and No

Stephen Grainer February 15, 2012
Drug trafficking throughout the United States has become such an omnipresent danger that it can be diminished and eventually defeated only by the combined efforts of law-enforcement and intelligence agencies at all levels of government – local, state, and federal. Here, with the names of specific sources necessarily withheld, is

Training, Exercises, and the ICS: A Natural Fit

Stephen Grainer August 10, 2011
The NFL’s energetic but belated start on pre-season training is a timely reminder that even the best-conditioned and most highly skilled players cannot rest on last year’s laurels. The same is true, but much more so, of emergency responders, whose goal is not to win the Super Bowl but to

Man-Caused Incidents – New Challenges & Systems

Stephen Grainer June 22, 2011
“Man-caused incidents” – the politically correct term used to describe terrorist attacks – have increased in frequency and severity in recent years and are likely to continue to do so far into the future. Which is one of many good reasons why U.S. emergency managers are focusing more attention on

CBRNE Preparedness – The Necessary Prerequisites

Stephen Grainer March 30, 2011
It is taking longer than originally anticipated, but U.S. policies and plans to cope with future CBRNE incidents, accidental or manmade, are not only being published and implemented at the federal level (then revised and updated – if, as, and when needed) but also being replicated, in operational specifics, at

NIMS-ICS & the Private Sector – Good Fit, or a Stretch?

Stephen Grainer September 22, 2010
Nine years later, and nothing has changed! Well, that is not exactly true. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is alive and, although not always moving forward at flank speed, has made considerable progress in several ways. Many relatively new programs should be expanded and upgraded, though, particularly those involving

NIMS/ICS Case Study: Evacuation & State-Managed Shelters

Stephen Grainer and Patricia Snead June 16, 2010
If a hotel has been overbooked most people go to another hotel just a block or two away. That solution does not work when a mass-casualty incident requires the evacuation of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of citizens. Immediately. Which is why local evacuation plans must anticipate the need for additional sheltering
Fire on hillside behind power lines

Critical Infrastructure Protection: Another Role for NIMS Plus ICS

Stephen Grainer March 10, 2010
The numerous presidential directives and policy documents issued since the 9/11 terrorist attacks have focused on various specialized areas of homeland-security and counterterrorism operations and activities. Many of those “specialized areas” are closely interrelated in their separate but complementary goals and objectives, though, and when used in combination can achieve

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ARTICLE OUT LOUD – Why Messaging Matters: A Regionalized Approach to Alerts and Warnings

November 27, 2024
Full article by Soraya Sutherlin, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness. Effective, timely, and unified communication across jurisdictions is essential for saving lives. The 2015 ExxonMobil refinery explosion highlighted the urgent need for coordinated, cross-jurisdictional alerting. Emergency managers, public safety officials, and policymakers must come together to prioritize a

ARTICLE OUT LOUD – The Nexus Between Major Events and Human Trafficking

November 27, 2024
Full article by Madeline Mann and Lindsey Lane, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, November 27, 2024. Most available data do not support the misconception that large-scale events lead to increased human trafficking. Rather, available evidence underscores a harsh truth: Human trafficking is a pervasive problem every day, not

ARTICLE OUT LOUD – A Violent Surge: Sovereign Citizens vs. Government Authority

November 20, 2024
Full article by Anthony “Tony” Mottola and Richard Schoeberl, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness.The Federal Bureau of Investigation has classified the Sovereign Citizen movement as a domestic terrorist threat. To prepare law enforcement officials and other public safety agencies for the risks associated with this movement, agencies need

ARTICLE OUT LOUD – Advisory Board Spotlight: Interview with Ray Barishansky

October 23, 2024
Interview with Ray Barishansky, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness.Ray Barishansky, DrPH, is on the advisory board for the Domestic Preparedness Journal and has a passion for public health and emergency management. He sat down with the Journal’s Nicolette Casey to share his story. Learn about Dr. Barishansky’s journey

ARTICLE OUT LOUD – The Ethics of Data in Disaster Management and Crisis Operations

October 23, 2024
Full article by Anthony Mangeri, an Article Out Loud from Domestic PreparednessAs the demand for evidence-based decision-making continues to grow, emergency management professionals must commit to ethical data practices that respect the needs of the community and the rights of individuals. In times of crisis, data can save lives, but

Article Out Loud – Backyard Cybersecurity: The Local Challenge

October 16, 2024
Full article by Brian Shajari, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness.In this featured article, a cybersecurity expert shares the importance of cybersecurity to local government functions. Although higher levels of government and businesses may possess the tools necessary to protect against cyberattacks, local governments often do not.Learn where local
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Domestic Preparedness

2883 Highway 71 E
P.O. Box 285
Del Valle, TX 78617-9998

Editorial Statement

Founded in 1998, Domestic Preparedness continues to be a pioneering thought leader in the emergency preparedness, response, and recovery space. The multidisciplinary editorial focus helps professionals acquire critical information to develop collaborative, real-world solutions. With relevant, multidisciplinary, whole-community intelligence from the front lines, practitioners can learn from diverse perspectives. The authoritative, practitioner-centered, multimedia information platform disseminates intelligence the way busy management-level public- and private-sector professionals want to learn. This is the trusted source for content written by practitioners, for practitioners, with relevant, real-world best practices.

DomesticPreparedness.com, the Domestic Preparedness Journal and the Weekly Brief include facts, views, opinions, and recommendations of individuals and organizations deemed of interest. The Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Texas A&M University System do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of, or otherwise endorse, these views, facts, opinions or recommendations.
©2025 Texas Division of Emergency Management

Domestic Preparedness

2883 Highway 71E

P.O. Box 285

Del Valle, TX 78617-9998

Editorial Statement

Founded in 1998, Domestic Preparedness continues to be a pioneering thought leader in the emergency preparedness, response, and recovery space. The multidisciplinary editorial focus helps professionals acquire critical information to develop collaborative, real-world solutions. With relevant, multidisciplinary, whole-community intelligence from the front lines, practitioners can learn from diverse perspectives. The authoritative, practitioner-centered, multimedia information platform disseminates intelligence the way busy management-level public- and private-sector professionals want to learn. This is the trusted source for content written by practitioners, for practitioners, with relevant, real-world best practices.

DomesticPreparedness.com, the Domestic Preparedness Journal and the Weekly Brief include facts, views, opinions, and recommendations of individuals and organizations deemed of interest. The Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Texas A&M University System do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of, or otherwise endorse, these views, facts, opinions or recommendations.
©2025 Texas Division of Emergency Management
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