The aviation system remains a prime target for terrorists. The traveling public, airlines, and airports grew impatient in the face of long security lines. As a result, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was often in the news, until its leaders undertook a systematic process of transformation to both enhance security and minimize inconvenience for the traveling public.
Preparedness and response organizations have realized many benefits from adopting the Incident Command System (ICS) and similar formal management structures. Performance, however, depends on how people behave as humans within that system – particularly in stressful, fast-moving environments. Integrating behavioral training into ICS training may help improve performance and outcomes.
On 7 June 2016, the Cambridge (Massachusetts) Police Department conducted a law enforcement officer training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to help bridge the understanding gap between officers and the citizens they serve. The training included more than 20 Cambridge career police officers and more than 15 representatives from collaborating local service providers.
On 16 August 2016, David Mitchell, chief of police and director of public safety for the University of Maryland, led a roundtable discussion at the College Park campus on the topic of active shooters and lone wolves. This article summarizes that discussion, which addressed various topics related to active shooters, explosives, lone wolves, terrorism, and related mental health concerns.
The International Association of Emergency Manager (IAEM) Think Tank on 17 October 2016 focused on
active shooter situations from the emergency management perspective. The event was held at the IAEM
Annual Conference, with over 250 people attending in person, many on the webinar, and even more over the
phone.
In the United States, First Amendment rights protect the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties
of citizens. However, in the absence of legal requirements for establishing prior probable cause or
reasonable suspicion when reporting suspicious behavior, questions arise about the degree to which the
suspicious activity reporting, Nationwide SAR Initiative, and Information Sharing Environment
(SAR-NSI-ISE) process safeguards those making reports.
The phrase “It’s not if, but when” may distort how certain organizations perceive emergency preparedness, especially in cases such as active shooter threats. This common expression leads to inaccurate […]
“Law enforcement and healthcare organizations – including emergency medical services (EMS), trauma centers, and other hospitals – have a common mission in active shooter attacks: saving lives. Law enforcement stops the shooter, healthcare stops the bleeding, but both must work together to ensure early access to victims and their rapid evacuation.
Schools, colleges, and universities are diverse communities that present especially challenging situations. Safety officials know that they have to be extremely well prepared for a vast array of potentially difficult situations that can spiral. Fortunately, many resources exist to help communities prepare for such dangerous scenarios.
To address various national threats and the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) role in military and
civilian defense technology, DomPrep hosted a roundtable discussion on 21 July 2016 at the Edgewood
Chemical Biological Center (ECBC). That discussion, which was moderated by ECBC’s BioScience Division
Chief Peter Emanuel, brought together professionals from various disciplines and is summarized in this
article.
The aviation system remains a prime target for terrorists. The traveling public, airlines, and airports grew impatient in the face of long security lines. As a result, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was often in the news, until its leaders undertook a systematic process of transformation to both enhance security and minimize inconvenience for the traveling public. 