COMMUNICATION & INTEROPERABILITY ARCHIVES
Emerging Threats to Rail Infrastructure: Part I, Freight
Joseph W. Trindal
December 6, 2017
There is a desire for some bad actors to target rail systems, especially the hazardous materials freight rail network. This threat underscores the need for the rail transportation industry to maintain and strengthen partnerships with federal, state, and local authorities.
Protecting the Homeland From Nefarious Drone Use
Richard Schoeberl and Kendall J. Smith
November 22, 2017
The 2016 Legislative Session of the Indiana General Assembly passed Senate Enrolled Act 147 requiring the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) to establish minimum standards and approve best practices no later than 1 July 2017 for a school emergency response system. The new guidelines are helping to improve school
So Much More Than Having a Kit & Making a Plan
Catherine L. Feinman
November 20, 2017
For years, emergency preparedness professionals have been preaching the message, āHave a Kit, Make a Plan.ā As a result, everyone is now ready for the next disaster ā¦ of course not. In its latest survey, DomPrep explored levels of preparedness, reasons why people do not plan, as well as possible
Critical Infrastructure Partnerships ā Prioritizing Assets
Christopher Ryan
November 15, 2017
A key early step for critical infrastructure protection (CIP) programs is to identify and prioritize the most important facilities and assets for maintaining community safety, normalcy, and quality of life. Within single jurisdictions, CIP program managers typically choose prioritization criteria to determine the most critical assets. However, developing customized prioritization
Unmanned Aircraft Systems ā On the Way to the Jetsonsā Era
Charles J. Guddemi
November 8, 2017
Debuting in 1962, āThe Jetsonsā depicted the family of the future, with people movers, tube travel, vehicles that folded up into brief cases for parking purposes, home computers, internet, microwave ovens, CT x-ray for medical purposes, cellphones, and speed limits of up to 2,500 miles per hour. Fast-forward to today,
Unmanned Aerial Systems & Emergency Management
Kay C. Goss
October 11, 2017
Long before the invention of drones, emergency managers determined the overall scope of a crisis using information from emergency personnel on the ground, and from the chain of command created through the Incident Command System. Today, drones have many capabilities that could enhance response activities and change the way disasters
National Safe Schools Week: Securing Learning Environments
Mark Williams
October 4, 2017
Studies show that childrenās learning improves when they feel both physically and emotionally safe. As āNational Safe Schools Weekā (16-20 October 2017) approaches, it is an appropriate time to discuss how to create these environments through safe schools programs in local communities across the United States.
Active Shooter Incidents: The Rescue Task Force Concept
Robert Mueck
September 20, 2017
The concept of the Rescue Task Force (RTF) came from the Arlington County (Virginia) Fire Department. Looking at active shooter events around the country, these fire department leaders created a model that enables emergency medical services (EMS) to provide emergency medical intervention faster and within the Incident Command System (ICS)
Enhancing Infrastructure Protection Through Special Events
Erin Mohres
September 20, 2017
In an atmosphere of limited resources, critical infrastructure (CI) protection can be difficult to prioritize with crime-fighting and disaster response. Understanding real-world lessons learned from local agencies is one way to make progress. Leveraging the urgency demanded by special events can be a particularly productive path forward. This article offers
Helping School Districts Move Forward After Tragedy
Guy Grace
September 13, 2017
In fall 2013, the Littleton Public Schools District (Colorado), with great support from the community, passed an $80 million bond election for capital improvements within the school district. Immediately following the bond election, the Littleton Public Schools Security Department personnel began planning to implement their portion of the bond funds,
Rethinking Disaster Evacuation
Daniel M. Gerstein and Andrew Lauland
September 11, 2017
No two disasters are the same. Yet it is not unusual for officials to be confronted with a common critical public safety decision: whether to evacuate the public or advise them to shelter in place. This crucial decision, which is normally time sensitive, can set the tone for the remainder
Mass Fatalities ā More Than Just a Number
Ron Vidal and Catherine L. Feinman
August 30, 2017
A chemical spill, nuclear attack, biological agent, pandemic, hurricane, and numerous other threats and hazards have the potential to kill enough people to overwhelm any particular jurisdiction. Whether that number is 10 or 10,000 or more, the āunthinkableā can happen anywhere. On 16 June 2017, DomPrep hosted a panel discussion
Follow Us
Get Instant Access
Subscribe today to Domestic Preparedness and get real-world insights for safer communities.
