COMMUNICATION & INTEROPERABILITY ARCHIVES
Plugging the Experience Drain in Hazmat Response
Christopher Wrenn
August 24, 2017
As a metaphor for picturing the maintenance of preparedness, imagine a number of 5-gallon buckets, where each one represents some aspect of readiness – detection, personal protective equipment (PPE), communications, training, etc. Each bucket is filled with water andeally each would stay filled representing a steady state of preparedness.
Responding to Unique Operating Environments
Seth Komansky
August 23, 2017
Effective trainings are ones where the participants remember and later implement what they learned into their daily operations. Not everyone knows how they would respond in a true emergency. However, some trainings provide a more realistic glimpse into disaster scenarios than others. This first-hand account describes what it was like
Mass Fatality Incidents & Challenges for First Responders
Daryl D. Sensenig
August 23, 2017
Mass fatality incidents present many challenges. To effectively plan for such events, certain key factors must be taken into consideration: common causes and challenges, as well as resources available. By communicating with the local medical examiner/coroner, being familiar with mass fatality plans, and learning about any pertinent capabilities and limitations,
Wearable Sensors for Chemical & Biological Detection
Richard Ozanich
August 9, 2017
One of the strengths of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is the ability to conduct comprehensive technology foraging and objective assessments of various technology areas. This article highlights leading research by others in the area of chemical and biological (chem/bio) detection that could be further developed into robust, highly
Preparing for High-Impact, Low-Probability (HILP) Events
Jerome H. Kahan
August 2, 2017
The interconnected global environment can increase the number of vulnerabilities as well as the destabilizing effects of both natural and human-caused disasters. As such, when a high-impact, low-probability event occurs, the consequences can be devastating. To prepare for such events, planners must observe trends, predict futures, and create scenarios for
Help Wanted: Next Generation of Emergency Managers
Catherine L. Feinman
July 26, 2017
Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials compose the majority of the modern workforce, but the next generation (Generation Z) is now beginning to emerge from schools and colleges. Before this new generation transforms into a significant portion of the workforce, it is important to determine what makes these young
Next Responder of the Future
Catherine L. Feinman and Kay C. Goss
July 26, 2017
Each year, experienced emergency management and first responder personnel are retiring from their careers, and retiring the vital skills that they spent their lifetimes learning. As the next generation of young adults moves into these fields, it is critical for the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the previous generations to
Today’s Emergency Manager: Versatile Enough for Any Industry
Keith Grossman
July 19, 2017
“If someone were to walk into a high school classroom today and ask the students about their future professions, there may be one or possibly two students who wish to pursue emergency management. However, as much as the field has grown since 2001, emergency management is still not the dream
Success or Failure of a Response: There Are Options
Catherine L. Feinman
June 28, 2017
The success or failure of an emergency response depends on many factors: planning, capabilities, training, tools, funding, public trust, and the list goes on. This edition of the DomPrep Journal examines potential points of failure as well as formulas for success when responding to a crisis.
Facial Recognition Making an Appearance in Public Safety
Rodrigo (Roddy) Moscoso
June 27, 2017
The use of facial recognition (FR) technologies to support public safety has long been considered a potent tool for law enforcement. The capability to automatically identify persons of interest in real-time has the potential to alert police of threats before an incident occurs. Long considered a technology of science fiction,
Ham Radio in Emergency Operations
Steve Aberle
June 21, 2017
Many people grew up hearing about disasters in far-off lands and how amateur (ham) radio operators were initially the only means of contact with the outside world. Disasters, both near and far, still occur today, and ham radio operators continue to volunteer their skills and personal radio equipment to serve
More Threats, More Interdependence, More Collaboration
Catherine L. Feinman
June 2, 2017
All disasters may begin locally, but their effects and resource needs can span jurisdictions and can even have national implications. This edition of the DomPrep Journal examines ways to protect critical infrastructure and communities from widespread catastrophe.
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