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CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ARCHIVES

FINAL REPORT: Electronic Medical Records

Regardless of specialty, the number one priority for all emergency preparedness professionals is to save lives. A victim’s chance of survival decreases with delays in transport and incomplete records or medical history. This report focuses on patient tracking, new health IT infrastructures, challenges faced by the healthcare industry, and the

Defining Emergency Management in the 21st Century

The profession of emergency management has come a long, long way from the streets of London to the gates of the White House, but the policing principles enunciated by Sir Robert Peel provide a strong foundation for President Barack Obama’s Presidential Policy Directive 8 on National Preparedness and its goal

An Interview with The Honorable Tom Ridge

The former DHS Secretary provides his own nonpartisan insights on the current state of U.S. emergency preparedness, comments on many areas of progress – and some gaps still to be filled – and offers a number of helpful short- and long-term recommendations for the future.

The Future of EMS: Upward & Outward

In the Old West, the town barber often served as the town doctor as well. The parallel today is far from exact, but the current generation of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) is rapidly learning new and more advanced skills. By using such technologically advanced medical systems and devices, the capabilities

Mass Shootings: Planning and Response Considerations

Critical incidents such as school shootings, workplace violence incidents, domestic violence attacks, and terrorist threats are occurring with alarming frequency. This four-hour planning and response course led by the Kernersville Fire Department will help public safety agencies and crisis planners adapt to these changes in society so that the appropriate

Mapping: An Increasingly Valuable Emergency Management Tool

Since the mid-19th century, the method for mapping disasters has evolved from hard-copy maps with manually plotted cases of cholera outbreaks to advanced satellite-based global information systems. The development, introduction, and use of a broad spectrum of GIS systems that can pinpoint – quickly, precisely, and on a continuing basis

Reasonable Search – Or Another ‘Big Brother’ Situation?

Which is more important – the preservation of civil rights, or a substantial (but unprovable) gain in homeland security? That is the question that the U.S. Supreme Court must answer as it ponders the numerous complexities in the controversial case known as United States v. Jones.

Joplin & Irene Force Changes in Hospital Evac Plans

Article Out Loud Significant changes in hospital emergency planning have taken place since and largely because of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Hospitals, along with nursing homes, have had their safety and security requirements strengthened by regulatory and/or accreditation agencies to ensure that their emergency plans take into account how they

Emerging Technology Enables Mass Patient Evacuations

From time to time, hospitals themselves can be dangerous to a patient’s health. That is particularly true when a patient is being transferred or evacuated, and even more so when a large number of patients are being evacuated at the same time. This is precisely why RFIDs, JPATS, and GPS

Tracking and Locating Fire and Emergency Personnel

As firefighters and other emergency responders well know, disaster may be lurking just around the next corner. Or maybe in the burning room one floor below. Which is why breadcrumbs and a working PASS or any other reliable type of tracking-and-location system are so important in fighting fires. “The life

The Impact of Tracking on Response Efforts

From Post-It notes to high-tech wireless systems, the evidence – verified by a horrendous mass-casualty incident (MCI) in California and close calls in several other states – is clear: Rapid, comprehensive, and well-controlled communications are key to the mounting and management of an effective response. Adherence to the National Incident

Identifying Biological Hazards as They Happen

Start at the beginning … or even earlier. The process for handling potential mass-casualty incidents – particularly when biological hazards are involved – is critical when lowering exposure risk and abating the spread of a toxic agent: Develop comprehensive response plans as far in advance as possible, gather the supplies

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