PUBLIC HEALTH ARCHIVES
How to Address the Human Side of Critical Incidents
George S. Everly Jr.
August 17, 2016
Most chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) critical incidents differ from more common hazardous materials (hazmat) events by virtue of four factors: broader scope, enhanced physical toxicity, malicious intent, and the potential to do the unimaginable. The net effect is new levels of stress and psychological toxicity.
Suspicious Activity Reporting – A Job for Everyone
Jerome H. Kahan
August 10, 2016
Law enforcement personnel operating in their communities have been trained to report suspicious activity sightings to their headquarters. Firefighters, emergency medical service providers, public health officials, and other first responders have been asked to “Remain Alert for Suspicious Activity.” Now, every citizen and visitor plays a critical role in preventing
Innovative Approaches to Radiological/Nuclear Preparedness
Erin Mohres and Darren Chen
August 10, 2016
Radiological and nuclear sources pose a wider variety of threats than many realize. By understanding the threat and leveraging federal requirements such as the Threat and Hazardentification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), emergency managers can better equip themselves and their communities to prevent, protect against, and respond to incidents related to
Social Impact Bonds & Sustainable Disaster Risk Reduction
Justin Snair and Megan Reeve Snair
July 27, 2016
National policy and practice tend to focus efforts and resources on disaster response and recovery, rather than on disaster risk reduction. Understanding disaster risks and incentivizing sustainable risk reduction efforts could help reduce overall disaster costs and even save lives.
Public Health – Opportunities for Action
Catherine L. Feinman
July 27, 2016
On 7 June 2016, the DomPrep team convened 14 subject matter experts from various disciplines to address issues surrounding community resilience and public health. The purpose of the roundtable was to align the missions and identify action items to create synergy among various community stakeholders. This article summarizes the key
Integration of Public Health Into the Whole Community
Kathleen E. Goodwin and Leana S. Wen
July 20, 2016
The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) is the oldest, continuously operating health department in the country – founded in 1793 to respond to a local yellow fever outbreak. BCHD is committed to the idea that health is critical to a community’s ability to thrive and thus deserves to be incorporated
Recovery – Uniting Efforts in a Complex Process
Natalie N. Grant
July 19, 2016
Many communities – large and small – have recovered from disasters. Some have been successful, while others struggle to return. Disasters affect hundreds of communities nationwide every year and – at some point in time – each is confronted with the hard reality of recovering from a disaster. When the
Public Health: A Whole Community Approach Partner
Thomas Russo
July 13, 2016
Public health practice parallels the whole community approach advocated by 21st century emergency management practitioners. Therefore, public health’s emergency preparedness actions integrate nicely with contemporary emergency management practice. Several methodologies of public health practice lend themselves to collaboration with other planning and response disciplines. By examining these methods, public health
Bringing Public Health Preparedness Into the 21st Century
Emily Lord
July 12, 2016
The probability of certain public health threats, the costs and funding related to such threats, and the “silo” effect of the public health sector all contribute to the preparedness gap between public health and other sectors. It is time to bridge this gap and update preparedness efforts to better prepare
Threats Evolving Faster Than Preparedness
Robert C. Hutchinson
July 6, 2016
With the current amount of discussion and media coverage regarding the spreading Zika virus and the mounting concerns over antibiotic drug resistance, public health remains a critical homeland security and emergency preparedness priority. Unfortunately, it is often a fluctuating priority that does not receive consistent attention, action, and funding to
Balancing Risk – Understanding & Preparing for Catastrophes
Catherine L. Feinman
June 22, 2016
Space weather, nuclear, and catastrophic natural disasters are just lying in wait for the right combination of conditions. Although it is not possible to plan specifically for every type of threat – imaginable and unimaginable – it is necessary to weigh the risks associated with various threats and take sufficient
Cascadia Catastrophe – Not If, But When
Arthur Glynn
June 15, 2016
A 9.0-magnitude earthquake off the Washington and British Columbia coast along the 700-mile Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) – followed by a tsunami with 90-foot or more wave surges in some areas – is possible based on geological factors and historical accounts. Communities in and around the CSZ, and those with
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