Domestic Preparedness

By MICHAEL BRESLIN, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , March 1, 2023. Criminal activities are not limited to jurisdictional boundaries, nor should the ability to share information collaboratively. Cooperative data sharing within and between jurisdictions is essential for today’s law enforcement demands. As such, law enforcement and other public safety agencies must work...

By EVA JERNEGAN, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , March 1, 2023. Evolving threats require integrated public safety approaches. Concepts like the Rescue Task Force, models like the Cynefin Framework, and numerous other available resources can help communities develop collaborative response plans for evolving threats and complex coordinated attacks like fire as a weapon....

By STEPHEN MALONEY, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , September 30, 2020. On the afternoon of 23 August 2011, a rumbling in the ductwork was heard overhead in a chemistry classroom on the fourth floor of a brand-new building at Montgomery College in Maryland. As a laboratory safety class was getting ready to begin, the noise quickly transitioned to a swaying o...

By ARMOND CAGLAR, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , July 24, 2013. Even multiple isolated incidents may not be enough to raise a red flag that intellectual property theft is being planned. By ensuring that each incident is reported through the proper channels and analyzed along with other reported incidents, agencies and corporations may be able to thwart pote...

By NATHAN DIPILLO, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , February 22, 2023. Integrating information technology (IT) into emergency management and public safety agencies involves understanding an organization’s structure, culture, and mindset, making sound investments, facing challenges, and implementing change. Communication at the federal, state, and local levels is improv...

By MATTHEW LOESLIE, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , February 22, 2023. Peaceful protests can occasionally escalate into civil disobedience or unlawful rioting, with those in and around the gathering exhibiting varying behaviors. By working with law enforcement agencies, public safety planners and responders are better equipped to plan and train for events and effectiv...

By RICHARD SCHOEBERL, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , February 15, 2023. Examining the trends in political violence, civil unrest, and mass demonstrations, some law enforcement officers are considering new soft-skill approaches like de-escalation and peer intervention and using multiagency exercises to foster a mutual understanding between the agencies throughout the...

By NIA D’EMILIO & CHRISTOPHER TARANTINO, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , February 15, 2023. When preparing for emergencies, the terms resilience and innovation are more than just buzzwords – sometimes, they are a matter of life and death. Since no two events are identical, managing a crisis requires ever-changing solutions to increasingly complex problems. One res...

By SCOTT FITZSIMMONS, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , May 08, 2013. Understanding the different facets of tornado preparedness planning helps responders address questions related to these often costly and sometimes deadly incidents. A comprehensive approach for gathering and disseminating information, educating and training response personnel, and creating a...

By RODRIGO (RODDY) MOSCOSO, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , November 11, 2014. In the nation's capital, emergency managers identify hazards, consider location-specific elements, and implement lessons learned from past incidents in order to create a robust preparedness plan for critical infrastructures, including power and water. Efforts in neighboring ju...

By CHARLES J. GUDDEMI, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , February 08, 2023. Most organizations have a daily operational plan for their communications that works most of the time and a backup plan for a short-term problem. However, many do not have a primary, alternate, contingency, emergency (PACE) plan for critical operational tasks. Learn more about the benefits of cr...

By MARK MCQUEEN, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , February 08, 2023. Opportunities can be found in the wake of great devastation. However, it can be challenging to plan for the future while restoring critical services and repairing the damage left in the crisis’s wake. Recovery plans should look beyond what existed before the disaster and include laying a foundation fo...

By AUDREY MAZUREK & RAPHAEL M. BARISHANSKY, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , August 14, 2013. The U.S. public health community is tasked with more roles and responsibilities than ever before in the nation's history. That community may soon have to take on even more responsibilities during a radiological emergency. Uncovering the gaps and challenges in...

By ANDREW ALTIZER & STEVE HARRIS, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , July 10, 2019. Imagine this scenario. A tornado watch has been in effect for the past six hours. The severe thunderstorm warning expires as the squall line passes over the area, which escaped significant severe weather. Although the Storm Prediction Center shows the area has been downgrade...

By CARL AMRITT, ELIOT BRADSHAW & ALYSSA SCHULENBERG, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , February 01, 2023. In 2021, the number of terrorist attacks increased 17% from the previous year. As actors adapt and change their tactics and techniques, cities must develop new capabilities to counter these threats. This article explores notable global practices to help cities d...

By JAMIE HANNAN & STEPHANIE WRIGHT, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , February 01, 2023.  Out of first-time events come many important lessons learned. For example, information must be disseminated using familiar terminology when an unfamiliar event occurs. In addition, recovery is a team effort that begins before the event has ended. Learn how the third most popula...

By SAMUEL JOHNSON JR, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , September 10, 2014. Being a great leader requires much more than just a title. True leaders build a solid foundation on honor and respect, which includes building rapport with others and being aware that all actions have consequences. Emergency management and public safety officials all have the ability t...

By BETH MCATEER, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal,  May 23, 2012. In 2012, an EF5 tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri, destroying 8,000 buildings, killing 160 citizens, and injuring almost a thousand. Here is the heroic story of how medical professionals and emergency responders in the area - with the help of local volunteers - used community-based planning...

By CHRISTINA NUNEZ, KYLE PFEIFFER & RAO KOTAMARTHI, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , January 25, 2023. A new, publicly available tool provides a window into how future climate realities could affect U.S. cities and towns. Learn how planners and decision-makers can get map-based analyses driven by peer-reviewed climate data using this free portal. Narrated by Randy...

By JAMES L. GREENSTONE, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , January 25, 2023. During a disaster, responders face many challenges and must make difficult decisions. For health care professionals, accepting a sufficient standard of care during a crisis may be the most difficult. This mental health perspective provides some key points to consider before the next crisis occur...

By PETER JOHNSON, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , January 18, 2023.  Training is often a check-the-box task. However, it can be difficult to know how much training was learned. Virtual reality and its related analytics provide a way to heighten participation and monitor learning levels for numerous threat scenarios. Narrated by Bonnie Weidler.

By MONTY DOZIER, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , January 18, 2023.  When supply chains were diminished during the coronavirus pandemic, leaders had to find innovative ways to protect their communities. In Texas, they used the Pony Express model to ensure the delivery of personal protective equipment, critical supplies, and vaccines to those in need. Narrated by Bonnie...

By JAMES METZGER, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , February 24, 2016. With Amtrak's rail lines spanning communities across the United States (and parts of Canada), it is in a prime position to engage the whole community and to build national resilience. Planning, training, and educational efforts provide a way to bring employees, passengers, and other com...

By CATHERINE L. FEINMAN & JOE D. MANOUS JR., An Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , April 27, 2016. All infrastructure is not the same. Across disciplinary sectors, agencies and organizations must identify the key elements necessary to ensure “a system” (e.g., community) has a minimum level of resilience, as a system is only as strong as the weakest link.  The...

By PAUL MARSHALL, An Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal , January 11, 2023.  An all-hazards design process considers the function of the building during normal operations as well as the safety of the occupants and the surrounding community against possible risks and threats. Like layers of an onion, effective security should take a multi-layered approach. Safety and security...