Domestic Preparedness

By RICHARD SCHOEBERL, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, November 28, 2012.  Before passenger aircraft were hijacked and used as weapons, and bombs were smuggled inside underwear and shoes, such attacks may not have seemed likely to occur. Similarly, the reproduction and dispersal of the "eradicated" smallpox virus may seem to be an extremely small risk...

By THEODORE (TED) TULLY, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, November 23, 2011.  Two major weather events that occurred earlier this year will be long remembered not only by meteorologists and historians but by the general public as well. Tornadoes struck the city of Joplin without warning and destroyed everything in their paths. Hurricane Irene was even more dest...

By WILLIAM H. AUSTIN, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, September 14, 2022. When intentional acts of violence occur, people often wonder if the incident was preventable. For example, after a mass shooting killed 19 students and 2 teachers in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022, many were questioning the predictability of the gunman’s actions and the decision-making process of...

By JOHN PENNINGTON, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, September 14, 2022.  Emergency management professionals are tasked with making their communities more resilient to future threats and disasters. However, emergency management leaders and their organizations must adjust and adapt to more than just response scenarios. For tribal emergency managers, this means following t...

By RICHARD GREEN & TIMOTHY PERCIFUL, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 28, 2019. When there is a need for sheltering animals, there are several options – each comes with advantages and disadvantages. Conditions, agency policies, experiences, resources, or timing typically drive the decision as to what type of shelter is used. Regardless of the type of...

By RODNEY E. ANDREASEN, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, April 06, 2016.  Law enforcement officers, paramedics, and other responders have received extensive training in dealing with active shooters and the wounds resulting from active shooter incidents. However, the potential force multipliers in all these attacks that are just beginning to receive attention ar...

By RICHARD SCHOEBERL & W. COCHRAN PRUETT, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, September 07, 2022. Despite the deaths of Islamic State and al-Qaida leadership, violent extremism is not gone. This article describes why, despite recent successful strikes against terrorist groups, intelligence agencies and others tasked with protecting their communities must stay vigilant....

By PATTY RIDINGS, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, September 07, 2022. Catastrophic earthquakes and a desire for residents to help their neighbors inspired the creation of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). Since its creation in 1986, CERT has become a nationwide program that continues to evolve. This article describes how a new digital solution is closing the cr...

By RODRIGO (RODDY) MOSCOSO, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, June 15, 2011. The old saying that, "No matter where you go, there you are," has become the new Golden Rule for emergency-alert notifications, thanks to the combined efforts of the FCC, FEMA, and the commercial U.S. cellular industry. That is the PLAN, anyway. But it works better if IPAWS is...

By BARRY KANNE, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, November 04, 2009. In times of sudden disaster, help may be just around the corner - particularly if a ham radio operator is living there. Their ranks are legion, they usually pay all of their own costs, and they are among the most highly skilled communicators in the country. That combination makes them especiall...

By HAILEY YORK & LINDSEY LANE, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 24, 2022. Human trafficking is the world’s second-largest criminal industry. In the wake of natural disasters, the risk to vulnerable populations rises. This article informs preparedness and response professionals on how to better protect their communities and prepare their workforces to identify...

By JUDY KRUGER & KYLE OVERLY, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 24, 2022. Before 2019, partner agencies coordinated incident command primarily from a physical emergency operations center (EOC). This practice shifted to virtual EOCs during the COVID-19 pandemic for many agencies. Virtual EOCs can effectively address community needs through all phases of conseque...

By MARKO BOURNE, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, January 30, 2013. Joplin High School and Sandy Hook Elementary School both suffered devastating disasters - one natural and one manmade. In both cases, the residents rallied behind their schools and their communities to rebuild and recover. Lesson learned: From unexpected events, unexpected leaders often emerge...

By SARA RUBIN, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, October 24, 2012. By using mHealth technologies, local health departments can improve their efficiency and effectiveness not only in communicating with the public but also in dispensing medical countermeasures during large-scale pandemics. Current initiatives can offer a starting point on how to integrate mobile t...

By ERIN VALENTINE, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 17, 2022. 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 acc...

By ROBERT C. HUTCHINSON, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 17, 2022. Although it may not have been readily apparent in early 2020, the federal government did have a comprehensive national strategy and implementation plan for a pandemic threat. Despite having these resources and knowledge, the United States was still unprepared to effectively respond to COVID-19. Th...

By SETH KOMANSKY, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 23, 2017.  First responders are often deployed to unique operating environments, which include large-scale special events with many participants and spectators: street festivals; road races or marathons; concerts; and sporting events. These environments require leadership to take a forward-thinking postu...

By THOMAS P. RUSSO, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 08, 2012.  Having choices opens many opportunities for patients and responders as well as medical staff within the U.S. healthcare system. However, that benefit has led to complications in communications and the sharing of information. Healthcare coalitions are seeking better ways to meet daily operati...

By IAN PLEET, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 10, 2022. Mass shootings have spurred agencies to shift from reactive to proactive measures to mitigate threats and their consequences. Tactical medicine plays a significant role in reducing deaths associated with active assailant incidents. This article explains how trained first responders with the correct equipment...

By KESLEY RICHARDSON, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 10, 2022. Emergency management professionals are regularly tasked with high-stress responsibilities, including political pressure, life safety concerns, vulnerable infrastructure, and community vulnerabilities. Three ways to reduce the risk of burnout and increase retention efforts are described in this articl...

By STEPHEN GRAINER, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, May 15, 2013.  The United States already has a national system in place that can help responders "manage" any disaster situation - both natural and manmade. By adapting and modifying the concepts and processes of the Incident Command System, large and small jurisdictions alike can easily incorporate...

By THEODORE (TED) TULLY, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, May 02, 2012.  No matter what the Supreme Court decides on the constitutionality of the healthcare reform act, U.S. hospitals must prepare now for major changes in their planning, everyday operations, and both budgetary and personnel resources. Many of those changes may be costly. Most will be time-consu...

By JAMES MARTIN, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 03, 2022.  Emergency preparedness often involves preparing for a particular type of disaster. However, each disaster can affect people differently depending on their individual physical and mental abilities. This article helps emergency preparedness and response professionals address the needs of individuals with d...

By RUTH BAUGHER PALMER, MARY MCNAUGHTON-CASSILL & MARY SCHOENFELDT, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 03, 2022. Disasters are often described in terms of the physical damages they incur. However, the significant impact on mental health, which can have even longer-term consequences, sometimes is not addressed until after the response phase of the disaster is com...

By JOSEPH CAHILL, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, July 16, 2014. Emergency managers are tasked with creating disaster plans to protect the people within their jurisdictions. With numerous possible scenarios, any disaster may require the establishment of special facilities to provide sheltering, vaccinations, and other emergency services to the public. A compre...