Domestic Preparedness

By ROB SCHNEPP , An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 10, 2005.   For the last several years, fire agencies across the country have been actively preparing to handle incidents involving weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The need for solid and reliable information traditionally accompanies those preparations – and, with the large number of credible and vari...

By ASHA M. GEORGE & JOHN T. O' BRIEN , An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal. On 17 February 2022, Dr. Asha M. George, executive director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense,  testified as an expert witness  before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs at a hearing on addressing the gaps in the nation’s biodefense and level of p...

By GORDON HUNTER, an Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, August 12, 2015. Currently, in Kentucky communities hard hit by severe storms and tornados, Home Depot and Walmart have teamed with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to offer workshops on home improvement tips, methods for preventing future damage, and techniques for rebuilding homes to be hazard r...

By ANTHONY S. MANGERI SR., an Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, July 27, 2011 The city of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, recently received $1.4 million for hazard mitigation projects. The guiding principle in emergency preparedness is virtually identical to one of the Golden Rules of good health: Prevention is much better, and almost always lower in cost, than recovery and...

by  RICK SHAW, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal. Shootings, acts of violence, crimes, abuse, suicides, overdoses, and other incidents and tragedies are increasing nationwide. Cities across the nation saw a surge of homicides in 2020 and many cities were at or near record levels for homicides in 2021. Cities also saw spikes in 2020 and 2021 with crimes, abuse, suicides, ov...

by TANIA GLENN, An Article Out Loud Flashback from the Domestic Preparedness Journal, May 21, 2014. In the aftermath of 9/11, aviation and other transportation incidents have become the focus of much national and international attention. Commercial aviation incidents like U.S. Airways Flight 1549 making an emergency landing on the Hudson River in January 2009, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 making a c...

by ANN LESPERANCE, an Article Out Loud Flashback from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal,  October 10, 2012.  During a major disaster, saving lives and protecting the environment while ensuring public safety are all-encompassing priorities. As a catastrophe unfolds, decision makers at all levels of government are faced with a myriad of questions and/or issues that must be quickly addressed and res...

by JUDY KRUGER & ROMEO LAVARIAS, an Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal.  Since the spring of 2020, variables such mistrust of government leaders, anti-maskers, and economic concerns complicated COVID-19 community response. The Cynefin framework is a sensemaking theory in the social sciences to create a framework for emergency managers in large-scale events. It is useful be...

by ANDREW ALTIZER, an Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness Journal. When time permits, in-depth quantitative research offers valuable information for disaster preparedness and response. However, the foundation of preparedness is rooted in the day-to-day activities that prevent small events from becoming big crises and help manage large events that cannot be avoided. As such, the followi...

by RYAN COLKER, an Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal .  Buildings and infrastructure built today must be designed and operated to withstand the risks they will face across their life cycles (often 50 years or more), including lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that drive some of these changing risks. With that in mind, community leaders and emergency managers must make...

by MARY SCHOENFELDT, an Article Out Loud from the  Domestic Preparedness Journal .  School crisis response plans come in a variety of formats. Although the structure may vary, the content must include the essentials for the plan to be usable and effective. A basic school-based crisis response plan has seven key elements: organizing structure, communications system, accountability system, parent/st...

On 17 November 2021, the  Domestic Preparedness Journal  and the  Resilient Navigation & Timing Foundation  hosted a panel discussion on the vulnerabilities of the global positioning systems (GPS) and potential efforts to deter attacks on and interference with GPS satellites and signals. The Honorable John Garamendi, Congressman for the 3rd District of California and Chair of the House Armed S...

Three experts present local and state key findings and actionable items that will help professionals in preparing for future incidents. In cooperation with the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), DomPrep is please to produce and host a ninety-minute (90) audio conversation that will discuss the pandemic and other concurrent incide...

Three experts will present their insights and experience on managing a supply chain during a pandemic. Areas discussed: TECHNOLOGY: How does technology enhance or complicate resilience and the supply chain? RELATIONSHIPS: How have relationships with customers and suppliers changed during the pandemic? COLLABORATION: How does federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial interfaces impact prepared...

Throughout 2020, many public institutions have been tested. Many did not rise to the occasion and embrace the challenges. Many did not exhibit the domestic preparedness stance that they spent years portraying – law enforcement was no exception. This podcast is the conclusion to a four-part article series on “The New Age of Police Reform.” Learn how law enforcement is seeking to find new ways to ov...

In the age of COVID-19, community leaders and the public they serve are bombarded with news related to testing. However, many do not understand the value the results can provide, to whom they should be given, and the actions that are allowed and should be taken. These questions need to be asked and small steps need to be taken to better comprehend what can and should be done to protect communities...

Law enforcement is having a perfect storm with challenges in hiring, challenges in retention, and challenges with early retirement.  This podcast is a follow up to a discussion that began in January 2017 with Joseph Trindal. Joe leads a team of retired federal, state, and local criminal justice officials providing consulting and training services to public and private sector organizations enhancin...

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact society, hospitals and healthcare systems are facing a myriad of challenges. Effective leadership is needed to ensure continued health care operations, access to critical medications and personal protective equipment, and overall viability of the health care system. The hospital incident command system (HICS) was designed decades ago to provide a dec...

The concept of hospital resilience has changed in light of COVID-19. Despite planning and training for unexpected worst cast scenarios, one key assumption was not consistent with this pandemic response – that not everyone would be affected worldwide. The traditional “essential employees” changed, which left some gaps in filling the new essential roles. Preplanned mutual aid and supply chains were...

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised many discussions on the topic of acceptable losses. For community decision makers, this is a difficult yet necessary issue to consider before making decisions that may have life-threatening consequences. Spurred by two articles and followed up with a nationwide survey and report, this podcast was presented at the National Homeland Security Association's virtual...

While much of the news media has been focused on the coronavirus pandemic, violent incidents continue to occur throughout the United States. The shutdown of sporting events, schools, concerts, and other large events has led to an overall decrease in active shooter incidents. In fact, March 2020 was the first March without a school shooting since 2002. While active shooter events have recently decl...

In 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency related to the  opioid crisis . Indeed, overdoses and deaths from opioids have skyrocketed over the past decade. In 2017, deaths from opioids were six times higher than in 1999. Opioids impact the quality of life and longevity, as well as have tremendous social and economic impacts on communities throughou...

With the myriad of threats that communities prepare for, influenza pandemic is consistently at the top of the priority list. In recent years, strains such as H7N9 and H1N1 have caused concern among health officials. It is no mystery why, considering the 1918 influenza pandemic – which infected over 500 million individuals around the world and caused tens of millions of deaths. Domestic Preparednes...

Watching the  video  of crew members from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Munro board and interdict a self-propelled, semi-submersible drug-smuggling vessel on 18 June 2019 is exciting. Their actions were heroic and highly productive. Because of that bravery, 39,000 pounds of cocaine and 933 pounds of marijuana worth a combined estimated $569 million was seized. For the average person, the vide...

Underpinning any public health emergency response is a complex legal and regulatory framework. Understanding the interplay between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government is key to ensure policies and actions are based on solid legal footing. This podcast examines the role of the judicial branch and explores how the Tribal Legal Preparedness Project at the University of Pitt...