Domestic Preparedness

During September 2017, two major Category 5 hurricanes impacted the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than one year later, the scope, scale, and magnitude of Hurricanes Irma and Maria are still being felt. The three islands that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John – suffered prolonged critical infrastructure shortages and failures in the aftermath of the storms. A lack of...

In 2017, many natural and manmade disasters affected communities across the United States. Each of these disasters posed many public health challenges, including funding, interagency, and workforce issues. Two subject matter experts,  Director Cheryl Petersen-Kroeber from the Minnesota Department of Health’s Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response and Deputy Director Harry Bruce (Jeff) Jeff...

In 2017, many natural and manmade disasters affected communities across the United States. Each of these disasters posed many public health challenges, including funding, interagency, and workforce issues. Two subject matter experts,  Director Cheryl Petersen-Kroeber from the Minnesota Department of Health’s Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response and Deputy Director Harry Bruce (Jeff) Jeff...

Since 1998, the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium ( NDPC ) has been preparing first responders for a wide range of natural and human-caused incidents. Sponsored through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA) National Preparedness Directorate, the NDPC includes seven training partner organizations, each with different lanes of core capabiliti...

On 22 March 2018, DomPrep Advisor Andrew Roszak spoke with Dr. David Dyjack, director of the National Environmental Health Association ( NEHA ), about the field of environmental health as it relates to disaster response and mitigation as well as overall community resilience. Unlike public health, which specializes in the social and policy realms, the field of environmental health is scientific and...

With so many graduate degrees available, it can sometimes be confusing to know which to pursue when entering the world of emergency and disaster preparedness and response. DomPrep Advisor Andrew Roszak addressed one broad-based degree that covers many areas critical for managing disasters. In this podcast, Dr. Randolf Burnside of Southern Illinois University’s Political Science Department and Dr....

On the morning of 10 September 2017, Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane. Mandatory evacuation pushed tens of thousands of people onto a two-lane road. Returning to the area following the storm introduced additional challenges, for example: fuel trucks having trouble entering, housing shortages, landlord issues, builder contract concerns, vulnerable populations, and ot...

Launched by Methodist minister William Booth and the East London Christian Mission in 1865, The Salvation Army provides services during both daily operations and times of disaster. More than just thrift stores and bell ringers, The Salvation Army provides small- and large-scale disaster relief – from house fires to major hurricanes. This “Army of Good” includes about 5,000 officers, 60,000 employe...

On 16 May 2017, DomPrep hosted a podcast recording with a panel of subject matter experts to discuss the topic of federal grant funding. The Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Program focuses federal funds on dense urban areas where threats and consequences of attacks are significant. By enhancing the planning, training, and resources in these high-risk areas, the nation as a whole is more pre...

On 18 April 2017, DomPrep hosted a podcast recording with a panel of subject matter experts to discuss the topic of children in disasters. The discussion was moderated by Andrew Roszak, senior director for emergency preparedness at Child Care Aware® of America. This 40-minute discussion addressed the following key topics: Planning for children to help increase community resilience The importance o...

The recent assassination of North Korea’s Kim Jong Nam raises questions about the VX nerve agent, which could affect emergency responders who have not been recently trained or have not come in direct contact with this deadly chemical. On Thursday, 2 March 2017, DomPrep hosted a 30-minute audio podcast with four subject matter experts. This 30-minute discussion addresses:  The approximate amount of...

On 18 January 2017, DomPrep’s publisher Martin Masiuk met with Joseph Trindal, president and chief operating officer at Coastal International Security, to discuss the challenge of retaining personnel in law enforcement and possible solutions for addressing this problem. As long-term personnel retire, so too does their knowledge. Challenges by external forces, escalation of violence toward officers...

At the International Association of Emergency Managers annual conference in October 2016, DomPrep Advisor Anthony Mangeri sat down with Richard Serino, distinguished visiting fellow at Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, to discuss leadership as it relates to crisis communications. An audio of the full interview is now available.

DomPrep’s Editor-in-Chief Catherine Feinman interviewed the following subject matter experts from various disciplines to find out their suggestions for improving the “Whole Community” effort in jurisdictions across the country.

Public health encompasses pandemics and bioterrorism incidents as much as injury and illness threats following other types of disasters. The burden of biological threats is often less visible, but can affect economic stability and national security just as much as (if not more than) other types of disasters. Efforts to mitigate and prepare for infectious diseases – both natural and malicious – hav...

In 2009, the History Channel created a documentary, entitled “Day After Disaster,” to address the scenario of a suitcase nuclear detonation in a major metropolitan city. On 9 April 2014, Craig DeAtley revisited the topic in an article, which was followed by a DomPrep poll to help review the preparedness level of the nation for such an attack if it were to occur today. The following panel discussio...

At anytime the unthinkable can happen – and being able to track and credential first responders in a timely manner can save lives. By using an intelligent accountability system during an incident and/or special event, incident commanders are able to process first responders, volunteers, and equipment at a much faster pace. Incident commanders also can monitor the movement of equipment and personne...

Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative (NSI) Roundtable

DomesticPreparedness met with Dennis R. Schrader, Deputy Administrator, National Preparedness, FEMA. Schrader, the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) deputy administrator for national preparedness – accompanied by Glenn Cannon, FEMA assistant director for disaster operations – discusses the soon-to-be-released final version of the National Response Framework (NRF). How the National Respons...

DomesticPreparedness met with Ellen P. Embrey, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. The Pentagon’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness outlines the military’s role in national disaster support and medical readiness under Emergency Support Fu...

DomesticPreparedness met with Glenn Cannon, Assistant Administrator for Disaster Operations, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA's assistant administrator for disaster operations discusses the “New” FEMA, reorganized in accordance with the 2006 Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, and the reconfigured agency’s operational, pro-active, and situationally-aware orientation....

DomesticPreparedness met with Sir Ken Knight, Commissioner for the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. London’s – and soon the United Kingdom’s – senior first responder discusses his approach to multi-agency incident-management and response operations in light of the 7/7 2005 terrorist attack, the United Kingdom’s approach to resilience, and the several ways in which the U.K. response op...

DomesticPreparedness met with Joseph Becker, Senior Vice President of Disaster Services, American Red Cross to discuss the American Red Cross (ARC) concept of operations for disaster preparedness and response under the new National Response Framework, Red Cross support activities in line with ESF 6 (mass care, emergency assistance, housing, and human services) and ESF 8 (public health and medical...

DomesticPreparedness met with Rear Admiral David P. Pekoske, USCG, Assistant Commandant for Operations, and Rear Admiral Brian M. Salerno, USCG, Director of Inspection and Compliance, U.S. Coast Guard. Two Coast Guard senior leaders discuss the service’s new Strategy for Maritime Safety, Security, and Stewardship, focusing primarily on the maritime-security issue and various related enhancements t...

DomesticPreparedness met with James Lee Witt, CEO, James Lee Witt Associates The former cabinet-level administrator of FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) during the Clinton presidency offers his views on managing the intergovernmental, all-hazards disaster management partnership, the continuing need for FEMA reorganization, and the requirement to establish a national catastrophic insur...