Saturday, May 17, 2008
Disaster Management
FEMA Releases Early TOPOFF 4 Observations
The Federal Emergency Management Agency met today with state homeland security advisors, state emergency management directors and participants from the Top Officials 4 exercise held in October 2007 to discuss preliminary exercise observations. During the meeting, held in Oklahoma City at the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, officials briefed out and released preliminary exercise observations and lessons learned from TOPOFF 4....
Top Tier
By Charley Hurley
California is introducing regional task forces to bridge the gap between initial-attack teams and Type-1 US&R resources. ...
Nuclear Energy to Grow Slow
Construction of new nuclear power plants in the United States will ramp up slowly over the next decade as project sponsors exercise caution to effectively manage business risks, nuclear energy industry leaders told Wall Street financial analysts....
Terrorism Panel to Air
The National Terrorism Preparedness Institute at St. Petersburg College is presenting Live Response. Live Response is a 60-minute interactive satellite television broadcast featuring a panel of experts who share their knowledge and experiences about terrorism awareness, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery....
GETTING THE 411
By Diane D. Pitts
The intelligence community has opened the door to fire service to improve information-sharing....
Braced for Attack
By Phil Causer
United Kingdom emergency-response agencies drew up a CBRN plan, then put it to the test....
D-I-Y Decon
By Michael Reynolds
An easily constructed shower system provides necessary hazmat equipment to budget-strapped departments....
Study to Focus on Disaster Resilience
A new Oak Ridge National Laboratory initiative could help avert disasters in Tennessee, Mississippi and South Carolina and also lead to more information about climate change....
Comment Period Extended for NRF
The Department of Homeland Security has extended the public comment period on the draft National Response Framework from Oct. 11 to Oct. 22....
Supply Chain
By Mike McDonough
Supplying a mass-casualty incident doesn't have to be a disaster....
Disaster Training in the E.U.
By Holger de Vries
International large-scale disaster training reveals how much is needed to overcome systemic differences....
FEMA Announces Membership Of National Advisory Council
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator David Paulison has announced the membership of the National Advisory Council. The council advises the Administrator of FEMA on all aspects of preparedness and emergency management in an effort to ensure close coordination with its partners across the country....
DHS Sponsors 4th Annual Preparedness Month
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will sponsor the fourth annual National Preparedness Month this September and encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities. This year's effort has a growing coalition of more than 625 national, regional, state and local organizations pledging support....
Report Downplays Threat to Rail System
The study concludes that the threat of a terrorist attack on a rail shipment carrying toxic inhalation hazards is much more modest than many assert....
What a Disaster
By Sam White
TEEX’s Disaster City offers trainees a final exam in real-life emergency management. ...
Trotter Leaves Chicago Post for Private Sector
Chicago Chief Emergency Officer Cortez Trotter has resigned to take a position with James Lee Witt Assoc. as its vice president and director of the Midwest region....
LAX Holds Disaster Exercise
A full-scale, simulated aircraft disaster was conducted on May 15 to test the capability of Los Angeles International Airport's emergency management system....
FDNY Releases New Terrorism Response Plan
The Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness Strategy defines the mission of the FDNY; identifies the operational adjustments made since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001; and explains how the department can evolve to meet the demands of the future....
DHS Awards Almost $4 Million in Fire Prevention Grants
DHS will award approximately 300 awards totaling $27 million to fire departments and other eligible organizations to reduce losses from fire and fire-related hazards. ...
Red Cross Gets new President and CEO
The American Red Cross Board of Governors named Mark W. Everson the next president and CEO of the Red Cross, effective May 29. ...
FEMA Announces $29.1 Million Available for Preparedness Training
The Competitive Training Grant Program provides funds to support training initiatives that are national in scope and further the department’s mission of preparing the nation to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from catastrophic events. ...
DHS Announces CEDAP Application Dates
Equipment and training awards are offered in five categories: personal protective equipment; thermal imaging, night vision, and video surveillance tools; chemical and biological detection tools; information technology and risk management tools; and interoperable communications equipment....
NGA Center Launches Pandemic Outbreak Workshops
Building on the significant progress states have made in planning for medical and public health responses to a potential pandemic influenza outbreak, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, convened officials from the upper Midwest on April 10 in the first of a series of regional workshops designed to assess and enhance overall state and regional pandemic preparedness. ...
NFPA Releases Evacuation Guide for People with Disabilities
The guide addresses the need for evacuation plans to include everyone, and highlights the needs, criteria, and minimum information required to incorporate appropriate planning strategies for people with disabilities into these plans....
FEMA Prepares for Hurricane Season
Paulison's speech at a national hurricane conference focused on the internal and external reviews being conducted in partnership with states and localities to determine where reforms can make the biggest impact....
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