bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tuning in: Weather radios for those most at risk
Authors: Kupec, BS Robert J.
Published: August 2018

In 2005, a tornado killed 25 people in a Mobile Home Park in Evansville, Indiana. Spurred on by this disaster, the state of Indiana passed a law in 2007 requiring that all new manufactured homes come with a NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) Weather Radio. Members of the Indiana Congressional delegation introduced similar legislation in the US House of Representatives (House Bill H.R. 2787), which passed on October 30, 2007. The bill has since moved to the Senate Committee on Banking Housing and Urban Affairs. Since 2000, over 50 percent of deaths from tornadoes have occurred in mobile homes. NOAA weather radio is now accessible by 98 percent of the population, but user ship remains low. More emphasis should be made to notify the citizenry of this vital resource.
Protecting the functionality of airports during disaster responses: Solutions
Authors: Smith, PhD, PE, Captain USNR (Ret.), M.ASCE James Fielding , Waggoner, BA, EMT-P, EMSI Sandra Sue , Rabjohn, CEM Arthur , Bachar, BGen (Ret.) Avi
Published: August 2018

Issues of protecting the functionality of airports involved in responses for nearby or distant disasters are examined for nonintentional incidents such as natural disasters, accidents, and pandemics and for humanitarian relief efforts during intentional incidents such as terrorism, war, civil war, and riots. Proposed solutions focus on promoting airport continuity of business and continuity of operations while optimizing airports as sustainable assets during all phases of the response. The most significant recommendations involve policy, organizational, operational, physical, and defensive measures based on sound incident management systems, interoperability, national and international standards for airport use during disaster response, and new national funding sources for incremental improvements to airport capabilities in these areas.
How the next President of the United States can fix FEMA
Authors: Bullock, BA Jane A. , Haddow, MURP George D.
Published: August 2018

Our nation continues to experience increased frequency and severity of weather disasters. All of these risks demand that we look at the current system and assess if this system, which is predicated on strong Federal leadership in partnership with State and local governments and which failed so visibly in Hurricane Katrina, needs to be rebuilt on a new model. We are suggesting a plan of action that, we believe, is practical, achievable, and will reduce the costs in lives, property, environmental and economic damage from future disasters. The next President is the only person who can make this happen.We suggest that the next President undertake the following steps: (1) move FEMA out of the Department of Homeland Security; (2) appoint a FEMA Director, who is a trusted adviser to the President; (3) include the appointment of the FEMA Director in the first round of Presidential appointees to the Cabinet; (4) rebuild the Federal Response Plan; (5) remove the hazard mitigation and long-term recovery functions from FEMA; (6) invest $2.5 billion annually in hazard mitigation; (7) support community disaster resiliency efforts. The next President will have the opportunity to build the new partnership of Federal, State and local governments, voluntary agencies, nonprofits and the private sector that is needed to make our nation resilient. The question is will the next President take advantage of this opportunity?
The principles as the foundation of emergency management
Authors: Waugh, Jr., PhD William L.
Published: August 2018

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Continuity of Operations planning: Meeting the standard of care
Authors: Clark, JD Robin J. , Timmins, JD Megan H.
Published: August 2018

Recent disasters have increased the public’s awareness of the lack of emergency preparedness of state and local governments. The attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 highlighted failures in government agency coordination, while the anthrax attacks that followed and the more recent natural disasters of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 have deepened concerns that our government is unprepared for emergencies. Partially in response to the public’s concern, the federal government has encouraged Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning at the federal, state, and local government levels.Public attention, government engagement, and the promulgation of federal directives and guidance are leading to an increase in the standard of care for all public sector planning efforts, thus creating potential liabilities in the areas of COOP planning, testing, training, and maintenance. At this point, COOP planning is becoming the norm for state and local government agencies, and while the process of COOP planning may itself expose agencies to certain liabilities, there is also an increase in the potential liability for agencies that do not undertake COOP planning efforts. Further, it appears that the potential liability of agencies that do not engage in COOP planning far exceeds any liabilities incurred through the planning process.
Toxic gas dispersion models: Can they predict protective action distances in case of a chemical spill?
Authors: Nordin, PhD John S.
Published: August 2018

Emergency responders often use a gas dispersion model to estimate downwind airborne concentrations of a toxic chemical in case of a chemical spill accident. For protecting the public, a protective action distance from the spill source is established based on the distance where the toxic concentration drops below some level of concern. This distance is used as a basis for evacuation of the public from the area or for instructions to shelter-in-place. However, in real-world accidents, the responders neither know the amount of chemicals released into the air nor the duration of the release, and moreover, the concentrations of chemicals at any location will vary over time. Depending on what input information is put into the model, different results will be obtained. The problem of what input parameters to use for gas dispersion modeling is illustrated for a hypothetical 90-ton chlorine railcar accident, where the railcar is breached. Different answers for a protective action distance are obtained depending on whether the tables in the Emergency Response Guidebook or any of the popular gas dispersion models are used. Very different answers are obtained from any model depending on whether whole of the chemical is released at once as a gas or aerosol or whether the liquefied chlorine evaporates slowly inside a ruptured 90-ton railcar tank, and also the weather conditions. To avoid misunderstandings, people who use models to establish a protective action distance must also communicate the circumstances in which the models are used, eg, “worst possible what-if scenario,” etc, or “nighttime stable conditions,” or other situations.
Management of inquiries into disasters: Experts’ views and perspectives
Authors: Aini, PhD M. S. , Fakhru’l-Razi, PhD A.
Published: August 2018

In most democratic countries, inquiries are conducted into major accidents. One of the main functions of inquiries into disasters is to establish the causes and to learn lessons from them so as to prevent a recurrence. However, previous studies showed that the learning aspect is often curtailed because of the inadequate guides to the conduct and procedures of inquiry management. A study was conducted to determine the disaster experts’ views and perspectives on management of disaster inquiries. A sample of 80 experts representing various organizations in Malaysia was selected using judgmental sampling method. The data indicated that they were less agreeable with regards to statements about recommendations and learning aspects as compared with function and procedural issues. Suggestions for improvements of inquiry management into disasters were discussed and proposed. Inquiry into disasters is costly to manage and may last from a few months to a few years; thus, these shortcomings ought to be addressed as they will remain as one of the valuable sources of information for society and corporations to learn from past incidents.
Transportation for evacuations: The variation in planning between urban and rural cities
Authors: Easterday, BS Natalie
Published: August 2018

A city’s emergency operation plan (EOP) establishes the framework for which all disaster-related activities will be administered. Seven communities’ EOPs were assessed to explore potential planning differences between urban and rural cities. Four urban and three rural communities were selected from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Regions V, VII, and VIII. The EOPs of the selected cities were evaluated against a comprehensive list of questions that explored pre-evacuation planning, operations, roles and responsibilities, communication, and postevacuation return. Within each category, the questions probed for the roles of public transportation in disaster situations. The results yielded several parallels between urban and rural communities in general evacuation planning, and these differences were not based on the city size. From this information, six suggested best practices were developed regarding the role of public transportation in emergency management.
The effect of training on disaster response: Lessons learned from recent events
Authors: Afshari, BS Hessam M. , Cervone, MD, LTC Paul N. , Seaton, PhD Mark J. , Taylor, BA Miley A. , Rudy, DEd Bruce S.
Published: August 2018

National attention to emergency preparedness has resulted in the development of numerous tabletop and exercise-based training programs for responders. The importance of this type of training with respect to the effectiveness of disaster response, while not in doubt, is difficult to measure. Here, we examined after action reports (AARs) from a variety of disasters in an attempt to determine what, if any, effect training has had on the response to a particular event and on disaster response in general.We also examined AARs and lessons learned from two training exercises. Possibly, the most significant effect of training was the opportunity for people from different response units to interact as a team. Exposure to the Incident Command System was vital to the smooth deployment of assets.
Learning from failures in emergency response: Two empirical studies
Authors: Dekker, PhD Sidney W. A. , Jonsén, MSc Magnus , Bergström, MSc Johan , Dahlström, PhD Nicklas
Published: August 2018

Recent high-visibility disasters have fueled public and political awareness of the importance of managing and mitigating their consequences effectively. In response, various countries have enacted legislation that demands the evaluation of emergency responses so that lessons for improvement can be learned. A series of field and experimental studies were conducted from 2005 to 2007 to assess the ability of firstresponder organizations (eg, fire departments) to learn from failures that occurred during their emergency responses. The departments studied often lacked basic organizational requisites for effectively learning from failure (eg, mutual trust, participation, knowledge of possible learning mechanisms). Further, neither firstresponder training, nor daily practice, seems supported by knowledge of generic competencies necessary for effective crisis management. This not only hampers coordination during a response, but also keeps its evaluation from using a language that could help organizations learn and improve.
Strategies for resilience: A qualitative analysis of rural community leaders’ advice on disaster recovery
Authors: Youngs, Jr., PhD George A. , O’Neill, PhD H. Katherine
Published: August 2018

Resilience refers to the capacity to withstand, overcome, or recover from serious threat, such as a natural disaster. In small towns, community leaders are intimately involved with their towns’ response and recovery from a disaster and can see resilience processes, or their absence, virtually one person at a time. The authors interviewed 30 community leaders in two small towns along the Red River of the North, 7 to 8 years after a devastating flood. Responses to the question, “Based on your experience and observations (in your community), what advice would you give a similar community that was trying to recover from a major flood?” revealed a pattern of suggestions consistent with resilience strategies identified in the psychological literature. Specifically, the strategies of taking action, accepting help from others, engaging in self-discovery, maintaining a realistic long-term perspective, and fostering hope and optimism were mentioned repeatedly by the respondents. The authors also found rich subthemes within each of these general strategies. These findings support the applicability of psychological resilience strategies to a community’s disaster response and recovery processes.
Establishing identity during a disaster: The Emergency Management Assistance Compact and the First Responder Authentication Credential
Authors: Williams, JD Jillian A. , Xenakis, JD Aileen B.
Published: August 2018

As emergencies consistently overwhelm the resources of the jurisdictions they affect, the emergency management community responds with legislation enacting programs to send aid more efficiently, including the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). Correspondingly, emergency management technology develops to meet the field’s evolving needs. The Office of the National Capital Region Coordination (ONCRC) finds that the technology behind First Responder Authentication Credentials, or FRAC cards, will supplement the EMAC program by providing the trust framework that will enable identity and typing to be electronically verified to one individual issued from an authoritative source. It puts into practice “trust but verify” with verification being enabled electronically and provides a trust framework that assures the incident scene commander that a visiting first responder is who he says he is and is certified to perform the tasks that he has been assigned. In the chaos that accompanies such disasters, there is a latent threat of doing more harm by admitting unauthenticated people to an already vulnerable asset or scene; in an effort to protect against further harm, capable and available assisting responders are often prevented from actually helping. The FRAC program is the next stage in the emergency management field’s development of more efficient response mechanisms. In essence, FRAC picks up where EMAC left off: it provides a credential with photo and biometric identification that accesses computer data confirming the visiting first responder’s attributes and skill sets. It allows on-scene security to confirm a visiting first responder’s identity and credentials. Necessity is the mother of invention, and the FRAC program meets the current need for electronic verification of identity and skills, while simultaneously allowing for greater accountability on the scene of a disaster. The FRAC technology will be a critical element in reaching the next level of success in emergency response. It should fit seamlessly into the programs that have already yielded positive results and should help first responders to be more effective and efficient.
Evaluating and promoting disaster awareness among children: The disaster awareness game
Authors: Clerveaux, PhD Candidate Virginia , Spence, PhD Balfour , Katada, PhD Toshitaka
Published: August 2018

Children account for the greatest proportion of casualties from hazard impacts, especially in developing countries where they comprise the largest percentage of total population. This disproportionate vulnerability of children has recently been the focus of various United Nations initiatives for disaster risk reduction and is increasingly being the focus of local and national measures to reduce the impacts of hazards. The overarching focus of these childrenspecific measures has been the promotion of disaster education to enhance the level of awareness among school-age children. However, this new trust toward the disaster awareness among children presents a new challenge for disaster planners, especially as this relates to the development of appropriate tools and techniques for the enhancement of the disaster knowledge base of children. Specifically, disaster management planners are challenged in ensuring not only that the information provided is appropriate to the information-assimilation capacity of children but also that the appropriate tools and techniques are developed to ensure effective conveyance of information through a medium that is neither stoic nor boring. The disaster awareness game presented in this article was designed with these challenges in mind and is intended to evaluate and promote disaster awareness in children. Preliminary results suggest that the tool is effective in meeting this objective.
Reconstruction and exploration of large-scale distributed operations—Multimedia tools for evaluation of emergency management response
Authors: Pilemalm, PhD Sofie , Andersson, MS Dennis , Hallberg Niklas
Published: August 2018

This study presents an approach for computersupported reconstruction and exploration (R&E) of distributed tactical operations. The approach involves several steps for constructing a time-synchronized, event-driven multimedia model of the course of events collected from multiple sources in the operational environment and visualizes this model in the F-REX Studio multimedia suite. In this study, the use of R&E and F-REX is explored in large-scale emergency management exercises. The approach’s possibilities, limitations, and needs for modification are first outlined followed by a comparison to traditional quantitative and qualitative data collection methods applied in the same context. It is found that the R&E approach in combination with F-REX has several advantages in relation to the other methods, in terms of avoiding problems of retrospection and in being able to provide an overview of the entire operation based on multiple perspectives—addressing the question “why” something happened rather than “what happened.” Correctly used, multimedia-supported R&E can thereby be used for more solid evaluations of large-scale emergency management exercises and operations, thus contributing to more effective handling of future crises.
University of Miami ‘Canes Emergency Response Team: A look at an undergraduate disaster response team
Authors: Meizoso, BS Jonathan P. , Shatz, MD, FACS David V. , Fletcher, MEd Keith G. , Shpiner, BBA Matthew V. , Carvajal, BBA Daniel , Ring Allison , Coffin William , Pearlman, BS Michelle , Pearlman, BS Amy , Ragland Stephanie , Murphy, NREMT-B Sean M. , Rivero, BPS David , Gerlach, MPA William , Pepper, CPP, VSP John , Tighe, BA John
Published: August 2018

Through recurrent disasters, both natural and man-made, the US government has developed a sophisticated emergency and disaster response system, ranging from local to federal government responses. But in large-scale disasters, the number of professional responders and the response times may be inadequate both for the physical magnitude of the disaster area involved and the number of victims. With that experience in hand, the Los Angeles City Fire Department promoted the concept of citizen response and training in 1985, which is now known as the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). The CERT program seeks to educate the lay public in disaster preparedness and train volunteers in basic disaster response skills. Training has been made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Emergency Management Institute, and the National Fire Academy (http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/). These teams can be used to promote awareness programs in the community and to be readily available in the event of a local incident. Their proximity to the event and knowledge of the area can be a valuable asset both prior to and after the arrival of professional responders. But building such a team from scratch can be a daunting challenge. Known more for their football program, this article describes the system built by the undergraduate student body of the University of Miami Hurricanes.
School-based relief centers: A community level assessment and discussion
Authors: Thompson, MS Wiley
Published: August 2018

An effective community relief center plan provides emergency managers with the ability to provide shelter and services to a population following the onset of a hazard and is a key component of emergency preparedness and disaster recovery. This paper presents a practical method whereby an assessment of schools as the basis of a community-wide relief center plan is made. The paper suggests desired characteristics of a relief center, details a selection methodology, and provides recommendations for implementation of a community relief center plan. Alternative considerations and the role of GIS are also discussed.
November/December 2008
Authors: DeVito, Jr. Richard A.
Published: August 2018

Volume 6, Number 6
Drafting, revising, and updating local emergency operations plans: The National Response Framework and the Emergency Support Function Annex model
Authors: Stallings, JD Michael , Faust, JD Whitney
Published: August 2018

Lessons learned and public scrutiny resulting from the Gulf Coast hurricane disasters in 2005 led the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to restructure its national incident response guidance. The National Response Framework (NRF) replaced the National Response Plan (NRP) in early 2008. The updated Framework has focused the attention of emergency management planning to, among other things, updating Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) on a State and local jurisdictional level, utilizing an Emergency Support Function (ESF) model.Since 2005, compliance mandates under the National Incident Management System (NIMS) have required local government entities to revise and update emergency operations plans to incorporate NIMS components. With the introduction of the NRF in 2008, the ESF model is now the recommended standard for local government EOPs under the NIMS compliance objectives. The ESF model provides for a coordinated response effort and mutual aid options local agencies may receive from State and Federal resources in the wake of an emergency. It also works to ensure that local entities themselves have a careful accounting of all of their own resources and capabilities to avoid another slow and inadequate response that was at the heart of the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita tragedies in 2005.
Distrust in emergency management: The impact of reduced information exchange
Authors: Kruke, MSc, PhD Bjørn Ivar
Published: August 2018

Coordination of humanitarian operations in complex emergencies require joint initiatives from mutually dependent actors, such as the host government, large UN agencies, international and national nongovernmental organizations, and the population. To master the challenges of coordination, building trust relations between these actors is essential, trust relations based on the willingness to communicate, to share information, and to cooperate. However, distrust between the displaced population and host government is often seen in complex emergencies and influences the agencies coming to the emergency area. This article concludes that distrust leads to reduced information exchange and thereby increased distrust. Although distrust in the authorities is well founded in Darfur, humanitarian operations without the authorities are not possible. The right personalities in key positions and smaller forums for information exchange increase the likelihood of trust-building between individual emergency managers from the various actors; trust-building is necessary for reliable emergency management.
Bioterrorism and the college campus: Student perceptions of emergency preparedness
Authors: Smith, PhD, OTR/L Diane L. , Notaro, PhD Stephen J. , Smith, MS Stephanie A.
Published: August 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the current perceptions of college students in regard to the emergency management of bioterrorism.Design: University students enrolled in Community Health courses were recruited to participate in a paper or online survey to determine their perceptions regarding likelihood of a bioterrorist attack, preparedness of the university, and preparedness of the students.Participants: Of the 309 students recruited, 265 (85.9 percent) participated in the survey.Interventions: Data from the surveys were entered into an SPSS dataset for analysis.Main outcome measure: Perceived preparedness of the university for a bioterrorism emergency.Results: Students perceived that there was a low likelihood of a bioterrorist attack at the university. Only 17.6 percent of the students felt that the university was prepared for a large-scale emergency and only 24.1 percent felt that the students were prepared. One third of the students did not know that the university had policies in place for a bioterrorist attack and 88.3 percent did not know where to go for information in the event of a bioterrorist attack. Only 9.2 percent had visited the campus emergency planning Web site.Conclusions: Effort must be made by universities to determine the appropriate amount of education to the students regarding emergency preparedness based on the cost-benefit to the university and the student body. Suggestions from students included a mandatory workshop for incoming freshman, involvement of campus emergency planning with student organizations, and increased marketing of the campus emergency Web site.
Situation awareness oriented user interface design for fire emergency response
Authors: Yang, PhD, MSc, BSc, FBCS, CITP Lili , Prasanna, PhD candidate Raj , King, PhD, MA, FIMA, CMath Malcolm
Published: August 2018

Emergency response management demands certain characteristics of the individuals involved. They need to act decisively on often little or incomplete information within tight time schedules, or, sometimes, with too much data from which it is difficult to extract key information. Procuring the right information at the right time, in the right format, and to get it to the right people is a challenge in any emergency response management system design; especially, as poor designs can lead to response systems that are not used, are ineffective, and in some cases dangerous to the emergency personnel. This article explores how situation awareness (SA) oriented design can be used for on-site emergency response system development. The end-user requirements are identified through extensive interviews with fire fighters and observations of fire emergency response training simulations. These requirements are calculated against the identified responsibilities of the core members in the first responder hierarchy. The on-site dynamic information which could be presented to emergency personnel is examined through the use of three SA levels to meet the various requirements of the first response party. Finally, an interface prototype of an information system for fire and rescue services is presented to illustrate the methods proposed in the article. Although our focus was on structural fire and fire fighters, the interface design for an onsite emergency response system proposed here is applicable for other emergency response situations as well, due to standard operating procedures.
Equal opportunity preparedness and response: Increasing preparedness and response for citizens with visual and auditory impairment
Authors: Taylor, MS Courtney E.
Published: August 2018

During the planning process for preparedness and response of disasters, people with visual and auditory disabilities are frequently and mistakenly left out. In October of 2003, a television report in San Diego, CA, failed to provide visual warnings to inform Deaf residents during coverage of local fires.1 Confusion during Hurricane Katrina resulted in numerous service animals being separated from their owners.2 Emergency workers were unprepared to assist Deaf people on the 35W bridge collapse of 2007 in Minneapolis, MN. People with visual and auditory disabilities should be aware of their own needs in the event of an emergency, and their community should be aware too. Emergency managers and first responders should take certain precautions in assisting people with disabilities. The preparedness and response stages of visually impaired, auditorily impaired, and service animals are important topics for any community.
Preparing communities: The critical integration of faith-based organizations into emergency planning and response
Authors: Hurst, BS, JD Jessica L. , George, BA, JD Jessica P.
Published: August 2018

This article discusses the paradigm shift that is taking place in emergency management planning with regard to the integration of faith-based organizations in federal, state, and local preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. In addition, this article explores potential legal issues related to government funding and support of faith-based emergency planning initiatives. Finally, the article proposes recommendations for initiating and expanding emergency planning among faith-based organizations to fully utilize the unique knowledge these groups have of the needs of their communities.
Cleaning up New Orleans: The impact of a missing population on disaster debris removal
Authors: Cook, BA Timothy
Published: August 2018

Public participation in a disaster debris removal process is an important component to any large-scale rebuilding effort. How, then, does such an effort progress when nearly two-thirds of the affected community’s population does not come back to participate? The City of New Orleans faced just such a situation after Hurricane Katrina and the catastrophic flooding that followed. The debris removal task is the largest in US history, and very few residents returned to participate in the cleanup. This article provides a further understanding of the impact that New Orleans’ missing population had on the city’s cleanup process. This article asserts that without this city’s residents (or first filters), the enormous debris removal effort in New Orleans was further slowed and complicated. The first two sections provide background and context, identifying the size and scope of the disaster, the low residential return rate, and the role of public participation in previous large-scale debris removal efforts. The next three sections focus on the disaster debris itself, identifying specific ways in which the missing population further complicated New Orleans’ cleanup efforts with regard to (a) the duration of the debris removal process, (b) the volume of debris, and (c) the contamination of debris.The final section considers various measures that emergency planners and managers can take to facilitate “participatory repopulation,” thus mitigating the complications of a missing population.
Pandemic influenza vaccination distribution: Evaluating the policies of several large municipalities across the United States
Authors: Raymond, Doctoral Student Eric S. , French, PhD P. Edward
Published: August 2018

The H5N1 influenza viral strain, or “avian flu,” has been a cause of concern for health officials at all levels of government since 2003. As it currently exhibits a 60 percent mortality rate, this strain uncomfortably resembles the H1N1 viral strain that killed more than 50 million people worldwide in the early twentieth century. Although limited worldwide vaccine-production capabilities prevent the mass distribution of vaccines in the event of a pandemic from this or any other viral strain, government officials are left with few options but to develop vaccination distribution policies for their respective communities. This research evaluates the vaccine distribution policies of eight municipalities with populations greater than 100,000 across the United States to determine the reasoning for prioritizing certain individuals over others. The authors find that each of the vaccination distribution policies follow Department of Health and Human Services guidelines with some minor modifications; however, we propose that a cost benefit analysis model which includes public participation and considers social continuance, economics, and the flexibility to adjust vaccination distribution is a more favorable approach.
Responding to catastrophic disasters: Lessons from the World Trade Center terrorist attacks
Authors: McEntire, PhD David A. , Souza, MPA Jill
Published: August 2018

The following article uses the 2001 World Trade Center Terrorist attacks as a case study to illustrate the major challenges presented to responders and emergency management officials. It examines not only the consequences of this disaster but also the immediate and long-term measures to deal with it. The article concludes with suggestions on how to prepare for such events in the future.
Direct assistance to victims in rescue operations as a risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder in police officers: The experience of the Toulouse disaster in 2001
Authors: Agrinier, MD Nelly , Albessard, MD Artus , Schwoebel, MD, PhD Valerie , Diène, MD Eloi , Lang, MD, PhD Thierry
Published: August 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (S-PTSD) in police personnel involved in rescue operations after the AZF chemical plant explosion in Toulouse, France, on September 21, 2001, and the relationship between S-PTSD and the type of rescue operation.Design: A cross-sectional survey was performed, using a mailed questionnaire.Participants: Six hundred and thirty-five out of 1,500 rescue operations police officers participated in the study. All were involved with the explosion site after the industrial disaster.Main outcome measure: The outcome variable was the presence of S-PTSD.The explanatory variables were the level of exposure during the rescue tasks.Statistics: Logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (OR).Results: The prevalence of S-PTSD among policemen was 4.1 percent [95% CI: 2.1-6.2]. Policemen who had immediate health consequences (OR 4.6; [95% CI: 1.3-16.4]) and those who provided medical assistance to the victims (OR 5.7; [95% CI: 1.6-20.2]) had a higher prevalence of S-PTSD.Conclusions: Providing medical assistance to the victims was a major risk factor of S-PTSD for police officers. Training police officers to take part in medical activities at the time of the disaster might lead to a reduction of SPTSD incidence in this group.
Emergency planning and people with disabilities: Massachusetts’ lessons learned
Authors: McGaffigan, MSW, MS, Public Policy Erin , Oliveira, BS Chris , Enochs, BA, MA Diane
Published: August 2018

Continued challenges responding to large-scale emergencies are recognized in the aftermath of events such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Elders and people with disabilities often included under the label of “vulnerable” or “special populations,” are especially hard hit given communication and accessibility barriers often faced even prior to an emergency. Approximately 15 percent of those living within our communities have disabilities, which jumps to 41 percent for those 65 years or older.1 The prevalence of functional limitations due to age or disability indicates the need for these factors to be accounted for in planning, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts at the national, state, and local level to ensure a truly effective emergency response system that meets the needs of all residents. To achieve this effort emergency management, public health, disability and elder stakeholders within Massachusetts joined together to identify the existing planning gaps and to explore potential solutions to support emergency preparedness so that emergency management systems are responsive to all individuals in the community, regardless of age or disability. The Commonwealth’s process and lessons learned are discussed later.
Biological incidents: Revisiting past perspectives toward a 21st century problem
Authors: Stocker, MS Darren K. , Kocher, MS, EdD Charles J.
Published: August 2018

Beginning in the 14th century, the use of biological agents as weapons created an effective methodology of killing enemy combatants and instilling fear in the populace of a community and nation. Although the deployment of these agents in various forms is in opposition to the agreements set within the rules of several weapons treaties, the use and threat of their development as a terrorist instrument has impacted societies in post-September 11th documented accounts. This article provides a chronological indication of the use of natural and synthetic biological agents as an intimidation factor and demonstrates the extent of how they have been consciously used in contemporary confrontations and how law enforcement, healthcare providers, and health organizations are engaged in the response of these biological weapons.
May/June 2009
Authors: DeVito, Jr. Richard A.
Published: August 2018

Volume 7, Number 3
The deadly second wave that follows every disaster
Authors: Simmons, MD Geoffrey
Published: August 2018

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Bridge building within emergency management communities: Successes, pitfalls, and future challenges
Authors: Drabek, PhD Thomas E.
Published: August 2018

Despite increased nurturing efforts, emergency management continues to reflect excessive fragmentation. Individuals remain locked within differing subcultural groups, eg, researchers vs practitioners and homeland security vs emergency management orientations. Too often they ask: “Why don’t you listen to me?” Important lessons can be learned from past bridge building efforts. The successes and failures of six specific efforts are summarized. Then, three of the most significant future challenges confronting emergency management within the United States are identified.Wisdom from the past must be applied to these challenges.
Bringing it all back home: Continuity of government planning for local government
Authors: Clark, JD Robin J. , Wilairat, JD Adrian
Published: August 2018

Continuity of government (COG) planning for local government is an important aspect of our nation's preparedness. COG plans help to prepare local government officials for emergencies in their jurisdiction by identifying legal authorities, orders of succession, and alternate facilities. This article summarizes relevant guidance, outlines key features, and provides substantive examples of the content of local government COG plans.
Do FEMA’s, HSEEP’s, and Green’s progressively difficult emergency exercise training concepts ultimately lead to increased emergency preparedness?
Authors: Glasser, MS, CPP, CEM, CHS-V, MCAS Marc
Published: August 2018

FEMA’s, HSEEP’s, and Green’s Exercise Alternates emergency exercise training approach models are built on the fundamental educational principle that progressively difficult emergency exercise training leads to the most effective learning and comprehension which ultimately increases emergency preparedness. This article addresses the merits of the “progressive” education principle in general and within the context of emergency exercise training programs. This article also briefly addresses emergency exercise planning and standardization, adult learning principles, and the theory of andragogy. This article concludes with an analysis based on a synthesis of the information reviewed, assertions and academic research results. The research material utilized was evaluated and selected based on the credibility of the source and its applicability to the subject material.
Bringing order to chaos: How RFID can deliver business intelligence to hurricane evacuations and enhance public safety in the process
Authors: Wyld, DBA David C.
Published: August 2018

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and subsequent major hurricanes, evacuation planning and execution have taken-on a heightened level of interest from both public officials and the general public. In this article, the authors examine how radio frequency identification (RFID) can be utilized to not just facilitate mass evacuations due to hurricanes, but yield far-better, real-time information to public officials, emergency managers, and concerned family members as well. The authors begin with an overview of RFID technology. Then, the authors explore how two leading areas—the State of Texas and the City of New Orleans—have worked with private sector partners to develop, test, and actually utilize RFID-based tracking systems to be used ondemand for hurricane evacuation events. The authors then analyze the benefits of such systems for use in hurricanes and other potential mass evacuations. The authors pinpoint the public safety, operational, and business intelligence advantages of employing this new identification technology in these crisis situations.
Monitoring the early response to a humanitarian crisis: The use of an Omnibus Survey in the Solomon Islands
Authors: Miskelly, MPP Reiko , Parks, PhD Will , Ahmed, PhD Nawshad , Vakacegu, MA Asenaca , Gilber, MPP Katherine , Sutton, MA Tim
Published: August 2018

On April 2, 2007, an earthquake followed by a tsunami hit islands in Western and Choiseul Provinces of Solomon Islands. More than 36,500 people living in 304 communities were affected. Alongside other United Nations agencies, International and National Non-Government Organizations and Faith- Based Organizations, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has played a significant role in the emergency response. UNICEF mobilized staff and resources guided by the agency’s Core Commitment for Children in Emergencies (CCCs). Dialogue with government counterparts and partners led to an initial 6-month Emergency Management Plan (EMP) enabling coordination of UNICEF’s response to the needs of the affected population. This article describes the use of a rapid monitoring tool—the Omnibus Survey— designed to measure initial EMP targets for key child survival interventions 10 weeks after April 2. The article begins with an overview of UNICEF’s role in declared emergencies. A background to the April 2 disaster and UNICEF’s early work with partners is then provided, followed by an explanation of the Omnibus Survey. Immediate implications of the survey’s findings for UNICEF’s ongoing assistance are discussed together with broader lessons learned when preparing for and managing humanitarian crises in the Pacific.
September/October 2009
Authors: DeVito, Jr. Richard A.
Published: August 2018

Volume 7, Number 5
Keeping the flu at bay: Methods for detecting and containing infectious disease
Authors: Karra, JD Atresha , Cornette, JD Emily
Published: August 2018

This article focuses on the existing methods for tracking and restricting the spread of communicable diseases, both within United States borders and across nations. It will first describe the roles played by the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization and will then explore how communicable diseases across the world are identified and monitored. This will be followed by a discussion of US and world reporting requirements and methods. Finally, the article will discuss the tactics used by the United States to control the spread of disease.
The role of the psychiatric nurse practitioner in disaster response
Authors: Marshall, EdD, MSN, PMHNP-BC Brenda
Published: August 2018

Nurses have responded to, and prepared for disasters from the time of Florence Nightingale and Harriet Werley. Nurses are the largest group of professional healthcare providers in America with more than 2.4 million registered nurses, a quarter of a million of whom are Nurse Practitioners capable of diagnosing, prescribing, and treating patients. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners are in a position to understand the unique cultural nuances and needs of a community in all phases of the disaster life cycle.
When disaster strikes: Bridging the hospital preparedness gap
Authors: Yoder, PhD Matthew S. , Best, PhD Connie L. , Shealy, MD Ralph M. , Garr, MD David R. , Schmidt, PhD Michael G.
Published: August 2018

Bioterrorism has emerged as a serious public health threat in the United States and continues to warrant significant public health concern. In the event of a bioterrorist attack, hospitals and healthcare providers will play a primary role in the community’s response. However, recent research has suggested that hospitals are unprepared to respond to a bioterrorism event lacking personnel, equipment, knowledge, and experience. The current article highlights the gaps between need and implementation of disaster preparedness programs in healthcare settings; presents a program designed to address these limitations in a cost-effective, portable, accessible training package; and analyzes data from a basic evaluation of the program. The program is a 4.5-day training developed by the a state Area Health Education Consortium (AHEC) to help prepare hospitals for a bioterrorist attack by training personnel in the creation of a decontamination team responsible for decontaminating patients before they enter the hospital. A basic evaluation of the program found that participants who complete the training reported high ratings of competency related to decontamination procedures, their confidence in future performance, and the training overall. Results suggest that the training program holds promise in beginning to address hospital preparedness gaps.
The hybrid exercise: Transitioning from discussion-based to operations-based exercises
Authors: Renger, PhD, MEP Ralph , Wakelee, MPH Jessica , Bradshaw, MBA, MEP Jillian
Published: August 2018

HSEEP emphasizes the importance of finding the appropriate balance between challenging players while not overwhelming them. Inherent in the transition from discussion-based to operations-based exercises is increased player stress. This transition is often overwhelming. A hybrid exercise is designed to assist exercise players in building their confidence in moving from discussing plans into testing plans and carrying out operations. It combines elements of both types of exercises with the purpose of creating a smoother transition from discussion-based to operations-based exercises. The development of a hybrid exercise is illustrated by way of a real life example. It is hoped sharing the concept of the hybrid exercise will encourage other exercise planners to examine the utility of combining elements of discussion-based and operationsbased exercises to create a smoother transition from one type to the other.
Context-aware mobile coordination system for emergency response
Authors: Karakostas, PhD Bill
Published: August 2018

This article proposes how context-aware Information Technologies can assist emergency response teams. Contextual information about an emergency responder’s activities such as current status and location can be automatically transmitted to other responders using criteria such as physical proximity and relevance. In this manner, ad hoc (peer-to-peer) emergency response teams can be coordinated via notifications of status updates (changes in location, task updates, personnel availability, and so on). The article argues that a peer-to-peer, context-aware coordination approach can be proved to be more effective than hierarchical command and control style of coordination in certain emergency response situations.
Emergency communication: A framework for planning and targeting messages
Authors: Lachlan, PhD Kenneth A. , Spence, PhD Patric R.
Published: August 2018

This article outlines a model of emergency communication for use in generating action in audience members. The model expands previous research by enlarging the framework of fear and self-efficacy. The model is first outlined explaining its theoretical dimensions and if followed by explanations of its validation. The next portion discusses its potential use for emergency practitioners. The article concludes with a description of how to use the model and where to obtain more information about the model.
July/August 2009
Authors: DeVito, Jr. Richard A.
Published: August 2018

Volume 7, Number 4