Crisis Communications & Response Nuggets
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Good Stuff from DomesticPreparedness.com
http://www.domesticpreparedness.com/
Congressional Research Service Report for Congress - Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB): Quarantine and Isolation This report focuses on a review of state, , and international quarantine and isolation laws and policies.
http://opencrs.cdt.org/rpts/RS22672_20070605.pdf
The Day After - Action in the 24 Hours Following a Nuclear Blast in an American City A report based on a workshop hosted by The Preventative Defense Project, Harvard and Stanford Universities. The report is authored by Ashton B. Carter and William J. Perry, co-directors, along with Michael May.
http://iis-db.stanford.edu/pubs/21872/DayAfterWorkshopReport.pdf
Field Manual for Capacity Assessment of Health Facilities in Responding to Emergencies The objective of this preparedness assessment is to ensure that all important aspects of hospital emergency preparedness are adequately addressed.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/lib.nsf/db900SID/EVOD-72RHHL/%24FILE/WHO.pdf
Natural Hazards and Disasters Information Resources
Since 1976, the Natural Hazards Center has served as a U.S. national and international clearinghouse of knowledge concerning the social science and policy aspects of disasters. The Center collects and shares research and experience related to preparedness for, response to, recovery from, and mitigation of disasters, emphasizing the link between hazards mitigation and sustainability to both producers and users of research and knowledge on extreme events.
Here are some of the many information resources regularly updated on their web site. For more specific and timely information, professionals may subscribe to their publications the Natural Hazards Observer and the Disaster Research e-newsletter.
Library and Hazlit Database Hazards Centers and Organizations Recently Awarded Grants for Hazards/Disaster Research
Education and Training
Disaster Grads Listserv
(http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/resources/)
Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS.gov)
Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS.gov) is the national network of Lessons Learned and Best Practices for emergency response providers and homeland security officials. LLIS.gov's secure, restricted-access information is designed to facilitate efforts to prevent, prepare for and respond to acts of terrorism and other incidents across all disciplines and communities throughout the US.
Secure: LLIS.gov is an encrypted system and all users are verified emergency response providers and homeland security officials.
Peer-validated content: All Lessons Learned and Best Practices are peer-validated by homeland security professionals.
After Action Reports and Information clearinghouse: After Action Reports and Information clearinghouse: LLIS houses an extensive catalog of AARs as well as an updated list of homeland security documents from DHS, and other Federal, State, and local organizations.
Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism
The Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism informs the public about terrorism prevention and responder preparedness. MIPT is a non-profit, nationally recognized think tank creating state-of-the-art knowledge bases and sharing information on terrorism. MIPT programs include:
Bioterrorism Research
Exercises and Simulations
Public Safety
Technical Research
Legal Projects
Case Studies and Reports
U.S. DHS Sponsors Fourth Annual National 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./p>
For the first time, the month will focus on different areas of emergency preparedness.
September 1-8; Back-to-School (Ready Kids)
September 9-15; Business preparedness (Ready Business)
September 16-22; Multicultural preparedness (Listo)
September 23-30; Home and family preparedness, including pets, older Americans and individuals with disabilities and special needs (Ready America)
(http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1181763393616.shtm)
Mentoring Initiative Helps Small and Medium-sized Businesses Prepare for Emergencies
Designed as a call-to-action for business leaders, the Ready.gov has created Ready Business Mentoring Initiative. This new initiative is designed to help owners and managers of small and medium-sized businesses prepare for emergencies.
(http://www.ready.gov/business/mentor/index.htm)
New Presentation Highlights New Approach to Interoperable Communications
COMCARE, the American Red Cross and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) recently put together a series of government briefings on the topic of standards-based data interoperability, RoIP and core services.
According to COMCARE, it is a sad fact that almost six years after 9/11, our emergency information technology systems are still less sophisticated and far less interoperable, than most commercial systems. Large parts of the country still lack rudimentary voice interoperability; even fewer have inter-organizational data interoperability. Public warning systems are not integrated. Funds continue to flow for stove pipe, single domain or single use applications for emergency response communications. Large parts of the public and private communities that respond to emergencies continue to be excluded from what should be comprehensive and integrated systems planning. Congress has required that a special $1 billion "interoperability fund" for state and local response agencies be spent this year on top of other large federal emergency communications grant programs and local/state expenditures. And the Oregon legislature just voted down a statewide public safety radio network with a price tag of over $600 million.
To be effective, responders of all kinds need rapid access to essential information – when and where they need it. The partnership between COMCARE, the Red Cross and the NENA is working to accelerate the knowledge acquisition and sharing process. The presentation emphasizes the fact that requiring all organizations to buy one or two new information applications will not work. Throwing out the billions of dollars of current emergency response technology is not feasible. We don't have enough money to buy everyone a new specialized radio and put all responders on the same system.
The organizations recently showcased an approach using modern IT tools supported by "core services" that enable radio and data interoperability across disparate organizations, domains, and geographic areas.
Programs from International Center for Enterprise Preparedness (INTERCEP) Build Upon Key Initiatives
The programs of the International Center for Enterprise Preparedness (INTERCEP) build upon key initiatives of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the recommendations of the Federal 9-11 Commission regarding private sector emergency preparedness. Initial goals of the center include:
Forwarding Business Incentives for Preparedness
Advancing existing incentives and where necessary facilitating the development of new incentives for private sector preparedness (including insurance benefits, legal liability safeguards and credit rating consideration). The Center is undertaking to communicate the "business case" for emergency preparedness effectively and widely.
Promoting Industry Best Practices and Consensus-based Guidelines
Promoting industry best practices and consensus-based guidelines including the newly designated voluntary emergency preparedness standard for private sector organizations
Communicate to private sector organizations the key elements of emergency management and business continuity through existent and emerging best practices, standards and guidelines, especially as embodied in the newly designated voluntary Emergency Preparedness Standard (ANSI-NFPA 1600) endorsed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the 9-11 Commission.
Promoting Integration of emergency management efforts among private sector organizations and between private sector and public sector organizations.
(http://www.nyu.edu/intercep/research/)
NJTI Releases Model Recommendations for TERT Deployment
The National Joint TERT Initiative (NJTI) has completed the Model Recommendations for TERT Deployment (MRTD). The MRTD is in draft form and open for comment. The NJTI is a joint effort of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) dedicated to the development of a nationally recognized certification program for telecommunicator mutual aid response in the aftermath of disasters, providing information as to operational deployment of Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT) programs and taking a leadership role in assisting governmental agencies in the development of TERT style programs at the regional, state and local levels. This document is provided to assist Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and governing 911 authorities with the information required for developing, training, equipping and deploying a standardized TERT team. TERT is the concept of communications-specific mutual aid between PSAPs to provide trained PSAP personnel during emergency situations.
APCO Institute Releases New Fire Service Dispatch Guidecards
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International's APCO Institute has released new Fire Service Dispatch Guidecards. The Fire Service Dispatch Guidecards, based on APCO Institute's Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Program, provides agencies with guidecards for the triaging and dispatching of fire service related emergency calls, customized to match the needs and resources of the individual agency. The new Fire Service Dispatch Guidecards use the fire service specific information and call handling techniques taught in the APCO Institute's Fire Service Communications, 1st Edition training course and incorporate information provided by subject matter experts from the fire service and the public safety communications industry. Call types covered by these new guidecards – available in paper guidecards and electronic format – range from commercial and residential structure fires to hazardous material (HAZMAT) incidents and explosive devices.
APCO Releases Training Standards for Communications Training Officers
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International has released the Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Communications Training Officers (CTO). The focus of the Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Communications Training Officers, a follow up to the Project 33 Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Communications Telecommunicator (APCO 2005), is to provide training necessary to foster levels of consistency for training officers providing on the job training, as well as to promote the leadership role of the CTO in a public safety communications center. "The need for core competencies necessary to build upon those skills outlined in the P33 Minimum Training Standards for Public Safety Communications Telecommunicator creates new challenges for training officers, supervisors and managers," APCO International President Wanda McCarley said. "This new standard for CTOs addresses these challenges and further upholds the importance of this job function in the public safety community."
(http://www.apcointl.com/about/911/downloads/CTO.pdf)
Six of 75 Cities Get Top Rating in DHS Interoperable Communications Assessment
Only six of 75 United States cities received top grades in the Department of Homeland Security's assessment of their interoperable communications capabilities. Interoperable communications involve policies, technology and training that enable law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services from multiple jurisdictions in a common community to effectively communicate within one hour of an incident. The six cities and surrounding areas netting the highest scores were: Washington, D.C.; San Diego, California; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota; Columbus, Ohio; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Laramie County, Wyoming. The cities with the lowest ratings were: Chicago, Illinois; Cleveland, Ohio; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Mandan, North Dakota; and American Samoa. The reviews focused on three main areas: Governance (leadership and strategic planning), standard operating procedures (plans and procedures) and usage (use of equipment). The findings identify gaps and areas for improvement. Key findings include:
First Responders: Much Work Remains to Improve Communications Interoperability
Public safety agencies rely on timely communications across multiple disciplines and jurisdictions as the first to respond to natural disasters, domestic terrorism and other emergencies. It is vital to the safety and effectiveness of first responders that their electronic communications systems enable them to communicate with whomever they need to, when they need to and when they are authorized to do so. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to determine, among other things, the extent to which Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding and technical assistance has helped to improve interoperable communications in selected states and the progress that has been made in the development and implementation of interoperable communications standards. To address these objectives, GAO reviewed grant information, documentation of selected states' and localities' interoperability projects, and standards documents.
(http://www.contingencyplanning.com/news/1.aspx)
National Mass Fatalities Online Resource Center
Effective, timely response to a mass fatalities incident requires just-in-time, accurate information. The National Mass Fatalities Institute Online Resource Center provides an electronic library for the Mass Fatalities Management community, researchers, and the general public. Planners, educators, and responders will find links to a broad range of information on planning , prevention, response, and recovery. Sources include government, education, military and non-profit service sites.
(http://www.nmfi.org/resources.htm)
Communication Factors During Crises, Disasters
From Disaster Recovery Journal
New communication technologies would seem likely to be adopted at an accelerated rate by disaster recovery, crisis management and business continuity professionals. Indeed, many technologies that were once thought of as science fiction are now commonly deployed and used (e.g. high mobility powerful computing capabilities, GPS, Wi-Fi, satellite and aerial reconnaissance functionalities, networking, hot site/mirror site data processing capabilities, etc.) as part of the sophisticated tool set that aids planning, management and recovery operations. But in a field which typically adopts new tools that are proven useful and provide a demonstrable return on cost investment (ROI), video communication technology adoption and deployment tends to lag. Robert C. Chandler and J.D. Wallace have the story.
(http://www.drj.com/articles/spr07/)
Emergency Notification In A Time of Crisis
From Disaster Recovery Journal
A water main breaks a block from your corporate headquarters and begins flooding basements throughout the area. A distribution center you operate in the lower Midwest stands in the way of a quickly evolving tornado. An earthquake in Japan threatens to upend not only your operations there but throughout your corporate enterprise. An airline strike forces you to gather staff to discuss sending shipments from your plants through trucks and rails rather than air freight. What do you do? Kathy Veldboom has the answer.
(http://www.drj.com/articles/spr07/)
Incident or Crisis? Why the Debate?
From Continuity Central
BS 25999 has replaced the term "crisis management" with "incident management." In this article, Peter Power explains why he thinks this is a mistake.
(http://www.continuitycentral.com/feature0447.htm)
Bridging the "Silos"
From The International Risk Management Institute
If we learned anything from September 11, 2001, it's that first responders must be able to communicate with one another. The inability of emergency personnel to remain in contact and share information proved one of the most debilitating failures of the terror disaster. Mark Layton and Jody Noon say that although it's obviously not of the same magnitude, a similar problem plagues risk management efforts at many organizations today. Corporate risk managers routinely assess and respond to risks of all kinds while isolated and disconnected from their counterparts across the company. Yet, without regular and frequent communication among risk managers, corporate-wide integrated risk assessment and response are not possible.
(http://www.irmi.com/Expert/Articles/2007/Deloitte04.aspx)
Holistic Disaster Recovery: Ideas for Building Local Sustainability after a Natural Disaster.
The Natural Hazards Center has revised the 2001 handbook Holistic Disaster Recovery: Ideas for Building Local Sustainability after a Natural Disaster. The new version contains updated resources, including a more specific focus on the Hurricane Katrina recovery, and new examples of recovery success stories.
With funding from the Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI), the Center originally created the handbook as a vital resource for local government officials and staff, state planners, activists, emergency management professionals, disaster recovery experts, mitigation specialists, and others who help communities recover from disaster.
The 2006 version of Holistic Disaster Recovery is currently available.
(http://www.riskinstitute.org)
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