Emergency Preparedness News articles from August 2005

Emergency Preparedness News archives from August 2005

'A dedicated source of funding.'.(Slants & Trends)(government funding to transit systems)
August 2, 2005... 'A DEDICATED SOURCE OF FUNDING.' That's the bottom-line budget wish of U.S. transit systems as Congress works to finish the DHS fiscal year 2006 appropriations bill (see story, p. 115), according to Tom Yedinak, senior legislative...

As transit becomes 'target of choice,' experts advise long-term strategies.
August 2, 2005... Transit systems are "becoming the target of choice for Muslim extremists and our most imminent threat," according to P.J. Crowley, a senior fellow and director of national defense and homeland security for the Center for American Progress, a...

The cost of code Orange.(cost of terrorism alerts)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... THE COST OF CODE ORANGE. Every day that U.S. transit systems remain on elevated Orange Alert for terrorist attacks costs an extra $900,000, according to the American Public Transit Association. The extra money pays for an increased police...

Deepwater debate bogs down DHS FY06 appropriations bill.(laws)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The numbers seem to add up-both the House and Senate versions of the DHS fiscal year 2006 appropriations bill would provide the department $30.8 billion. But lobbyists report that the House's half-billion dollar cut in the U.S. Coast Guard's...

Transit funding bill includes response, requiring rules for system security.(Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Increasing transit security is an eligible activity under several grant categories of the $286.4 billion Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act. Two years in the making, HR 3 authorizes federal highway, transit,...

Public/private partnership to assess agroterrorism risk in U.S. food chain.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... A new collaboration of federal, state, and private industry representatives called the Strategic Partnership Program Agroterrorism Initiative will embark this fall on a nationwide effort to assess vulnerabilities in the nation's food supply....

Amtrak beefs up security.(Intercity Passenger Rail Security Grant Program)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... DHS has awarded Amtrak $7.1 million under the Intercity Passenger Rail Security Grant Program: $6.3 million will go toward security enhancements along the Northeast Corridor and at the Chicago hub, the most highly traveled U.S. passenger...

Hurricanes' intensity is increasing; MIT scientist cites global warming.(Massachusetts Institute of Technology)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Previous weather studies confirm that hurricanes have become more frequent in recent years, but a new analysis technique has revealed that the storms have grown significantly more powerful and destructive as well. Massachusetts Institute...

Senate passes Tsunami Act; puts NOAA in charge of preparedness.(the Tsunami Preparedness Act)(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would establish and operate "a dependable national tsunami warning system that would provide maximum detection capability for the nation" under S. 50, The Tsunami Preparedness Act, passed last...

DHS-funded cyber attack pilot aims for privacy and information sharing.(department of homeland security)
August 2, 2005... With cyber security high on the agenda at DHS and on Capitol Hill (see story, this page), a pilot program underway at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute of Strategic Threat Analysis and Response is developing a system to monitor...

DHS tackles network security gap with 'Cyber Storm,' reorganization.(Department of Homeland Security)
August 2, 2005... DHS is stepping up its efforts to become more cyber savvy, and will conduct a national exercise this November in order to hone the U.S. response to network terrorism, according to Andy Purdy, acting director of the National Cyber Security...

NIST security standards to strengthen 'pervasive weaknesses' in Federal IT.(National Institute of Standards and Technology)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... With "pervasive weaknesses" threatening federal agencies' information security, the National Institute of Standards and Technology has released its draft of Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems. The...

The Homeland Security Standards Database.(Responder resources)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The Homeland Security Standards Database is designed to provide one-stop access to the standards that are critical to first responder activities at www.hssd.us. Contact: Ken Peabody, kpeabody@ansi.org.

Cost Effectiveness Software Tool.(Responder Resources)
August 2, 2005... Cost Effectiveness Software Tool, developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Building and Fire Research Laboratory, compares building risk mitigation strategies for natural and manmade hazards based on established...

Home fires are deadliest.(Briefly Noted)(survey)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... HOME FIRES ARE DEADLIEST. Public fire departments responded to 1.5 million fires in 2004, a 2 percent decrease from the previous year, according to the National Fire Protection Association. NFPA's annual study counted 3,900 fire-related...

Wilfire Mgt. still lags.(Briefly Noted)(management)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... WILFIRE MGT. STILL LAGS. Despite its repeated advice to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Government Accountability Office still finds a lack of long-term planning in the key areas of wildfire management-reducing the excess vegetation...

Firefighters call in DOD.(Briefly Noted)(Department of Defense)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... FIREFIGHTERS CALL IN DOD. The National Interagency Fire Center has increased the National Preparedness Level for wildland firefighting to Level 3 (on a scale from 1 to 5) and prompted the U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.,...

Intelligence help wanted--badly.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... INTELLIGENCE HELP WANTED--BADLY. Almost four years after 9/11, U.S. intelligence agencies' efforts to increase their workforce remain "an uphill battle," according to the Partnership for Public Service. The FBI, for example, met just 39 percent...

Calling all qualified vets.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... CALLING ALL QUALIFIED VETS. The growing shortage of veterinary pathologists, lab animal scientists, and other veterinary researchers is increasing the difficulty of coping with new and emerging animal-borne diseases such as mad cow, avian...

Flu drug holds promise.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... FLU DRUG HOLDS PROMISE. Experiments in mice show that the drug oseltamivir, currently used against annual influenza strains, can also suppress the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus that has spread from birds to humans (EPN, March 8, p. 33)....

Contractor shortage intensifies.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... CONTRACTOR SHORTAGE INTENSIFIES. Florida's four major hurricanes and the 66 other natural disasters declared throughout the United States in 2004 exacerbated the shortage of licensed contractors caused by limitations in reciprocity laws,...

Administration deems insurers ready to be weaned from TRIA provisions.(Terrorism Risk Insurance Act)
August 2, 2005... A survey of insurance companies and consumers confirms that a straight extension of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act is not necessary, according to Treasury Secretary John Snow. He told the House Financial Services Committee that extending...

Calendar.(Calendar)
August 2, 2005... Aug. 9-12: Radiological Emergency Planning, Boston, Mass. Conference presents the principles and regulatory requirements for responding to a radiological emergency, including how state and federal agencies interact during terrorist attacks....

Safety versus civil liberty.(Slants & Trends)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... SAFETY VERSUS CIVIL LIBERTY is a balancing act that is here to stay at least as long as the war on terror. One venue that illustrates how tough an act it is--Congress' renewal of USA Patriot Act provisions (see story, p. 123). The task, in the...

MATRIX final four persist in pursuing national database for law enforcement.(Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange)
August 23, 2005... The vigorous privacy debate sparked by the Department of Justice's Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange may well have overshadowed an important outcome of the project: state and local law enforcement had its consciousness permanently...

As year-end deadline looms, Congress moving to keep Patriot Act provisions.
August 23, 2005... When Congress reconvenes on Sept. 6, one of the top priorities on its to-do list will be reconciling the House and Senate bills permanently renewing the USA Patriot Act (S. 3199). Although the Senate version clamps more restrictions on...

TSA fails to reveal private data use; secure flight jeopardized once again.
August 23, 2005... The privacy problems that have dogged TSA's air travelers screening program (EPN, April 5, p. 53) continue with the revelation that an agency contractor collected more than 100 million commercial data records containing personal information and...

NIMS compliance alert.(tional Incident Management System)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... DHS's National Incident Management Integration Center recently issued an alert to address the increase in organizations asking if they must use NIMS concepts and principles in their day-to-day emergency operations, or only during major...

Judge halts DHS personnel overhaul citing collective bargaining violation.(Department of Homeland Security)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer has temporarily blocked implementation of DHS's new personnel rule, scheduled to take effect Aug. 15, ruling that "the new HR system has failed at one of its basic requirements: it does not ensure collective...

Public Citizen FOIA request reveals hundreds of recent BSE rule breaches.
August 23, 2005... The U.S. Department of Agriculture logged 829 violations from January 2004 through March 2005 of rules in place to guard the U.S. meat supply against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), according to records obtained by Public Citizen...

Mariners baseball: peanuts, cracker jacks and ... emergency preparedness.
August 23, 2005... King County Office of Emergency Management in Seattle, Wash., has enlisted the boys of summer to help drive home to the public the critical need for personal preparedness. Every time the Seattle Mariners complete a double play in their...

The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International.(Responder Resources)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International has launched two products designed to improve the quality of training for the communicator members of response teams. The first is Public Safety Telecommunicator I, 6th...

The National Fire Protection Association's Standards Council.(Responder Resources)
August 23, 2005... The National Fire Protection Association's Standards Council has issued two safety codes that will require fire sprinklers in nursing homes, all new construction of one-and two-family dwellings, and all new construction of nightclubs as well as...

Durability under extreme fire conditions.(Responder Resources)
August 23, 2005... Durability under extreme fire conditions has won the RELM Wireless Corp.'s DPHX digital portable radio a recommendation from the federal Bureau of Land Management for fire use. The DPHX has already been certified for fire use by the National...

"Coping with Terrorism".(Responder Resources)
August 23, 2005... "Coping with Terrorism" fact sheets are available from the National Mental Health Association to help both children and adults tame the uncertainty and anxiety generated by terrorism. "In an age when horrific images of events are immediately...

Commuting on transit is causing chronic negative stress.(Responder Resources)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... Commuting on transit is causing chronic negative stress since 9/11 and the bombings in Madrid and London, according to Dr. Kathleen Hall, founder of The Stress Institute. "We have become hyper vigilant commuters, often paranoid and suspicious...

Terrorism and Security Issues Facing the Water Infrastructure Sector.(Responder Resources)
August 23, 2005... Terrorism and Security Issues Facing the Water Infrastructure Sector provide an update of public policymakers' actions to protect the nation's water supply and water quality infrastructure, including Congressional funding and legislation that...

Water Security Working Group Findings.(Responder Resources)
August 23, 2005... Water Security Working Group Findings presents the consensus of the 16 members representing small, medium, and large water and wastewater utilities; public health advocates and regulators; and environmental and public health interest...

The Homeland Security Management Institute.(Responder Resources)
August 23, 2005... The Homeland Security Management Institute is being launched this fall by Long Island University's Southampton College as an online graduate-level 15-credit Advanced Certificate in Homeland Security available to law enforcement agents,...

NOAA ups the hurricane ante.(Briefly Noted)
August 23, 2005... NOAA UPS THE HURRICANE ANTE. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has increased the number of storms predicted in the 2005 hurricane season by 11-14 between now and Nov. 30, with seven to nine becoming hurricanes and three to...

Orlando is stormready.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... ORLANDO IS STORMREADY. Orlando, Fla., has met enough warning criteria to be declared StormReady by NOAA's National Weather Service. The StormReady program encourages emergency preparedness by requiring a community to develop improved...

Forecasting with Rainbands.(Briefly Noted)
August 23, 2005... FORECASTING WITH RAINBANDS. In an effort to improve forecasting of hurricane intensity, a university research consortium and the National Center for Atmospheric Research has launched the Hurricane Rainband and Intensity Change Experiment...

Good news/bads news for CBP.(Customs and Border Protection)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... GOOD NEWS/BADS NEWS FOR CBP. Even as U.S. Customs and Border Protection achieved the maritime security milestone of screening 70 percent of all containers shipped to the United States under the Container Security Initiative, a DHS Inspector...

PortSTEP in San Fran.(Briefly Noted)(maritime security plan)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... PORTSTEP IN SAN FRAN. TSA and the U.S. Coast Guard have begun a series of exercises under the Port Security Training Exercises Program designed to build links among members of the city's Area Maritime Security Committee, which aids the port...

US-VISIT's next phase.(Customs and Border Protection uses Radio frequency identification technology)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... US-VISIT'S NEXT PHASE. CBP began testing on Aug. 4 of the US-VISIT Program's next implementation phase, which uses radio frequency identification technology to record the entries and exits of visitors who are currently issued an I-94 (Arrival/...

TSA explosives security.(Briefly Noted)
August 23, 2005... TSA EXPLOSIVES SECURITY. TSA has taken several recent measures to increase security at U.S. airports. Ten new explosives detection canine teams were deployed to airports in Boston; Cincinnati; Tampa, Fla.; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; Miami;...

Qualified screeners.(Screening Partnership Program approved)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... QUALIFIED SCREENERS. TSA has released a list of 34 companies approved under the Screening Partnership Program to compete with TSA in providing passenger and baggage screening services at SPP-approved airports. Private screeners must meet the...

Company borrows from educational TV to improve responder communication.(response teams management of emergency services)
August 23, 2005... The familiar crackling of old police scanners and squawking walkie talkies could soon be relics of the past, thanks to the National Technology Alliance, a federal program to spur technology development that meets national security needs. NTA...

DHS will face major challenges.(Department of Homeland Security)(Brief Article)
August 23, 2005... DHS WILL FACE MAJOR CHALLENGES to implementing the National Response Plan, according to the Government Accountability Office. The most difficult include integrating conflicting approaches to assessing capabilities and risks, ranking the risks...