Former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge’s new book has garnered headlines over questions whether some in the Bush Administration wanted him to raise the terror color alert for political reasons.
But a bigger theme (and, I would argue, a bigger deal) throughout the book is his frustration with the inability to have a frank and [...]
Entries from September 2009
In New Book, Ridge Points Out Public’s “Homeland Helplessness”; Outlines Citizen Communications Goals He Hoped To Achieve — Which May Well Be Taken Up By Napolitano; Shares “Complacency” Concerns Expressed By Chertoff In His New Book
September 7th, 2009 · 2 Comments
Tags: Preparedness Reports · Preparedness Resources
Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack Gets More Attention As Potential Homeland Security Threat; Niagara Falls Conference Set For This Week
September 6th, 2009 · 1 Comment
One potentially significant homeland security threat now receiving an increased amount of attention is the possibility of an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack. In its report, the U.S. Congress’ “Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack” said:
“The high-altitude nuclear weapon-generated electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is one of a small number of [...]
Tags: Power Failures · Preparedness Conferences
Oregon Trail Red Cross Asks You To Do (& Tweet) #Just1Thing To Get Prepared; Possibly Win Valuable Prizes!
September 4th, 2009 · 3 Comments
The creative folks from the Cross Blog at the Oregon Trail Red Cross chapter have just launched a contest called “Tell Us Just 1 Thing”. I’ll let them explain:
“On Twitter [@RedCrossPDX], tell us just one thing that you’re doing to get prepared this September (aka National Preparedness Month). To get you started, here are some quick [...]
Tags: Contests · Preparedness Tips
For Fire Response, CaliforniaVolunteers Website Offers Guidance To Public Interested In Contributing $, In-Kind, Or Time
September 2nd, 2009 · No Comments
CaliforniaVolunteers is providing a useful web page with a list of ways the public can help in the state’s response to the wildfires. The site, www.californiavolunteers.org/index.php/Disaster_Volunteering/detail2/, offers this short overview:
Due to dangerous wildfire conditions, please do not travel to the areas affected by the fires without explicit instructions from a qualified emergency response organization. In [...]
Tags: Fire Safety · State Preparedness · Volunteer Opportunities · Volunteering
Ready.Gov/Ad Council PSA’s Launched Today; Urge Americans To Prepare In Case Disaster Turns Their “World Upside Down”
September 2nd, 2009 · 1 Comment
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today joined with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate and the Ad Council to launch a new series of Ready Campaign public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to encourage all Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies, kicking off September’s National Preparedness Month.
“Preparedness is a shared [...]
Tags: Preparedness Advertising
Becky Marquis, Ready.Gov: With National Preparedness Month Beginning, “It’s A Perfect Time To Think About Preparedness” (’What Should We Tell The Public?’ Series)
September 1st, 2009 · No Comments
With the launch of National Preparedness Month (NPM) today, below is a video featuring Becky Marquis, the Acting Director of Ready.Gov. as part the blog’s “What Should We Tell The Public?” series.
In the video, shot at FEMA headquarters, Marquis says National Preparedness Month is the “perfect time to think about preparedness”, and she outlines some steps every American [...]
Tags: "What Should We Tell The Public?"
DHS “Very Happy” With Public Involvement So Far In Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Dialogues; But Is Hoping For “A Whole Lot More” Citizen Input Going Forward
September 1st, 2009 · 4 Comments
The second of three online Dialogues on the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review is now open for business. The Dialogues are an innovative web-based outreach tool created by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Academy of Public Administration to help solicit stakeholder input on the “Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR). The QHSR is a congressionally-mandated process which [...]
Tags: Department of Homeland Security
Red Cross Wants You To “Do More Than Cross Your Fingers” Before Disaster Strikes; New Campaign Launches Today
September 1st, 2009 · No Comments
The American Red Cross is launching a new campaign, “Do More Than Cross Your Fingers,” today hoping to make it easier for Americans to prepare for emergencies. The campaign’s spokeswoman is Jamie Lee Curtis, a long-time Red Cross volunteer and advocate for personal preparedness in her home state of California.
The campaign will encourage Americans to take [...]
Tags: Preparedness Games · Preparedness Ideas · Red Cross