There was an interesting and provocative post yesterday by Mark Chubb in the Homeland Security Watch blog, “Volunteer Does Not Equal Free.” Chubb, a senior civil servant in an emergency management agency, writes about a recent meeting in which he heard feedback from local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer team leaders. He was struck [...]
Entries from April 2010
As 25th Birthday Approaches, Is It Time To Reevaluate CERT’s Role, Management, Training, Resources, Etc.?
April 22nd, 2010 · 6 Comments
Tags: CERT · Volunteering
On Earthquake Preparedness Month, Some Red Cross ‘Prepare-aphernalia’ Ideas & A Contest
April 21st, 2010 · 1 Comment
With April being Earthquake Preparedness Month, the always creative Robin Parker from the Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter has a guest post on the American Red Cross blog with some ideas for “interesting items you could add to your earthquake preparedness kit. Or, as they to call them,”prepare-aphernalia”. The post with links can [...]
Tags: Earthquake Preparedness · Preparedness Ideas · Red Cross
America’s Waterway Watch Offers Citizens Around The Waterfront A Way To Contribute To Community, Nation’s Preparedness
April 20th, 2010 · 1 Comment
A major aim of this blog is to highlight ways that average citizens can get involved in the emergency preparedness and response activities of their community and their nation. One of these useful and fulfilling opportunities is America’s Waterway Watch, a combined effort of the Coast Guard and its Reserve and Auxiliary components, which enlists [...]
Tags: Transportation Preparedness · Volunteer Opportunities
Is The Level Of Public Knowledge The Weak Link In Governmental ‘Dirty Bomb’ Preparedness?
April 19th, 2010 · 1 Comment
There was an interesting story on WNYC, the New York City National Public Radio affiliate, this weekend, “How NY Officials Prepare for Threat of Dirty Bomb,” by Bob Hennelly. The piece described the City’s extensive efforts to prevent and respond to the use of a so-called ‘dirty bomb,’ a traditional explosive laced with radiological material, [...]
Tags: Nuclear Terrorism
National Day Of Service And Remembrance For Victims And Survivors Of Terrorism
April 19th, 2010 · No Comments
The Oklahoma City National Memorial
At 9:02 am, fifteen years ago today, a truck bomb detonated in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma killed 168 people and injured over 800. President Obama issued a proclamation designating April 19th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance for Victims and Survivors [...]
Tags: Domestic Terrorism · President Obama
DHS National Challenge Asks For Ideas From Americans Of All Ages For Communicating With Public On Cybersecurity
April 18th, 2010 · No Comments
As part of its public outreach, the Department of Homeland Security has launched the National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign Challenge whose goal is “to get the best ideas from organizations and individuals for clearly and comprehensively communicating about cybersecurity with the American public.” (I’m a little late on this, but it was announced while the blog was [...]
Tags: Department of Homeland Security · Preparedness Ideas · Preparedness Incentives
In Harvard Speech, Napolitano Says Citizens Deserve “Clear Appraisement” Of Terror Threats; Challenges Americans That “Every Single One Of Us Can Become Smarter, Can Become Better Informed, And Better Prepared”
April 16th, 2010 · 6 Comments
In a speech aimed at the public and delivered last night at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said U.S. citizens deserve a “clear appraisement” of the terror threats and challenged Americans that “every single one of us can become smarter, can become better informed, and better prepared.”
At the beginning [...]
Tags: Department of Homeland Security
In Wake Of Nuclear Summit, Role Of State/Local Authorities, Public During Incident Is Underscored
April 15th, 2010 · 1 Comment
After the Nuclear Security Summit during which President Obama expressed serious concern about the danger of nuclear terrorism here, USA Today’s Steve Sternberg has a story, “Nuclear Blast Victims Would Have To Wait,” saying that the Administration has “warned state and local governments not to expect a ’significant federal response’ at the scene of a terrorist [...]
Tags: Nuclear Terrorism
On Tax Day — File, Copy & Store
April 15th, 2010 · No Comments
I received an email this week from the City of New York about taxes. It wasn’t the Department of Finance reminding me to file but instead it was from the Office of Emergency Management with a reminder about making (and securing) copies:
“As the tax return filing deadline looms (this Thursday, April 15), OEM reminds New [...]
Tags: City Preparedness · Preparedness Tips · Red Cross
Are Earthquakes Becoming More Frequent? No, But Our Exposure To Them Is Increasing
April 14th, 2010 · 1 Comment
With today’s 7.1 earthquake in western China on the heels of the quakes in Haiti and China as well as those last week in Baja California and Indonesia, seismologist Roger Musson has a timely op-ed in the New York Times addressing the question: “Are earthquakes becoming more frequent?” His answer: “no.”
It’s true that more earthquakes [...]
Tags: Earthquake Preparedness