In some ways, communities are well prepared for emergencies. However, it is critical to
continuously assess systems, structures, models, and procedures to identify even small weaknesses and
gaps that can become significant impediments to effectively responding to threats, hazards, and risks.
The authors in this March edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal identify gaps and share possible
solutions for various critical infrastructure, public health, and physical safety vulnerabilities and
threats.
The Colonial Pipeline cyberattack in May 2021 exposed the urgent need to safeguard and upgrade the critical infrastructure systems in the United States. Congress acknowledged that the government lacks the […]
Experience required. Many jobs require wide-ranging qualifications and expertise to be able to apply and interview. However, people often ask, “How can I get the experience if I cannot get […]
In some ways, communities are well prepared for emergencies. However, it is critical to
continuously assess systems, structures, models, and procedures to identify even small weaknesses and
gaps that can become significant impediments to effectively responding to threats, hazards, and risks.
The authors in this March edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal identify gaps and share possible
solutions for various critical infrastructure, public health, and physical safety vulnerabilities and
threats.
On 17 February 2022, Dr. Asha M. George, executive director of the Bipartisan Commission on
Biodefense, testified as an expert witness before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs at a hearing on addressing the gaps in the nation’s biodefense and level of
preparedness to respond to biological threats. In 2015, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense released
its first report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense, to warn that the biological threat was rising and
to inform the government that the nation was insufficiently prepared to handle a large-scale biological
event. When COVID-19 emerged in early 2020, many of those findings proved to be true.
A crisis can occur when a situation becomes unstable, circumstances suddenly change, or tension and
stress heighten. However, not all events need to reach the level of a crisis or disaster if proper
preventative measures are taken. Preparing for and possibly preventing a crisis mean thinking outside
the box, creating good habits, developing a plan, and then implementing that plan.
With communities around the globe feeling the effects of climate change, society must continue to prioritize initiatives that address its causes and impacts. For example, in mid-December 2021, 61 tornadoes formed in the central U.S. when such intense events are unusual, and Texas and Oklahoma saw a winter storm and freezing temperatures in February 2021. Additionally, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. experienced 20 major disasters in 2021 totaling $145 billion in damages and resulting in 688 deaths – ranking as the second-highest number of events, the third-highest cost, and the sixth highest deaths. Coupled with the continuation of high-powered storms with the rising costs of construction, labor, and materials, communities run the risk of entering an endless cycle of destruction and rebuilding.
Imagine an important grant application deadline approaching next month, delaying the submission for
a couple weeks, but then a critical incident happens (perhaps, something like a pandemic) that diverts
attention for weeks, months, or much longer. The routine tasks that require action are not performed in
a timely manner, and the deadline for that grant application is now gone. Developing some small habits
like prioritizing would have significant effect on productivity and effectiveness of response and
recovery efforts for a future crisis.
One common sentiment that can hold people back from thinking outside the box is, “That’s how it’s
always been done.” Lessons learned and best practices are critical components of disaster preparedness
efforts. However, no matter how many lessons are learned and best practices are discovered, the pursuit
for new lessons and even better practices should never end. In this January 2022 edition of the Domestic
Preparedness Journal, a new year begins with four new ways of looking at disaster preparedness.
When incidents are catastrophic and/or happen in compromised environments, complexity can increase
rapidly and dramatically, compromising response objectives and resulting in catastrophic failure. The
cost of these failures is measured in destruction and human lives, making even minimal reductions in
capabilities untenable. A rapidly changing environment requires that the modern emergency manager is
capable of quickly understanding community needs, including the needs of underserved populations and
traditionally underrepresented groups.
In some ways, communities are well prepared for emergencies. However, it is critical to
continuously assess systems, structures, models, and procedures to identify even small weaknesses and
gaps that can become significant impediments to effectively responding to threats, hazards, and risks.
The authors in this March edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal identify gaps and share possible
solutions for various critical infrastructure, public health, and physical safety vulnerabilities and
threats. 
The Colonial Pipeline cyberattack in May 2021 exposed the urgent need to safeguard and upgrade the critical infrastructure systems in the United States. Congress acknowledged that the government lacks the […] 
Experience required. Many jobs require wide-ranging qualifications and expertise to be able to apply and interview. However, people often ask, “How can I get the experience if I cannot get […] 
With communities around the globe feeling the effects of climate change, society must continue to prioritize initiatives that address its causes and impacts. For example, in mid-December 2021, 61 tornadoes formed in the central U.S. when such intense events are unusual, and Texas and Oklahoma saw a winter storm and freezing temperatures in February 2021. Additionally, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. experienced 20 major disasters in 2021 totaling $145 billion in damages and resulting in 688 deaths – ranking as the second-highest number of events, the third-highest cost, and the sixth highest deaths. Coupled with the continuation of high-powered storms with the rising costs of construction, labor, and materials, communities run the risk of entering an endless cycle of destruction and rebuilding. 
Imagine an important grant application deadline approaching next month, delaying the submission for
a couple weeks, but then a critical incident happens (perhaps, something like a pandemic) that diverts
attention for weeks, months, or much longer. The routine tasks that require action are not performed in
a timely manner, and the deadline for that grant application is now gone. Developing some small habits
like prioritizing would have significant effect on productivity and effectiveness of response and
recovery efforts for a future crisis. 
When incidents are catastrophic and/or happen in compromised environments, complexity can increase
rapidly and dramatically, compromising response objectives and resulting in catastrophic failure. The
cost of these failures is measured in destruction and human lives, making even minimal reductions in
capabilities untenable. A rapidly changing environment requires that the modern emergency manager is
capable of quickly understanding community needs, including the needs of underserved populations and
traditionally underrepresented groups. 