FIRE ARCHIVES
Enhancing Incident Management for Local Responders
Jeffrey Driskill Sr.
January 16, 2017
Since 2003, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) has required local officials to report NIMS compliance actions to their respective emergency management agencies, which in turn reported these results to the state. The National Incident Management System is entering its 14th year with varied degrees of accomplishment.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Emergency Management
Darren E. Price
December 21, 2016
Responding to disasters is a critical function for first responders and the emergency management community. Rotary and fixed-winged aircraft have traditionally performed disaster response missions, such as overhead damage assessments, reconnaissance, and missing person searches. However, with the advancement of unmanned aircraft systems, there is an opportunity to perform conventional
Authoritarianism & the American Response: 2017 Forecast
Christopher Milburn
December 21, 2016
The threats facing the United States in 2017 largely stem from the challenge and response cycle set in motion by the global rise of authoritarianism and violent fascism. Authoritarian leaders frequently promise to restore national pride and return people to their lost golden age: a mythical world in which life
Tomorrowâs Emergency Management Capabilities
Jeffrey Kaliner
December 14, 2016
If someone were to walk into a high school classroom today and ask the students about their future professions, there may be one or possibly two students who wish to pursue emergency management. However, as much as the field has grown since 2001, emergency management is still not the dream
Preparing for a New Pandemic With an Old Plan
Robert C. Hutchinson
December 7, 2016
The measurable level of national planning and preparedness for a serious pandemic threat or biological attack continues to be a subject of great discussion, debate, and concern in the United States and around the world. This level of readiness continues to be a challenge as identified in regular studies, reports,
Importance of Presidential Leadership in Emergency Management
Kay C. Goss
November 23, 2016
With over 30 years working in emergency management â 12 years in a state governorâs office, almost 8 years at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as associate director in charge of national preparedness, training, and exercises, and 11 years in the private sector at Electronic Data Systems and Systems
Data Accountability: Starting Over With a New Administration
Michael Jacoby
November 16, 2016
Over the next few months, precious time will be lost trying to quickly update newly elected officials on key health and life safety issues that have been discussed for years among their predecessors and the public. Only time will tell how the new occupants of the White House and Congress
High-Consequence Decisions: What It Takes
Wendy D. Walsh
November 15, 2016
In September 2016, more than 30 people gathered at the Harvard Faculty club to discuss topics related to leadership and the decision-making process. Most in the room had been faced with making critical life-and-death decisions at some point in their careers, and some on a regular basis. These participants were
The Human Factors in Leadership Decision Making
Eric J. McNulty
November 1, 2016
Preparedness and response organizations have realized many benefits from adopting the Incident Command System (ICS) and similar formal management structures. Performance, however, depends on how people behave as humans within that system â particularly in stressful, fast-moving environments. Integrating behavioral training into ICS training may help improve performance and outcomes.
Asking the Experts About Active Shooter Threats
Catherine L. Feinman
October 26, 2016
On 16 August 2016, David Mitchell, chief of police and director of public safety for the University of Maryland, led a roundtable discussion at the College Park campus on the topic of active shooters and lone wolves. This article summarizes that discussion, which addressed various topics related to active shooters,
The âNot If, But Whenâ Fallacy: Active Shooter Preparedness
Research Group at University of Maryland
October 12, 2016
 The phrase âItâs not if, but whenâ may distort how certain organizations perceive emergency preparedness, especially in cases such as active shooter threats. This common expression leads to inaccurate threat perceptions and can result in leaders becoming complacent. Emergency managers should be aware of this potential odd pairing of
Active Shooter School Preparedness: An Update
Kay C. Goss
October 5, 2016
Schools, colleges, and universities are diverse communities that present especially challenging situations. Safety officials know that they have to be extremely well prepared for a vast array of potentially difficult situations that can spiral. Fortunately, many resources exist to help communities prepare for such dangerous scenarios.
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