Teaching family emergency survival skills
The key to saving lives is information
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Preparedness Policy and Guidance »Reality thinking
Add your comment for Idea: Reality thinkingForget trying to save refugees of the bombed out cities. The people on the rural farms and ranches don't have the resources to take them in and care for them.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Preparedness Policy and Guidance »Reality thinking
Add your comment for Idea: Reality thinkingForget trying to save refugees of the bombed out cities. The people on the rural farms and ranches don't have the resources to take them in and care for them.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Restoring cell phone service as a higher response priority.
Make restoring cell phone service after an incident a high response priority. Data is showing that nearly a majority of Americans use their cell phones as their primary communication device, and that of these, an increasing number no longer have land-line phone service. The first thing many people in our connected society do is call someone when something happens. Then, they call each other and more people. At several ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Restoring cell phone service as a higher response priority.Make restoring cell phone service after an incident a high response priority. Data is showing that nearly a majority of Americans use their cell phones as their primary communication device, and that of these, an increasing number no longer have land-line phone service.
The first thing many people in our connected society do is call someone when something happens. Then, they call each other and more people.
At several incidents, such as the I-35 Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis, MN, cell phones were an important part of the early response. They were silenced as cell phone service was quickly overtasked. Interoperable radios were then the primary means of communication and they worked well because in MN they operate on a highly resilient system.
Power outages can also cripple the ability of cell service infrastructure to function. So, we must also make power supply to this emergeing critical infrastructure a priority and part and parcel with service restoration/preparedness.
Restoring cell service as soon as practically possible would help ease public panic, increase the EM community's ability to notify, and create a more resilient citizen response to disaster.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »USNG - plain language for maps, mapping, "location"
Add your comment for Idea: USNG - plain language for maps, mapping, "location"There is no single other thing that to such a great degree can and will improve the preparedness the United States of America for all-hazards, for so many different reasons and often life-saving uses, at such minimal investment of resource, than a robust implementation of the United States National Grid geospatial standard (www.fgdc.gov/usng).
Mark A. Whitney
Emmitsburg, MD
18SUJ00449732
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Preparedness Policy and Guidance »US National Grid Essential to Spatial Response Coordination
I suggest you give attention to the importance of spatial interoperability to the conduct of emergency response operations. No attention is being paid to how spatial orientation should be maintained in responding to an incident, particularly if an injury or similar localized event occurs and rapid response/evacuation is necessary. Maps provide graphic pictures of incident areas but are completely useless for precisely ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: US National Grid Essential to Spatial Response CoordinationI suggest you give attention to the importance of spatial interoperability to the conduct of emergency response operations. No attention is being paid to how spatial orientation should be maintained in responding to an incident, particularly if an injury or similar localized event occurs and rapid response/evacuation is necessary. Maps provide graphic pictures of incident areas but are completely useless for precisely locating events that might require immediate response unless they contain a grid that is both commonly understood and useable with GPS equipment. When maps are overlaid with a coordinate grid, specifically the U.S. National Grid, then an injury or other situation requiring response can be reported by GPS-equipped personnel and immediately located on the map to within 10 meters by appropriate emergency response units. The USNG is the Federal standard for civil spatial interoperability in these types of situations -- it is also directly interoperable with the grid coordinate system used by the military, in cases where military support is involved.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Adapt tried and true principles, practices and techniques
Adapt the training for nonviolent direct action usually required of all action participants, which is mature and robust (e.g. Rosa Parks had attended such training before she refused to give up her seat on that bus in Birmingham, AL), for various age groups and make it freely available throughout our society. Do not despair of reaching every citizen; any increase in the understanding, awareness and imagination it engenders ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Adapt tried and true principles, practices and techniquesAdapt the training for nonviolent direct action usually required of all action participants, which is mature and robust (e.g. Rosa Parks had attended such training before she refused to give up her seat on that bus in Birmingham, AL), for various age groups and make it freely available throughout our society. Do not despair of reaching every citizen; any increase in the understanding, awareness and imagination it engenders will benefit many more than the number so trained.
Because we are so mobile, it is likely that many will not be at their respective home bases when any significant challenge arrives. In those cases, people will need to move directly and gracefully into working relationships with unfamiliar people. In stressful situations marked by uncertainties, ordinary politeness cannot be expected to suffice! Principles, practices and techniques of people who have consciously prepared themselves for plausible predicaments are far superior.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »GIS as an ESF? At least a GIS Support Annex?
Under the National Response Framework, perhaps GIS should be an Emergency Support Function, or at least at a minimum have a support annex dedicated to it. This annex could include specifying the US National Grid as the coordinate system for ground based emergency management as well as tackle numerous other challenging issues like post-event imagery, services oriented architecture, mobile capabilities, and damage assessment. ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: GIS as an ESF? At least a GIS Support Annex?Under the National Response Framework, perhaps GIS should be an Emergency Support Function, or at least at a minimum have a support annex dedicated to it. This annex could include specifying the US National Grid as the coordinate system for ground based emergency management as well as tackle numerous other challenging issues like post-event imagery, services oriented architecture, mobile capabilities, and damage assessment.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Civic Resilience Corps - Community Health and Civic Resilience Alliance (CHACRA)
I suggest you create a “Civic Resilience Corps”, the CRCs, because the current approach to preparedness turns many people off and the avenues for citizen engagement in emergency management processes are not adequate. It is also a way to address our current economic recession/depression, very much like the Civilian Conservation Corps in the past. Citizen Corps, CERT, American Red Cross, Neighborhood Watch, etc. are all ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Civic Resilience Corps - Community Health and Civic Resilience Alliance (CHACRA)I suggest you create a “Civic Resilience Corps”, the CRCs, because the current approach to preparedness turns many people off and the avenues for citizen engagement in emergency management processes are not adequate. It is also a way to address our current economic recession/depression, very much like the Civilian Conservation Corps in the past.
Citizen Corps, CERT, American Red Cross, Neighborhood Watch, etc. are all myopic and problem oriented; the emphasis is on crime, preparing and volunteering in government response efforts during times of acute disaster. These programs are not available in all areas and do not take into consideration the conditions in rural America, especially those with a relatively low risk for disasters.
However, we are experiencing a serious chronic disaster in many of our communities, things are getting worse and a “perfect storm” is heading our way, i.e. pandemic, peak oil, climate change implications (increased frequency, severity, concurrency of natural hazard events) and centralized system instability.
We must take an all hazard, worse case scenario approach but must also have fun within a positive, goal-oriented approach.
The draft National Recovery Framework is a good document that includes cross-sector collaboration and incorporates the components of resilience. (http://www.fema.gov/pdf/recoveryframework/omb_ndrf.pdf) However, it also presents resilience building as a way to decrease recovery time, a way to return to normalcy as soon as possible.
Our current era is one of great change, returning to a state of normalcy based upon how things were in the past is not adequate. We must be forward thinking and incorporate processes of adaptation and preparedness that includes community networking and basic skill development.
Dr. Plovnick, with the Community and Regional Resilience Institute, stated, “Resilience is positive adaptation to perceived adversity”. Shanna Ratner and Dr. Susanne Moser, in a report to the The US Endowment for Forestry and Community, Inc., report: “Resilience rests on the combined abilities to deal with and bounce back from disturbances and shocks, the ability to adapt to change, and the ability to be proactive, forward-looking and self-determining, rather than just reactive and outside-determined, to create a desirable future.
I am the coordinator for the “Community Health and Civic Resilience Alliance” (CHACRA) in my local rural neighborhood and the architect for a replicable, scalable national effort that also addresses rural needs.
I propose we secure the funds to place a part-time RN CHACRA coordinator in every Township/Parish to help address current health needs while building localized community resilience and communication pathways with County, Regional, State, National entities. Such a nurse conducts community assessments with sustainability in mind (social, economic, environmental), develops resource directories, an on-line neighborhood network and an inter-independent cross-sector collaborative architecture.
The infrastructure is reflective of the National Response Framework ESF functions with teams to address basic needs and support services at the local level. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) ensures efficient and effective delegation, clear communication pipelines and streamlined efforts with our local response partners during times of disaster while maintaining a horizontal team approach.
Of course, educational outreach is vitally important and includes introductions to the emergency management planning processes, access to American Red Cross training programs, basic life skills, etc. Active collaboration with Citizen Corps, CERT, Neighborhood Watch, etc. is also an important component.
CHACRA is a grassroots effort that seeks to build bridges with our government partners in an effort to maximize health, re-weave our community safety nets, promote health and help people prepare to stay at home for extended periods while also being better positioned to help take care of our neighbors, especially our vulnerable populations. After all, most responders prefer that people stay home during emergencies and the most resilient communities are those that know help may be greatly delayed, or non-existent. As we make the transition away from oil, it is vital for us to rebuild our localized systems. Taking an acute disaster approach to preparedness based upon historical precedent simply is not adequate anymore.
The CHACRA strategy emerged from my role as the County-City Public Health Infrastructure Coordinator and is based upon a thorough review of available research and reports that revealed numerous weak/missing links, like civic engagement in planning processes, the need for more women and domestic violence specialists, etc.
The strategy is a bottom-up/top-down approach reflective of the Transition Towns Initiatives but one that also takes active steps to bridge with emergency management processes. Each neighborhood RN CHACRA coordinator is the grounding pin for resilience building efforts, with sector working groups emerging around basic needs and support services. For example, shelter is a basic need, energy and communications are support services.
Here at the Broad Well Learning Center we have created a passive solar structure with an off-grid photovoltaic electrical system and an amateur radio base station, hard line phone/fax and high-speed internet (not available in our area except via satellite internet). In times of need we will be able to provide electricity to our vulnerable neighbors with medical equipment, a place to charge batteries and a way to communicate with the outside world.
The communications support service team is also a way to develop radio communications within the neighborhood area, increase the number of HAM radio operators and help meet current needs for more volunteers to participate in non-emergency public service events. The other basic need and support service teams also address current needs while building systems of resilience to better respond and adapt to whatever may arise. We also host numerous fun neighborhood gatherings to help strengthen our relationships, host diverse conversations/community counsels, and provide re-skilling workshops.
Addressing our national energy needs is a complex and dynamic challenge. We propose that one-step toward preparedness in this arena is for every neighborhood to establish an off-grid electrical system, i.e. with a battery bank, to provide a similar services. In addition, we propose that a shelter-working group could also address our current neighborhood economic needs by offering Bed & Breakfast lodging during non-emergency times.
However, such things are very difficult for mobilized citizens to accomplish without financial assistance. There are many RNs across the nation, such as myself, who have left the health care workforce due to its dysfunction and unhealthy work conditions, are now unemployed and who are eager and willing to participate in such a CHACRA initiative in there neighborhoods. They can serve on the physical/psychosocial health and education teams and most of the RNs already know the people and the cultural circumstances in their respective neighborhoods.
The CHACRA initiative is a way to rebuild our communities in a sustainable fashion, address current needs and develop robust and resilient systems capable of responding in collaboration with our emergency response partners in a worse case scenario. Such a strategy also establishes a solid base for our grandchildren and future generations to build upon as they adapt to a world of great change.
Thank you for offering this opportunity for dialogue.
However, if we wait for government action it will be too little too late, if we act as individuals it will be too little, but if we act as communities it may be just enough just in time.
Please feel welcome to contact me if you would like additional information, to initiate a CHACRA effort in your neighborhood or would like to donate funds or services to our efforts here in Appalachia.
Thank you!
Kathy Jacobson, RN
kathy@broadwellhill.org
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Individual/Community Preparedness »Community Awareness and Participation
There are resources in local and remote communities, these resources can be tapped in all level of capability and varieties of skill to assist and lead in case of nature or man made disaster. Community need to be organized, aware, educated, , practice and participated in the events. Community church, minority groups and tribals can participate by reach out to their representatives. Group representative can organize, recruit ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Community Awareness and ParticipationThere are resources in local and remote communities, these resources can be tapped in all level of capability and varieties of skill to assist and lead in case of nature or man made disaster. Community need to be organized, aware, educated, , practice and participated in the events. Community church, minority groups and tribals can participate by reach out to their representatives. Group representative can organize, recruit and coordinate within the group and linked to other groups.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Preparedness Capabilities and Assessments »radiological monitoring course
Add your comment for Idea: radiological monitoring courseI took radiological monitoring course in the 1970's.It was worth it
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Individual/Community Preparedness »Increase Social Capital of Vulnerable Populations
SOCIAL CAPITAL Viable support networks and social connections, which are part of the larger theory of social capital, are protective factors that decrease risk and enhance adaptation (Norris et al., 2007). Social capital theory suggests that “the more people connect with each other, the more they will trust each other and the better off they will be individually and collectively, because social capital has a strong collective ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Increase Social Capital of Vulnerable PopulationsSOCIAL CAPITAL
Viable support networks and social connections, which are part of the larger theory of social capital, are protective factors that decrease risk and enhance adaptation (Norris et al., 2007). Social capital theory suggests that “the more people connect with each other, the more they will trust each other and the better off they will be individually and collectively, because social capital has a strong collective aspect” (Mathbor, 2007, p. 360-361). Social capital encompasses the concepts of social contacts, social cohesion, solidarity, social networks, and social interaction (Mathbor, 2007). Hausman, Hanlon, and Seals (2007) indicate that communities with high social capital have strong social networks, high civic participation, and high levels of trust, which are helpful to setting norms and disseminating information.
SOCIAL CAPITAL, RESILIENCE, AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Research has shown that social capital reduces community distress after disasters (Mathbor, 2007). For example, Mathbor cites a 1999 study of the Red River flood in Canada, which found that communities with higher levels of social capital were “better prepared and more effective in responding to natural disaster” (p. 364). Similarly, Hausman et al. (2007) found a direct relationship between perceived social capital in the community and household disaster preparedness. Furthermore, Hausman et al. argue that a social capital perspective may indicate community forces that can help foster community norms for disaster preparedness. These studies suggest that building social capital in communities prior to a disaster, may increase their likelihood to become better prepared for disasters and more resilient after disasters.
Maximizing the participation of vulnerable populations in disaster planning and preparedness initiatives and increasing their social capital through organizational linkages and social supports appears to be crucial to increasing their resilience (Blazer & Murphy, 2008; Mathbor, 2007; Norris et al., 2007).
USING SOCIAL WORKERS TO INCREASE SOCIAL CAPITAL OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
The federal government could partner with the National Association of Social Workers to engage in a national disaster preparedness awareness campaign for social workers and social work agencies. Here are some suggested elements for such a campaign:
1. Social Workers can play a crucial role in micro, mezzo, and macro level interventions during mitigation and preparedness phases of the disaster cycle. Social Workers already work with vulnerable populations on a regular basis and during all phases. Disaster preparedness education and awareness could be integrated into agency programming or added as a goal/task in clients’ individualized service plans or treatment plans. Agencies do not have to create curriculum or hire new staff to engage in such activities; they can utilize existing local resources. In NYC, for example, the Office of Emergency Management and the American Red Cross both offer free workshops to assist people in becoming prepared for disasters and emergencies. Social Workers should be made aware of such local disaster preparedness resources. Agencies that may be especially suited for incorporating disaster preparedness curriculum into their programming are ones that address oppression, since vulnerable populations are oppressed groups, and/or ones that address trauma, since trauma may be caused by or exacerbated by disaster experiences.
2. Social Workers can enhance individual and community disaster preparedness by connecting vulnerable groups to disaster preparedness resources, assisting vulnerable groups in having their voices heard by emergency management and disaster planning professionals, advocating with and for vulnerable groups to influence policy changes that may reduce social vulnerability factors, and building social connections and community cohesion to increase resilience.
3. Social Workers and Social Work agencies should be connected to local, Regional, and Federal disaster preparedness and planning efforts, not only to be aware of such plans but also to actively provide input and advocate for the inclusion of vulnerable populations in planning efforts. Otherwise, we may miss countless opportunities to ensure that vulnerable and marginalized populations have full access to information and services during disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. An easy step to getting connected to existing disaster networks is to become a member of the local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) or Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD). By joining this group, the agency gains access to disaster preparedness knowledge and resources to increase their own capacity, while the VOAD or COAD gains the unique perspective of that agency – and the Social Work perspective – as well as access to the vulnerable and marginalized populations that the agency may serve. Those Social Workers who are already involved in disaster preparedness efforts should encourage their agencies and disaster planning networks to target vulnerable populations and engage them in the planning process.
- Julianne Pannelli, NYC
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Preparedness Policy and Guidance »Collapsing buildings and safe triangles instead of "duck and cover" approach
what about teaching people in the event of a earthquake, bombing or buiding collapse, instead of duck and cover, I read recently that there is a TRIANGLE of safe space created next to any object where a person can lie flat - prior to reading that article or watching that video (I can't remember the source) I did not realize that it was even a possibility. the information came from a man who studied collapsing buildings ...more »
3 comments for Idea: Collapsing buildings and safe triangles instead of "duck and cover" approachwhat about teaching people in the event of a earthquake, bombing or buiding collapse, instead of duck and cover, I read recently that there is a TRIANGLE of safe space created next to any object where a person can lie flat - prior to reading that article or watching that video (I can't remember the source) I did not realize that it was even a possibility. the information came from a man who studied collapsing buildings for years and he said that fatalities could have been avoided if only people knew WHERE and HOW to place themselves before a collapse occurred. This was life saving information that I had never heard and the word certainly needs to get out mainstream to help save people's lives in the event of disaster.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »A comprehensive model to train both citizens and emergency, volunteer and risk managers, to work together in disaster response
A comprehensive model to train both citizens and emergency, volunteer and risk managers, to work together in disaster response needs to be a national priority. How we as citizens assess our own risk, prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies effects how society emerges as resilient responders rather than victims, and even how we approach the economic redevelopment of our homes, neighborhoods, businesses and ...more »
1 comment for Idea: A comprehensive model to train both citizens and emergency, volunteer and risk managers, to work together in disaster responseA comprehensive model to train both citizens and emergency, volunteer and risk managers, to work together in disaster response needs to be a national priority.
How we as citizens assess our own risk, prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies effects how society emerges as resilient responders rather than victims, and even how we approach the economic redevelopment of our homes, neighborhoods, businesses and in some cases our country. In addition to saving lives, mitigating damage and fostering resilient long term recovery depends on the education and integration of community members into disaster response initiatives.
Initiatives that train community and faith based groups must address that most of these pillars in the community do not have a mission that addresses disaster response, therefore their resource to apply to preparedness are limited both in staff and time. There are community based groups currently providing disaster preparedness training and support however they often do so on a shoestring budget. Community groups provide connection points and are the glue that holds non-disaster focused groups together, engaging them in times relative calm, keeping them ready to respond, so they must be considered in the mix as well.
Training both the community members who leave their homes and jobs to help during emergencies and disasters, and the emergency managers that are tasked with managing disaster response to work together pre-disaster is key.
We must engage, educate and empower through resources and information sharing all levels of citizens as potential responders and train our emergency managers on how to appropriately integrate these new resources into an inclusive response. Every community leader must be dually trained as an emergency manger ready to lead their congregates in response to disaster.
Let us bring back to our country the sense of ownership and pride that we are all responsible, useful citizens that can work together with our responders.
Exclusion is disempowering, if we are going to ask everyone to be a part of Americas safety, then we must have a seat ready for them at the table.
Lisa Orloff
Founder and Executive Director, World Cares Center
Author: Managing Spontaneous Community Volunteers in Disaster Response, A field Manual
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Nongovernmental and Volunteer Organization Preparedness »Supporting Funding for Disaster Preparedness
Nongovernmental and Voluntary Organizations need more funds for disaster preparedness efforts, especially funds to hire staff who are fully devoted to disaster preparedness tasks! I have represented my agency at NYC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) meetings since October 2007. A lack of funds for disaster preparedness is absolutely a barrier for the NYC disaster preparedness community. We have lost some ...more »
1 comment for Idea: Supporting Funding for Disaster PreparednessNongovernmental and Voluntary Organizations need more funds for disaster preparedness efforts, especially funds to hire staff who are fully devoted to disaster preparedness tasks!
I have represented my agency at NYC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) meetings since October 2007. A lack of funds for disaster preparedness is absolutely a barrier for the NYC disaster preparedness community. We have lost some key players who closed their disaster preparedness programs over the past few years due in part to a lack of funding for disaster preparedness. And few NYC voluntary agencies have staff who are fully devoted to disaster preparedness tasks. For most of our agencies, disaster preparedness tasks are assigned to one staff member who is also responsible for a slew of other non-disaster-related activities. Disaster preparedness is a full time job in itself, and when juggling this work with other demands that are typically "more urgent" for the agency, disaster preparedness tasks tend to fall to the background.
Funds will flow after a major disaster, but disaster response agencies need to be prepared, need to plan, need to collaborate PRIOR to a disaster in order to ensure for a timely, effective, efficient, and compassionate response. We need funding for fully devoted disaster preparedness staff in order to make this "best practice" a reality.
- Julianne Pannelli, NYC
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Utilize what is availble to educate citizens
We need to utilize our community centers and schools to educate the general public on emergency preparedness! Utilize community centers for older citizens, and people who do not have children in the school district! Utilize the schools, through the PTAs and PTO's to educate that community. A county liason needs to be available in each county to be able to assist in organize such eductional endeavors. If there is no Liason ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Utilize what is availble to educate citizensWe need to utilize our community centers and schools to educate the general public on emergency preparedness! Utilize community centers for older citizens, and people who do not have children in the school district! Utilize the schools, through the PTAs and PTO's to educate that community.
A county liason needs to be available in each county to be able to assist in organize such eductional endeavors. If there is no Liason of such, then one needs to be created! Funding for this postion could come from a vairety of different areas, such as the Department of EM, Health Deparment, or other.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Decentralize Preparedness
Add your comment for Idea: Decentralize PreparednessStress individual and family preparedness, rather than government. It's more effective in a deep crisis where government resources are overwhelmed.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Private Sector Preparedness »MEDICAL FACILITY PREPAREDNESS
In this the anniversary of Katrina/Rita, the need for coordinated planning and response guidelines that are universal for medical facilities is more important than ever before. The medical community gets input from HHS, DHS, FEMA, OSHA, CMS, Joint Commission, ISO, and many others on what is the "best practice" but as of yet there has been NO definitive single authority from which all others take direction. It is time ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: MEDICAL FACILITY PREPAREDNESSIn this the anniversary of Katrina/Rita, the need for coordinated planning and response guidelines that are universal for medical facilities is more important than ever before. The medical community gets input from HHS, DHS, FEMA, OSHA, CMS, Joint Commission, ISO, and many others on what is the "best practice" but as of yet there has been NO definitive single authority from which all others take direction. It is time to pull private and public medical providers out of the "vacuum" mentality and incorporate them into the critical infrastructure and make them a strong part of the plan as opposed to the distant cousin in the response and recovery efforts that we have seen up to this point.
I recognize that HHS has the Hospital Preparedness Program through ASPR, but funding is only a portion of the needs. Strong, clear, unified, well founded, and executable guidelines for putting all hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities on the same page of music with the same foundations that were established by NIMS a few years ago. Planning, preparedness, HVA, Mitigation Plans, inclusion of HSEEP, inter-agency coordination (from EMS/Fire/PD through acute care and ending in extended care, transfer to specialty units, or discharge), and the rest of the areas needs to be evaluated for best practices and documented in a single source document, or set of documents, so that our participation in the "big picture" is as well coordinated as our counterparts in disaster response.
As an Emergency Manager to a large hospital in the nation’s capitol and member of a chain of hospitals throughout the US, I see the need for a unification of direction and expectation for medical facilities with one authority. There are too many agencies and organizations claiming to have the “only acceptable method” for providing emergency management efforts to medical facilities only to see their resources outdated, lacking, or without any substance whatsoever.
I respectfully request that DHS/FEMA, in conjunction with HHS and its supporting departments, work to establish a single-source guideline for all aspects of emergency management within the medical community. This would include a representative for hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities (in addition to Public Health organizations) be included in representation at these discussions.
Respectfully,
Kent M. Schod
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Unified information resource
Create a unified, web-based, application that involves all DHS enforcement and Emergency Management agencies. This application would allow local & regional citizens, responders and government personnel access to critical emergency information without needing to access numerous websites or data resources. Additionally, give participants the opportunity to sign up for e-mail & text updates for certain agencies or departments ...more »
1 comment for Idea: Unified information resourceCreate a unified, web-based, application that involves all DHS enforcement and Emergency Management agencies. This application would allow local & regional citizens, responders and government personnel access to critical emergency information without needing to access numerous websites or data resources. Additionally, give participants the opportunity to sign up for e-mail & text updates for certain agencies or departments of particular interest and therefore create an informed population based in real-time information.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Additional Triage Category
I suggest that when triaging significant numbers of patients at extremely large incidents (sometimes called Mass Casualty Events as opposed to Mass Casualty Incidents), there can be a need for an additional level of triage. Years ago, that was incorporated in some triage plans as a "Yellow Prime" category. The concept was similar to Expectant. Victims whose injuries were so severe that their chances of survival were ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Additional Triage CategoryI suggest that when triaging significant numbers of patients at extremely large incidents (sometimes called Mass Casualty Events as opposed to Mass Casualty Incidents), there can be a need for an additional level of triage.
Years ago, that was incorporated in some triage plans as a "Yellow Prime" category. The concept was similar to Expectant. Victims whose injuries were so severe that their chances of survival were low would be held until less severe, but more survivable injuries could be cared for. More recent triage concepts have sometimes called this the "Blue" category.
Regardless of what it’s termed, there is a big difference between the "Expectant," and those who are unquestionably "Dead". Triage systems need to recognize that, and allow for it.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Preparedness Capabilities and Assessments »Crisis Management Systems must be affordable, useable, scalable and championed at the regional level.
There are probably thousands of jurisdictions in the USA that have no access to Crisis Information Management Systems (CIMS) due to excessive software and I.T. support labor costs. Even those with access to CIMS commonly don’t use them due to the application’s difficulty of use and/or a lack of cohesive training programs. Counties or States should maintain a CIMS which is available to all first responder organizations ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Crisis Management Systems must be affordable, useable, scalable and championed at the regional level.There are probably thousands of jurisdictions in the USA that have no access to Crisis Information Management Systems (CIMS) due to excessive software and I.T. support labor costs. Even those with access to CIMS commonly don’t use them due to the application’s difficulty of use and/or a lack of cohesive training programs.
Counties or States should maintain a CIMS which is available to all first responder organizations in their operational area, at either no or low cost to each organization. This CIMS should be efficiently scalable so as to be able to handle hundreds of organizations and thousands of users on a single server platform. Per-user software licensing costs should be either zero, or dirt cheap, to encourage exponential growth and Op Area adaptation at low marginal expense.
Access to this CIMS must be very easy for end users… no VPNs or domain logins should be required; just a simple username and password on a webpage, accessible from anywhere at anytime from any browser. And keep the interface simple and uncluttered; only the critical tools should be listed on a main menu, and those tools should be simple to use but powerful enough to manage both a local jurisdiction as well as an operational area.
While the concept of us all becoming elite “knowledge workers”, self-educating ourselves on all technologies, is a nice goal; it’s a bit lofty. First responders have practical job responsibilities and sometimes that doesn’t involve much computer use. The Op Area managing the CIMS needs to lead and promote the training, adoption and integration of the CIMS into every EM organization in their region. Learning Management Systems, while useful for forcing all employees to go though annual sexual harassment training, is not the correct tool to spark interest in a CIMS, train CIMS users or integrate CIMS use into hundreds of tabletops and FTXs. Only warm bodies can champion CIMS. The ideal CIMS champion has solid EM knowledge, reasonable IT/Web design skills and strong teaching skills. Being a good networker doesn’t hurt either!
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Triage Planning & Training
Add your comment for Idea: Triage Planning & TrainingI suggest we need to modernize triage training and planning. START has been around now for many years. Studies to validate the system have been inconsistent. With a huge body of material now available on Altered or Crisis Standards of Care and extremely large incidents (sometimes called Mass Casualty Events), it's time to incorporate some of this work into EMS and ED plans.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Preparedness Capabilities and Assessments »Improving Community and Industry Involvement
Add your comment for Idea: Improving Community and Industry InvolvementImprove industry involvement with governmental agencies in conduting both table top and field exercises using their techniucal expertise personel,
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Dispatch Funding
Dispatch centers and 9-1-1 agencies are not funded properly. 9-1-1 telecommunicators are the first first responders and without them no one would know about an emergency. FEMA does not recognize telecommunicators as a resource. 9-1-1 centers are not eligible for homeland security funding. Design a funding stream like the FEMA Fire Grants. They are not bogged down by online requirements, no passwords to remember ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Dispatch FundingDispatch centers and 9-1-1 agencies are not funded properly. 9-1-1 telecommunicators are the first first responders and without them no one would know about an emergency. FEMA does not recognize telecommunicators as a resource. 9-1-1 centers are not eligible for homeland security funding.
Design a funding stream like the FEMA Fire Grants. They are not bogged down by online requirements, no passwords to remember to change every 90 days and a computer science degree to submit. The fire grants works very well and would work very well as a funding source for 9-1-1.
9-1-1 is entering into the next generation of technology and the basis of funding 9-1-1 with land line phone surcharges will no longer work.
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I disagreeThis idea is active.General Preparedness »Realistic/Practical Application of NIMS for Small Agencies and Departments
Training that is specifically tailored to agencies with fewer than 20 employees would be beneficial. In the event of a disaster a significant number of agencies and departments would be required to utilize their entire work force to fill the required NIMS positions, leaving no one to actually mitigate the disaster. A large number of fire department or rural fire protection districts are comprised of a hand full of ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Realistic/Practical Application of NIMS for Small Agencies and DepartmentsTraining that is specifically tailored to agencies with fewer than 20 employees would be beneficial. In the event of a disaster a significant number of agencies and departments would be required to utilize their entire work force to fill the required NIMS positions, leaving no one to actually mitigate the disaster.
A large number of fire department or rural fire protection districts are comprised of a hand full of volunteers. It is typical to find law enforcement agencies with fewer than ten full time officers in the same communities.
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