Let us all take time from our busy lives to join (if only in spirit) the tens of thousands of law enforcement officers, from around the world, who will converge on Washington, DC to participate in planned events to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Note that the Drug Enforcement Administration has concluded that substance counts as an illegal drug because it’s so chemically similar to other drugs that are banned.

According to UPI. com, a Minnesota man is facing murder charges after a teenager died and 11 were hospitalized after overdosing on the hallucinogenic drug, authorities say.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/03/19/Minnesota-teens-OD-leads-to-murder-charge/UPI-15811300557724/#ixzz1H9wv4lsd

Has your agency/department had experience with this dangerous rave-party drug?

http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228091.pdf

In the near future, we will be exploring forensic issues in more depth here on the blog.

What are some of the best forensic practices that you have seen?

Thanks
Charles

Does the U.S. drug appetite fuel illegal gun trafficking across the border?

Are we winning the war on drugs? Opinions seem to be varied. Some suggest that it may be time for a new direction or a new strategy?

I applaud our public safety and law enforcement officers for their part in a heroic task as they put their lives on the line in keeping our communities safe. This is no easy task and one fraught with danger and personal risk.

Take care,
Charles

As students, and as those involved in public safety, we need to look at the consequences that affect emergency management in this economic downfall, because they are numerous. As the economy takes a downturn, all forms of government (federal, state, and local) lose tax dollars because there are less tax monies generated. Those same tax dollars that pay for public services have caused documented cuts in local government in police protection (Bohn), fire protection (Rich), emergency management (Rios), public works (Dance) and almost every other tax funded service we enjoy. Unfortunately, when any type of government suffers less tax money, public safety workers tend to be among the first to get cut from the payroll. Some in public safety fail to realize that cuts to staff and equipment directly affect mitigation and preparedness efforts. Public safety managers needs to realize that each cut in public safety directly affects the response within a disaster, and it may directly affect your disaster plan.

We also need to realize that during these hard times, individuals have lost their jobs, their homes and everything else. If they even had a disaster kit originally, these people most likely have eaten their emergency food supply because they have suffered an emergency; they lost their job or home. This translates to an increased urgency in feeding assistance during a disaster. This also begs the question of how many people are homeless, and how overwhelming will these people be to a disaster shelter? These are troubling times and we need to have open discussions! An idea you have may very well save a life, or perhaps even 1,000 lives in a disaster. Please help others by being part of this discussion. Please share with others what you would do differently to prepare for disaster during these hard economic times? What other difficulties could we face that were not mentioned? Help others think through these problems.

Take Care and Stay Safe,
Mark S. Warnick

The report accurately and thoughtfully addresses equipment and planning needed in order to be prepared. Issues addressed include safety, mutual aid, shift management, resource identification, logistics, and many other topics. There are numerous examples from case studies of fire departments that have learned from experience what problems might occur, and what they have done to cure those problems. One issue that took me by surprise was having a designated safe area for the firefighter’s family members and their pets. The report also suggested using a liaison officer that keeps in contact with families and regularly updates firefighters on how their family is fairing during a disaster so the firefighter can worry less during a disaster. The report provides substantial information that fire departments and their chief officers should use to substantially improve their level of preparedness.
As I read this report I also thought of how these principles could apply to all members of public safety. When it hits the fan, we are all in the same boat as other public safety workers! It doesn’t matter if we are firefighters, police officers, emergency management or some other facet of public safety, it can and most likely will affect us all the same, and we will have many of the same issues. You owe it to your fellow workers and to yourself to share this report with those in command before it is needed! What other suggestion can you, the reader of this blog provide beyond what is listed in this report? I am hoping you will share your ideas so others can benefit.

As always, stay safe and take care,
Mark S. Warnick