Public Safety Signals » terrorism

2011 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards

Steven — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:24:16 +0000

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced the 2011 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards. According to FEMA, “They recognize the innovative practices and achievements of organizations and individuals that work to make our communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to manage any emergency situation”. (http://www.citizencorps.gov/councils/awards/2011/awardwinners2011.shtm).

For more about the outstanding award winners and their contributions to disaster preparedness, see the FEMA announcement.

Is there a Disconnect Between Professional and Citizen Views of Terrorism?

Steven — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:34:26 +0000

Do average Americans and disaster management professionals differ in their views about the threats facing the country and from where the threats might come? Is there agreement among emergency management professionals on how the public views the government’s ability to deal with national disasters (http://www.emergencymgmt.com/)?

For answers to these questions and much more, please see the Emergency Management article “Survey Shows Disconnect Between Professional, Citizen Views of Terrorism” (article), which includes a recent survey (9/11 Opinion Survey), compiled by the disaster safety communications firm Cote & D’Ambrosio.

Please share your thoughts and opinions. We’d like to know what YOU think.

National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Steven — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:23:37 +0000

The month of October marks the eighth annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC). For further information, please see the the Homeland Security webpage at http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1158611596104.shtm

Fields of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Booming

Steven — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:12:55 +0000

In an article published on September 30,2011 in the Gazette.Net, titled Emergency management and security are booming fields in Maryland, nationally, online staff writer Kevin James Shay points to the current growth and future prospects in the fields of emergency management and homeland security.

Please see the article at: http://www.gazette.net/article/20110930/NEWS/709309699/1007/emergency-management-and-security-are-booming-fields-in-maryland&template=gazette

An update: A decade after 9/11, are we better prepared for a major emergency?

Steven — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:03:51 +0000

As I shared in a recent post, Capella University partnered with several leading public service organizations on a major survey research project. Our partners included the International Association of Emergency Managers, the American Public Health Association, the American Society for Public Administration, the Comprehensive Emergency Management Research Foundation and the FBI National Academy Associates.

More than 1,000 public service / public safety professionals completed the survey. If you haven’t had an opportunity to do so, I highly recommend reviewing the results. I think you’ll find them quite interesting and thought provoking.

http://www.capella.edu/inc/pdf/9-11_10YrsLaterSurveyReport.pdf

I also recommend reading an article authored by three of the EM Summit panelists, published today in HS Today.US, titled, “Ten years later: According to the Experts, We’re not there yet”

http://www.hstoday.us/blogs/guest-commentaries/blog/ten-years-later-according-to-the-experts-were-not-there-yet/5a773c20daccdf7b6feea2ca7e7e97ff.html

A decade after 9/11, are we better prepared for a major emergency?

Steven — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:42:03 +0000

In recognition of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Capella has co-sponsored a major survey research project of first responders, emergency managers, public health officials and others on the front lines of emergency preparedness and response to ask the basic question: How prepared are we for another major terrorist attack or national disaster?

We partnered with several other leading public service organizations on the survey, including the International Association of Emergency Managers, the American Public Health Association, the American Society for Public Administration, the Comprehensive Emergency Management Research Foundation and the FBI National Academy Associates. More than 1,000 public service / public safety professionals completed the survey, and we think you’ll find the results quite interesting.

Additionally, 88% believe that funds are allocated according to what’s best for politicians, not what’s best for emergency preparedness and 58% of respondents have seen their budgets decrease over the last two years. Additional key findings reveal their views on what specifically has and has not improved on issues like collaboration, training and funding, as well as what challenges they are facing that affect their ability to prepare for and respond to a major emergency.

Capella to share survey results at Emergency Management Summit in New York on 9/13

The Emergency Management Summit meets annually to assess risks and articulate practical approaches to strategies for planning, response and recovery. Capella will be hosting a panel discussion around the national preparedness survey results at the Summit in New York City on September 13^th. Panelists include Eddie Hicks, USA President of IAEM, Erik Bergrud, ASPA President, Linda Landesman from APHA, Dan Martin from the CEMR Network and Joseph Pascarella, an NYPD Captain.

**The survey can also be found on the main page of our visitor’s center and each public safety specialization page as well as the PSL site. We will have video footage from the EM Summit that will be added on the PSL site to go with the report.**