Elaine Pittman worked for Emergency Management from 2008 to 2017.
A new study examines tweets from various disasters, providing key information for emergency managers and their communications teams.
The field of disaster robotics has been studied for the last two decades. Robin Murphy has been there from the start and explains where it’s headed and what you need to know.
North Dakota State University’s general education course brings emergency management information to students across the campus, developing a better informed citizenry and workforce.
Built on best practices and lessons learned, the Disaster Recovery Playbook puts the St. Bernard Project’s model online for any community to use.
Adam Thiel, deputy secretary of public safety and homeland security for Virginia, talks opportunities and challenges.
Emergency managers converged with the tech community to discuss tools that can create more resilient communities.
The updated National Seismic Hazards Maps from the U.S. Geological Survey show the most current understanding of where future earthquakes will occur.
A new DHS report addresses how social media platforms can and are being used for situational awareness.
Researchers, academics and practitioners gathered at the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop to discuss the current state of emergency management research.
The recent mudslide in Oso, Wash., showed the power of social media during times of crisis.
Japan’s disaster provided a real-world example for emergency managers and the nuclear industry to compare their plans and procedures against.
After years of running emergency operations out of a training classroom in the 911 building, city officials now have a stand-alone facility.
Torrential rain and flash flooding tested Boulder’s preparedness and mitigation initiatives, but lessons from previous disasters kept the community afloat.
The University of Colorado at Boulder relied on relationships and mitigation efforts during the flooding in September 2013.
Virginia emergency managers embrace YouTube and turn a popular song into a catchy message about preparedness.
Twitter Alerts aims to get information from vetted, credible organizations to the public during an emergency.
The Arizona Division of Emergency Management uses a culinary approach to get citizens thinking about preparedness.
Anaheim, Calif., has prepared its Community Emergency Response Team volunteers to respond to questions on social media and use it to aid situational awareness.
The Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management is preparing to educate its first-round students with curriculum rooted in emergency management skills.
Google’s Crisis Response product manager provides insight into the best ways to share emergency information online and how search engines can utilize it.
Cuyahoga County, Ohio, emergency managers share lessons learned from a simulated terrorist attack during a baseball game.
The Ontario Volunteer Emergency Response Team has evolved from focusing on traditional search and rescue to supporting all functions of emergency response.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announces an agreement with Microsoft to connect employees and volunteers in 187 countries.
After 9/11, the Mall of America sought to increase its security but conventional approaches weren’t deemed the best method for the popular tourist attraction.
The flu season is in full swing and real-time, Web-based information provides insight into the virus and national trends.
New technologies could positively impact all phases of emergency management.
The District Response Task Force program provided out-of-state aid during Sandy, and despite some glitches, the concept worked well.
The Civil Air Patrol’s photos aid damage assessments and allow evacuees to check on their homes.
Certification programs move emergency management forward while offering education that could be invaluable during and after a disaster.
Emergency Management presents the University of Colorado Hospital with the Disaster Humanitarian Preparedness Award for its outstanding response to the no-notice event.
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano calls cybersecurity an urgent concern and says that government alone cannot protect the U.S. from it.
Officials emphasize that Hurricane Isaac’s category one rating should not be underestimated; heavy rains and possible tornadoes will impact the U.S.
Joe Wainscott and Indiana’s District Response Task Forces plan for a catastrophic event.
One of the largest volunteer organizations dedicated to critical infrastructure protection benefits industry and government but often flies under the radar.
Public information officers from state emergency management agencies share their advice for handling inquiries from the press.
Posting videos online is an easy way to make information accessible and reach millions of people.
Visualizations of the locations of disasters illustrate risks and provide potential teaching aids.
People rate their level of preparedness as low and would verify an emergency alert before acting on it.
Austin, Texas, employs popular culture to encourage the public to prepare for an emergency.
A look into three internship programs that provide hands-on experience to emergency management students.
From cargo bikes to walkability scores, Portland’s green culture is preparing its residents for a disaster.
National Emergency Management Association’s biennial survey also shows that budgets have decreased while the number of disasters has increased.
The director of the Natural Hazards Research Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Kathleen Tierney, shares information about her research on the social impacts of extreme events.
While extreme space weather is considered a low probability event, it could have catastrophic effects on the U.S. — and even the world.
Tom Ridge, the first DHS secretary, applauds the reallocation of the D Block but warns that the buildout of the network will be a long journey.
CEO shares why the restaurant chain seeks to be first to reopen following a disaster.
The importance of public-private partnerships was highlighted at the International Disaster Conference and Expo in New Orleans.
A gap in satellites could leave emergency managers without severe weather information that they’ve come to rely on.
A partnership seeks to aid wildfire fighting with real-time information while operating from a next-generation emergency operations center.
Lessons learned from repopulating Louisiana parishes after Katrina lead to the creation of comprehensive re-entry plans.
FEMA launches virtual think tank to solicit ideas for improving emergency management and response.
Grays Harbor County, Wash., goes from minimal storm data to up-to-date with new coastal Doppler weather radar.
John Fernandes of Los Angeles County says leveraging partnerships and understanding everyone’s capabilities will create resilient communities.
Agencies are embracing the popularity of the undead to get people thinking about emergency preparedness.
Some of the pre-eminent women in emergency management share how they got into the field and how it’s evolved since the civil defense days.
Ready Georgia app provides a place for people to store pertinent information and create emergency plans.
Regional coordination and training at the local level has increased drastically in the last decade, says terrorism expert.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s toolkit combines data and simulation tools to simplify exercise creation.
FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Fund has dipped below $1 billion, forcing the agency to divert funds from rebuilding areas affected by disaster, like Joplin, Mo.
As eastern states begin disaster assessments and continue flood response, FEMA is forced to divert money from previous disasters to focus on the response to Irene.
St. Clair County, Mich., is testing the Regional Interoperability Collaboration Network to improve situational awareness.
Communication is no longer the No. 1 problem during a disaster response, says FEMA deputy administrator.
More than 30 Urban Areas Security Initiative cities and regions didn’t get funding for fiscal 2011, and the future looks even darker
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ prepared text messages deliver public health information to cell phones and save emergency managers time.
What happens in Las Vegas is filtered through unique layers of security and vetted by the fusion center.
Central states participate in the first national-level natural disaster exercise and seek to learn lessons while testing their capabilities.
Proposed cyber-security legislation will focus on protecting the nation’s citizens, its critical infrastructure and federal systems.
National exercise and Great Central U.S. ShakeOut seek to further the nation’s preparedness for an earthquake.
All-inclusive preparedness can be challenging for governments, but examples of resources and successful programs can help.
The federal government seeks to move away from overly burdensome requirements with today’s release of Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness.
Preparedness messages should be taught through means that children enjoy and find engaging — like video games.
As governors select new emergency managers, establishing communication between the state and local emergency managers will be critical.
Altamonte Springs, Fla.'s data center finds a permanent home in a decommissioned water tank.
A partnership between the Girl Scouts of the USA and federal agencies seeks to help establish a culture of preparedness.
The IJIS Institute Winter Industry Briefing combines the public and private sectors to stress information sharing and increase the country’s security.
2011 exercise will focus on a catastrophic earthquake, and the eight participating states are already working with partners to determine their roles and responsibilities.
Video game fills educational gap and adds another layer to Illinois’ efforts to teach the state’s youth about disaster preparedness.
County officials respond to the mock detonation of a nuclear device and test a system that monitors for hazardous materials.
Letter carriers prepare to distribute medical countermeasures following a biological attack involving anthrax on a metropolitan area.
Louisiana State University’s Disaster Science and Management Association claims to be the nation’s first student-led disaster education and training organization.
NIST data can be fed into safety assessments and evacuation models to ensure that building evacuation routes are viable and effective.
The USS Makin Island, a new ship in the Navy’s fleet, showcases its humanitarian aid capabilities during the city’s event.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Stockpile in Motion Across the Nation training program aids public health preparedness.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report gives a state-by-state view of public health preparedness.
Dartmouth College’s Interactive Media Laboratory developed Ops-Plus for WMD Hazmat following 9/11 to help first responders in terrorism response.
Los Angeles launched the nation’s first Hydra system, which uses video feeds to monitor real-time decision-making during critical incident training.
A virtual replica of New York City provides its Office of Emergency Management with a unique way to test its command element.
Operation Golden Phoenix promotes collaboration and uses the ICBRNE program that monitors and reports critical information.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center uses telemedicine to connect patients and doctors before hospital transfers.
Climate change is causing the traditionally response-based emergency management community to look to the future.
Pennsylvania school districts give police direct access to their video camera feeds to aid situational awareness in case of emergency.
Online tools and succinct messages provide straightforward ways to promote disaster preparedness.
Cannon Beach conceptualizes how to build a tsunami-resistant City Hall that would also provide a vertical evacuation site for citizens.
Since 911 call-takers and technology are the first line of response when citizens have an emergency, it’s surprising how standards vary throughout the nation.
Some people feel they are predestined to accomplish certain goals in life. Jacqueline McBride says it’s her calling to work with disasters and communities.
Golden Guardian exercise brings Bay Area officials together to develop communication skills.
Following a ‘shotgun marriage’ in 2006, three California UASI districts joined together to protect one of the nation’s high-risk areas.
Seismologists are creating an early warning system to alert Californians before an earthquake occurs.
Penn State’s LionReach training vehicle uses futuristic mannequins and the latest technology to provide education and aid real-world response.
Planning for how and why people react way to an emergency should be the basis for planning.
Almost 900 people have joined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Southwest border-focused social network.
The National Governors Association’s State Homeland Security Advisors Survey highlights priorities and issues.
Critical infrastructure keeps communities and regions running — five counties in the Pacific Northwest collaborated to protect and prioritize their key resources.
Kansas City, Kan.-area agencies convened to discuss best practices on how to use social media during disasters.
Chasing4Life provides educational programs nationwide to encourage citizens to be personally prepared for emergencies and disasters.
The University of Nevada, Reno, created a new shake table that can better mimic an earthquake’s effects on large-scale structures, like bridges.
A power outage at a Transportation Worker Identification Credential processing facility may require up to 410,000 cards to be replaced.
Arkansas, Delaware and New York among top-ranking states; Montana has the lowest score, according to nonprofit’s report.
The state’s free, subscription-based emergency alert system could expand to online gamers in 2010.
Old technology is blamed for the slow production of H1N1 vaccines.
The American Society of Civil Engineers’ pamphlet outlines what citizens need to know to protect their homes from floods.
Random Hacks of Kindness attracts disaster relief experts and software engineers to innovate technology solutions.
Jefferson County, Texas, counts down the days remaining in hurricane season and provides emergency preparedness information on electronic billboards.
Craig Fugate, who hails from state and local government, takes top post at FEMA.
New York City's unified call taking program combines the police and fire 911 call taking and dispatch systems.