Preparedness and Communications
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Students from upstate New York gathered this month at the University of Albany’s College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity to share visions of artificial intelligence in emergency response.
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“It’s the one place that I can think of in the country that you can walk into and just punch a worker in the face and the response is something like, ‘Okay, we’re sorry that something upset you, do you want a sandwich?’”
"We get to see the different types of container cars — how they function. This helps us relay information to the railroad. We learn the terminology so we can tell Norfolk Southern what's needed."
The state began transitioning in November 2018 when Durham County 911 joined via AT&T ESInet, hosting a hosted call solution and text messaging, and Anson County 911 completed the state’s transition in February.
The Ohio Department of Transportation will tell motorists not to stop along Interstate 90 but expects that “impromptu” events will spring up as the eclipse starts and cars begin pulling over.
The weather service issued two high-wind warnings and one wind advisory that together cover the state. The two areas expected to experience the strongest winds are the eastern Massachusetts coast and the northern Berkshires.
“I can call for a pizza on my cellphone and they know exactly where I am, but emergency service is pretty far behind right now. For something like 911, we should have accurate information. There’s no question about that.”
The county signed a $2.49 million contract in late 2022. Today, the company is a little over halfway done with siren installations that began in 2023, according to the director of the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency.
Iterate.ai, based in Denver, is offering its threat detection software to K-12 districts free of charge. The company’s initiative was followed by state legislation calling for school grants to pay for security systems.
When heavy rain occurs, there is a risk of flooding, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone regions. It is important to never attempt to drive through water on the road, regardless of how deep it appears.
A 44-page report said during and after a recent storm 1,350 people went to overnight shelters and hundreds rushed to emergency rooms. The county medical examiner said it suspects four people died of hypothermia.
Chelan and Douglas counties are switching to Everbridge, the same system neighboring counties use, to create emergency alert uniformity and boost reliability. Users on the old system will be automatically switched over.
The study at Texas A&M University is looking at the effects of smoke on the hearts of wildland firefighters using an Apple Watch and an air quality sensor worn by the firefighters.
The goal is to "build a better and more up-to-date and fortified emergency operation center," which could help operations move more smoothly. Right now, the average age of the fire department’s buildings is 85 years old.
Perimeter is an app that puts emergency managers in an advanced state of situational awareness, allowing them to share critical information like road closures and evacuation routes both internally and with the public.
House Finance Committee Chairman Vernon Criss, R-Wood, said the state was guarding against a potential clawback of $465 million as the reason a $50 million allotment for trust fund was omitted from the state House budget bill.
