Preparedness and Communications

More than seven months after Manatee County, Fla., launched a pilot program for a drone that can quickly respond to medical emergencies, 911 dispatchers have yet to use it.

For firefighters, it is key to stay ready for a range of diverse challenges, from leading rescue operations to managing medical emergencies.

A focus group for emergency services on Monday packed the Effingham City Council chambers with police officers, firefighters, the dive team and more emergency response team members.

Of particular concern was a traffic snarl that wrapped around downtown Eureka, Calif., following the issuing of a statewide tsunami warning that sent people rushing to their cars to escape.

A two-part grant is helping local hazardous materials planners in Alabama prepare for disaster, doing so by awarding a mix of state and federal funding.

An update to the 30-year-old Northwest Forest Plan for management could allow more logging to fight extreme wildfires and climate change. A draft environmental impact statement identifies several strategies for the U.S. Forest Service.

A new smartphone app from the Jasper County Emergency Management Agency offers readiness materials for a variety of emergency situations, plus the ability to send emergency alerts. Users can submit storm damage reports, and weather information, and make incident checklists.

Residents in three fast-growing Boise neighborhoods say that evacuation efforts could trap them there if the wind blows the wrong way or the main road becomes blocked.

In North Carolina, the cold is creeping in as autumn gives way to winter early in the mountains, but this year it comes at a precarious time, when many residents are still suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Four local fire departments in northern Massachusetts will share more than $600,000 in federal grants, money which will help bring in new tech and potentially faster response times for each station.

When a disaster strikes, it’s best to act fast so you can get reimbursements sooner rather than later. Here’s how to get your tax documents back, according to the IRS.

Isolated and unreliable cell service can cause problems in parks when emergencies like fires happen, but in Colorado, a new grant from the USDA aims to connect some far-flung locations.

A growing system in the Caribbean could develop into Tropical Storm Rafael and intensify into a hurricane as it heads north toward the Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As Louisiana homeowners face soaring insurance costs with no sign of relief on the way, the tumultuous insurance market has opened up a prime opportunity for investors around the world.

States are navigating an ever-growing number of emergencies, including unprecedented weather events, infrastructure failures and cybersecurity incidents. Response plans must stay agile.