Recently in Emergency Services Category

Source: Colin P. Falato, Susan M. Smith, Tyler Kress, International Journal of Emergency Management Vol. 4, No. 4, 2007
(subscription required)

From a summary:
A recent study in the International Journal of Emergency Management suggests that the nation's federal and state governments should help local communities prepare for a range of large-scale disasters, United Press International reports. In analyzing local and federal response efforts, University of Tennessee researchers identified 902 disaster declarations made across the last 25 years related to hurricanes, fires, windstorms, earthquakes, tornadoes and floods.

Source: American Red Cross and Council for Excellence in Government, October 2007

From the press release:
The nation's RQ (Readiness Quotient) -a barometer of the public's preparedness for a weather emergency, natural disaster or terrorist attack-inched up nearly a point from 15 months ago, according to a report released today by the American Red Cross and the Council for Excellence in Government.

The nation's collective level of preparedness has increased to 4.14 out of a possible 10, compared to 3.31 in June 2006. The survey found that the biggest gains were in the public's level of preparedness awareness, but more work needs to be done to engage people in taking preparedness actions.
See also:
• National results
• Test Your RQ
• Online education module
• 2006 report

Source: Trust for America's Health and American Academy of Pediatrics, Issue Brief, October 2007

From the summary:
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Trust for America's Health (TFAH) issued a report in October 2007, Pandemic Influenza: Warning, Children At-Risk, which finds that children and teens between the ages of 0-19 account for nearly 46 percent of all H5N1 "bird" flu deaths. The report also identifies gaps in U.S. preparedness for treating and caring for children during a possible pandemic flu outbreak.

Source: National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), August 2007

From http://www.naccho.org/press/releases/pr2007_09_10.cfm:
Federal funding received by local health departments for all-hazards emergency preparedness fell 20 percent last year, according to a new report by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). The report says that continued cuts in funding provided through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) threaten important, hard-won advances made in recent years in response planning to natural disasters, bio-terrorism events, emerging infectious diseases, and other public health emergencies.
See also:
National Preparedness Month

Source: Report to Congressional Requesters, United States Government Accountability Office, GAO-07-781, August 2007

An influenza pandemic is a real and significant potential threat facing the United States and the world. Pandemics occur when a novel virus emerges that can easily be transmitted among humans who have little immunity. In 2005, the Homeland Security Council (HSC) issued a National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza and, in 2006, an Implementation Plan. Congress and others are concerned about the federal government's preparedness to lead a response to an influenza pandemic. This report assesses how clearly federal leadership roles and responsibilities are defined and the extent to which the Strategy and Plan address six characteristics of an effective national strategy. To do this, GAO analyzed key emergency and pandemic-specific plans, interviewed agency officials, and compared the Strategy and Plan with the six characteristics GAO identified.

Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy, and the Pew Center on the States, 2007

From the press release:
Public health planners have a new tool to help them prepare for an influenza pandemic. Pew and the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy are announcing the launch of www.PandemicPractices.org, a new online resource that highlights promising ways communities are preparing for a flu pandemic.

PandemicPractices.org brings together more than 130 peer-reviewed practices from four countries, 22 states and 33 counties. Compiled as a tool to save communities and states time and resources, the database enables public health professionals to learn from one another and to build on their own pandemic plans. Using PandemicPractices.org, they can examine and download pandemic flu planning materials and use or adapt them to fit local needs.

Source: David N. Sundwall, Robert T. Rolfs, Utah Department of Health, August 28, 2007

An influenza pandemic as severe as the 1918 pandemic could cause nearly a million Utahns to become ill and result in over 350,000 outpatient doctor visits, 80,000 hospitalizations, and 16,000 deaths over the course of a year. Critical assumptions used in developing this plan included: 1) outbreaks would probably occur widely across the state and nation, limiting the ability to share resources among jurisdictions; 2) vaccine would not be available until several months had elapsed; 3) shortages of critical medicines (including antiviral medications) and other supplies would occur; 4) capacity to provide medical care would be severely stressed or exceeded; and 5) absenteeism rates and fear would stress the abilities to maintain business continuity and to provide for essential community services including police, fire, water, food, transportation and sanitation.

The goals of this plan are, first, to minimize serious illness and death, and second, to limit societal disruption and economic losses. The plan is intended to coordinate with global and national plans developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It outlines responsibilities and activities in six areas (Planning and Coordination; Public and Risk Communications; Surveillance, Investigation and Containment; Vaccine Management and Administration, Antiviral Medication Stockpiling and Use; Laboratory Testing, and Health Care and Emergency Response). It uses the three pandemic planning phases outlined by WHO (Inter-Pandemic, Pandemic Alert, and Pandemic Periods), the U.S. Federal Stages, and introduces Utah Pandemic Response Levels.

This plan outlines activities and responsibilities for government public health agencies and builds upon preparedness assets developed at federal, state, and local levels of government and in the private sector. The Plan incorporates work by several advisory bodies, including a Pandemic Influenza Planning Committee (2005-2006), the Pandemic Influenza Workgroup (2006-ongoing), and the Governor's Pandemic Influenza Taskforce, which met in 2006-2007 and developed recommendations that are included in and will set the stage for the next phase of this planning process.

See also:
Utah Department of Health's Pandemic Influenza Web site

Source: Elaine Morley, Carol J. De Vita, The Urban Institute, August 31, 2007

The anniversaries of Hurricane Katrina and the attacks of 9/11 will likely bring renewed attention to our nation's preparedness to address large-scale disasters, whether natural or man-made. Indeed, in the years since these events, the media, policymakers, and the public have given considerable attention to this topic. However, attention has generally focused on preparedness for immediate and short-term responses to disaster. Such responses are, of course, critical. We suggest that attention also should be focused on longer-term recovery assistance following major disasters. Those who are directly involved in such traumatic events and suffer associated personal and property loss are likely to need assistance for years after the disaster--long after immediate and short-term response has ended. Much of the continued assistance needed falls within the realm of social services, such as mental health services, case management, and, for some, employment-related services.

Source: John McQuaid, Mother Jones, August 2007

Eroding coastline, sinking land, rising seas; failing levees, poor evacuation planning; a city that would fill like a soup bowl if its flood defenses were breached. In 2002, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter John McQuaid coauthored a series in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, where he'd worked for more than 20 years, that predicted the fate that would befall New Orleans 3 years later. Now, in a three-part series for Mother Jones, McQuaid reports that the initial surge of attention to strengthening the Gulf Coast's defenses has ebbed, once again, to complacency. And residents of the Gulf Coast are not the only ones who should be worried. As McQuaid reports, it's not just the levees that are broken-it's the entire political system by which we create disaster defenses. Climate change will bring more storms, floods, fires, and tornadoes, but Washington has done very little to get us prepared. Will it take another Katrina before the government acts?
Related:
Mother Jones' Full Coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its Aftermath

Source: Patrick Thibodeau, Computerworld, August 28, 2007

Massive planning exercise will assess impact on staffing, telecommunications

What may be the largest pandemic planning exercise ever conducted in the U.S. is set to begin next month. The dry run will force financial services firms to operate with shrinking numbers of employees -- on paper, at least.

More than 1,800 organizations have signed up to participate in the three-week simulation, which is being sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

See also:
• U.S. Department of the Treasury press release
• FBIIC / FSSCC Pandemic Flu Exercise of 2007