Disasters

Identifying emergency personnel
Emergency response teams work in confusing conditions; in large disasters, emergency units from several jurisdictions may be involved; the rescuers need to able to identify each other
- Read more
Mini-UAV helps in monitoring natural disasters
Scandicraft provides geo-tagged aerial images taken from mini-UAV via satellite link; accurate images will make responses to natural disasters more effective
- Read more

Body-armor manufacturer settles with U.S. Justice Department
The U.S. Justice Department charged that a body armor manufacturer knowingly used Zylon fiber in body army it sold to the federal government and local law enforcement; Zylon fiber degrades quickly and is not suitable for ballistic use
- Read more
Portable imaging system helps response to natural disasters
Yellow Jackets researchers develop an imaging system which can be affixed to a helicopter to create a detailed picture of an area devastated by a hurricane or other natural disaster
- Read more

Briefly noted
The financial crisis and homeland security… Airport security: shoe salvation has arrived… UNDT to market anthrax detection equipment in Israel… Canada’s new emergency management and business continuity standard
- Read more
Better coastal defenses against large waves
Coastal defenses have to withstand great forces and there is always a risk of water overtopping or penetrating these structures; Liverpool University’s mathematician says we need new concepts for coastal defenses
- Read more

DHS, industry promote security awareness month
Companies offer tips on avoiding and dealing with attacks; October will also see major cybersecurity initiatives in Europe, Asia
- Read more
Send Word Now completes $14 million financing round
As more attention is paid to alerting people of imminent or on-going disasters, investors pay more attention to companies producing effective, reliable alert systems; Send Word Now benefits
- Read more

Hurricane proofing Houston's power
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, residents, politicians, and utility officials say it is time to consider burying electric lines underground in order to hurricane-proof Houston
- Read more
FCC restarts public safety network in the 700 MHz band
The Federal Communication Commission revives plans for a nationwide emergency network; decision follows disappointing results of the “D Block” auction
- Read more

Invisibility cloak as a protection against tsunamis
Rather than fortifying sea platforms and coastal towns to withstand tsunamis, it may be possible to use invisibility cloaks to make off-shore platforms, islands, and even cities “invisible” to waves
- Read more
Stolen laptops "broadcast" their location to rightful owners
Huskies researchers develop a software tool which uses the Internet as a homing beam; if the thief uses the stolen laptop to connect to the Internet, the owner receives information on the laptop location (and Macintosh owners also recvied a picture of the thief)
- Read more

Engineers to quake-proof Cal stadium on free-floating blocks
Engineers have solved one of the world’s great retrofit puzzles: how to keep UC Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium from crumbling into a pile of concrete rubble during a major earthquake
- Read more
U.S.-based computers launch most cyberattacks in 2008
Computers, or hackers, based in the United States launched most of the cyber attacks in the world between January and September 2008; China-based computers were in second place, and Brazil came in third; United States also led in the number of computers compromised
- Read more
Satellite phone company Iridium acquired for $591 million
Iridium made a name for itself for going bankrupt eight years ago and being bought for $25 million; it later donated satellite phones to first responders in the aftermath of Katrina; now it is being acquired for half a billion dollars
- Read more

More headlines