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New first response RFID system developed
In a scene of a disaster, first responders want to make sure they know where each member of the rescue team is; they often also need to tag and monitor the whereabouts of equipment and gear; long-range RFID is the solution
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Major flooding risk could span decades after Chinese earthquake
Earthquake-induced landslides cause rocks and sediment to be dumped in the river valleys, and this material then moves downstream to settle on river beds; this means that river and lakes become shallower, pausing much greater risks of flooding for decades to come
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Designing earthquake-resistant buildings
New NIST publication series addresses design of earthquake-resistant structures
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Spending on IT security to grow
Security makes up 10 percent of overall IT operating budgets in 2008, up from 8 percent in 2007; trend to continue
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This week in 1941: Galloping Gertie bridge collapses
The Tacoma Narrows bridge, known as Galloping Gertie, was a 5,000 ft-long, two-lane suspension bridge — the third longest of its kind in the world; it was the first suspension bridge to use plate girders, rather than open lattice beam trusses, to support the roadbed meaning that wind could not pass through the truss but was diverted above and below the structure; 67 years ago this week the wind was just too strong
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Gustav brings down cell, Internet service
Power outages caused by Hurricane Gustav brought down cellular and Internet service in parts of Louisiana, but the storm’s impact was much milder than Katrina’s
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Bureaucratic bafflegab hobbles Canada's disaster readiness, report says
New Senate report slams the Canadian government’s disaster coordination efforts; the report suggests that past floods, ice storms, the SARs epidemic, blackouts in Canada, and the 9/11 attacks should have — but have not — served as a wake up call for various levels of government to hatch concrete plans to work together to ward off disaster
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Sprint's preparations for Gustav
Sprint Nextel invested $59 million in network preparations in coastal communities; bolstering preparations aimed to help both customers and first responders
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Virtualization is important for back up and recovery
Server virtualization, that is, the separation of functionality from the underlying hardware, offers organizations many advantages in preparing for coping with and recovering from disasters, but it is not a panacea
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D.C. tests interoperable public safety system
Interoperability between radio and mobile Internet sought, and new technology — called Radio Over Wireless Broadband, or ROW-B — has the potential to save first responders time in an emergency
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China quake forces rethink over hazard maps
Following the Sichuan earthquake, in which more than 65,000 people died, researchers say that similar regions may also be in danger and that seismic hazard maps should be redrawn
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Modified helicopters help in search and rescue missions
Researchers in Hong Kong develop a helicopter installed with a video camera and linked to the Global Positioning System (GPS), and which flies on its own on a preset course; helicopter used to survey the Sichuan earthquake area; researchers in U.K. work on a similar concept — but one which envisions using a swarm of self-coordinating helicopters
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U.K. SMEs unprepared for business risk
YouGov survey shows small and medium-sized firms lack business continuity plans; only one third of SMEs are taking steps to ensure their business will continue to operate normally in the event of disruption
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IBM invests $300 million to expand disaster recovery offerings
Big Blue invests $300 million in opening 13 new Business Resilience Centers around the world; helping companies cope with and recover from disasters is lucrative new market
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Medical identity thefts on the rise
The move from paper to digital patient records opens new opportunities for identity thieves
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The long view
The Surprising Reasons Floods and Other Disasters Are Deadlier at Night
It’s not just that it’s dark and people are asleep. Urban sprawl, confirmation bias, and other factors can play a role.
Why Flash Flood Warnings Will Continue to Go Unheeded
Experts say local education and community support are key to conveying risk.