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DHS releases $194 million in emergency management grants
States can use the money for equipment, training, and salaries; California, Texas, and New York are the big winners
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NPSTC objects to new public broadband safety network proposal
In contrast to the 30 MHz Cyren Call system, new FCC approach allocates only 12 MHz; to state and local officials this is inadequate to encourage private industry to build out into remote area; universal access and interference protection at issue
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UC Davis scientists use bacteria to fight earthquake liquification
Application of Bacillus pasteurii during or after construction creates a shell of calcium carbonate around sand grains; approach avoids use of dangerous chemicals; funding required for larger studies
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Emergency official suspended for asasaulting photographer
Columbia County, New York coordinator George Sharpe earns a thirty-day rest after attempting to destroy images of a pandemic response drill; HSDW demands a more creative punishment
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RealityMobile offers off-the-shelf situational control system
Relying on camera phones compatible with Palm OS or Windows Mobile 5.0, RealityVision system offers commanders unparalleled remote access to personnel on the ground
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The virtue of security syndication // by Ilan Meller
In addition to doing everything they can to make themselves more secure, individual organizations may enhance their security by forming a security syndicate with other organizations for the purpose of sharing security-related information; with more organizationas sharing more terror-related “dots,” it may be possible to connect these dots more effectively to form a larger, clearer threat picture
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FEMA seeks applicants for National Advisory Council
Council will advise FEMA administrator on the national preparedness goal, the national preparedness system, the National Incident Management System, and the National Response Plan; resumes due 9 March
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Continuity expert derides 80 percent post-disaster survival rates
Mel Gosling of the Business Continuity Institute looks into notion that 80 percent of businesses fail after a disaster if they lack contingency plans; poppycock, he says, citing a series of incidents in the United Kingdom
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L-3 announces new thermal imaging camera for rescuers
Thermal-Eye 5000xp offers a 400 percent increase in pixels and twice the field of view as the previous model; camera is designed for emergency rescue, law enforcement, and perimeter security
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Interoperability fund struggles to get off the ground
Congressional Research Service dings DHS for failing to reach a memorandum of understanding with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration; a 30 September deadline looms, and security officials worry about 2008 budget cuts
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California Highway Patrol boosts response capabilities
$6.4 million in grants from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security permits the force to purchase two fixed-wing aircraft, nine mobile command centers, and two water response vehicles
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University of Portsmouth to test antibacterial gown
Hospital garb is coated with an anti-microbial coating known as Permagard; effort intended to mitigate MRSA transmission; unique design also minimizes contact with nurses
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MIT students invent wall crawling device
Intended for first responders, the Atlas Powered Rope Ascender uses the capstan effect to pull a firefighter carrying one hundred pounds of equipment up a thirty-story building in thirty seconds; students have already sold units to Army and look to commercialize
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Arsenic-treated lumbar a major post-disaster threat
Researchers at the University of Miami find 1,740 metric tons of arsenic strewn about the Gulf Coast; problem is traced to now-banned practice of treating lumber with chromated copper arsenate to prevent pest infestation
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UC Irvine offers emergency planning course
University extension offers a series of lectures and tabletop exercises in disaster management; Irvine’s emergency management coordinator to provide instruction
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The long view
Machine Learning Could Predict Rare Disastrous Events Like Earthquakes or Pandemics
Researchers suggest how scientists can circumvent the need for massive data sets to forecast extreme events with the combination of an advanced machine learning system and sequential sampling techniques.
Americans Are Flocking to Wildfire
People are trading hurricane zones for wildfire areas, says national study of migration, natural disasters, and climate change.
Insurance for a Changing Climate
Among the many facets of the economy being challenged and changed by warming global temperatures is the insurance industry. Damaging extreme events such as wildfires, hurricanes, and floods are happening with greater frequency and intensity, which leaves insurance companies facing larger financial risks and paying out more in claims — and it also leaves policy holders paying higher prices to insure their homes and businesses.