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Kansas City chemical plant fire forces evacuation
A fire destroys a chemical plant located in a Kansas City residential neighborhood; newspaper reports that the fire “draped the city in mushroom-shaped plume of black smoke”
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GSA opens federal contracts to local emergency officials
Under new rule, states and municipalities will be able to order supplies from the Federal Supply Schedule in response to or anticipation of an emergency; 10 million goods and services will eventually be made available, but disaster relief and firefighting equipment will be first
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Incident command systems aid in business continuity
Emergency planning is critical, but a rigid approach can only compound problems; ICSs permit flexible response while ensure a chain of command; predetermining roles and responsibility key to success
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Business continuity should be about thriving, not merely surviving
For too long business continuity has been discussed in the context of dire events such as a terrorist attack or natural disasters; it would be better to discuss the tipic in the context of the company’s over-all performance, paying special attention to the perspectives of the investors in the company
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Iomai wins $128 million HHS contract for patch-based flu vaccine
Innoculation method could be mailed to patients; adjuvant stimulants allow the company to stretch out the nation’s vaccine supply; company looks for distribution partners, but many already see MedImmune as the most promising candidate
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Bell Helicopters takes a look at an Israeli flying rescue vehicle
Helicopter-like machine relies on fans rather than rotor blades, allowing for greater maneuverability in the urban environment; Urban Aeronautics sees a market for first responders and military; craft can sidle up to a building and evacuate residents out of a window
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NSF provides $700,000 for a study on EMS and fire department creativity
The psychology and sociology of emergency responders now a growing academic discipline; researchers seek to learn how firemen improvise on the job; 9/11 and Oklahoma City bombing provide useful datasets
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FEMA solicits proposals for internal 911 service
Agency looks for a way to locate 911 calls within its dispersed office network; ideal system will permit identification of caller, office, and cubicle number; once identified, 911 system should automatically hand off caller to local dispatch office
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Poor oversight hampers National Guard readiness
DoD lacks a system to track movement of equipment from stateside depots to overseas combat; disaster readiness a major concern; planners worry that a $21 billion Guard modernization program will be swallowed up by the war in Iraq
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Sun Microsystems offer shipping containers for secure data storage
Stackable and easily shippable system holds eight server racks, a cooling system, and other critical appurtences; both DoD and FEMA see useful applications; airlifting to war zones a major possibility
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iJet releases study on business impact of avian flu pandemic
Using data drawn from its World Pandemic monitoring system, research firm lays out preparation strategies for business; free report available by contacting company
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DHS announces $10 million in firefighter grants
Assistance to Firefighters Grant program expected to disperse a total of $485 million; awards go to small towns such as Walls, Mississippi and Church Hill, Tennessee; equipment and vehicles top departments’ wish lists
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U.S. Army offers stimulating simulations for emergency responders
Eighteen customizable programs offer a thorough work-out of any agency’s response capabilities; military organziations can learn for free, but cities and states may find the fees reimbursable by DHS
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Ball Aerospace proposes asteroid-busting robots
The collective action problem aside, saving the planet may be more important than saving the homeland; basketball-sized drones would swarm the asteroid, with some exploding while others listen to vibrations; Ball looks for funding and promises a three year delivery date
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Zombie masters move into the 21st century
Oak Ridge scientists identify thirty distinct compounds emitted from rotting bodies; data will help train dogs, but cunning investors may see opportunities for handheld sensor devices; report recalls a fingerscanning device intended for the deceased
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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.