• New Jersey first responders to get universal IDs

    Starting next year, 12,000 first responders in New Jersey will receive special IDs to help enhance security and cut down on identity fraud during emergencies and natural disasters

  • Tech breakthrough allows first responders to carry mini resuscitators

    Thanks to PerSys Medical, first responders operating in rugged terrain are now able to carry a miniaturized version of a critical medical device that helps patients breathe

  • New Jersey first responders prohibited from taking crash scene photos

    New Jersey lawmakers are currently considering a bill that would make it illegal for first responders to take pictures or videos of an accident and distribute them without the permission of the victim’s family; under the proposed law, any first responder who circulates an accident photo or video without permission could face as much as eighteen months in jail or a $10,000 fine

  • Operation Vigilant Guard tests Arizona disaster response

    More than 250 agencies and 8,000 emergency personnel recently participated in “Operation Vigilant Guard,” one of the largest emergency response exercise in Arizona’s history; participants were forced to respond to two scenarios — a catastrophic flood and the detonation of a ten-kiloton Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) in the Phoenix metropolitan area

  • Training mission showcases Israeli counterterrorism techniques

    A group of U.S. law enforcement officials recently concluded a weeklong training seminar on the methods Israel uses to prevent and respond to terrorism

  • First responders to get a break on car insurance

    First responders in Maine could be getting a break on their insurance thanks to a bill making its way through the State House of Representatives; under the proposed bill, insurance companies would not be able to increase the personal insurance rates of emergency responders if they get into a car accident while performing their duties

  • Zombie herd tests Ohio’s emergency response capabilities

    On Monday, a horde of ravenous flesh-seeking “zombies” descended upon Wesleyan University and tested the response capabilities of Ohio’s emergency personnel; in the spirit of Halloween, Delaware County recruited 225 volunteers to dress up as zombies and participate in a drill designed to help prepare first responders deal with real situations like hazardous material cleanups

  • Turkish PM criticizes builders for unsafe practices

    Sunday’s 7.2 tremor in Turkey killed at least 460 people, injured 1,350, destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, and displaced thousands; Turkish prime minister harshly criticizes Turkish builders, saying negligence amounts to murder

  • Turkish prisoners riot following aftershock, quake death toll now 432

    After a particularly strong aftershock rattled Turkey, terrified Turkish prisoners rioted after authorities refused to let them out

  • Illinois distributes $3.4 million to help first responders upgrade radios

    Earlier this week the Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) announced that it was awarding more than $3.4 million to 156 local emergency response agencies across the state to upgrade their communications equipment; the funds come from DHS grants designed to help states comply with new federal communications requirements aimed at relieving congestion and increasing channels on non-narrowband radios

  • ShotSpotter, Intrado join acoustic surveillance, 9-1-1 service

    ShotSpotter, Inc. and Intrado Inc. today announced the expansion of their partnership in delivering real-time acoustic surveillance and gunfire location alert and analysis services to public safety agencies. Intrado, a provider of 9-1-1 technology solutions, will host the ShotSpotter solution using its secure Intrado Co-location and Transport cloud service (I-CAT). ShotSpotter offers gunfire alert and analysis technology as a subscription-based service.

  • Graduate student develops emergency communication Twitter app

    A graduate student at the University of Colorado has developed a smartphone app that makes it easier for first responders and emergency personnel to communicate via Twitter during disasters; without a standardized syntax, emergency personnel, affected individuals, information officers, and journalists were having trouble communicating on Twitter

  • Predicting race and ethnicity from irises now possible

    Conventional wisdom holds that irises, like fingerprints, are unique to each individual and have little similarities between ethnic groups or gender, but a groundbreaking new study indicates that biometric scanners can actually predict race and gender based on iris texture alone; the study’s findings are important in that it opens new avenues for research that previously were not thought possible

  • Security professionals gear up for GovSec West

    Security professionals from across the country are slated to descend upon Phoenix, Arizona for the GovSec West security conference in November; attendees will have the opportunity to participate in educational sessions that focus on securing critical infrastructure, cyber threats, terrorism, and border security

  • Denver holds Operation Mountain Guardian drill

    The city of Denver, Colorado plays host to a massive terror-attack simulation involving over 100 emergency services organizations; the largest drill of its kind in the region is intended to ‘stress-test” the planning and resources of local first responders