• Mustard-gas leak detected in Denver Army base

    No emergency at Army Pueblo Chemical Depot; the depot has 780,000 mustard-gas-filled projectiles that are about 60 years old; the 2-foot-long artillery shells were brought to the Pueblo depot in 1952; crews investigate

  • Blocking emergency exits to boost evacuation rates

    Placing an obstacle in front of an emergency exit door accelerates the pace at which people evacuate a room; the reason: by blocking access to the door from one side, the obstacles prevents too many people from occupying the area right in front of the door

  • TeleContinuity, SRA to support national communication system

    TeleContinuity will help the National Communications System’s (NCS) national security and emergency preparedness programs in providing critical continuity of communications expertise, preserving the ability of federal agencies to maintain Continuity of Government (COG) when it is most vital - during disasters, emergencies, evacuations, or pandemics

  • Radiation safety

    A new book — Radiation Safety: Protection and Management for Homeland Security and Emergency Response — helps first responders, EMS, and medical personnel understand how to detect and cope with nuclear incidents

  • U.K. government trains shopping malls in counterterrorism

    Shopping centers are likely to feature in the attack plans of terrorist organizations in the future as they are usually locations with limited protective security measures; the U.K. government wants to change this

  • In-building public-safety communication a growing business

    The 9/11 attacks exposed a major weakness: rescue personnel had no communication coverage inside the towers; regulations now require that first responders have communications coverage everywhere in a building — or at least 95 percent of it; as businesses and local governments face deadlines for complying with these requirements, businesses offering in-building communication services will benefit

  • Powered robot suits demonstrated in Tokyo

    Japanese company develops a powered exoskeletal suit intended for heavy labor, rescue support at disaster sites, and use by the disabled or elderly

  • WiMAX spreads to more U.S. markets

    Clearwire announced the launch of its WiMax service in ten more U.S. markets with total population of 1.6 million; company on target for presence in 80 markets with a total of 120 million potential subscribers by the end of next year

  • Universities, businesses offer solutions for dealing with hurricanes

    Three universities are busy offering solutions which better predict hurricanes and cope with the damage they cause; a Bill Gates-supported company is more ambitious: it proposes to kill hurricanes by placing giant ocean-going tubs in the paths of storms

  • Robots perform fire-fighting duties in London

    The robots, built by defense contractor QinetiQ, have been in use for a year; London’s fire brigade has been impressed by the robots’ performance

  • Chinese city sealed off after outbreak of bubonic plaque

    Pneumonic plague, a virulent variant of the bubonic plaque, has killed two and infected 10 in a Chinese city; authorities have sealed off the city

  • Anthrax attack on a U.S. metropolitan area could affect more than 1 million

    No matter how well-organized and prolonged a treatment program is, it must be quickly implemented; a campaign of powerful antibiotics initiated two days after exposure would protect as many as 87 percent of exposed individuals from illness

  • 70,000 evacuated amid Texas chemical facility fire

    Fire at a chemical storage warehouse in Bryan, Texas has prompted the evacuation of about 70,000 people; officials plan for the evacuation of students at Texas A&M University in nearby College Station

  • Life-saving location device to help in rescuing trapped disaster victims

    There is usually a 24-hour window when people that are injured and trapped can be saved, followed by a three-day window for those that are unhurt; by analyzing the levels of carbon dioxide and ammonia, chemical sensors could detect whether a trapped person is still alive faster than traditional methods

  • Robo-wheels to help search-and-rescue teams

    There is new help coming to search-and-rescue teams, especially those specializing in rescuing victims of avalanches: robots with wheels — each wheel with six vanes on its side that are linked to both the wheel and a central hub; the design allows the best possible traction in tough conditions and prevents the wheel from sinking or slipping