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Hazmat clean-up should be performed by qualified contractors
During and the immediate aftermath of a disaster involving hazardous materials, local officials are often surprised to learn that first responders do not do hazmat clean-up; the fact is, most fire departments and other first responders, besides not having the equipment and personnel for these activities, do not have the necessary environmental permits; since hazmat clean-up should be done by qualified personnel, here are guidelines to help you find them
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Digital technology and insects to replace cadaver-sniffing dogs
Researchers are looking for an alternative to the cadaver-sniffing dog; researchers are working on training insects to locate and identify cadavers; other researchers are working on a digital sniffer
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Dead bodies in Haiti do not pose health risk
Health experts say that the haunting scenes of hundreds of dead bodies in the street should not be confused with health risks; dead bodies cannot transmit communicable diseases because viruses and parasites die with the host; the for rescue workers is to wear gloves, handle the bodies with care, and bury bodies before they begin to decompose – and away from sources of drinking water
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NOAA produces images of Haiti for first responders
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) is using its geographic surveillance UAVs to help provide first responders on the ground in Haiti with high resolution images of disaster sites
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Fire-fighting robots developed
Sheffield-Hallam University develop fire-fighting robots; these robots carry individualized laser-range, radio-signal and ultrasound sensors that are designed for specific tasks such as warning of toxic materials, providing and maintaining mobile communication links, or inferring localization information
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New radio system is working “flawlessly”
When the switch was flipped Tuesday morning on Kandiyohi County’s, Minnesota, new 800-megahertz radio system, emergency personnel had no idea the unique technology would be put to such quick use.
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NIST develops validation tool for cell phone forensics
Cell phones reveal much about our daily communications — the who, when, and what of our calls and texts; for this information to be used as evidence in court or other formal proceedings, however, the software tools that forensic teams employ are normally validated to determine suitability for use
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DHS in trials of next generation multiband radio
Emergency communication interoperability is getting closer as the day of the single-band radio is coming to an end; DHS’ S&T is testing a multiband radio for emergency services
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Awareness of DHS's NECP is low, but its promise is high
CDW-G reports finds that just half of public-safety communications professionals were familiar with the NECP, yet when briefed, almost all believe it could address their communications challenges
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Humanoid robots to help people in hazardous environments
Current calculations required for robots’ handling objects and avoiding collisions are based on movements in the XYZ coordinates, and are sensitive to any minor deformations in the environment, such as a flexible object that would cause the calculations to be invalid; researchers offer a new way to govern robots’ movement
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GAO: FEMA not ready for nuclear, radiological attack
GAO: “FEMA has not developed a national disaster recovery strategy or related plans to guide involvement of federal agencies in these recovery activities, as directed by federal law and executive guidance”
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Telecoms endorse EU's eCall system for accident notification
The EU wants new cars to be equipped with a device that would automatically call for help in the event of an accident; the GSM Association endorses the idea
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Ohio to train EMTs to give flu vaccine
Ohio has about 41,000 EMTs and paramedics; the state wants them trained in giving swine flu shots if needed
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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
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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
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