• 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

  • AirKnight releases details of its bid for U.K.'s search and rescue helicopter

    AirKnight — a consortium consisting of VT Group, British International Helicopters (BIH), and Lockheed Martin — announced it would use Eurocopter’s EC225 in its proposal for the future fleet of U.K.’s search and rescue helicopters

  • WHO: Swine flu "unstoppable"

    The World Health Organization says the swine flu pandemic has grown “unstoppable” and all nations will need access to vaccines; while most cases have been considered mild, a study released today said the virus causes more lung damage than ordinary seasonal flu strains

  • Second thoughts about public alert systems

    Public alert systems, which the authorities use to send messages about disasters to citizens’ cell phones and computers, have become popular among cities and localities; more and more of these localities, though, have began to question the efficacy and cost of these systems

  • DHS to start trials of emergency radio

    DHS is launching a trial of a software-defined radio handset from Thales which is designed to operate on all the frequencies used by the emergency services

  • GAO finds major security flaws at federal buildings

    Undercover investigators sneaked bombs and detonators past security guards and into federal buildings occupied by DHS, Justice, and State departments; the investigators were able to assembled the bombs, carried them in a briefcase and “walked freely around several floors”