Disaster Preparedness


Amano Prods IAEA Members to Implement Action Plan

Developed after the Fukushima Daiichi crisis began, the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety is up for endorsement at the agency's 55th General Conference in Vienna this week.

A+A 2011 On Record Pace

A record 1,580 exhibitors have booked 617,800 square feet of exhibit space for the Oct. 18-21 trade show and the Congress for Safety and Health at Work.

Florida Insurer Phasing in Sinkhole Increases

Representatives of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation defended the large increases during a Sept. 13 public hearing, saying claims and the cost of adjusting sinkhole losses are skyrocketing.

EMSA Fishing for New Executive Director

The European Maritime Safety Agency opened its doors in 2003 after two major oil spills occurred about three years apart off the coasts of France and Spain.

Final Report on Deepwater Horizon Fixes Chief Blame on BP

The BOEMRE panel released its report Sept. 14, dedicating it to the 11 workers killed in the explosion and praising rescue work by nearby vessels and crews that helped 115 survivors evacuate safely.

China Plans Safety Inspections of Offshore Facilities

The State Administration of Work Safety said the inspection program was begun because of the Bohai Bay oil spills that began in June. ConocoPhillips has agreed to create a fund to compensate victims of the spills.

NFPA Cites Safety Improvements Rising from 9/11

Communications and interoperability for emergency responders, high-rise building safety, and emergency preparedness have improved as "a direct outgrowth of 9/11, and each is central to that event's legacy of safety," NFPA Journal Staff Writer Fred Durso Jr. reports.

Smoking Leading Cause of Fatal Residential Building Fires: Report

“By preparing for a home fire emergency, you can greatly reduce your chances of becoming a fire casualty,” said Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator Glenn Gaines.



ICC: Building Safety Codes Changed as a Result of 9/11

The International Code Council’s activity heightened when the National Institute of Standards and Technology released its “Report on the Collapse of the World Trade Center,” which contained 30 broad recommendations for the model codes, standards industry, design community, and emergency responders.

Fukushima Disaster Prompts New Insurance Coverage

Willis Group Holdings plc said its product will cover business interruption costs for companies with facilities, suppliers, or customers located near nuclear power plants and an exclusion zone is implemented.

Federal Agencies Showcase First Responder Technologies

The 12th annual Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness Conference and Expo highlighted Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security technologies and training tools currently available and being developed for the emergency response community.

FEMA Advisory Council Meeting Sept. 14

The panel is working to develop a national preparedness goal that identifies the core capabilities necessary for preparedness, in response to a presidential directive.

Emergency planning starts with personal preparedness. Promote this concept to your teams and provide resources to help them get started, like those offered by your local Red Cross to help them get a kit.

More than Checking the Box

More than ever, preparedness is simply a cost of doing business. Now is a great time to focus on it: September is National Preparedness Month.

More Americans Using Social Media in Emergencies: Red Cross

The survey findings show that the increasing use of social media and mobile technologies to get disaster information and to seek help should cause response agencies to adjust their procedures to use social media more to engage with people in times of disaster.

Presentations Highlight FRI 2011 Program

This year's Fire-Rescue International conference put on by the International Association of Fire Chiefs gets rolling Aug. 26 at Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center.

Quake Prompted Alert, Unusual Events at Nuclear Reactors in Six States

The North Anna plant located close to the epicenter of the Aug. 23 earthquake declared an Alert, the second-lowest of NRC's four emergency classifications, when it lost electricity from the grid.

Christchurch Rebuilding Plan: Shorter = Safer

Residents get their say beginning Aug. 16 on a $2 billion plan adopted by the City Council to rebuild the city's center following the February 2011 earthquake.

More Data to Be Required on EPCRA Forms

EPA proposed adding parent company information and e-mail addresses to the Emergency and Hazardous Chemical Inventory Forms (Tier I and Tier II) under Section 312 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

Opponents Battling Huge Sinkhole Premium Hikes

The board of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. approved rate increases that average 323 percent in part of a "sinkhole alley" county. A state senator has asked Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater to stop them from taking effect.

$10,000 Prize in DoD First Responder Kit Contest

The entry deadline is Aug. 15, so inventors have little time if they haven't already begun.

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