Disaster Preparedness


The long-awaited Doyle Drive Replacement Project should take about three years.

Road to Golden Gate Bridge Getting Billion-Dollar Makeover

When completed in 2013, the project will replace the 73-year-old Doyle Drive southwest of the Golden Gate Bridge. The project will also result in structural and seismic improvements to the Presidio Trust and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area nearby.

DHS Shells out More than $1.8 Billion in FY 2010 Preparedness Grants

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on July 15 announced more than $1.8 billion in Fiscal Year 2010 Federal Emergency Management Agency preparedness grants designed to help states, urban areas, tribal governments, and non-profit organizations enhance their protection, prevention, response and recovery capabilities for risks associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.

OSHA Makes Pact with Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Industry

“Each day, oilfield workers are exposed to any number of hazards, including falls, fires, and explosions,” said John Hermanson, OSHA regional administrator in Philadelphia. “This alliance further strengthens OSHA’s ongoing efforts to protect workers in this area.”

Airbus Unit Certified to Business Continuity Management Standard

This demonstrates the company has "effective processes in place to minimize exposure during external disruptive events," says the company's head of facility management.

DHS announced a new national information-sharing partnership with Amtrak as part of the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative.

DHS Launches 'See Something, Say Something' Campaign

"Implementing a national suspicious activity reporting partnership with Amtrak and expanding the 'See Something, Say Something' campaign strengthens our ability to guard against terrorism and crime," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

DOL Doles $27M to Oil Spill States

The funds are being granted to workforce agencies in the four Gulf Coast states experiencing economic hardship as a result of wage decline and job loss in the shrimping, fishing, hospitality, and tourism industries.

Scientists Create New Tool to Predict Disaster Losses

Bayesian network approach enables emergency planners to better predict, assess and manage natural and man-made catastrophes.

The New Safety U

Loyola University Chicago recently became the first university to launch an electronic pre-plan program for fire emergencies.



Circles Unbroken

Round homes in Katrina's path sustained no structural damage from high winds or water, although many were hit with tidal surges of 20 to 30 feet.

Ensure all employees are trained and know what is to be done in an emergency, including emergency egress during a fire.

Back to Basics: Safe Egress

Ensure all employees are trained and know what is to be done in an emergency. Review the plan with new hires or newly assigned employees so they know the plan and their responsibilities.

New NOAA Website Highlights Economic, Ecological Value of Nation's Coast

Visualizations highlight important aspects of America's 95,000 miles of coastline, such as anticipated changes in coastal population from 1970 to 2040, the impact coastal areas have on the U.S. economy, the overall health of the U.S. coasts, and coastal areas' vulnerability to long-term sea level rise.

Combustible dust fires are frequently precursor events to dust-related explosions, John Astad says. (NIST photo)

NIST Helps Create Two Transportation Safety Blast Standards

Specialists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have helped create two new standards designed to increase safety in crowded mass transit centers by fortifying them against potential bomb threats.

CDC Issues New Guidelines for TB Testing

According to the World Health Organization, about one person dies of TB every 17 seconds, and the disease continues to be a contagious scourge in both developing and developed countries because each infected person represents a potential yet preventable future outbreak.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar

Blowout Scenarios Now Mandatory for Offshore Drilling

The Minerals Management Service issued the directive June 18, making it effective immediately. Lessees and operators in offshore federal waters must estimate worst-case flow rates for a blowout when they file for a new permit, development plan, or exploration plan.

Canadian Experts Share H1N1 Pandemic's Lessons

A roundtable hosted by CSA Standards produced a whitepaper suggesting how to prepare for the next one, with emphasis on vaccine development and PPE.

This image is a conceptual image and may differ slightly from images in the forthcoming game

FEMA Funds 'Disaster Hero' Video Game for PC/Mac

The game, being developed along with a dedicated website, will be designed "to enthrall and teach children and their families practical knowledge on how to prepare for and deal with natural disasters or emergencies," according to the site.

Uncharted Waters: NOAA Offers Facts on Oil Spill, Hurricane Fusion

According to a just released question-and-answer document, if the oil slick remains small in comparison to a typical hurricane's general environment and size (200 to 300 miles), the anticipated impact on the hurricane would be minimal.

FEMA Webinar to Focus on Protecting Nation's Food Supply

The broadcast will devote special attention to a Department of Homeland Security-sponsored course called "Food Vulnerability Assessment Training" intended to prevent and deter terrorist acts.

33 FDNY Members Complete Counterterror Leadership Training

New York City Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano officiated at their June 7 graduation ceremony with Lt. Col. Reid L. Sawyer, director of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.

Mixed Bag in Survey of Floridians' Hurricane Readiness

The Florida Division of Emergency Management released the surveys findings June 1, timed for the start of the 2010 hurricane season. Financial costs were mentioned more often than in 2006 as a possible barrier to evacuation.

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