Created by researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the imaging system--when attached to a helicopter--can create a detailed picture of an area devastated by a hurricane or other natural disaster. The resulting information can be used to estimate the number of refugees and assess the need for health and humanitarian services.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has released a new technical report titled "Chemical Fire in Apex, North Carolina." This report examines the response of the Apex Fire Department, the value of pre-planning efforts, and the impact of a well coordinated response in the worst of conditions.
The annual commemoration of National Fire Prevention Week begins today with the theme "Prevent Home Fires."
The United States Fire Administration has completed a project with the Society of Fire Protection Engineers Educational and Scientific Foundation to study and evaluate the latest trends and technologies related to municipal water supply systems to enhance effective fire protection.
Developed by CDC, the Human Influenza Virus Real-Time RT-PCR Detection and Characterization Panel can differentiate between seasonal and novel influenza. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt calls it "a significant achievement for public health surveillance."
Look around: Automated external defibrillators (AEDs), which give life-sustaining defibrillation therapy to a sudden cardiac arrest victim, are popping up all over the world.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded $24 million to fund 55 projects in 29 state and local public health departments that could serve as innovative approaches for influenza pandemic preparedness.
The U.S. Fire Administration has announced the availability of a CD-ROM training package for responding to ethanol incidents, titled "Responding to Ethanol Incidents and Ethanol Fixed Facilities and Assessment Guide." A cooperative effort between USFA and the International Association of Fire Chiefs, with assistance from the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition, this training is intended to address the needs of emergency responders when faced with incidents involving ethanol and ethanol-blended fuels.
The revisions take into account feedback from the private sector and the experience gained since implementing Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) in April 2007, the department said.
"Currently there are no drugs on the market that protect against or counteract radiation exposure," said University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine's Dr. Joel Greenberger, who leads the research. "Our goal is to develop treatments for the general population that are effective and non-toxic."
The funds, awarded to the Texas Workforce Commission, will be used to provide temporary employment on projects for the cleanup, demolition, repair, renovation and reconstruction of destroyed public structures, facilities and lands within the affected communities.
"This funding will help the New York metropolitan area to acquire equipment, training, and support to further our mission of preventing dangerous radiological and nuclear materials from entering a high-risk urban area."
"Although there is still work to do, this precedent-setting vote will change the face of fire safety in America," said Chief Larry J. Grorud, IAFC president (shown).
President Bush has declared 29 counties in Texas and 14 parishes in Louisiana as disaster areas due to damage caused by the hurricane; they now have until Jan. 5, 2009, to file.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration released several public service announcements Friday to help protect employees from hazards such as electrocution and falls from heights during hurricane cleanup and recovery operations.
H. James Wedner, M.D., professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said after floodwaters recede, damp homes and businesses are fertile grounds for mold growth.
The federal government is making $5 million available immediately to begin funding work to repair roads, bridges, and airports damaged by Hurricane Ike, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced yesterday during a visit to the Houston region. She added that more funds will be made available for repair and reconstruction work once damages assessed for the region's transportation network have been completed.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's a new Web-based tool helps hospitals and emergency planners identify resource requirements to treat a surge of patients from major disasters, such as an influenza pandemic or terrorism.
The standard is an update to SSTD 10-99 and includes new provisions such as prescriptive designs for wind speeds up to 150 mph with three-second gusts, designs for cold-formed steel framing, and exterior wall coverings for high wind.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has announced a public meeting on Sept. 25 in Beckley, W.Va., to reveal its investigation report on the causes of the January 2007 propane explosion at the Little General Store in Ghent, W.Va.