Emergency Response


Winter fires were more severe than average fires during the year and resulted in more injuries and more deaths, the USFA report shows.

Preparing for the Holiday Fire Season

Cooking fires and fires caused by open flame increase during the winter holiday season, the U.S. Fire Administration, insurance companies, and safety groups warn.

November 2011

The Real Story Behind AED Failures

Today’s AEDs are more reliable than ever, and recalls have declined.

New Report Focuses on Smoke Alarm Effectiveness

The death rate per 100 reported fires was twice as high in homes without a working smoke alarm as it was in home fires with smoke alarm protection.

FLETC Opens LEED-Silver Certified Dorm

The $34 million facility "will ensure our students have the best possible learning environment as they prepare to protect our homeland," said the organization's director, Connie Patrick.

Joint Commission Taking Comments on Emergency Drill Change

The revision in the emergency management drill requirements in Standard EM.03.01.03 for the home care accreditation program would allow some organizations to use annual tabletop exercises rather than functional ones.

USFA, DOJ Initiate Emergency Vehicle Safety Study

Each year, approximately 25 percent of on-duty firefighter fatalities occur while responding to or returning from incidents, with the majority of fatalities resulting from vehicle crashes.

NRC to Finish 'Station Blackout' Rulemaking in 2014

It is one of seven recommendations the agency's staff is beginning to implement immediately from the task force examining lessons from the Fukushima Daiichi crisis.

New Leader Heads DoD's Transportation Command

Moving millions of passengers and tons of cargo by air and sea, Transcom also is vital for evacuating wounded soldiers, maintaining operations in Afghanistan, and supporting disaster response around the world.



National Retail Federation Updates Crowd Management Guidelines

Section 4 is devoted to flash mobs, both criminal and comedic. NRF said in its recent Criminal Flash Mob report, 10 percent of retailers said they have been a victim of a multiple offender crime.

Technology, Funding Questions Highlight AASHTO Annual Meeting

The five-day event in Detroit includes a session where Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will discuss the prospects for a new highway funding bill from Congress and a GM executive will explain how U.S. automakers are reinventing themselves.

Volunteers Cleaning NZ Beaches

With the MV Rena now expected to break apart, six vessels are trying to corral floating containers from the ship. Salvage firm Svitzer has winched workers aboard who hope to resume removing oil from its tanks.

CDC: ER Visits for Kids' Concussion on the Rise

Traumatic brain injuries rose from 153,375 in 2001 to 248,418 in 2009, said the report.

Rescue Swimmers, In-Flight Refueling Grew from Prisendam Rescue

Both resulted from lessons learned in one of the greatest sea rescues on record: the Oct. 4-5, 1980, rescue of all 524 passengers and crew members from a cruise ship in the Gulf of Alaska.

CDC: 112 Million Drunk Driving Incidents in 2010

Young men, ages 21–34, made up only 11 percent of the U.S. population in 2010, yet were responsible for 32 percent of all episodes of drinking and driving.

New Technologies Featured at National Mine Rescue Contest

The final day's activities Oct. 6 in Columbus, Ohio, included a mine rescue stakeholder meeting with MSHA Assistant Secretary Joe Main, and an awards banquet in the Battelle Grand Ballroom.

Four Arrests in Alleged $20 Million Corps of Engineers Bribery Case

What the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia called "one of the most brazen corruption schemes in the history of federal contracting" was outlined Oct. 4, when the indictment was unsealed.

Evacuation Mandate Eased Near Fukushima Plant

The Japanese government on Sept. 30 lifted its order requiring municipal governments within a radius of 20 to 30 kilometers from the plant to keep children and pregnant women out of that zone.

Crisis Management Standard Launched for UK Businesses

The recent urban riots showed employers need assistance in preparing for unexpected emergencies, so the Cabinet Office and the British Standards Institution developed one after consulting with businesses.

Some suits on the market offer certification to both standards. This means a suit for use in situations that do not require a Level A suit, one that also provides liquid splash and gas chemical protection. (Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics photo)

Spending Less and Getting More from Your Hazmat Suit

It is imperative for hazmat teams to understand the requirements of NFPA 1994 and NFPA 1992. Doing this not only determines your safety during use, but also gives peace of mind while in the hot zone.

The Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia is the host site for the 2011 National Safety Congress & Expo. (Paul Loftland photo)

All Aboard for Safety

Historic Reading Railroad Terminal is the site of the National Safety Congress & Expo’s long-awaited return to Philadelphia.

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