Emergency Response


CSB Asks EPA to Review 1993 HF Study

In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, the safety board cited two of its recent investigations. CSB conducted public hearings in both at which members of the surrounding communities expressed concern about the adequacy of the risk management strategies for the use of HF and the effectiveness of community notification procedures in the event of a catastrophic release.

U.S., Peru Sign Agreement to Enhance SAR Capabilities

This is the first binding SAR agreement between the United States and a South American country and will serve as the basis for future bilateral cooperation and coordination.

London Fire Brigade Trying to Change Minds on Sprinklers

Sprinklers are present in just 1 percent of the incidents at care homes, retirement homes, and hostels to which Brigade fire crews respond; of the 428 fires responded to by London firefighters at such facilities during 2017, only five of the facilities had fire sprinklers.

U.S. Coast Guard 14th District Hawaii and the Pacific photo

Agencies Conduct Mass Rescue Exercise in Hawaii

According to the Coast Guard, this was the first airport response exercise of this scale conducted in an ocean environment in the state and was vital because of the volume of air traffic in the region and the proximity of most airports to the ocean.

NFPA to Consolidate Emergency Responder Standards

The National Fire Protection Association Standards Council has approved a plan to consolidate and merge the information currently available in 114 NFPA Emergency Response and Responder Safety standards, guides, and recommended practices into 38 overarching standards.

First Home Fire Sprinkler Week Set

"Fire sprinklers have been a U.S. model building code requirement since 2009, yet challenges to its adoption still exist. Taking action collectively will send a powerful message that fire sprinklers are widely accepted and must be embraced in every state," said NFPA Vice President of Outreach and Advocacy Lorraine Carli.

FDA Approves First Generic Naloxone Nasal Spray

The nasal spray does not require assembly and delivers a consistent, measured dose when used as directed, and the product can be used for adults or children and is easily administered by anyone, even those without medical training.

National Hurricane Center Upgrades Michael to 5 at Landfall

Michael is the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States as a category 5 since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and only the fourth on record.



Coast Guard Performs First Landing at Virginia Hospital's Rooftop Pad

The MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter's crew and hospital personnel participated in the training to practice safely transferring patients from the aircraft to the emergency department.

Alaska Governor Signs Disaster Relief Bill

"This bill is going to be very important for Alaska – Southcentral Alaska – to make sure we get our bridges and roads up to speed. As springtime continues to uncover potential infrastructure issues, this relief money is going to help tremendously," Gov. Michael J. Dunleavy said.

Portland, Oregon Mayor Appoints New Public Safety Adviser

"We are at a critical time when it comes to the role of public safety. As my administration continues to navigate how to evolve policing to be relevant to the changing needs of our community, I am pleased to have Robert King join the team," Mayor Ted Wheeler said.

NFPA Updates Energy Storage Systems Training Material

First responders may encounter hazmat issues, thermal runaway concerns, battery explosion and re-ignition, and off-gassing when responding to fires involving energy storage and photovoltaic equipment.

Drivers More Distracted Around Emergency Vehicles, Endangering First Responders: NSC

More than 1 in 10 respondents—16 percent—said they have either struck or almost struck a first responder or emergency vehicle stopped on or near the road. Despite these responses, 89 percent of drivers said they believe distracted drivers are a major source of risk to first responders.

OSHA, under 29 CFR 1910.157, requires that anyone who may be expected to use a fire extinguisher in the workplace be trained in their use.

Fire Safety: Prevention and Protection in the Office

Accounting for employees in the event of an emergency is vital. The Emergency Action Plan should address how to accurately account for all employees.

NIOSH and Partners Release New Resource on First Responder Exposure Risks

NIOSH and partners released a new video to help first responders understand the risks of occupational exposures to illicit drugs and what they can do to protect themselves from exposure while responding to an emergency.

One Out of Seven People Don't Feel Safe at Work: SHRM

New data from the Society for Human Resource Management indicates that roughly one out of seven Americans do not feel safe at work.

New Orleans Mayor Presents Inaugural Hero Awards

New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell recently presented the inaugural Mayor Cantrell Hero Award to three individuals and a team whose members developed Routewise, a mobile-optimized website that tracks the beginning and end of each parade in real time.

FCC Proposal to Help Responders Locate 911 Callers in Multi-Story Buildings

The commission proposed a vertical location accuracy metric of plus or minus 3 meters relative to the handset for 80 percent of indoor wireless 911 calls, tentatively concluding that location accuracy metric—within 3 meters above or below the phone—would be sufficiently accurate to identify the caller's floor level in most cases and would be technically feasible under the timeframes established in the Enhanced 911 rules.

Grenfell Fire Inquiry Phase 1 Report Coming Soon

Phase 2 of the Inquiry will examine issues that include the high-rise tower’s original design and modifications, fire and safety measures in it at the time of the fire, and where and why the fire began.

NIOSH Publishes Final Public Safety Research Agenda

The 18-page document was developed by the NORA Public Safety Council and outlines research work that should be done in eight focus areas in order to promote safety and health for people working in public safety.

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