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Small Board and Care Fire Evacuations: A Guide for the Fire Safety Professional
This report addresses ways in which fire safety professionals may evaluate and improve small board and care [B&C] home fire evacuation plans. A small B&C home is defined for this report as a detached dwelling providing shelter for 16 or fewer individuals. This definition is consistent with that used in the National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code; however, the contents of this report are not limited to material appearing only in the Life Safety Code (LX). This report is not intended for use with apartment buildings or high-rise occupancies.
United States. Department of Commerce
Deal, Scot
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Fires Involving Medical Oxygen Equipment
The United States Fire Administration has noted with growing concern the number of flash fire incidents linked to lightweight, portable oxygen equipment. The following report describes the general hazards associated with oxygen-enriched atmospheres, including aluminum in contact with high-pressure oxygen, a number of recent incidents, maintenance recommendations, and contributing factors are also included.
This report contains information on ten flash fire incidents that involved either fire
service or emergency medical service personnel. No attempt was made to analyze experience
from the other applications. The incidents resulted in serious injuries to emergency personnel
and property damage, including the loss of two ambulances and considerable destruction to a
fire station. Patient treatment was affected in some incidents as the newly injured had to be
attended to and additional equipment and service providers placed into service.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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CCTV: Constant Cameras Track Violators
The use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to monitor public spaces is increasing, both in the United States and abroad. The Federal government and NIJ in particular, have funded research into these systems because of their many security applications in both the domestic and international arenas. Many people are wary about the government watching and recording their movements as they pass through parks, streets, and other public areas. Yet despite the controversy, CCTV use by criminal justice personnel in the United States may be increasing. Some governmental uses of CCTV technology, particularly in the field of corrections, have sparked little or no controversy. (See "CCTV and Corrections.") But in other venues, CCTV use is raising constitutional and privacy concerns. For now, the most prevalent use of CCTV by law enforcement in the United States is the taping of traffic stops by cameras mounted in police vehicles. But it is starting to be used more broadly, as it is in other countries. How widespread that use becomes ultimately will depend on how Americans weigh the benefits of CCTV surveillance against its intrusiveness.
National Institute of Justice (U.S.)
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Democratic Strategy on Homeland Security: Making America Safer: Closing the Security Gap
This document is the Democrats' strategy to secure the homeland and a call for action to the Administration. It is a strategy to make America safer and more secure as quickly as possible. The plan highlights steps for preventing terrorist attacks, means of protecting our land and sea borders as well as airspace, the importance of providing security inside the US, and suggestions on preparing our communities to better deal with and prevent terrorism. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of protecting civil liberties and the US Constitution.
United States. Congress. House. Select Committee on Homeland Security
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National Security Telecommunications Policy (NSC-NSDD-97)
The National Communications System [NCS] was established by Executive Order 12472 as a Federal interagency group assigned national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) telecommunications responsibilities throughout the full spectrum of emergencies. Their responsibilities include planning for, developing, and implementing enhancements to the national telecommunications infrastructure to achieve measurable improvements in survivability, interoperability, and operational effectiveness under all conditions and seeking greater effectiveness in managing and using national telecommunication resources to support the Government during any emergency.
National Security Council (U.S.)
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National Association of Counties (NACo) [website]
NACo [National Association of Counties] works with many governmental and private organizations as an advocate for federal policies that support the economic sustainability of rural America, and the development of leadership skills for county officials. The site provides access to legislative bulletins, fact sheets, articles, testimony, research, and other resources.
National Association of Counties
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Bill of Rights Defense Committee [website]
The Bill of Rights Defense Committee encourages local communities to take an active role in an ongoing national debate about antiterrorism measures that are believed to threaten civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The web site provides up-to-date information and tools to strengthen education, and provides resources, technical assistance, and organizing strategies that communities can use to help protect civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution.
Bill of Rights Defense Committee
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American Planning Association [website]
"The American Planning Association provides leadership in the development of vital communities by advocating excellence in planning, promoting education and citizen empowerment, and providing our members with the tools and support necessary to meet the challenges of growth and change."
American Planning Association
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Evaluating the Sea Basing Concept: Is This Future Capability a Critical Strength, Weakness, or Vulnerability for the Theater Commander?
The end of the Cold War produced new threats to national security as new enemies chose not to field large armed forces, like those of the Soviet Union, but decided in favor of smaller, asymmetric groups, as demonstrated by Al Qaeda and their attack on the United States on September 11, 2001. Simultaneously, America also has been forced to reassess its historical practice of basing forward- deployed forces in friendly countries during peacetime and conflict, as evidenced by Turkey's refusal to permit American forces to use their country as a staging area for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Consequently, American forces must transform into lighter, more agile expeditionary forces that will be primarily based at sea to defeat future threats quickly and decisively abroad. However, will basing Joint Force Commanders (JFC), JFC headquarters, Component Commanders, and the preponderance of Joint Forces at sea during conflict create critical vulnerabilities for Theater Combatant Commanders? Conceptually, Sea Basing will provide Theater Commanders with the advantages of sovereign security, immediate employability, and operational independence. However, operational protection of a sea-based JFC's headquarters, Component Commanders, and Joint Forces will be the most crucial element of future mission success. What are the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of Sea Basing Joint Forces? Are they significant? This study evaluates the overall effectiveness and utility of Sea Basing to the Combatant Commander by critically analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities of Sea Basing Joint Theater Forces.
Naval War College (U.S.)
Pringle, Cedric E.
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Winning the War on Terror
At the moment, the public face of our enemy is Osama bin Laden and the global al-Qaeda network. But over the long term, we are at war with a brand of radical Islamic fundamentalism that is extremely dangerous, is growing, and is a true threat to our people, our economy, and our way of life. Let us be clear - this is a war for nothing less than our survival. Al-Qaeda and like minded groups across the globe are limited only by the weapons they are able to obtain. There is no doubt that if they acquire chemical, biological, radiological, or even nuclear weapons, they will one day try to use them. And if they succeed, many, many lives will be lost and our world will be forever changed. Our goal must be to win this war; to defeat the enemy. We should not be satisfied with merely reducing the risk of attack. We should not accept that this war will go on forever. Just as we no longer train schoolchildren to run into underground shelters for fear of a Soviet nuclear attack, we should aspire to a future where we no longer live with the uncertainty of catastrophic terror at our doorstep. This document examines three missions we must carry out to win the war on terror: aggressively attack the terrorists and the infrastructure that supports them; protect the homeland; and prevent the rise of future terrorists.
United States. Congress. House. Select Committee on Homeland Security
Turner, Jim, 1946-
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Operational Maneuver from the Sea and the Vulnerability of Maritime Prepositioned Forces
As a force projection power, it is critical for the United States to retain the capability to introduce rapidly, credible and sustainable forces into theaters around the world. Maritime pre-positioned forces (MPF) are a key component supporting that force projection capability. Currently, there is insufficient strategic airlift to deploy rapidly and sustain heavy U.S. forces as they are currently structured. Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm validated the value of the MPF concept. The ability to fly in ground forces and integrate them with equipment from pre-positioned shipping greatly enhanced the strategic responsiveness of the Marine Corps and the United States. This facilitated the rapid introduction of a credible ground force into the Persian Gulf Theater of Operations for the United States. The value of this capability was recognized by the United States Army, which has since begun to purchase roll-on, roll-off shipping of its own. America's adversaries, whether they are nation states posing a conventional threat or terrorist organizations presenting an asymmetric threat will not overlook this capability either. As adversaries develop anti-access capabilities, it is critical for the United States to assess continually, the vulnerability of our maritime pre-positioned forces. Forcible entry operations from the sea are a requirement for Marine Corps forces.
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Mayette, Christopher T.
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Humanitarian and Civic Assistance Projects and Military Training
This report, one in a series on military humanitarian assistance, highlights the abundant opportunities for improving the training effectiveness of humanitarian and civic assistance projects and programs. Current shortcomings are identified and suggestions for improvements provided. Shortcomings are primarily based on the lack of comprehensive reporting and analysis of the effectiveness of humanitarian and civic assistance projects, especially for one of their statutory purposes: the training of U.S. personnel. Few after action reports document training, even with basic information such as the number of personnel trained and the tasks or skills taught. In reviewing over 100 after action reports from DoD medical humanitarian assistance projects, none compared the proficiency of military personnel in any skill before and after the mission.
United States. Department of Defense; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine
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Host Nation Participants Perspectives on Military Medical Humanitarian Assistance
While each humanitarian assistance project is unique, similarities are found in the perspectives of both providers and recipients, particularly in recognizing what is required to increase the effectiveness of DoD humanitarian assistance projects and programs. Recipients, including host nation officials, health care providers, and patients, largely view DoD humanitarian projects favorably. They also independently identify many of the same basic issues, concerns, and ideas for more effective humanitarian assistance. The fact that these observations have been repeatedly, independently identified by participants ranging from U.S. service members to foreign citizens lends weight to their importance.
United States. Department of Defense; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine
Llewellyn, Craig H.; Drifmeyer, Jeffrey E.
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Information Management for More Effective Military Humanitarian Assistance Projects & Programs
The U.S. Department of Defense conducts a wide variety of overseas operations, many of which are humanitarian in nature. For example, in the Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Aid program for fiscal year 2001, DoD approved 237 specific humanitarian projects in over 100 different countries under the humanitarian assistance, humanitarian civic assistance, and excess property programs. These projects totaled more than $27 million in budget expenditures, not including the cost of military manpower. Despite the expense and the deployment of hundreds of DoD personnel worldwide, there is comparatively little information available on the outcome of these projects: Thus, the need for information collection and management.
United States. Department of Defense; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine
Llewellyn, Craig H.; Drifmeyer, Jeffrey E.
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Measuring the Effectiveness of Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance
The global community of humanitarian assistance providers, both military and civilian, is addressing the urgent need for more effective activities. Although military and civilian providers of humanitarian relief often face similar challenges in delivering effective relief, there are distinct differences in their approach, constraints, resources, and areas of expertise. Some differences may have delayed the development of close working relationships in some instances. Despite differences, civilian and military providers share the common goals of relieving suffering and improving health and other conditions for mankind. Civilian and military providers also currently have parallel efforts aimed at developing and ensuring more effective humanitarian assistance, particularly through information sharing. This report, from the military perspective of Department of Defense provided humanitarian assistance, and a sister report on "other-than-DoD" providers of humanitarian assistance, reviews the current convergent evolution of measuring the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance.
United States. Department of Defense; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine
Llewellyn, Craig H.; Drifmeyer, Jeffrey E.
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Measuring the Effectiveness of Humanitarian Assistance other than Department of Defense Providers
The global community of humanitarian assistance providers, both civilian and military, are both currently addressing the need to develop more effective strategies and means for planning and conducting humanitarian assistance. Although these two different groups often face similar challenges in delivering effective humanitarian assistance, there are also distinct differences in the approaches, constraints, resources, and expertise of civilian and military humanitarian assistance providers. Greater sharing of information on successes and the challenges remaining would be mutually beneficial and seems particularly applicable to collaborative improvements in measuring, documenting, and evaluating the effectiveness of various means of providing humanitarian assistance.
This report is from the perspective of civilian organizations providing humanitaraian assistance, i.e. "other-than-DoD" providers. A companion report addresses the military perspective or DoD providers of humanitarian assistance. From these different perspectives, there appears a kind of 'covergent evolution' in the strategies and tools used by military and civilian providers. This process and increased civil-military collaboration will further the implementation of more effective humanitarian assistance.
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine
Llewellyn, Craig H.; Drifmeyer, Jeffrey E.
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After the Storm: The 'New Concept' and the 'Small War' Challenge
The Gulf War has significantly influenced our attitudes and perceptions about war. The New Concept views war as conflict won quickly and decisively with minimum casualties. The means to this end is superior military technology applied within the context of Joint combined-arms operations. Conditions necessary for the New Concept to deliver quick, low-cost victory may be articulated as attributes which characterize the ideal enemy. Evaluation on the level of strategic theory indicates the asymmetric nature of any conflict involving America will militate against the enemy having these attributes. Evaluation of the ethno-religious small wars which characterize our present age suggests the prospect for quick, low-cost victory to be similarly remote in these conflicts. Although the New Concept's preferred operational context, Joint combined-arms operations, will not lend itself to universal employment, its ethic of quick, low-cost victory will tend to be applied to all military situations. The Commander will find himself attempting to resolve the tension between accomplishing the mission and the need for zero defects warfare. Despite the New Concept focus on mid-intensity, conventional conflict, the most likely case conflict in the out years is the ethno-religious small war. These small wars will be challenging because of their prolificacy, the streamlining of our military and unrealistic public expectations resulting from Desert Storm. To address this challenge, the United States military should broaden its field of view to better include all conflict types, strengthen its special operations forces and intelligence capabilities, diversify its technology and, if possible, attempt a coup de main in these small wars.
Naval War College (U.S.)
Michaels, Michael R.
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Medical Preparedness and Planning For Manmade Disasters and Deployable Telemedicine
Training workshops hosted by the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine (CDHAM), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland, Under the Sponsorship of the United State Joint Forces Command (JFCOM), Norfolk, Virginia at the US Mexico Border Health Association (USMBHA) 59th Annual Meeting, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico May 29-June 1, 2001, 60th Annual Meeting, Westin Soberano Hotel, Chihuahua, CHIH, Mexico June 4, 2002.
This report outlines the two workshops conducted by CDHAM. The first symposium objectives were to examine recent manmade disasters through the use of case studies and lessons learned and evaluate the fundamentals of emergency medical planning and practice. The second workshop featured a bioterrorism exercise simulated to occur along the U.S.-Mexico border and provide real-time, hands-on demonstrations using commercial, off-the-shelf telemedicine equipment.
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine
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Overview of Overseas Humanitarian Assistance, Humanitarian and Civic Assistance, and Excess Property Programs
DoD is to be commended for the vision in undertaking a major assessment of some of its diverse programs for humanitarian assistance. As discussed in detail below, a major finding of this report series is that both military and civilian providers of humanitarian assistance, medical and otherwise, face similar challenges in measuring the effectiveness of their activities. This primarily involves determining what critical information needs to be collected and how to transform that information in a timely manner into management decisions that directly improve effectiveness. Decisions which determine the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance are required in both the immediate time frame, such as within the planning and execution of a particular project; and in the longer term, such as in managing humanitarian assistance programs regionally and over time.
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine
Llewellyn, Craig H.; Drifmeyer, Jeffrey E.
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U.S. Participants Perspectives on Military Medical Humanitarian Assistance
The survey of 215 military personnel from all Services, including 50 who managed or led humanitarian assistance projects and 165 who participated, provided information useful in improving the effectiveness of DoD humanitarian assistance and programs. This report focuses on military providers' perspectives. Another report in this series, "Host Nation Participants' Perspectives on Military Medical Humanitarian Assistance" focuses on the recipients or beneficiaries.
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine
Llewellyn, Craig H.; Drifmeyer, Jeffrey E.
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Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) [website]
Primarily focusing on technology related civil liberties, the EFF is a donor-supported membership organization that works to protect fundamental rights regardless of technology; to educate the press, policymakers and the general public about civil liberties issues related to technology; and to act as a defender of those liberties. Among our various activities, EFF opposes misguided legislation, initiates and defends court cases preserving individuals' rights, launches global public campaigns, introduces leading edge proposals and papers, hosts frequent educational events, engages the press regularly, and publishes a comprehensive archive of digital civil liberties information at one of the most linked-to websites in the world.
Electronic Frontier Foundation
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OSHA Fact Sheet: Planning and Responding to Workplace Emergencies
Nobody expects an emergency or disaster. Yet emergencies and disasters can
strike anyone, anytime, anywhere. Employers should establish effective safety
and health management systems and prepare their workers to handle emergencies
before they arise. This fact sheet provides an overview of actions employers should take in planning and responding to emergencies.
United States. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
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Statement of Art Cebrowski, Director, Office of Force Transformation before the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Armed Services Committee, United States Senate, March 25, 2004
Art Cebrowski, Director of Office of Force Transformation, addresses the Senate Subcommittee on Strategic Forces on current space issues in the context of force transformation. He introduces the new model, "Operationally Responsive Space," which applies "the age of the small, the fast and the many" to joint military forces and space. The model's objectives include "the defining of a joint military demand function and the focus on providing joint military capabilities for our operational and tactical level commanders." After presenting a brief history of the National Security Space team, he asserts that a new model is compulsory to maintaining space superiority in a rapidly changing strategic environment. Attributes of Operationally Responsive Space include demand, high transaction rates for high speed command, launch autonomy, and a network centric focus. Cebrowski asserts that the new model will provide a test bed for larger space programs, reduce launch costs, and promote individual and institutional learning.
United States. Department of Defense. Office of Force Transformation
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Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management [website]
The mission of the Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management is to "provide leadership and support to Colorado communities to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond and recover from all-hazard events including acts of terrorism." The Division is comprised of the following three offices: the Office of Emergency Management, the Office of Preparedness and the Office of Prevention and Security.
Colorado. Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
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Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security [website]
The Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security website provides descriptions on department divisions and their duties, public information in regard to media releases and special announcements, career and employment information, and frequently asked questions.
Delaware. Department of Safety and Homeland Security
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Arizona Department of Homeland Security [website]
"The Arizona Department of Homeland Security is a part of the government of the State of Arizona. Our mission is to protect Arizona by providing strategic direction and access to resources that will enable all of the state's homeland security stakeholders to achieve our collective goals of: Preventing terrorist attacks in Arizona, Reducing Arizona's vulnerability to all critical hazards, Enhancing the capacity and expertise to plan for, mitigate, respond to and recover from all critical hazards that affect the safety, well-being and economic security of Arizona, Building the resiliency of Arizona. AZDOHS administers and manages federal homeland security grants related to terrorism prevention and protecting Arizona from all hazards. "
Arizona. Department of Homeland Security
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Instructions on Separation of Certain Foreign Counterintelligence and Criminal Investigations
During the course of investigations into the World Trade Center bombing, significant counterintelligence information was developed related to the activities and plans of agents of foreign powers operating in this country and overseas, including previously unknown connections between separate terrorists groups. This letter explains the compelling need for further developed and expanded counterintelligence information.
United States. Department of Justice. Office of the Attorney General
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Fire Department Communications Manual: A Basic Guide to System Concepts and Equipment
This manual is written as an introduction to a variety of fire department communications topics. It is intended to provide a wide fire service audience with a minimum level of familiarity with communications basics: hardware issues, policy and procedures issues, and human resource issues. It attempts to provide some background on all major aspects of communications for the fire service, with the exception of call receiving systems (9-1-1, municipal street boxes, etc.). The manual is designed to be useful for a wide range of purposes, from developing specifications for new equipment to development of a department-wide radio system to familiarizing a novice with the basics of fire department communications. In addition to the hardware of wires, radios, and computers, the manual addresses the policies and planning processes that must be undertaken to effectively use the hardware to achieve the desired result. Management of communications through standard operating procedures and policies also is discussed.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Recruitment and Retention Manual
"This manual presents guidance for the managers of emergency medical services (EMS) organizations in the recruitment and retention of volunteer personnel. The knowledge gained from research concerning the use of volunteers in both public and nonprofit agencies has been combined with the experiences, practices, and ideas of EMS agencies that have successfully recruited and retained volunteer members. Practical solutions to common problems in the use of volunteers are suggested, and examples of effective recruitment and retention techniques that may be adopted by a variety of communities are described. The manual does not specify a single, correct way to recruit and retain EMS volunteers. The ideas and alternatives presented for EMS volunteer recruitment and retention are possibilities, which EMS managers may consider and adopt according to local needs, preferences, and limitations."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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Fire Safe Student Housing: A Guide for Campus Housing Administrators
The purpose of this report and the accompanying video is to provide campus housing administrators, fraternal organizations and others responsible for housing college students with an overview of the elements of fire safe student housing. The goal is to present a balanced approach that will permit housing administrators to make risk informed decisions regarding the costs and benefits associated with different fire safety features and levels of fire protection. Additional resources that are available to help in the development of a comprehensive program for fire safe student housing are also identified.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
