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Askaris, Asymmetry, and Small Wars: Operational Art and the German East African Campaign, 1914-1918
This monograph analyzed whether Lieutenant Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck used operational art to defeat British forces in the East African campaign of World War I. British forces were superior in quantity of men and equipment, but slow moving and heavily dependent on secure lines of communication. Lettow-Vorbeck's forces maintained an asymmetric advantage in mobility, knowledge of terrain, and responsive logistics. An analogy was suggested that the U.S. Army in the twenty-first century is similar to British forces in 1914, and the nation s future adversaries could potentially use Lettow-Vorbeck's unconventional warfare and asymmetric tactics woven together in a comprehensive campaign plan. This monograph reviewed the origins and characteristics of operational art. The Army s emerging doctrine, Student Text 3-0, Operations defines operational art as the use of military force to achieve strategic goals through the design, organization, integration, and conduct of theater strategic, campaigns, major operations, and battles and serves as the entry point for discussion. A synthesis of Shimon Naveh and James Schneider's theories revealed five primary characteristics of operational art and was used as the criteria to evaluate the research question. The five characteristics were: operational objectives, operational maneuver, disruption, operational approach, and operational logistics. The East African campaign was analyzed from the perspective of Lettow-Vorbeck linking his strategic aim of forcing the British to commit forces to a secondary theater of operations to his limited resources. The four-year campaign was divided into three phases based on Lettow-Vorbeck's operational objectives and the correlation of forces. Significant tactical vignettes were examined as part of an over arching campaign plan.
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Adgie, Kenneth P.
2000-02-01
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Fiat Currency, from Wallet to Museum: Accelerating the Inevitable in the Name of Homeland Security
From the Thesis Abstract: "This research examined what influence large-denomination currency has on the financial networks of terror and criminal groups. This thesis analyzed how the removal of the $50 and $100 bills would affect these illicit groups. A historical review identified the use and effectiveness of large-denomination currency in the context of social acceptance and its place in the modern global financial payment system. This thesis employed a comparative policy analysis to examine alternatives to cash as an effort to combat the illicit world of finance. Recommendations include that the U.S. government reevaluate its obligation with respect to large-denomination circulating currencies, and develop alternate financial frameworks that incorporate the restriction or discontinuation of the $50 and $100 notes."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Swangler, Michael J.
2019-06
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Plan for Structural Collapse Rescue Training Facility Development
"Many disasters including hurricanes and tornadoes have taken place in the state of Mississippi that resulted in victims trapped in collapsed structures. Mississippi firefighters and rescuers are called to help these people who become victims of structural collapse. The problem was the Mississippi State Fire Academy does not have a training facility for structural collapse rescue and without a place to train, Mississippi rescuers are not able to certify or maintain skills in structural collapse rescue. The purpose of this research was to identify the resources required to construct a structural collapse rescue training facility that will facilitate certification courses and skills maintenance. Descriptive research including document analysis and interviews with other training providers were used to answer the following research questions: a) What training facilities are required to meet the requirements for the structural collapse rescue job performance requirements outlined in NFPA [National Fire Protection Association]1006? b) What training facilities are required to meet the requirements for the FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] Structural Collapse Technician course curriculum? c) What types of facilities and props do other training providers use for structural collapse rescue training? and d) What are possible alternatives for building a new structural collapse training facility?"
National Fire Academy
McCullar, Russell
2012-07?
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Security Threat from Producers of Counterfeit Botulinum Toxin, Phase 1: Scoping out the Problem
"Because of the utility of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) for a large number of cosmetic and therapeutic applications (see Table 1; all tables are to be found at the end of this report), the global market for legally produced and distributed BoNT has grown at a rapid pace, and it currently exceeds $1.5 billion in annual sales. Similar to what has occurred with other high-value pharmaceuticals, criminal organizations are mounting increasingly large efforts to profit from the huge BoNT market by offering 'counterfeit' BoNT to doctors, clinics, and even beauty salons at much lower prices than legitimately produced BoNT. Broadly speaking, there are two types of counterfeit BoNT. The first type is actual BoNT packaged in vials whose labels are designed to resemble those sold by legitimate pharmaceutical companies. The second is not botulinum toxin, but an unknown substance of undetermined origin that is packaged in a vial bearing a label resembling that of a legitimate pharmaceutical company. For the purposes of this study, we address only the first type because of its biological weapons proliferation potential. Accordingly, when reference is made to counterfeit BT, we mean real botulinum toxin that has been packaged so it resembles a legitimate pharmaceutical product but in fact is the product of a criminal enterprise. As far as we now know, there are two sources for counterfeit BoNT: (1) legitimate producers of BoNT whose product is diverted into illicit distribution channels, and (2) illicit manufacturers of BoNT." Note: This document has been added to the Homeland Security Digital Library in agreement with the Project on Advanced Systems and Concepts for Countering WMD (PASCC) as part of the PASCC collection. Permission to download and/or retrieve this resource has been obtained through PASCC.
United States. Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Advanced Systems and Concepts Office
Coleman, Kenneth D.; Zilinskas, Raymond A.
2011-06
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Essays on Equality: 'Covid-19 Edition: Global & Intersectional Perspectives'
From the Foreword: "Gender equality is both an urgent economic goal and a timeless moral imperative, yet the pandemic has placed hard-fought gains for women's empowerment under threat. Almost two years into the crisis, Covid [coronavirus disease] continues to expose deep-rooted inequalities in our social, political, and economic systems, while simultaneously underlining society's reliance on women, both on the frontline and at home. This is a critical moment in which to learn best practice from each other in order to build fairer and more inclusive societies in the wake of the crisis. To this end, the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King's College London recently conducted research exploring gender pay gap reporting in six countries, taking an in-depth look at what works and what doesn't and offering actionable recommendations to provide a clear blueprint for decisionmakers. Similarly, this volume of Essays on Equality takes a diverse and global perspective, exploring how different countries have responded to the pandemic, what we can learn from their policy approaches and how women around the world have been affected. Building on the previous edition, which explored how we can achieve a feminist recovery from the pandemic, this issue delves deeper into the impacts of Covid on specific groups of women - including single parents, key workers, and women in non-standard employment - and offers solutions on how to support them."
King's College London. Global Institute for Women's Leadership
Cook, Rose (Educational researcher); Borges, Aleida; Grimshaw, Damian . . .
2021-12
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Department of Homeland Security: DHS Comprehensive Acquisition Status Report, First and Second Quarters, Fiscal Year 2015 (Fiscal Year 2015 Report to Congress)
From the Executive Summary: "The FY 2015 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act (P.L. 114-4) directs the DHS Under Secretary for Management to produce a Comprehensive Acquisition Status Report (CASR) to be included with the submission of the President's Budget, and quarterly updates to be submitted 45 days after the completion of each quarter. PARM [Office of Program Accountability and Risk Management] prepared this first and second quarter update to the annual CASR to fulfill the annual reporting mandate. The data in this report were derived from DHS source systems, including the Next Generation Periodic Reporting System and the Investment Management System. It also was supplemented with data from DHS acquisition program governance records and was coordinated with DHS Components and programs. Although this report shows anticipated future budgets for various DHS acquisitions, such funding levels do not represent a commitment by the Administration to request funds in any given fiscal year or at all. Future events will affect decisions about when, whether, and at what level to request future funding for acquisition programs and projects. Also, the report identifies potential program risks and shortfalls. In each case, where a deficiency is identified, DHS Components are taking action to mitigate these risks and resolve deficiencies."
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2016-03-03
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View from the States: Governors Respond to the Omicron Variant, Hearing Before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, Second Session, January 20, 2022
This is the January 20, 2022 hearing on "View from the States: Governors Respond to the Omicron Variant," held before the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. From the opening statement of James E. Clyburn: "This hearing comes at a pivotal moment in our Nation's response. As we gather today, we are facing new challenges from the highly transmissible Omicron variant, which is resulting in higher case numbers than ever before. However, there is a reason to be hopeful. Earlier research indicates that Omicron causes less severe disease than previous strands of the coronavirus. We have more effective therapeutics at our disposal than ever to treat the disease. And, most importantly, all approved coronavirus vaccines and boosters continue to provide robust protection against severe disease and death from the Omicron variant." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Jared Polis, Pedro Pierluisi, Muriel Bowser, Pete Ricketts, and Jay Inslee.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022
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Examining the Syrian Refugee Crisis, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, September 19, 2013
This is the September 19, 2013 hearing on "Examining the Syrian Refugee Crisis" held before U.S. House Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. From the opening statement of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen "While much attention and great amounts of deliberation have been focused on the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict and what the proper U.S. response may be, we must also continue to highlight the increasingly dire humanitarian crisis. Since this conflict began in March 2011, the numbers of those impacted have grown exponentially and are truly shocking and devastating. Nearly a full one-third of Syria's population is in dire need of humanitarian assistance and has been displaced by the conflict. By most estimates, there are now nearly five million Syrians who are now internally displaced persons (IDP). Unable or unwilling to flee Syria to find sanctuary elsewhere for whatever reason, these IDPs are extremely vulnerable. The vast majority of them are women and children, and the elderly, who end up staying in unofficial shelters, unfinished buildings and makeshift accommodations, making it extremely difficult to get them the basic necessities that they require. There have also been over two million Syrians who have risked their lives to flee the fighting in Syria and have sought refuge in other countries, with over one million of those refugees being children under the age of 18. Over 97% of these refugees flee to Syria's neighboring countries, like our ally Jordan, or to Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iraq. We have seen hundreds of thousands flee to each of these countries, and this mass influx of refugees weighs heavily on their economies and their security situations. Perhaps the two countries most greatly impacted by the refugee crisis are Lebanon and Jordan." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Anne C. Richard and Nancy E. Lindborg.
United States. Government Printing Office
2013
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Guide for the Selection of Chemical Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders
"The primary purpose of the Guide for the Selection of Chemical Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders is to provide emergency first responders with information to aid them in the selection and utilization of CA and TIC/TIM detection equipment. The guide is intended to be more practical than technical and provides information on a variety of factors that should be considered when purchasing and using detection equipment, including sensitivity, detection states, and portability to name a few. For the remainder of this guide, CA and TIC/TIM detection equipment will be referred to as chemical detection equipment. This guide is divided into six sections. Section 1 is the introduction. Section 2 provides an introduction to CAs and TIMs/TIMs. Specifically, it discusses nerve and blister agents by providing overviews, physical and chemical properties, routes of entry, and symptoms. It also discusses the 98 TICs that are considered in this guide. Section 3 presents an overview of the chemical detection technologies. For each technology, a short description is provided along with photographs of specific equipment that falls within the technology discussed. Section 4 discusses the market survey that was conducted to identify the commercially available chemical detection equipment items. Section 5 discusses various characteristics and performance parameters used to evaluate the chemical detection equipment in this guide. These characteristics and performance parameters are referred to as selection factors. Sixteen selection factors have been identified. These factors were compiled by a panel of experienced scientists and engineers with multiple years of experience in chemical detection and analysis, domestic preparedness, and identification of emergency first responder needs."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Grants and Training
2007-01
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Superstorm Sandy Block Grants: Funds Benefited States' Reconstruction and Social Service Efforts, Though ACF's Guidance Could Be Improved
"Five States received almost $475 million in Social Services Block Grant funding to help cover social service and reconstruction expenses resulting directly from Superstorm Sandy. When Congress made funds available to States to help pay for their Superstorm Sandy-related expenses, it noted that such funds were 'susceptible to significant improper payments.' Therefore, the Office of Management and Budget instructed Federal agencies to establish additional oversight of the funds. This evaluation examined States' experiences using Superstorm Sandy Social Service Block Grant (Sandy SSBG) funds and Administration for Children and Families (ACF) oversight of these funds."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General
Murrin, Suzanne
2016-09
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Policy for U.S. Navy Support of the U.S. Coast Guard
The purpose of this document is to issue the U.S. Navy's policy on support of the U.S. Coast Guard and to assign responsibilities for carrying out this policy. The document provides broad policy and general procedures for all areas of logistic support and details the financial responsibilities of the Navy and Coast Guard relative to interservice logistics support. This document is a complete revision and should be read in its entirety.
United States. Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
1987-06-12
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Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV): Background and Issues for Congress [Updated March 19, 2019]
From the Document: "The JLTV [Joint Light Tactical Vehicle] is an Army-led, multiservice initiative to develop a family of future light tactical vehicles to replace many of the High Mobility, Multi-Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) used by the armed services today. HMMWVs, which first entered service in 1985, were developed during the Cold War when improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other antivehicle explosive devices were not a major factor in military planning. The HMMWVs' demonstrated vulnerability to IEDs and the difficulties and costs experienced in 'up-armoring' HMMWVs already in the inventory have led to renewed emphasis on vehicle survivability. DOD officials have emphasized that JLTVs are not intended to replace HMMWVs 'one for one.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Feickert, Andrew
2019-03-19
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Federal Aid for Reconstruction of Houses of Worship: A Legal Analysis [October 19, 2015]
From the Introduction: "In late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast of the United States, causing severe damage to the mid-Atlantic and northeast regions of the country. The resulting destruction led to major disaster declarations in 12 states and the District of Columbia, making those states eligible for certain supplemental federal assistance to aid in the recovery process. The damage resulting from Hurricane Sandy devastated a wide range of communities and, as a result, many individuals and organizations sought federal assistance for recovery, including churches, which, in turn, raised constitutional concerns regarding the provision of federal assistance to religious organizations. Congressional interest in these issues has continued in the subsequent years. This report examines the constitutional rules governing federal funding for religious buildings and analyzes the Court's previous decisions on this issue. It also analyzes more recent lower court and administrative opinions that have distinguished the Court's decisions and allowed public funds to be awarded to houses of worship. Finally, the report discusses examples in which Congress has proposed or provided funding related to the construction and maintenance of religious buildings, including H.R. 3066, which would authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide disaster recovery assistance to houses of worship and other buildings operated by religious organizations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brown, Cynthia
2015-10-19
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Considerations for Institutions of Higher Education
From the Document: "As some institutions of higher education (IHE) prepare to re-open or keep open in-person learning in the United States, IHEs are faced with the challenge of keeping students, faculty, staff, and volunteers safe due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. CDC offers the following considerations for ways that IHEs can help protect students and employees (e.g., faculty, staff, and administrators) and slow the spread of COVID-19. This document refers only to risks related to COVID-19. [...] These interim considerations are based on what is currently known about COVID-19 as of the date of posting, October 5, 2020. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will update these considerations as needed and as additional information becomes available. Please check CDC website periodically for updated interim guidance. [...] Summary of changes to the considerations as of October 5, 2020: [1] Expanded considerations on care for students and staff when becoming ill in an IHE setting; [2] Updated considerations on ventilation; [3]Updated considerations on food service; [4] Updated considerations for contact tracing; [5] Updated considerations on recognizing signs and symptoms of COVID-19, screening, and testing; [6] Updated considerations on coping and support; [and] [7] Updated considerations for Direct Service Providers (DSPs)."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2020-10-29
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Communicable Disease Threats Report: Week 7, 14-20 February 2021
This weekly bulletin provides updates on communicable disease threats monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, focusing on the week of February 14-20, 2021. It details the number of multi-country cases of diseases such as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], influenza, and ebola, and also provides assessments and epidemiological summaries of each.
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
2021-02
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S. Rept. 116-320: To Repeal Section 692 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, Report to Accompany S. 4165, December 14, 2020
From the Purpose and Summary: "S. 4165, a bill to repeal section 692 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, repeals a unique Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contracting requirement that conflicts with subsequent legislation and Government-wide procurement regulations that place limits on excessive subcontracting."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2020-12-14
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Responding to and Recovering from an Active Shooter Incident that Turns into a Hostage Situation
Lessons learned from an active shooter incident include: establish a plan to address immediate mental health needs of students and staff; incorporate the principles of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) into the response; establish an incident command post at the onset of an emergency; incorporate communications equipment and procedures into all emergency management plans and trainings; activate a media communications plan at the onset of the incident; establish and practice parent reunification procedures; consider the needs of students and staff with disabilities; and work with community partners to provide short and long term support for students and families.
United States. Department of Education
2007
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Effective Antimicrobial Regimens for Use in Humans for Therapy of Bacillus anthracis Infections and Postexposure Prophylaxis
"Expanded options for treatments directed against pathogens that can be used for bioterrorism are urgently needed. Treatment regimens directed against such pathogens can be identified only by using data derived from in vitro and animal studies. […] The objective of this study was to identify a levofloxacin treatment regimen that will serve as an effective therapy for Bacillus anthracis infections and postexposure prophylaxis. An in vitro hollow-fiber infection model that replicates the pharmacokinetic profile of levofloxacin observed in humans (half-life [t(1/2)], 7.5 h) or in animals, such as the mouse or the rhesus monkey (t(1/2), approximately 2 h), was used to evaluate a proposed indication for levofloxacin (500 mg once daily) for the treatment of Bacillus anthracis infections. The results obtained with the in vitro model served as the basis for the doses and the dose schedules that were evaluated in the mouse inhalational anthrax model. The effects of levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin treatment were compared to those of no treatment (untreated controls). The main outcome measure in the in vitro hollow-fiber infection model was a persistent reduction of culture density (> or = 4 log10 reduction) and prevention of the emergence of levofloxacin-resistant organisms. In the mouse inhalational anthrax model the main outcome measure was survival. The results indicated that levofloxacin given once daily with simulated human pharmacokinetics effectively sterilized Bacillus anthracis cultures. […] These results demonstrate the predictive value of the in vitro hollow-fiber infection model with respect to the success or the failure of treatment regimens in animals. […]"
U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
Deziel, Mark R.; Heine, Henry; Louie, Arnold
2005-12-01
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Reducing Fire Ground Injuries Due to Heat Stress at Hanover Park Fire Department
"The problem was the number of illnesses/injuries experienced by Hanover Park Fire Department which are attributable to heat stress. The purpose of this research was to investigate heat stress and assess methods to reduce its impact. Descriptive research was conducted using literature reviews and surveys to find: 1. Types of injuries/illnesses firefighters are incurring at structure fires or live fire trainings, 2. Physical and physiological strains associated with heat stress, 3. Methods that can be implemented to prepare firefighters for the physical demands of heat stress, and 4. Rehab programs other fire departments are using. The results of the information gathered created recommendations for training, health screening/wellness programs, and standardized rehab policies."
National Fire Academy
Haigh, Craig A.
2006-11
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Guidance for Industry: Internal Radioactive Contamination--Development of Decorporation Agents
"This document provides guidance to industry on the development of decorporation agents for which evidence is needed to demonstrate effectiveness but for which human efficacy studies are unethical or infeasible. In such instances, the Animal Efficacy Rule, 21 CFR part 314 subpart I, may be invoked to approve new decorporation agents not previously marketed or new indications for previously marketed drug products. Specifically, this document provides guidance on (1) chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) information; (2) animal efficacy, safety pharmacology, and toxicology studies; (3) clinical pharmacology, biopharmaceutics, and human safety studies; and (4) postapproval commitments, for such drug products."
United States. Food and Drug Administration; Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (U.S.)
2006-03
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Sense Making - Underpinning Concepts and Relation to Military Decision-Making
From the Abstract: "Decision makers at all echelons go through a process of goal-directed sense making when dealing with complex and dynamic problems involving, for instance, ambiguous or poor information, changing circumstances and multiple players. In this paper we argue that the key to sense making is understanding the nature of and the nexus between the knowledge that humans bring to the process and the way in which that knowledge is applied in a creative thinking framework to build meaning and to provide judgments, insights and conclusions. In this respect, there are three main concepts in this paper: knowledge as a cognitive process that is key to sense making; philosophy and epistemology as a framework in which knowledge is applied, refuted, tested and grown; the recognition that sense making deals with complex systems underpins new ways of perceiving the world and generating conjectures that can be tested within an epistemological framework. The relationship between sense making and decision-making for military operations is illustrated with respect to two decision-making doctrines " OODA and the newly proposed CECA (Critique-Explore-Compare-Adapt). The ideas in this paper resonate more with CECA than OODA, and could be further developed in an experimental environment that looks at different sense and decision-making approaches."
Command and Control Research Program (U.S.)
Burnett, Mark; Wooding, Pete; Prekop, Paul
2004-09-14
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Public Safety Communications Technical Report: Speech Intelligibility and Detection of Voice Characteristics
"This report describes a laboratory study on the suitability of speech transmission systems. Specifically, public safety first responders listened to and evaluated a large number of recordings of speech transmission systems. The packet loss requirements given in Section 2 of the public safety Statement of Requirements (PS SoR) Volume II are based on the results of this laboratory study. The systems used for public safety speech communications must be intelligible. It is also desirable that they transmit secondary information, such as the attributes of a speaker's voice. This secondary information can allow a user to identify the speaker and his or her emotional state. Testing speech communications systems for the delivery of intelligible speech is common, but testing for human perception of the delivery of this secondary information is less common, though some prior work has been done. Building on this prior work, we describe the design, implementation, analysis and results of a set of controlled laboratory listening experiments. These experiments characterize the relationships between speech intelligibility, speaker identification, and the detection of dramatized urgency in a speaker's voice across a wide range of simulated speech processing conditions. The experiment results indicate that for the speech processing conditions considered here, detection of dramatized urgency is the most robust property, speaker identification is less robust, and speech intelligibility is the least robust."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office for Interoperability and Compatibility
2008-08
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Border Security: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Provides Integrity-Related Training to Its Officers and Agents throughout Their Careers
"This letter formally transmits information we provided your offices on July 24, 2013, in response to a mandate in the House Committee Report (112-492) accompanying the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act, 2013. This mandate required us to review U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) ethics, conduct, and integrity training programs. CBP, within DHS, is responsible for securing U.S. borders and facilitating legal travel and trade. CBP officers, within the Office of Field Operations (OFO), are responsible for securing the border at U.S. ports of entry, locations at which individuals and merchandise may seek legal entry into the United States. Border Patrol (BP) agents, within the Office of Border Patrol (OBP), are responsible for securing the national border between the ports of entry. The Office of Training and Development (OTD) designs, develops, and delivers CBP-wide training courses and establishes training standards and policies. CBP's Office of Chief Counsel is responsible for developing and providing annual ethics training for employees who submit public financial disclosure information as well as some ethics training for officers assigned overseas. CBP Internal Affairs (IA) is responsible for promoting the integrity of CBP's workforce, programs, and operations. DHS officials have stated that drug-trafficking organizations are attempting to infiltrate the CBP workforce through conspired hiring operations and aggressive targeting of incumbent CBP officers and BP agents. DHS officials have testified that CBP's increased hiring of officers and agents since fiscal year 2006 has increased the opportunities for attempted corruption of the CBP workforce through bribery, infiltration, or other means. In December 2012, we reported on CBP's efforts to ensure the integrity of its workforce. For the purposes of that report, integrity issues included acts of corruption such as accepting cash bribes and other gratuities in return for allowing contraband or inadmissible aliens into the country, as well as other criminal activities or misconduct such as drug or alcohol abuse."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2013-08-28
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Lessons Learned from School Crises and Emergencies
This publication by the Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center focuses on the issue of school crises/and or emergencies and their impact on the local school community. More specifically, the publication stresses that "In recent years, schools nationwide have experienced active shooter incidents. An 'active shooter' is a person who is actively discharging a firearm causing the immediate death or serious injury of one or more individuals. The duration of an active shooter situation may vary considerably from a short period of time, such as a few minutes, to a long period of time, such as several hours, The details of these incidents also tend to evolve and change as site-specific information about hostages, victims, weapons, bombs and other activities is obtained. This type of emergency requires that school officials and first responders react immediately to implement practices and procedures outlined in emergency management plans. They also must institute an Incident Command System (ICS) to establish control over the event and maintain a safe environment for staff and students until an evacuation can occur. "
United States. Department of Education; Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center (U.S.)
2007
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Report on the Potential Exposure to Anthrax
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted an internal review of an incident that involved an unintentional release of potentially viable anthrax within its Roybal Campus, in Atlanta, Georgia. On June 5, 2014, a laboratory scientist in the Bioterrorism Rapid Response and Advanced Technology (BRRAT) laboratory prepared extracts from a panel of eight bacterial select agents, including 'Bacillus anthracis' ('B. anthracis'), under biosafety level (BSL) 3 containment conditions. These samples were being prepared for analysis using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, a technology that can be used for rapid bacterial species identification. […] This was a serious event that should not have happened. Though it now appears that the risk to any individual was either non-existent or very small, the issues raised by this event are important. CDC has concrete actions underway now to change processes that allowed this to happen, and we will do everything possible to prevent a future occurrence such as this in any CDC laboratory, and to apply the lessons learned to other laboratories across the United States."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2014-07-11
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Developing Fire Officers to Become Leaders in Country Fire Authority, Victoria
"The problem was that Fire Officers in Country Fire Authority (CFA), Victoria, Australia, did not have a succession plan that prepared them for the diverse role of Operations Officer. The purpose of the research was to identify and produce the components of a succession plan to prepare CFA Fire Officers for the rank of Operations Officer. Action research was conducted to answer questions relating to developing the components of a succession plan. The results indicated that other services and industry bodies had either resolved or were working towards resolving the same issue. It was recommended that, working with the New Zealand Fire Service, CFA develop a broad succession planning model based on principles found in the business sector and engage Cerno Limited to apply this model in CFA."
National Fire Academy
Warrington, Steven
2006-09
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Technical Information Working Group Technical Note 2005-1
This document is an Interoperable Communications Technical, Assistance Program (ICTAP) technical note on P25 standards., It provides an overview of P25 standards for ICTAP personnel, and covers recent developments from P25 steering committee, meetings in October and November. Also included is an attachment that discusses generically existing technologies, and future P25 plans for several ICTAP sites. This technical, note will be updated periodically. No comment or remark in, this paper should be construed as an endorsement of any, vendor's product. ICTAP is a technical assistance program, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security to help, urban areas enhance interoperable communications between, local, State, and Federal emergency responders and public, safety disciplines.
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Grants and Training
2005-12-21?
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Unaccompanied Children: Agency Efforts to Identify and Reunify Children Separated from Parents at the Border, Statement of Kathryn A. Larin, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security and Rebecca Gambler, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives
"On April 6, 2018, the Attorney General issued a memorandum on criminal prosecutions of immigration offenses. According to HHS [Department of Health and Human
Services] officials, this resulted in a considerable increase in the number of minor children whom DHS [Department of Homeland Security] separated from their parents after attempting to cross the U.S. border illegally. On June 20, 2018, the President issued an executive order directing that alien families generally be detained together, and on June 26, 2018, a federal judge ordered the government to reunify separated families. DHS is responsible for the apprehension and transfer of UAC [Unaccompanied Alien Children] to HHS. HHS is responsible for coordinating UAC placement and care. This testimony discusses DHS and HHS (1) planning efforts related to the Attorney General's April 2018 memo, (2) systems for indicating children were separated from parents, and (3) actions to reunify families in response to the June 2018 court order. It is based on a report GAO [Government Accountability Office] issued in October 2018. This testimony also includes updated data reported by the government on the number children separated from their parents subject to the court's reunification order and the number of those children in ORR custody as of December 11, 2018."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2019-02-07
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Creating and Sustaining a Local Response to Human Trafficking: Compendium of Promising Practices FYs 2008-2011
From the Document: "The following activities and strategies were identified as promising practices by Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking Regional Program (Rescue & Restore) grantees and their local partners for the purpose of providing direction and recommendations for organizations responding to human trafficking in their communities. Regional and local anti-trafficking organizations found these practices to be beneficial for the advancement of public awareness and strengthening of outreach and service provision for victims of human trafficking nationwide. Organizations in many locations in the United States funded under the Rescue & Restore Program lead or actively participate in regional public awareness campaign activities and support the intensification of local outreach to identify victims of human trafficking. Each Rescue & Restore project oversees and builds the capacity of a local anti-trafficking network. By acting as a focal point for regional anti-trafficking efforts, Rescue & Restore Program partners encourage a cohesive and collaborative approach in the fight against modern-day slavery."
United States. Department of Health and Human Services; United States. Administration for Children and Families
2014-10?
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Infection Prevention and Control Health- Care Facility Response for COVID-19
From the Introduction: "This self-assessment tool is designed for acute health-care facilities (i.e. tertiary and secondary) but can be modified for the use in long-term care facilities, to help identify, prioritize and address the gaps in infection prevention and control (IPC) capacity in managing their response to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. The tool should be used by IPC professionals and/or those responsible for disaster planning or outbreak management in the facility (such as the response to the COVID-19 outbreak) at the start of the improvement process. A sample workplan template is provided to address gaps identified and record required actions. Repeat assessments are recommended (i.e. once a month), in order to correct actions and maintain an adequate response to the COVID-19 outbreak. In order to best evaluate the facility's improving opportunities, it is suggested to answer the questions carefully and critically. This tool focuses on the readiness, response and maintenance of the COVID-19 outbreak for IPC. It takes into account the most essential elements to prevent and control COVID-19 in acute health facilities as well as long-term care facilities."
World Health Organization
2020-10-20
