Photo: “An intersection which separates the State of Vermont and the Province of Quebec. The international boundary transects buildings on Church Street in Derby Line, Vermont, and Rue Church in Stanstead, Quebec, highlighting the close relationship between local first responders who frequently cross the border to render aid.” The Canadian Interoperability...
Most readers will recall where they were when they first heard the news: “Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting Leaves 28 Dead”. A wave of grief and horror poured over the American public as the news spread. “On December 14, 2012, one of the most vicious and incomprehensible domestic attacks in American...
In August 2013, the Obama Administration issued Executive Order (EO) 13650: “Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security” that aims to “improve the safety and security of chemical facilities and reduce the risks of hazardous chemicals to facility workers and operators, communities, and responders.” To identify the ways in which improvements...
Following a series of external reviews of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) use of force policies, CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske released last week a revised version of CBP’s “Use of Force Policy, Guidelines and Procedures Handbook.” The updates to the handbook were driven in large part by...
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released this week a report on safety policies and procedures at U.S. chemical facilities, particularly those that deal with ammonium nitrate. Following the April 2013 explosion of the ammonium nitrate fertilizer plant in West, Texas, GAO has been examining the oversight of similar facilities to...
On January 21, 2014, Purdue University student Andrew Boldt was fatally shot on the school’s West Lafayette campus by fellow student and teaching assistant, Cody Cousins. In response to the shooting, Purdue officials convened an ad hoc panel to evaluate and analyze feedback received from the public following the event....
On January 22, 2014, while launching the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, President Obama said, “Perhaps most important, we need to keep saying to anyone out there who has ever been assaulted: you are not alone. We have your back. I’ve got your back.” His...
Yesterday, April 2, 2014, Specialist Ivan Lopez opened fire on fellow service members at Fort Hood in Texas, killing 3 people and wounding 16 before committing suicide. Lopez was undergoing psychiatric treatment at the time for depression, anxiety and a variety of other psychological problems as well as going through...
Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government released today a study on response efforts following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, entitled “Why Was Boston Strong? Lessons from the Boston Marathon Bombing.” The report “identifies strengths of the response as well as areas for improvement,” with a focus on conditions of “command” and...
Yesterday, March 18, 2014, The Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Officials released a report on the response and recovery efforts following the November 1, 2013 active shooter incident at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This 83 page document analyzes the 26 areas of the emergency response and recovery efforts...
