Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Strategic Foresight Initiative

Currently each state certifies/licences Emergency Medical System responders (EMT, Paramedic, RN). As I understand it there is no national recognition of state licenses. This means an EMT/paramedic from Oregon cannot respond to an incident in Ohio and still perform their level care as licensed in Oregon. This includes administering medicine/drugs. It would seem to me that states (or the feds) need to address this inability ...more »

I think that there should be gridded weather data that shows accumulated scores within 1 KM grids that can be used with other data.

There is an emergency need right now for all Americans to know what the protocol is for shutdown of all communications. This threat is imminent. Cyberattacks have already taken place on a massive scale in the last month or two. What is protocol on this? Banks shut down, cell phones shut down, television/cable shut down, etc. How to communicate and avoid TOTAL PANIC. How does economy function with no stock market, ...more »

The SFI utilized the Scenario-based Strategic Planning process. This is opposite of traditional strategic planning and plans. The weakness of traditional strategic planning is that planners simply extrapolate the present into the future to develop strategic plans. Scenario-based accepts that none of us can predict the future (anyone alive on September 10, 2001?), so strategic planning, or better yet, "developing strategies ...more »

While Flood Project Coordinator for Cedar Rapids, I repaired many much needed Park and Rec building. I really don't understand why we are still planning on spending any money for The Seminole Valley Farmstead that was flooded to 12 feet. The buildings are pretty much worthless with the exception of the ones that I repaird. Now the barn is condemned and so is the machinery shed. the tool shed washed away as well as the ...more »

Establish a long term plan for cultural change and resiliency by developing curriculum for emergency preparedness in elementary, middle and high schools.

DHS or FEMA should not waste time in addressing concerns about a possible cyber attack which caused the widely reported abnormality resulting in the blackout at the Super Bowl.

Since Communications are so critical, barriers need to be taken down with the different folks and ESF's. Try putting up the name of the ESF and not just the number in your Emergency Operations Center. Also, civilians, military, law enforcement, etc. all speak a different language. How about doing a multiculturism training.

This post is to get people to think of new ways to solve this darn human trafficking and school safety challenges. Can inventors include the latest in GPS chips products to be securely placed in school IDs? Perhaps people could be given a card that serves as an all-in-one debit/school ID/Drivers license Card. A GPS chip would be included within these cards. Whenever a person is to buy gas, food or drinks you would use ...more »

In a recent power grid failure that affected Ohio and W. Virginia, I noticed long lines of cars at a gas station in Coolville, OH. The only station for miles that could pump gas because they had a back-up generator. Why can't we have gas stations at strategic locations in our communities that are equipped to handle these situations similarly. They should be located to minimize major traffic problems through long lines ...more »

With the SandMaster’s unique ability to fill, transport, securely close and place multiple sandbags, the protection of shoreline properties and communities from flooding and storm surges can be accomplished quickly without a whole lot of manpower. There is minimal time to create protective barriers prior to these storm events so creating large quantities of sandbags quickly and getting them in place can be the difference ...more »

Augmenting the current wild fire fighting methods by utilizing dry ice pellets on wild fires could give firefighters an unprecedented edge. PLANE AND HELICOPTER DROPS of volumes of dry ice pellets, similar to slurry and water drops from aircraft, followed by what could then be more effective water drops on 'cooled', less intense fire zones. BLASTING DRY ICE FROM WILD FIRE TRUCKS with equipment similar to that used to ...more »

Looking at dollars spent in Mississippi after Katrina, shows $60 million during 6 mo period. We helped roughly 175,000 families. What if we offer people $1 million per family deposited into their account when they bring their bank info w/ them to evacuation center? If 50 million families had to evacuate ? Then the cost is even because that was just a 6 mo period of relief. People would surely leave. FEMA would be ...more »

Set up a perimeter of emergency stations approx 5 hrs from evacuated area. People can load up and go there. Once they arrive they get a cash certificate for whatever it is we would spend on them to find them or go get them. They can use that money to rebuild or replace xyz!!! We are wasting money and losing lives w the current approach. Further it is unreasonable to expect FEMA to solve anything when they can't get ...more »

To find additional ways or means to conduct business becomes more paramount each an everyday with the elimination of program funding. Here is a simple idea, which should be able to save thousands of dollars each year for the agency. Currently, when you request an EMI Transcript you fill out a form and mail or fax that form to EMI with your SSN on it for Distance learning and another request for formal classroom training. ...more »

I am doing research on the use of drones for emergency situations such as firefighting etc by FEMA and am not finding very much . The research I have done so far indicates that the cost of drones is less expensive the standard planes .

There are now numerous floating homes, and communities of floating homes, designed to help better survive floods & hurricanes ...as well as provide for living on or near the water. A Google search for 'floating homes" will provide details & photos of this new approach to disaster preparedness. If any of these floating homes are hit by the Hurricane Isaac storm surge or related floods, please post information on this ...more »

A review of subject disaster, resulting from the tsunami off the coast of Japan, on 11 March 2011, has disclosed a number of errors that provide significant lessons learned. To wit: 1) No provision was ever made for tsunami risks; 2) The plant staff had no detailed emergency procedures; 3) There were no plans to deal with a power loss; 4) In addition, there were no plans for loss of cooling; 5) Cooling pumps were placed ...more »

If and when terrorist activities in the U.S. increase, I would anticipate that DHS and the FBI might be asking for help from local EMs (Emergency Managers). The following are some possible contributions that EMs might be asked to make: 1) Local maps, of various types, that show possible terrorist targets in the wrong place; 2) Local instructions, for response checklists to human-caused disasters, that provide false ...more »

Like it or not, all the scientific evidence suggests that climate change is real and causing weather extremes as well as other problems. As examples, floods, drought, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, pests, diseases, warming & rising seas, are all on the increase or more extreme. In some cases, we can see a direct cause and effect. To wit: Melting and smaller icecaps mean less ice to reflect sunlight ... and less reflected ...more »

In past hurricanes, thousands of Public Trucks, Police Cars, Buses, Fire Apparatus, Ambulances, Heavy Equipment, etc, were abandoned to the storm when they could have been loaded onto trains, and shipped to safety, so that they could have been put back into service when the flood receded. The intelligent use of trains would save many millions of dollars and greatly speed up recovery.

Using existing technical means, it is possible to develop a weapons detection system that would sound an alarm and automatically close special security doors when any person approaches with a weapon. The detection system would be activated when the person with weapon was within 30 ft. of the door(s). I am suggesting that such automatic protection means be placed on doors at any and all structures where significant numbers ...more »

Looking for someone from government agency to comment on a 12 point plan for Catastrophic Emergencies.

I Thank you so much for your attention.

Robert N. Franz

robertfranz4you@yahoo.com

In the next few years a solar super-storm is expected, similar to the Carrington Event Storm of 1859. Congress has anticipated the need to harden electric transformers, install ground resistors, and create a reserve of electrical grid replacement parts. The proposed legislation is known as the Solar Shield Bill HR 668. Due to the budget crisis, and the high cost of such preparations, this bill is not expected to pass ...more »

If FEMA does not already do so, I suggest they collect all preparedness efforts/ projects/ new ideas, by disaster categories, from every Emergency Manager. A computer program could then be used to create a master website listing all preparedness practices being used or planned ...for all natural and/or human caused disasters. Since many Emergency Managers will all be doing the same types of things the actual preparedness ...more »