Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Presidential Policy Directive 8

Encourage communities in seismically active areas to create long-range plans for seismic safety in privately owned buildings. San Francisco has created a draft 30-year plan with 50 important steps that will be taken to retrofit our buildings, strengthen our communities, and prepare in advance for the next big earthquake. Here in California, we know a big one is coming, it's just a question of when, where, and how large. ...more »

HSPD-8 vs. PPD8 Sitting here, rereading both of these documents...I am still trying to figure out what the REAL differences are between them. Considering the fact that the HSPD-8 is referenced in many areas of FEMA documentation, and that there really is no MAJOR changes from the HSPD-8, one can only wonder if this directive was issued as a political move, which really has no merit in emergency planning, or if it is ...more »

There are many tools available to help share information such as video, text, images, maps & sound. There are many different types of social media (twitter, youtube, FB, mapping). Social Media and Web 2.0 technology can handle larger capacities, is scalable, flexible and adaptable. This should be integrated into the day to day operations building community resilience between officials, agencies, and civilians (all-of-Nation) ...more »

It is predicted that 2011 was the most expensive year for disasters globally in recorded history -- $350B in economic losses. Yet only $108B was covered by insurance. The US had twelve billion dollar events this year alone and FEMA needed more emergency funding. The cost of disasters is increasing and FEMA is being spread too thin. We should work to find ways to transfer the financial risk (and cost) of these disasters ...more »

The Ready Initiative leverages game play and the tools of the technology generation (the internet, social networking, and mobile communication) to enable individuals, families, small businesses, and communities to prepare for disasters, and to increase the effectiveness of FEMA in mitigating, managing, and communicating disaster impacts for those who are most in need (and historically the least ready) when a disaster ...more »

We have developed a series of household preparedness efforts centered around high consequence "disasters" which seems unrealistic to community members. Often times, this leads to the question: "Why should I prepare so intensely for something that is not likely to happen?" This is a challenge to those charged with preparedness education; especially in the northeast. We have an opportunity to incorporate basic safety ...more »

I feel there may be a major omission within these new sets of directives. As most are all very well aware, within the flood mitigation, buffers offer significant protection. Upland buffers such as forests, wetlands, floodplains…protect downstream communities. Off shore buffers such as barrier islands, spits, reefs… protect our coastlines. Buffers provide a very low cost coast risk reduction if maintained. They ...more »

To "grow" our emergency preparedness capabilities, all ideas (good, mediocre and bad) need to be encouraged and debated. Positive things can even come from suggestions that seem foolish. As part of this effort, we need to respect each other to encourage all levels of participation. Use of negative and abusive language defeats the purpose of this forum. I have not experienced this myself, but I know other forum members ...more »

Most American cannot even imagine how they would now sustain themselves without information technology at their "fingertips." Yet, any one of several possible types of cyberterrorist attacks could make our information systems and computers ineffective for many long hours. There are several significant potential disasters that may occur during this type of event based on the fact that many of our utilities and critical ...more »

There are some potential major disasters that may require rapid urban evacuation of large numbers of people. Our transportation systems were not designed or constructed to facilitate such mass movement of people within a limited time. Large numbers of vehicles, all attempting to move at the same time, soon drain fuel supplies ...and the passengers soon consume available food, while over-crowding sanitation facilities. ...more »

THE FOCUS OF PPD-8 IS NATIONAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS .H.R. 570 THE DENTAL EMERGENCY RESPONDER ACT OF 2011 NOW BEFORE A SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE DOES JUST WHAT PPD-8 DEMANDS. I JUST RETURNED FROM AN ATLANTA COMBINED ADA-SCDI-FBI-INTERPOL MEETING WHERE ALL PRESENT KNEW THAT H.R. 570 WAS CRITICAL TO USE OUR NATIONS DENTAL PROFESSION AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN ANY NATIONAL EMERGENCY. WITHOUT H.R. 570 THAT I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY ...more »

Part of the defense against natural and man-made disasters is making responsible authorities and the public more aware of targets, and their related hazards in our target-rich nation. As an example, most of us know that a dam might be damaged by several types of disasters, and if its reservoir waters are suddenly released, the hazard is usually high. A dam therefore needs high target and high hazard classifications. ...more »

A study by the U.S. Dept. of Defense (DOD) disclosed that American prisoners of the North Vietnamese communists (during the Vietnam War) died at a much faster rate if they lacked strong religious conviction, or some other basis of hope for the future. In my three years of combat, during that same war, I discovered that the very best jungle survivors had several survival courses, over a period of years, starting with the ...more »

Edward Munson, inventor, has applied for a patent based on use of a method to create a large field of cool, moist, ambient air (around an urban area) to stop tornadoes. The idea is based on the fact that tornadoes form when there is sufficient warm moist air to create a supercell. If this technology works, tornadoes might also be stopped in a more proactive way by having a refrigerated C-130 aircraft (w/ crushed ice) ...more »

A significant number of groups are engaged in writing assorted preparedness information, but I have yet to find a Index telling who's doing what or what materials are being made available. As an example, our charity (NPI) posts survival, self-help, and redevelopment information on its website (www.needfulprovision.org). We average about 800 users of this information daily. There are several other groups doing similar ...more »

Anyone could sigh up for free service, using their cell phone or land line, for early warnings of severe weather. The call list could be created and updated via website or by calling into the center. The center could be set up the dial out to subscribers via local service providers. Could be linked with/through 911 dispatchers.

S.N.A.P. is an acronym for Start Now And Prepare. It is an emergency starter kit which contains 11 basic items and a completion plan to fully customize the kit to suit each household. It is currently entered into an online contest hosted by Wal-Mart. The direct link is http://www.getontheshelf.com/product/3148/S-N-A-P--Emergency-Start. If it is the top vote getter, it will be featured on Walmart.com and possibly gain ...more »

The private sector could improve community recovery efforts if there were greater financial incentives for them to bolster preparedness efforts. By providing tax breaks to businesses for insuring vital equipment, will create a more resilient business by bringing post-disaster costs down. For every $1 spent on preparedness, $3 of post-disaster recovery efforts are saved from ever being spent. Other financial incentives ...more »

Eco Woolis is a Mexican company that has developed a geodesic shaped portable structure, based on an igloo, that once assembled becomes a shelter that is over 344 sq. ft. and over 8 ft. high. Assembling the structure is simple and the heaviest piece weighs only a little over 15 lbs. The Mexican government plans to distribute the shelters for disaster relief in Mexico. In addition to disaster relief, Eco Woolis sees a ...more »

In 2011, Tenet Healthcare Corp. lost a class action complaint filed by former patients, and/or their relatives ...due to injuries or loss of life from Hurricane Katrina, in 2005. The court(s) determined that this heathcare company had four major failures when its Memorial Medical Center (in New Orleans) was flooded. To wit: 1) No alternative power system; 2) No evacuation plan for its patients; 3) Failure to respond ...more »

Companies should distribute Emergency Preparation/Response wheels to the public now to make vital, easy to understand information available. They are printed in any language and provide answers without the need for electricity. These wheels were created by the non-profit think tank E.H.M.I. and are based on sound science. Samples can be viewed on www.triawheels.com

The Union of Concerned Scientists recently issued a report on U.S. nuclear power plants. This report indicated that some 150 million Americans live within 50 miles of an aging nuclear power plant ...with most of these plants being long overdue for needed safety improvements. The collective attitude in Congress is to save a few million dollars by not paying for these improvements. Then, if and when a natural or man-made ...more »

Information on the status of evacuation routes in important for orderly egress from threatened areas. There are limited traffic sites in mostly urban areas and virtually nothing on traffic volume in rural areas. Construction and road condition is vital information for evac route planning. It is often necessary to reroute enroute due to conditions on the ground changing. Information on bridges, grade separations, road ...more »

The concept of a "World House" was introduced at the UN in NYC. The 512 sf abode was assembled in 30 minutes. The building envelop is Energy Star, hurricane and seismic rated. 10 structural insulated panels were required. Any size structure can be assembled. A modern fiber composite version of the foregoing employs panels that are 50% larger but weigh less and can be hand carrie. The optional overlay has ballastic ...more »

For more than five decades, I have helped w/ emergency preparedness and major disaster recovery efforts in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East as well as the U.S. In doing so, I have learned to deal w/ frequent disappointment because only 15 to 30 percent of the victims, of natural or man-made disasters, are ever really prepared to deal w/ the consequences. Far too many people believe others are responsible ...more »