Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Browse Recent ideas

I feel it time to merger Ares with CERT. I think they are a redunant group which both skills together should make up the best classes of volunteer works. There function together as CERT Member who also Ares would be a Best trained volunteer, It also would mean that the forms and produces would be better know and NIMS would be complete as span of control of all of it without two differently trained group who some time ...more »

In an emergency, knowing what to do is your best defense. In my state of Pennsylvania we have a state sponsored website called readypa.org which helps people with learning the risks, making an emergency plan and getting involved to help others. I assume every state has a "Ready" site that citizens can assess to gather information about how to prepare for an emergency, be it manmade or natural. The task and expense of ...more »

If the citizens feel engaged and empowered by participating in civil defense, they will have a generally better chance at surviving any major event.

Issue updated regulations, set up fallout shelters and plan triage sites. Let the people involved do the research and planning, and you just have to put the stamp of approval on it.

This post is about maybe creating a more secure virtual "digital" reality; computer hacking and encryption pose problems to this nation's security. What if programmers developed digital "chip" or thumbprint activated ID to get around on the Internet? Customers of banks, students of colleges, government employees of departments, customers of stores, and legitimate officials to power plants would be assigned digital "chips" ...more »

This cell phone app would alert authorities of an Active Shooter with One Click, and include; Name of Sender (verified), location, etc. The App would immediately silence (sound and vibration) of senders phone and keep line open. There would be no need to speak to 911 operators to determine type of emergency, etc. To have the app, the individual would have to apply to DHS or police force with Name, Address, Driver's ...more »

I work at a local hospital and we have emergency response codes. I think this should be standardized nationwide. Example in our hospital we have a CODE SILVER: active shooter/killer. I have a friend who works at the air base clinic in Bellevue and their code name is CODE BLACK. Now there is a TV show stating that CODE BLACK is when an ER department is overwhelmed. If we use these codes as emergencies they should be standardized ...more »

Ted Koppel has just put out a book detailing a frightening scenario if the US power grid was compromised due to a cyber attack...and well, it would cripple our infrastructure for months or years. http://www.salon.com/2015/10/27/ted_koppel_exposes_the_biggest_threat_to_national_security_you_havent_heard_about_the_government_has_no_plan/ The worst part, according to his interviews with key officials, is that the Federal ...more »

The US-China accord to combat climate change brings innovations to market that tangibly address the issue as well as mitigate losses in natural calamities. FEMA has ignored a development that combines a LEED rated permanent, seamless roofing that is hurricane resistant. The Hurricane Testing Laboratory found no criteria for testing! The composite can be embedded with photovoltaic properties leading to "Solarizing the ...more »

Various recovery-funding sources have distinct eligibility rules and timing. We ask that local and state governments navigate these each of these funding streams independently with little concern for the signficant administrative burden that entails. Additionally, federal funds are often not coordinated to support unity of effort and channeling of funds to the highest-return users (e.g., overall recovery priorities, ...more »

Currently the FDRC is responsible for development of the State leadership capability (through the operational coordination core capability) but some of this work requires staff outside of the RSF structure. Communities and States want to see the big picture and path forward to recovery. This requires broader guidance, tools, and educational or peer learning events. I suggest that a standing communications and guidance ...more »

The NDRF defines "well managed recovery" and "well administered financial acquisition" as principles for successful recovery. We regularly see communities hitting pitfall after pitfall in these areas after disasters (e.g. lacking of tools and protocols to document costs for reimbursement, contractor overpayment and lack of oversight, inability to develop an integrated budget that differentiates between the source constraints ...more »

I have no idea what is taught to high school kids today as far as Homeland security goes, as I have no kids in school. I stumbled on "Risk Management Fundamentals: Homeland Security Risk Management Doctrine." and thought it would be a great teaching tool. It also got me thinking about how young the recruits are for ISIS and the like. They are teaching kids under the age of 10 to hate and kill us, and showing them how ...more »

http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/08/fcc-urges-carriers-to-turn-off-copper-networks-upgrade-to-fiber/ Just when you thought your "land line" phone was safe...for the few of us that still have them. For telephone, TV and Internet, fiber-to-home (instead of copper wire) may sound attractive, but backup power is not provided (unless you pay for a limited amount of it and you maintain the system). Folks relying upon ...more »

I recommend the Federal Government remove Google Maps and Company Names from buildings for "at risk" terrorist targets. The Federal Government should, for example, require their defense contractors to remove their company names from their buildings and to wipe such business addresses referenced on the internet. Google Maps should be required to eliminate such locations/mapping from their online maps application. This ...more »

Conducting/supporting a study that compares all currently available triage tagging tools (different styles of paper tags, triage ribbon, reflective slap wrap wrist bands, colored clothes pins, chemical lights, single colored chemlight alternatives, triage lights and paper tags with RFID) in daytime, nighttime and adverse condition scenarios. There are several studies that compare triage methods but I have found only one ...more »

Original post, http://fema.ideascale.com/a/dtd/24-7-Field-Triage-Preparedness/319348-14692 Top 15 for 3 years. The recognition & adoption of a standardized national illuminated color coded system for triaging MCI patients 24/7. Today different States & organizations use different triage cards & tapes to triage patients. The one thing they all have in common is not the language or format of the triage cards but it is ...more »

The approach to volunteer emergency communications seems disconnected from the NIMS philosophy. The role (or roles) of ham radio with respect to the communication needs of an ongoing incident should be examined, and pertinent resource types should be identified. At the very least, resource types focused on on-incident comms should be distinct from resource types focused on connecting the incident to the outside world. ...more »

PURPOSE: U.S. statistics may imply that >70% of private-sector small businesses have time or money constraints that adversely impact their preparedness. - CONDITIONS, BUSINESS PREPAREDNESS IS LIKELY TO BE CONSTRAINED IN: 1. Sole-proprietorships and other single person businesses. => As of 2013 there are 19,850,941 Sole-proprietorships businesses in the U.S. =>Businesses that are sole-proprietorships may be functioning ...more »

Was watching the weather channel and one of those myth/fact ones came on proving that they are not safe in a Tornado, my idea is take some of those small storm shelters you can buy and make them bigger now put one on each side of the highway under the overpass, so maybe 10+ can survive in them over the course of the storm.. might need to have some special code or cards so homeless do not take up residents..

It was upsetting to read that a drone, with a bottle of liquid that could be radioactive, was found on the roof of the Japanese Prime Minister's Office. I would suggest that a modified version (with smaller rubber bullets) of the Phalanx CIWS advanced radar- controlled gun system be installed at both the White House and the Capital Building. We have the technology to stop these threats, let's get in front of this threat ...more »

Perhaps a perspective on a positive experience will spark some ideas.. Over the past 18 months we've been working harder than ever to build relationships with local churches and civic groups in hopes to recruit new entities into the disaster relief/recovery world. After less than desirable response to a letter that went to every church in the county, in the wake of last year's ice storm, they started coming out of the ...more »

Continuing with the whole community approach, we should encourage each family to establish a FAMILY OPERATIONS CENTER, with basic communications, reunification plans, and emergency provisions. If a particular family is overwhelmed, they would report to their NEIGHBORHOOD OPERATIONS CENTER, which ultimately supplies information (situation and needs) to the local jurisdiction EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. Each level should ...more »

We are living 100 years back in time.Start putting all new grids underground and when servicing old power lines put them under also.It is a proven fact that above ground power lines are the first to go during ANY storm.I have submitted this idea over a year ago and things could have already been accomplished if anyone got off their bottoms.Also if you check you'll find out that this is a recurring problem leaving millions ...more »

Here is an idea that may help speed up adoption of the USNG (U.S. National Grid) coordinate system. Below is a link that uses the familiar Google map interface and displays a USNG grid down to 100 meters as you zoom in. The grid lines are properly labeled on the left and bottom edge of the map and the grid lines are visible on both dark and light backgrounds. This link will work fine in most browsers on most devices, ...more »

In preparation for the unlikely event of biological warfare, organizations should make sure that there are stockpiles of vaccines and treatments for illnesses and diseases. -- Brandon