InfoGram 34-10: August 26, 2010

This InfoGram will be distributed weekly to provide members of the Emergency Services Sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures. For further information, contact the Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) at (301) 447-1325 or by email at emr-isac@fema.dhs.gov.

Receive InfoGrams and Bulletins by Email

NIOSH Alert: Preventing Firefighter Deaths and Injuries

(Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Last month, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) received the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) alert, “Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Firefighters using Risk Management Principles,” which is Department of Health and Human Services Publication Number 2010-153 (PDF, 2.2 Mb). While focused on additional and sometimes unique risks in abandoned structural fires, the report pertains to preventing firefighter deaths with risk-management methods.

The EMR-ISAC noted that the Alert urges a “thorough size-up and risk analysis” for abandoned structural fires. Although firefighting is an inherently hazardous occupation, the document reinforces that “established fire service risk management principles are based on the philosophy that greater risks will be assumed when there are lives to be saved and the level of acceptable risk to firefighters is much lower when only property is at stake.”

NIOSH requests that the information in the Alert be brought to the attention of all U.S. fire departments and firefighters. To bring the recommendations in the Alert to the attention of the fire service community, NIOSH requests help from fire commissioners, fire chiefs, state and local fire district administrators, state fire marshals, incident safety officers, trainers, fire investigators, unions, professional organizations, trade associations, insurance companies, and editors of trade journals and other publications.

Hospital Assessment and Recovery Guide

(Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) was recently contacted by an Emergency Management Institute staff member regarding the potential value of the Hospital Assessment and Recovery Guide (PDF, 243 Kb) for the nation’s emergency managers.

This May 2010 Guide was designed to help organize the initial assessment of a hospital upon return after an evacuation and closure due to an emergency event. The specific assessments should be conducted by hospital staff to assess the level and locations of damage sustained by the hospital, and provide information that will be needed to create the full recovery plan. The Guide will be particularly useful for assessing a hospital that has sustained significant or widespread damage.

“The purpose of this Guide is to help organize the initial assessment of the hospital; it is not intended to be a complete reoccupation or recovery plan,” according to the guide’s introduction. The EMR-ISAC observed it can also be used for the following actions: identify necessary repairs, identify what must be repaired or replaced, collect information required by accrediting and licensing organizations, and estimate the time needed to complete renovations prior to reopening.

“Slow Down and Move Over”

(Sources: U.S. Fire Administration, and National Safety Commission)

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) was notified that a national Public Service Announcement (PSA) in video format is now available to urge motorists to “slow down and move over.” The PSA is a joint venture between the Delaware City Fire Company and the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Fire Administration to educate the public about dangers associated with passing responders working on the roadways.

The EMR-ISAC also learned about a related effort called “Move Over, America.” This initiative is a partnership originally founded in 2007 by the National Safety Commission, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the National Association of Police Organizations. Most recently, the partnership has additionally received the full support of the American Association of State Troopers. The campaign is the first nationally coordinated effort to educate Americans about "Move Over" laws and how they help protect the law enforcement officers who risk their lives protecting the public.

ResponderSafety.com is a different project that examines the development of advanced technology and systems that will permit nationwide sharing of lessons learned among transportation, public safety, and emergency personnel enabling them to more effectively and safely respond to roadway incidents. It brings together advocacy for effective highway incident management and training of emergency response personnel. This effort also studies the feasibility of applying technologies to improve highway incident management and responder safety.

Disaster Management Solutions

(Sources: Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, and Emergency Management.com)

The Executive Summary of the Annual Disaster Statistical Review (PDF, 2.5 Mb) by the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) stated that in 2009, 335 natural disasters were reported worldwide. “They killed 10,655 persons, affected more than 119 million others, and caused over $41.3 billion in economic damages.” Even within the United States, CRED researchers are studying whether natural disaster are becoming more frequent, growing more severe, and affecting more people and property than ever before.

When reviewing the article “Effective Disaster Management Strategies in the 21st Century,” the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) observed that effective disaster management can be defined as providing the technology, tools, and practices that enable disaster response organizations to systematically manage information from multiple sources and collaborate effectively to assist survivors, mitigate damage, and help communities rebuild.

p>

The article indicated that organizations engaged in disaster management need technology solutions that enable lifesaving response and recovery assistance to the people who need help when disasters strike.
It further states that when considering disaster management solutions, it is important to look for the following capabilities and benefits:

• Optimized situational awareness.
• Interoperable and collaborative environment.
• Support for mobile, web-based access across a range of devices.
• System security and reliability.
• Comprehensive system manageability.

According to the author, change occurs rapidly in disaster management; therefore, mandatory policies and procedures frequently require the modification of existing systems. “The ability to rapidly adapt applications to keep pace with evolving situations benefits response organizations, and the people who depend on them, while preserving their information technology investments.”