First Responders
A partnership between the emergency management directors of 14 counties, the Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and citizenAID will provide nearly 1,000 Public Safety Drop Kits to first responders throughout Central Ohio.
The kits, made by Columbus-based citizenAID,... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) will host an event for people interested in learning about funding opportunities in the detection canine field.
The event, which is focused on advancing detection canine research and development, is part of a... Read More »
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) officials are touting the benefits of its Marine Law Enforcement Training Program (MLETP), providing water safety courses to mentally prepare officers for field survival.
“It is about keeping your wits about you…and surviving a situation... Read More »
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Public Safety Communications Research Division recently announced the winners of its Haptic Interfaces for Public Safety Challenge.
Haptic interfaces produce sensory cues in equipment or devices. For example, vibrations in... Read More »
During a live active shooter exercise at George Mason University’s Eagle Bank Arena, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) evaluated a suite of in-building sensors.
The exercise demonstrated how smart building technologies could inform daily operations and improve public safety and... Read More »
Cases of Rift Valley fever in Sudan have now reached 293 people, according to data gathered by the Program for Monitoring Emergency Diseases (ProMED) between Sept. 19, 2019, and Nov. 11, 2019.
The cases, which have led to 11 associated deaths, were reported in six states: the Red Sea, River... Read More »
Legislation introduced by a pair of lawmakers designed to examine and address health concerns regarding firefighters’ occupational exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has advanced in the Senate.
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) said the Guaranteeing... Read More »
A group of public safety organizations recently agreed to work together to enhance global emergency communications systems that serve nearly 1 billion people.
Under the agreement, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, Canada (APCO Canada), the European Emergency Number... Read More »
Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced Wednesday a bill to protect firefighters from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foams.
The Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances (PFAS) Act of 2019 has... Read More »
A group of Democratic U.S. Senators introduced a bill that would preserve access to T-band spectrum for emergency personnel.
The bill – called Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act -- repeals a provision of the 2012 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, which directed the Federal... Read More »
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced last week that he helped secure important victories for the state that bolster public safety while also enhancing Ohio law enforcement under a recently approved Senate appropriations package.
“One of the most important roles of government is keeping... Read More »
Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced last week over $11 million in federal funding would aid efforts to bolster firefighting efforts in Chicagoland communities.
The $11,194,763.84 funding allotment is being provided through the Department of Homeland Security, Federal... Read More »
Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Michael Burgess (R-TX) introduced a bill that allows the Ready Reserve Corps members to be paid retirement benefits.
The Ready Reserve Corps is a pool of trained personnel who may be deployed to assist in public health crises and emergency response missions. The... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice is launching a pilot program that will allow federal task force officers to use body-worn cameras while serving arrest or search warrants.
The Department of Justice oversees hundreds of federal task forces throughout the nation, which work with law enforcement to... Read More »
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III recently conducted an exercise in Central Pennsylvania to test the state’s ability to provide mass care services during a winter storm event leading to power outages and flooding.
The Mass Care Tabletop Exercise was held with the... Read More »
A recently launched joint federal/state task force will address workforce challenges and budgetary faced by volunteer fire companies in Pennsylvania.
The task force was created by U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Congressional Fire Services Caucus member, and state Reps. Frank Farry (R-... Read More »
The Department of Commerce has appointed Karima Holmes and Matt Slinkard to the First Responder Network Authority Board (FirstNet Authority).
The FirstNet Authority’s mission, per authorities, is to ensure the building, deployment, and operation of FirstNet, the nationwide broadband network... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials said the agency is partnering with a firm to develop technology designed to prevent emergency responder collisions.
Chicago-based HAAS Alert is standardizing C-V2X cellular vehicle-to-everything technology... Read More »
A group of U.S. Senators recently urged the Department of Defense (DoD) to address the increasing suicide rate among members of the National Guard.
Recent reports show that the suicide mortality rate for the National Guard has been consistently higher than the rate among active duty and reserve... Read More »
California’s Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue Authority (SVFRA) recently received $3,382,458 grant funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s SAFER program.
Authorities said the allotment would fund 12 Firefighter/Paramedic positions, enabling an increase in staffing levels on... Read More »
Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Cyber Crimes Center and the Illicit Finance and Proceeds of Crime Unit recently taught a darknet training course to more than 100 local and state law enforcement personnel in Colorado.
The goal was to provide information on darknet... Read More »
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently held a test of emergency response plans in Hershey, Pa., in conjunction with local and state organizations.
The test assessed tactical response and coordination to a complex and coordinated attack.
The exercise was in the... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency recently awarded Western Maryland more than $5.6 million through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program.
The bulk of the funding, $5.5 million, was awarded to Frederick County while... Read More »
Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Daniel Webster (R-FL) introduced legislation Tuesday designed to enhance extreme weather events preparedness by establishing best practices to protect communities while saving taxpayer money.
The PREPARE Act would create an interagency council to provide... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at the Air and Marine Operations (AMO), National Air Security Operations Center Corpus Christi (NASOC-CC) recently aided Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Bahamas.
From Aug. 29 to Sept. 8, NASOC-CC’s aircrews deployed to Birmingham, Ala., and... Read More »
September is National Preparedness Month, FEMA’s annual campaign to promote disaster and emergency planning. This year’s campaign theme is Prepared Not Scared.
As a former emergency management professional in the state of Texas, I can attest that for most public safety professionals, every... Read More »
New York State will provide $10 million in grant funding to strengthen local emergency response operations across the state.
"New York remains steadfast in our commitment to providing our first responders with the tools they need to respond quickly and efficiently to emergencies," Gov. Andrew... Read More »
Over $1.2 million in federal assistance grants has been earmarked for Arizona firefighters in Jerome, Marana, Payson, Pinetop, Phoenix, and Prescott.
The funding was awarded through the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG), which awards grants directly... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has earmarked $203,036 for the North Las Vegas fire department in Nevada’s Fourth Congressional District.
“Our emergency responders in North Las Vegas, and Nevada at large, put their lives on the line every day... Read More »
A recent groundbreaking ceremony was held for the site of the Waterloo Fire Station in Jessup, Md., a nearly six-acre plot that will serve as the first new fire station in the eastern part of Howard County in 25 years and will improve the area’s emergency response services.
The fire station... Read More »
Two cooperative research and development agreements, between the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the First Responder Network Authority and more than 75 industry partners, have made emergency service communication easier.
Network towers generally can support approximately 600... Read More »
The State of Wyoming Office of Homeland Security recently welcomed the first member of its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integration Team (FIT).
“We are excited to explore this opportunity for partnership with FEMA,” Lynn Budd, director of the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security... Read More »
Fire departments in Middletown, Manchester, Bristol, and Southington, Conn., have been awarded more than $595,000 in Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG).
“These grants represent the hard work and sacrifice of our firefighters and first responders in Middletown, Manchester, Bristol,... Read More »
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has contracted with a firm to aid a burn imaging device’s development.
The two-year, $27.3 million contract with SpectralMD, Inc., of Dallas, Texas, advances the... Read More »
Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Pete Stauber (R-MN) introduced last week a measure designed to enhance the nation’s fire station infrastructure.
The Fire Station Infrastructure Safety Act provides data on the age and conditions of every fire station in the country, which the legislators maintain... Read More »
