First Responders
An improved procurement process of land mobile radios (LMRs) could enhance interoperability and cut overall costs, according to a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
LMRs are generally used by federal agencies in public safety incidents, firefighting and emergency... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Community Counterterrorism Preparedness Act, H.R. 5859, on Thursday, to provide assistance to first responders in communities across the country.
The bill, introduced by U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and passed with bipartisan support, authorizes... Read More »
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) directed the New York State Police and the National Guard to deploy an additional 1,000 officers across the state on Sunday after an explosion in Chelsea.
In addition to the increased deployment of officers, Cuomo directed the Division of Homeland Security and... Read More »
More than 100 first responders gathered in New York this week for the state’s largest emergency response training exercise featuring realistic scenarios inspired by terrorist threats in the United States and abroad and utilizing the newest communications technology for law enforcement.
The... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) awarded funds on Thursday to eight agencies for its Band 14 Incumbent Spectrum Relocation Grant program.
The program aims to provide financial assistance to eligible public safety agencies for relocating their current radios and systems from Band... Read More »
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) announced a partnership on Tuesday with Esri to geo-enable the association’s programs and applications in order to support the growing demands of first responders around the world.
Esri specializes in geographic information system (GIS)... Read More »
Ceragon Networks recently released a new wireless backhaul platform with enhanced security features that seeks to overcome what can at times be a major obstacle for public safety forces - access to a reliable and secure communications network.
Ceragon’s FibeAir IP-20 Assured Platform is geared... Read More »
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) exercised a contract option with Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., on Tuesday valued at $11.6 million over a 12-month period for the supply of vaccinia immune globulin (VIGIV) to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).
The U.S. Food and... Read More »
A disaster strikes a congested city, cell phone networks are overwhelmed and internet access is spotty. Nearly everyone has a mobile device in their pocket, but few can use them to communicate.
San Francisco-based start-up OpenGarden, Inc., has a solution to this type of crisis with its FireChat... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) will hold its inaugural forum in the Southwest border region in August to engage with federal and regional public safety stakeholders about the communications challenges they face ahead of the deployment of a nationwide public safety broadband... Read More »
The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) produced its first biosafety curriculum for police colleges to advance law enforcement capability and preparedness in responding to biological incidents on Tuesday.
The initiative was developed under Project Rhino and seeks to address... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) recently applauded a proposed rule announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that would require railroads to provide more notification about shipments of crude oil and other flammable liquids.
Wyden introduced the Hazardous Materials Rail Transportation... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced legislation on Wednesday to assist communities in preparing for and responding to active shooter events.
The bill, the Active Shooter Preparedness Enhancement Act of 2016, would ensure that the Department of Homeland Security... Read More »
The Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) recently announced that is has developed a decontamination spray that enables soldiers at the unit level to decontaminate vehicle surfaces in the field immediately after exposure to a chemical warfare agent and continue with their mission.
The... Read More »
A coalition of Rhode Island lawmakers said on Friday that the state would receive more than $8 million in federal funds to assist first responders in response to a range of security challenges and crises.
The coalition included U.S. Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), along... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) moved forward on Friday with its preparations for a public-private partnership to deploy and operate a nationwide public safety broadband network.
During their meeting in Chicago, the FirstNet board of directors provided strategic guidance for... Read More »
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet held a hearing on Tuesday to examine the progress of FirstNet, the first nationwide, high-speed network dedicated to public safety.
Chairman of the Subcommittee... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued two solicitation notices on Tuesday related to the development and procurement of anthrax vaccines for the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), a move that Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., said shows the government’s intent to maintain an... Read More »
The International Association of Fire Chiefs Foundation (IAFCF) selected 10 first responders and safety officers on Friday for the 2016 Hazmat Conference Scholarship Awards.
The scholarships, made possible by a grant from Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., provides each recipient with full conference... Read More »
The Alliance for Biosecurity lauded the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday for recommending sustained funding in its FY 2017 appropriations bill for some essential medical countermeasures programs at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) hosted her office’s first-ever Congressional First Responder of Distinction Award Ceremony on Monday, recognizing firefighters, SMTs and law enforcement officers from her district who go above and beyond in their service to Southern Arizona.
Nominees for the... Read More »
The world-class team of global communications industry leaders that make up a company formed to bid on building the first nationwide 4G LTE broadband wireless network to successfully deliver the FirstNet network for public safety in the U.S. was announced this week.
Rivada Mercury’s group of... Read More »
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) trained a group of 31 first responders from Central America and Mexico during a sub-regional exercise held May 16-20.
The exercise trained the attendees on responses to chemical warfare agents and incidents with toxic industrial... Read More »
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) participated in Operation RAILSAFE, a nationwide initiative that provides enhanced visible law enforcement and security presence at train stations and trains on selected high volume travel days, on May 26.
Operation RAILSAFE training seeks to... Read More »
Avon Protection on Monday introduced new technology designed to combat chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats for first responders and other security-related officers.
One of the new products includes the Avon CSPARR, the newest generation of CBRN powered air purifying... Read More »
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), ordered a bulk supply of Bavarian Nordic’s non-replicating smallpox vaccine Imvamune on Friday.
Imvamune is being developed as a smallpox vaccine for... Read More »
More than 200 bomb technicians and first responders from five states and Canada came together this week to participate in what has become the biggest explosive public safety bomb squad training exercise in the world.
Held in New York, the state with the highest risk of terrorism in the nation,... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Veterans EMT Support Act, H.R. 1818, by a vote of 415-1.
The legislation seeks to assist military medic veterans in effectively transitioning their military medical training into the civilian workforce while addressing the shortage of... Read More »
Smiths Detection, Inc., announced on Wednesday that it has received a $17.2 million follow-on production order from the U.S. Army as part of the Department of Defense’s Joint Chemical Agent Detector (JCAD) program.
Smiths Detection's Lightweight Chemical Detector (LCD) product line serves as... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) will continue to accept proposals from private partners for deployment of an innovative nationwide public safety broadband network until May 31, with the goal of making an award Nov. 1, the agency recently said.
“FirstNet is going to really... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday for the approval of the manufacture of BioThrax (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed) in the company’s large scale Building 55 manufacturing... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the States and High-Risk Urban Area Working Group Act, H.R. 4509, on Wednesday.
The legislations requires decision makers involved in disaster response planning to work together to gain a complete understanding of a community’s vulnerabilities so that... Read More »
President Barack Obama signed the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Modernization Act of 2015, S.1180, into law on Monday to modernize the nation’s public alert and warning system.
The bipartisan legislation was introduced by U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Claire McCaskill... Read More »
Founded in 2001 to train professionals in biosecurity and disaster preparedness, the Institute for Biosecurity at Saint Louis University’s College for Public Health and Social Justice recently told Homeland Preparedness News that the United States needs to continuously improve on its... Read More »
The Centers for Disease Control on Wednesday detailed the valuable work its crisis communicators do during disease outbreaks, natural disasters, biological threats and other disaster-related incidents.
Crisis communicators work primarily through detailed plans and outlined goals, all of which... Read More »
