“Trust can be broken in just a few seconds, but it can take years to heal ..read more

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced $1.6 billion in grants to provide critical funding to state and local governments targeting public safety and security. This news comes just a month after the allocation of $405.1 to the Emergency Management Performance Grant Program. This latest announced funding is in addition to the previous commitment, showing an increased focus by DHS on immediate action to help make communities and the general public feel safer and more secure.   ..read more

When disaster strikes, community leaders are immediately in a situation to react, mobilize, and decisively move to serve the community’s most urgent needs when the stakes could not be higher. Easing the distress brought on by a disaster is a tough but necessary task that demands comprehensive and inclusive leadership. So often, disaster response plans are created through a process where every detail is meticulously evaluated and outlined with the hope of never having to be put into action. However, sometimes in this planning, our most vulnerable communities’ unique and complex needs can be ov ..read more

Ada turns down the volume on the television. The national news is now reporting on the hurricane about to bear down on southeast Louisiana. They’re predicting a category three, but after 45 years living in the bayou, Ada’s intuition tells her it will be much worse ..read more

Wildfires, floods, hurricanes and severe storms, tornadoes, extreme heat and drought, landslides, earthquakes, and winter storms. This list may sound like possible scenarios for a disaster action movie, but in reality, these are all weather-related events that impact communities across the country regularly. No matter where your community is located, being a public safety leader means having the capabilities to rapidly communicate urgent warnings and instructions in the event of a natural disaster ..read more

Communities across the nation are under, what often feels like, the constant potential for danger from a variety of threats. In 2015 alone the United States saw ..read more

The TRACED Act aims to protect residents from disruptive, unwanted, fraudulent, and potentially harmful solicitations by marketers and nefarious spammers by phone or text. It also might inadvertently interfere with how public safety leaders issue vital news and information to subscribed residentsor residents or travelers in the path of an emergency. The comprehensive guide that follows explores the governing bodies, legislation, and technical terminology that defines this complex issue and helps public safety leaders understand its short and long-term implications for resident emergency commu ..read more

Your worst nightmare is that a disaster strikes your community—a flood, a bridge collapse, an act of terror. They are all fears that keep you up at night. Are you prepared to act fast enough? Do you have the infrastructure, staff, and planning in place to ensure prompt, informative communications that will reach as many citizens as possible? Don’t wait for a disaster to occur to test your communication plan. Be prepared in advance so that if the worst-case scenario occurs, you can step into action without hesitation or fear. Read on to learn where to start when building a crisis communication ..read more

You never know when an emergency will strike your community—which is why early preparation, community education, and constant vigilance are essential to keeping citizens safe. One of the most effective ways of preparing your citizens for a possible disaster is to involve them directly in the education, and response process. If your municipality has not already established a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), learn what it takes to effectively implement a CERT that enables your citizens to become an active part of their safety and preparedness ..read more

The night sky is heavy with smoke. Tiny, glowing cinders and sooty ash swirls through the air like mist and snow. All that can be seen are rows of taillights as everyone in the town attempts to evacuate the unexpected, deadly wildfire destroying everything in its path. If this sounds like the plot of an action movie, for too many people, it’s a terrible reality that they have lived through—or could face in the future ..read more