The latest emerging or reemerging infectious disease that is putting communities at risk is the measles outbreak of 2015. Measles can be very serious and one of every four people who get the measles will need to be hospitalized. One in 1,000 people may develop encephalitis and as many as two in 1,000 may die, regardless of the quality of care.

As with all community threats, public health surveillance and hospital preparedness systems must be integrated with emergency medical services (EMS). One way to enhance response is to train 9-1-1 operators to recognize the symptoms of measles and ask more questions when someone requests EMS for a medical emergency.

Throughout the United States, many individuals receive first aid training so they know how to handle very basic emergencies. First aid classes are extremely beneficial for training the public about emergency care. In addition to such training, it is also important for first aid and CPR instructors to take the opportunity to explain the overall structure of emergency medical services (EMS) and the emergency system as a whole to these students.

Working in a 911 call center is stressful. The pace is nonstop and it can be overwhelming even for seasoned and resilient emergency dispatchers. Local and state governments have a responsibility to make sure that professional mental healthcare providers are available to serve not only police officers, firefighters and paramedics, but also 911 call takers and emergency dispatchers.

Fire departments across the country are struggling to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters. Small departments in rural areas are especially dependent on volunteer firefighters to serve and protect their communities. Learn how one department in West Virginia has turned to a family-oriented approach in order to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters.

The Incident Command System (ICS) is an all-hazards management system suitable for responding to incidents of all sizes and complexities. Learn more about how ICS has been applied beyond the public safety realm and been adopted by public-health agencies, disaster-relief organizations, and environmental-regulatory agencies.

The community of Ferguson is in turmoil and it’s not just because of recent protests and civil unrest. For many years, community members have felt they are part of a declining municipality and faced dramatic growth in the wealth gap separating rich and poor.

The cure in Ferguson is not simply seeking justice for Michael Brown, telling the truth, or justifying Officer Wilson’s actions. The cure will involve getting the community and police to act on fact, accept the judicial outcome, and then work to rebuild the disintegrated trust between the community and law enforcement. 

Tis the season for giving. As the last weekend before Christmas approaches, there are likely people on your list that you don’t know what to get. Consider this the perfect opportunity to show how much you care by purchasing items that could help keep them safe during an emergency. Even expected events, like snowstorms in the Northeast, can quickly escalate to an emergency if people aren’t prepared.

By Leischen Stelter, editor of In Public Safety The holiday season can be a joyous time spent celebrating with…

By Leischen Stelter No community, large or small, is immune to mass casualty events. During an educational session at…