Shelters for cold weather emergencies

During severe cold, DC's Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) (a city-level version of FEMA) opens "warming centers" and emergency shelters, typically at schools & recreation centers. They're often managed by the Red Cross.

I've run a few, including one in Maryland during the "Snowmageddon" blizzard.

Tech tools in wilderness search and rescue

This Washington Post article is about lost person searches in the wilderness: "Lost in the wilderness: Tech tools help but they don’t always find someone in time"

Side note: There are volunteer search & rescue groups very similar to CERT, including some with trail-sniffing dogs or on horseback. I was a "ground pounder" myself. Most searches were for Alzheimer's patients, but we had lost hikers & missing kids too. 

I highly recommend the Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course offered by the National Outdoors Leadership School (NOLS), even if you won't use it in the wilderness.

NZ volcano eruption and mass burn events

This week's issue of the EMR Infogram has a story on the horrific situation in New Zealand after a volcano eruption, and generally on handling mass casualty incidents involving burns. They recommend a U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services guide on planning for mass burn events.

EMR Infogram, Dec. 12, 2019

National survey on individual & community preparedness

Reposted from the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services (HHS):

"FEMA's National Household Survey on Individual and Community Preparedness finds more Americans are gathering supplies; talking to friends and family members; connecting with their communities; and taking other key actions to prepare for disasters. Check out the survey results to find out how individuals and communities across the country are becoming more prepared and learn about remaining preparedness gaps."

Assessing shelters' environmental health & safety

The CDC has released a tool for rapid assessment of environment health at disaster shelters.

via Emergency Managers Weekly Report