FEMA believes states and localities have reached a point of exercise overload, according to Patrick Massey, division director and federal preparedness coordinator of FEMA's Region 10. Therefore, more emphasis will be given to emergency response planning and citizen preparation when FEMA awards funds.
Massey spoke April 2 at the Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference in Tacoma. He outlined some other philosophical shifts under way at FEMA:
- changing the agency's approach from "wait-and-see" to "deploy-and-hold";
- evolving from centralization to decentralization;
- shifting grant priorities from resources to intelligence;
- emphasizing homogeneity instead of heterogeneity; and
- focusing on strengthening citizen preparedness.
"Will we kill ourselves like Rome did?" Massey asked. "For great societies to prosper, they have to figure out [how to deal with] both internal and external threats."
- Jim McKay, Justice and Public Safety Editor
Mobile Command Center Helps Air Show Soar
Sacramento, Calif. - In March, Sacramento skies were torn asunder by mighty flying machines. The third annual California Capital Airshow drew nearly 80,000 people to Mather Field (formerly Mather Air Force Base). Onlookers marveled at the technological achievements and performers' piloting skills.
Government Technology got a look inside the mobile command center deployed for the show. Operated by the Folsom, Calif., Police Department (PD), the mobile command center facilitated communication between local police, sheriff, fire and the National Guard.
"The COM 7401 was built for command and communications. We have 32 radio resources we can bring in - radios, phones, satellite phones. Major command staff, fire captains, police lieutenants would sit in here and make decisions on a major disaster," said Chuck Schuler, Folsom PD's telecommunications engineer.
The vehicle resembles a motor home and includes a rack of radio technology that lets all responders communicate with disparate type of radios.
"This is the brain of our communication system," Schuler explained. "We have 800 MHz radios, UHF, VHF, marine, aircraft, amateur radio. We can talk to any personnel - public safety, amateur or otherwise - in the region."
The command center also boasts touchscreens, integrated surveillance monitoring and a big high-definition TV.
- By Chad Vander Veen, Associate Editor
Govtech.com Hot List
Here are the 10 most popular stories on Govtech.com from March 14, 2008 to April 14, 2008.
1. Calif. State Workers Protest Salary Database Publication
Sacramento newspaper comes under fire for publishing salary information on California state workers.
2. 4.2 Million Credit, Debit Card Numbers Exposed
Supermarket chain says hackers accessed customer card numbers.
3. Funding: Winning Homeland Security Dollars From Your State
Nearly $4 billion is available for fiscal 2008. Here are strategies for getting your fair share.
4. Telework Helps Virginia and Arizona Recruit and Retain Employees
Telework strategies also strengthen continuity of operations.
5. Virtual Worlds Help Public Safety Officials Practice for Real-Life Threats
Simulated mass casualty exercises cut cost and add flexibility.
6. Wireless Sensors May Help Governments Monitor Health of Aging Infrastructure
Minneapolis bridge collapse spurs monitoring innovations.
7. Entire Elgin, Ore., Planning Commission Resigns
Volunteer commission members quit rather than consent to new ethics requirements.
8. American ITIL
Oklahoma City implements ITIL principles to strengthen its technology operations.
9. Chicago Fusion Center Gives Police New Criminal Investigation Tools
New Crime Prevention Information Center helps city prevent terrorist attacks and revolutionize investigations.
10. Server and Desktop Virtualization Cuts IT Costs
Virtual servers and desktops squeeze more work from less computer hardware.
