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From Opening Thunder to Closing Whimper
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Thanks to lightning-fast software from the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), if a truck bomb was discovered in Lower Manhattan we will now be able to predict the likely damage patterns in the surrounding areas, and prioritize the first responders’ activities long before the bomb’s acoustic shockwave ricocheted out at the speed of sound.
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Designing Buildings to Withstand Almost Anything
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In an ideal world, every tunnel, train terminal, and critical building would be built like a fortress to withstand any emergency. But in the real world, construction costs matter and engineers “build to code.” While Americans can take comfort that their critical infrastructure meets minimum codes for safety, when terror—or nature—hits especially hard, minimum codes provide minimal comfort.
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First Receivers Collaborate to Improve Effectiveness
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Comprised primarily of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical professionals, first receivers are responsible for patients arriving from the scene of an incident and continuity of hospital operations. Several Communities within First Responder Communities of Practice focus on collaboration among these first receivers.
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Roving Sensors to Catch Wireless Network Infiltrators
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Infiltrating a wireless network can be as simple as driving a car near a facility and opening up a laptop A project by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) called WildCAT aims to help secure these networks, to keep our nation’s critical infrastructure safe.
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For Wildfires, A Doorstop at Nature's Doorstep
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A 6-foot-tall, stainless-steel, fire-breathing stovepipe dubbed “The Dragon” devours wood chips and spews them back out as smoldering firebrands. Also known as the Firebrand Generator, “The Dragon” helps scientists test the effects of fire on various materials, leading to the creation of more ember-resistant materials.
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New Technology Places Chemical Threat Detection in the Hands of Cell Phone Users
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A new lightweight, affordable, energy-efficient sensor and accompanying cell phone application detects a wide range
of chemical threats and alerts users to the danger. LAFD, LAPD, California Emergency Management, California Environmental Protection and Chicago Fire are already testing the tool.
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Real-time Sensor Data-Sharing Capabilities Demonstrated by LA Hazmat Responders
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Emergency response agencies need a way to relay sensor readings wirelessly from the scene back to the EOC automatically, so that data transmission does not hinder response efforts. The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) helped develop that capability for response agencies throughout Los Angeles County as part of the Integrated Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (ICBRNE) Detection Demonstration pilot.
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When Clean Just Isn’t Clean Enough
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A new disposable backboard cover developed in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate reduces infection rates in patients and saves valuable emergency response time. A recent study that examined 55 “cleaned” active-duty backboards found that every board was contaminated with at least 11 different strains of bacteria and microorganisms. The board cover aims to keep responders and patients safer.
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Making Domain Names Safe and Reliable
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Internet safety is a shared responsibility. The Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate is working with federal partners to build support for Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) project, a "new trust model" which authenticates and validates data.
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Mobile Applications for First Responders
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The use of mobile applications ("apps") – software programs designed to run on mobile phones – to locate and share information could greatly enhance interoperability in the public safety and homeland security field. Members of First Responder Communities of Practice are sharing ideas and collaborating on technical requirements for potential mobile apps that could be used to access and provide knowledge to and from the field, enhance situational awareness, and alert citizens to critical information as it develops.
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CUSEC States Demonstrate Virtual USA at the National Level Exercise
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During the National Level Exercise, a simulated earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone of the southern and midwestern U.S., states shared dynamic data using Virtual USA, a national model for information sharing during emergencies sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate. The project is part of a push by the Directorate to help first responders improve situational awareness and exchange critical information.
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Research Underway to Reengineer Plants for Chemical Detection
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Can you imagine plants that could monitor expansive environments for pollutants, chemicals, and explosives? Scientists have begun to explore expanding such capabilities by redesigning receptors in plants that handle responses to external stimuli.
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Doctors Keep Eyes on Patients Using Stretcher Camera
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When a child falls ill, something as subtle as the child's skin tone can help EMS personnel and doctors assess how serious the condition is. Currently, EMTs and paramedics describe the patient’s appearance and symptoms to doctors in telephone conversations before the patient arrives at the emergency room.
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Agencies Work Together to Modernize National Alert and Warning System
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The answer to the public’s question, “How can we receive alerts and warnings during an emergency?” is rapidly changing. Given this shift in the way we consume information and communicate, the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are leading an inter-agency effort to modernize the dissemination of alerts and warnings in order to reach the maximum number of people.
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3-D Tool Trains Public Health Officials to Respond to Radiation Emergencies
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New software developed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) puts public health officials and other first responders in a 3-D model of a radiation screening center for realistic training in mass decontamination. The free program follows potential victims'path through initial sorting, various screenings, medical evaluations and long-term follow up.
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Water Level Sensors Provide Better Picture of Potential Floods
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The City of Palo, Iowa has volunteered to be among the test watersheds for a project that will uses sensors to gauge the effects of rainfall to predict floods. Floods covered 98 percent of the city in June 2008, and leaders want their city - and otherws - to be more prepared for future flooding.
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Responders Collaborate on Sport and Stadium Security
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The challenges for agencies that provide security for special events are complex. Keeping abreast of the latest technological advances and best practices in bomb detection, crowd management, intelligence and surveillance, hospital preparedness, hazmat preparation, and other areas can be daunting for emergency managers. It is with this and other homeland security-related challenges in mind that DHS S&T created First Responder Communities of Practice. First Responder Communities of Practice is a platform for first responders and others in the homeland security community to ask questions, get answers, and share professional knowledge.
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River Rescue
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A new mobile application helps first responders skip the math and rescue victims in swiftwater conditions before it's too late. The Swiftwater Calculator shaves minutes off response times in situations where seconds can mean the difference between life and death.
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Clean Slate
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After a chemical explosion or attack, first responders must arrive quickly to decontaminate victims and save lives. Once that initial triage is completed, the site must also be decontaminated to reduce the potential for new exposure. Site decontamination is often a difficult matter – many building materials are porous, creating crevices in which contaminants can hide. Lasers could blast chemicals from a wall, and an integrated vacuum system could then contain them, say scientists working for the Department of Homeland Security.
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Where There's Smoke, There's a Signal
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DHS S&T is developing a wireless self-powered router with “breadcrumbs” that won’t become toast when baked or soggy when hosed. To an embattled firefighter, a handful of these smart “breadcrumbs” could be the difference between life and death.
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Share Ideas, Discuss Social Media in an Online Community
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As the use of social media in emergencies grows, emergency response and homeland security professionals are turning to it to improve communication, collaboration, and interoperability. The Make America Safer through Social Media Community on First Responder Communities of Practice serves as a national resource for practitioners from all levels and sectors of government, emergency response organizations across the country, as well as others working on homeland security matters to discuss and collaborate on best practices in order to conduct their missions more effectively and efficiently.
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Everest Software Helps Police Chart Crime Data
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Everest can compile information from police databases, such as a list of individuals previously arrested for car break-ins, in minutes. Without the software, crime analysts must manually comb the database and tally the number of car prowl cases to generate that information, which can take hours.
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Investigators Turn to Online Database to Close Missing Persons Cases
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The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) was developed to resolve missing persons cases. The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice (NIJ) supported the development of the online system, which contains two databases.
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Maryland Jurisdictions Share Geospatial Data to Improve Public Safety
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By sharing information from their respective geospatial information systems (GIS), city and county officials were able to see where other jurisdictions were deploying their resources and thereby coordinate easily with their partners during the emergency.
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APPS Program Assists SWAT Teams with Equipment Integration
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SWAT teams face a wide and diverse array of choices when purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE). Determining which body armor, helmets, chem-bio protective suits, and other pieces of equipment offer the best protection for SWAT team members without impairing their ability to do their job can be a challenge.
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Law Enforcement Uses Software to Pool License Plate Data
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As a patrol car traverses city streets, the License Plate Reader (LPR) system on the vehicle scans license plates and processes the data. This technology, which can read thousands of plate numbers per hour, immediately alerts officers if it finds a wanted vehicle.
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R-Tech Q&A
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The EMS Chief for the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii discusses her experiences serving on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) First Responder Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Working Group, which advises DHS Science and Technology Directorate about the technology requirements of the nation’s first responders. Patty Dukes also shares her own experiences with EMS and public safety technologies.
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DHS Working Group Recommends Social Media Best Practices
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DHS First Responder Communities of Practice recently launched the Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG), which is comprised of first responders and homeland security professionals from various disciplines, localities, sectors, and government agencies across the country. The mission of the VSMWG is to provide recommendations to the emergency preparedness, response, and homeland security communities on the safe and sustainable use of social media technologies before, during, and after emergencies.
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Q&A with R-Tech
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Virtual USA (vUSA) creates a cost-effective method to improve information sharing and enable collaboration at the local, state, tribal, and Federal levels both during emergencies and in day-to-day operations.
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Responders and Software Engineers Team Up to for Disaster Relief
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In the aftermath of an earthquake or hurricane, downed power lines and phone outages can make it difficult to contact loved ones. During recent disasters, however, some residents had a communication tool that continued to function: a smart phone.
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Disaster Preparedness Tool Calculates Casualty Estimates
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In the aftermath of a dirty bomb, hundreds or even thousands of victims could require medical attention. First responders conduct extensive training to prepare for such a cataclysmic event.
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DHS First Responder Communities of Practice
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate First Responder Communities of Practice Website is a vetted and professional networking, project collaboration, and resource-sharing platform for public safety practitioners.
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DHS FirstResponder Communities of Practice
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate First Responder Communities of Practice Website is a vetted and professional networking, project collaboration, and resource-sharing platform for public safety practitioners.
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Care on the Run
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Medical personnel who volunteered to staff the Detroit Free Press Marathon set up an electronic record system to track where patients sought treatment, the care they received, and where they were transported.
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Check Out New Communities
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First Responder Communities of Practice has added two new Communities. The Decontamination Community focuses on issues related to the decontamination of personnel and equipment and serves as a platform for first responders from departments and disciplines involved in hazardous material and decontamination efforts.
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Q and A with Adam Miller
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Three-dimensional responder tracking technology is a high priority for first responders, says Huntingdon County, Penn. Director of Emergency Management. "It would mean the ability to not only track responders during operations in three dimensions, but... monitor certain vital health information."
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Mobile Alert
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When a major weather incident, terrorist threat or other emergency affects the American population, emergency personnel need a way to inform residents of what to do. In the future, a message could be broadcasted to cellular and paging devices.
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DHS First Responder Communities of Practice
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate First Responder Communities of Practice Website is a vetted and professional networking, project collaboration, and resource-sharing platform for public safety practitioners.
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Powers of Detection
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Nitrogen-rich chemical compounds, such as fertilizers, have been used to make improvised explosives such as the one used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and explosives that terrorists planned to use to attack a London shopping mall and other busy locations in 2004.
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Real-Time Emergency Response
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The April 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico reminded emergency managers just how critical it is to share up-to-date information in a disaster.
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Directing Traffic
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In the moments following a rush-hour crash on a major highway, first responders focus on emergency medical treatment. While treating the injured and cleaning up the accident, first responders also must manage to reroute traffic.
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Watching the Weather
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Each summer, wildfires threaten more than 715 million acres of North American forests. To quickly spot and contain these fires, meteorologists must monitor weather conditions conducive to starting or spreading flames.
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Q & A with R-Tech
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) established the First Responder Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Working Group (FRWG) in 2009 to advise DHS S&T about the technology requirements of the nation’s first responders.
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Preparedness on Wheels
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When a disaster strikes, emergency services face an onslaught of patients requiring immediate medical attention. Firefighters, EMS, and police train extensively to handle mass emergencies, such as explosions, crashes, and outbreaks of illnesses.
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Layer of Protection
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When a bomb technician inspects a potential explosive device, the bulky protective suit might be the only defense he or she has. Bomb suit manufacturers run tests on their protective suits to ensure they can withstand an explosion.
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Treasure Trove of Information
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Emergency responders might find it easier to draft preparedness plans for their communities if they could see how other response agencies have accomplished the task. One way they can get this information is by researching policy and strategy documents from federal, tribal, state, and local agencies contained within the Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL) .
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Responder Knowledge Base
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The most common request the Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) receives from its users is to simplify and improve the Website’s display of grants. Specifically, users have asked that grants be organized by application due date. In response, RKB, located at www.rkb.us, added a new grants calendar feature in May 2010.
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Cool Down
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Year after year, overexertion is the leading cause of fatal injury to on-duty firefighters. Firefighters haul equipment and remove debris in searing temperature conditions. Turnout gear can trap heat inside, placing additional strain on firefighters.
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Stadium Simulator
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Large, crowded structures are enormously difficult to evacuate. A common example of such a structure is a stadium, which crams thousands of excited spectators side by side.
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Magnetic Imaging Technology Detects Liquid Explosives in Sealed Containers
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Terrorists can hide liquid explosives in an object as innocuous as a shampoo bottle. To mitigate this threat, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now strictly limits the amount of liquid that can be carried onto airplanes.
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The Responder Knowledge Base
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The Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) actively solicits feedback and recommendations from users through multiple venues, including the RKB feedback page, the online help desk, and conferences.
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InterAgency Board Widens Focus to Benefit First Responders
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The InterAgency Board for Equipment Standardization and Interoperability (IAB), a user working group of and for first responders, is broadening its scope beyond just equipment and addressing interoperability challenges.
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Superconductor Cable Prevents Electric Grid Blackouts
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More than 40 million people were plunged into darkness when electrical service failed in large portions of the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Ontario, Canada on Aug. 14, 2003.
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Blinded by the Light
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At 9 p.m. on March 5, 2009, four police officers forcibly entered a Houston house to issue a felony search warrant. The first officer to enter was shot immediately after stepping through the doorway.
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Analyzing Ink Spots
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A document, even one created by persons determined to remain unknown, can reveal more than its authors intended. The ink used to write a document can tell investigators a great deal about the document’s origin.
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Responder Knowledge Base
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First responder organizations and the communities they service have benefitted tremendously from grant awards. Grant funding has enabled law enforcement, firefighters, and other responders to purchase equipment and provide training, among other things.
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Still Standing
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The true test of the stability of a bridge might occur once a century when a major earthquake hits, but engineers cannot wait that long to find out if a structure is safe.
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Healthy Eating
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When public health experts trace the origins of illness to a food, government officials rush to protect the public by having the item removed from store shelves. Representatives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as state officials visit or call thousands of retailers to ensure they are complying with the FDA food product recall.
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Committed to Community
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First responders need and deserve the best tools and practices available to help save lives and protect property. The responsibility of identifying the gaps in existing technology – and working to fill those gaps – belongs to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). DHS S&T knows that first responders need to be part of the process. As a result, DHS has created a new First Responder Integrated Product Team (IPT) specifically for first responder needs. The First Responder IPT was established to address the highest priority research, development, test, and evaluation needs of the nation’s first responders, using a process driven by the first responder community.
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Critical Care on the Go
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Paramedics currently use multiple pieces of medical equipment to give patients oxygen, monitor vital signs, and administer fluids. When the patient reaches the hospital they need to be disconnected from each piece of equipment and then connected to a different set of monitors and equipment in the emergency room. This process is repeated if the patient is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) or other hospital accommodations.
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Marked for Life: Tattoo Matching Software to Identify Suspects
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When a criminal’s face is masked, police have to search for other identifying markers. Many law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities keep a database of tattoos and scars that can be used to identify disguised suspects captured on surveillance cameras. However, searching a computerized tattoo database isn’t as simple as flipping through a few photographs. Most databases catalogue thousands of images using text-based descriptions and have text-based search functions. This complicates the task of finding the correct image, as descriptions in the database may not be consistent or easily determined. If the suspect’s tattoo shows a snake entwined around a rose stem, for example, one person might search for the term “rose,” while another might look under “snake.
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Social Media Shake Up: Twitter Provides Firsthand Accounts of Emergencies
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Stories pile up quickly in the moments after an earthquake. People wonder if the shaking was an earthquake or just a large truck rumbling past. They share where they were, what they felt, and whether there was any damage. Twitter – the microblogging site where users share messages containing up to 140 characters – offers a treasure trove of eyewitness reports following an earthquake. Using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is sponsoring a project to tap into those reports to see whether the almost instantly available information could benefit first responders heading to the scene or seismologists studying earthquakes.
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Making Tracks: Risks of Airborne Chemicals and Biological Agents in Subways
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Millions of commuters in America rely on subway systems to travel. This makes mass transit an attractive target for terrorists, as proven by the Tokyo subway terrorist attack in 1995 in which sarin was released on several train cars, killing 12 and injuring thousands. To limit the impact of similar attacks and determine the best actions to take during a chemical or biological agent release, scientists are investigating how these contaminants would travel through a subway system’s underground tunnel network. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is studying the way gases and particulates behave by conducting a series of airflow tests in subway systems.
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