Thursday, January 28

DHS: Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Meeting with Faith-Based and Community Leaders

DHS: Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Meeting with Faith-Based and Community Leaders

"In times of crisis, leaders of faith-based communities and other grassroots organizations often play a critical role in the borad and timely dissemination of accurate information." said Secretary Napolitano. "Strengthening our partnerships with faith- and community-based groups will allow improved information sharing and better coordination in preparing for, assessing and responding to threats."

Child pornography fight gets new weapons

Centered in cyber-forensics labs at the offices of the Louisiana attorney general and State Police, special investigative units can detect computers throughout Louisiana that are exchanging sexually explicit images of children online. During a recent typical month, the systems identified more than 5,600 such Internet computer addresses in the state.
http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/11/post_72.html

Wednesday, January 27

Domestic Preparedness - Executive Briefing for All Hazards Consortium AHC

On September 24, 2009, DomPrep hosted an Executive Briefing for the All Hazards Consortium (AHC), a 501c3 non-profit guided by eight regional states - Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia - and the District of Columbia. This by-invitation-only meeting was held from 8:00am to 11:00am (EST) in the First Amendment Lounge on the 13th floor of the National Press Club (529 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20045).

The purpose of this important meeting was to brief new administration appointees, the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) leadership, congressional aides, and other federal decision-making officials - representing the Departments of Defense, Energy, Health, Justice, and Transportation - on the region’s multi-state efforts, accomplishments, and future as well as current needs in the broad areas of homeland security and emergency management. Short presentations were made by the member states, several of the federal partners involved, and private-sector representatives on the numerous ways in which they have collaborated over the past four years on regional efforts. Of particular importance was a discussion on how they are forming a new model for regional collaboration at the state level.
a listing of the speakers with a link to their audio presentations - http://www.domesticpreparedness.com/WebConferences/Conference_Detail/All_Hazards_Consortium_Executive_Briefing/

First-Person Report - Forecast 2010: A New Model for Disaster Management

- Mark Merritt
http://www.domesticpreparedness.com/Commentary/Viewpoint/First-Person_Report_-_Forecast_2010%3a_A_New_Model_for_Disaster_Management/

The nation’s fifth largest recent disaster has affected the citizens of Iowa for the past 18 months but, thanks to an innovative approach to disaster management, that state’s weather problems have been almost unknown to the outside world. One result is that, as we begin 2010, the most significant change in disaster management is probably going to be the way in which other states handle their own long-term disaster-recovery programs.

In 2008, Iowa experienced the most devastating series of natural disasters in the state’s history, when severe floods, tornadoes, and storms hit Iowa – resulting in 85 of the state’s 99 counties being declared federal disaster areas. Initial statewide estimates for damages were between $8 billion and $10 billion.

Coordination – The Key to Sustained Progress - The RIO’s most important role is to coordinate work among the many state and federal agencies and local entities involved in disaster-recovery decision-making and program administration.

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