Ludwig Benner: The Father of Modern HAZMAT Thinking?

by Rob Schnepp -

In the late 1960's, far too many firefighters were dying in the line of duty when the fires were fighting involved hazardous materials. One man, Ludwig Benner, realized that changes were needed, both in the way firefighters were being trained and in the

Electro-Muscular Disruption Technology and How it Works

by Jay Kehoe -

Shockingly enough, Tasers are becoming the most humane working tool available to law-enforcement personnel and correctional officers who have no choice but to use force in dealing with aggressive and/or demented individuals who are threatening the peace a

CERFPs: A New Resource for Emergency Response

by Christopher Schnaubelt -

The National Guard creates new units to deal with mass disasters. After the first responders come the WMD-CST teams, and behind them, providing a second protective shield for the American people, come the twelve CEFRP units, stationed in FEMA regions thro

Workloads and Respiratory Rates: The Key Factors In Respiratory Protection

by Rob Schnepp -

Breathing is not easy for anyone involved in the responses to and cleanup of hazardous materials. The task is much more difficult, though, when the equipment provided to first responders is less than adequate, and deficient in many other ways.

A Long Tradition of Voluntary National Service

by Brent Bankus -

The recent spate of articles and commentaries about the "Minuteman" group that, without invitation, helped the U.S. Border Patrol apprehend over 300 illegal migrants is a timely reminder that other citizen groups have provided significant homeland-defense

ALPR Systems and How They Grew

by Jay Kehoe -

Crime-fighting goes high-tech with the introduction and increasing use of affordable, relatively compact, and user-friendly OCR and ALPR technology. Today, speeders are the most likely target. Tomorrow and the day after it will be known criminals and/or s

SNL and Merlin: A New Way to Look at Decontamination

by Rob Schnepp -

The war against bioterrorism moves forward - at less than flank speed--from the water-based decon agents of the 1990s to faster and much more effective peroxide-based solutions that can be used to deactivate biological pathogens and TICs as well as the CW

Upgrading an Armory: The 1033 Solution

by Jay Kehoe -

The handgun, the shotgun, and the rifle - each has its advantages and disadvantages. But today's law-enforcement officer needs at least one effective weapon not only to carry out his duties but also to protect himself and the thousands of innocent people

The North Shore - LIJ Approach to Patient Decontamination

by Rob Schnepp -

An all-hands effort is needed to set up and staff a decon line. Hoods and rubber gloves also are required, but the first essential step is gaining approval from upper management.

EMS in the Fire Service - A New Trend in Patient Care

by Rob Schnepp -

Tomorrow's fire departments will still fight the flames first. But then they will have other burning problems to cope with - chemical spills, for example; and a fast-growing spectrum of biological hazards now available over the counter or at the local ter