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Emergency Responders

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Firefighters, police, and paramedics play a critical role in protecting people and property during fires, medical emergencies, terrorist acts, and natural disasters. RAND has examined the risks that emergency responders face—physical injury, traumatic stress, and hazardous exposures—and has offered guidelines to better protect them, beginning with an integrated approach to safety management that includes cooperation among local and state agencies, improved training, and careful planning.

Testimony

Lessons from Past Response Operations Can Help Strengthen National Preparedness

Jun 18, 2014

For the nation to be prepared for large-scale events, the national preparedness system needs to effectively support the initially local responders who will always be the first on the scene.

Explore Emergency Responders

Commentary

Lessons for First Responders on the Front Lines of Terrorism

Given the persistent risk of terrorist attacks, it is critical to learn from past incidents to prepare for future ones. Medical and nonmedical first responders need more training in basic lifesaving skills. Open communication lines such as a dedicated radio frequency could help responders better coordinate. Disaster drills are also essential.

Jul 10, 2017
News Release

News Release

Suicide Prevention Hotlines in California Could Expand Digital Offerings and Partnerships with Health Systems to ...

Suicide prevention hotlines in California respond to callers in need and reduce their distress. They could reach more people and improve services by expanding digital offerings such as chat and establishing programs to monitor and improve quality.

Jul 12, 2016
Report

Suicide Prevention Hotlines in California Could Improve Services

Suicide prevention hotlines in California respond to callers in need and reduce caller distress. But they could improve their services and reach more users by expanding digital offerings such as chat services and establishing better programs to monitor and improve the quality of their services.

Jul 12, 2016
Journal Article

Journal Article

Wireless Emergency Alerts: Mobile Penetration Strategy

The objective of this analysis was to independently assess the coverage and penetration of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system.

Jan 5, 2016
Journal Article

Journal Article

Exploring the Effect of the Diffusion of Geo-Targeted Emergency Alerts: The Application of Agent-Based Modeling to Understanding the Spread of Messages from the Wireless Emergency Alerts System

This report examines the effect of the diffusion of geo-targeted emergency alerts.

Nov 23, 2015
News Release

News Release

Changes Recommended to City of Los Angeles' Firefighter Recruiting and Selection Process

The city of Los Angeles should revise its hiring process for firefighters in ways that increase diversity among highly-competitive applicants, minimize processing demands on the city, and create greater transparency for applicants in minimum qualifications and selection criteria.

Jan 22, 2015
Report

Improving the Recruiting and Hiring of Los Angeles Firefighters

The city of Los Angeles should revise its hiring process for firefighters in ways that increase diversity among highly-competitive applicants, minimize processing demands on the city, and create greater transparency for applicants in minimum qualifications and selection criteria.

Jan 22, 2015
Testimony

Testimony

Applying Lessons Learned from Past Response Operations to Strengthening National Preparedness: Addendum

Document submitted on July 11, 2014 as an addendum to testimony presented before the House Homeland Security Committee on June 18, 2014.

Jul 11, 2014
Commentary

An Enduring Need for Better Measures of Emergency Preparedness

In an era of fiscal austerity, the need for measurement and assessment becomes manifold. Tied to good government goals and responsible stewardship of public funds, measurements are also necessary to educate the public about what it should—and should not—reasonably expect when disaster strikes.

Jun 25, 2014
Report

Report

Wireless Emergency Alerts: Mobile Penetration Strategy

This report characterizes the factors that affect wireless emergency alert (WEA) coverage, identifies barriers to public access to WEA alerts, and suggests options for increasing mobile penetration (adoption) of WEA nationwide.

Feb 12, 2014
Commentary

Airport Violence—Not a New Phenomenon

Shootings at airports are nothing new, writes Brian Michael Jenkins. In fact, they have regularly occurred worldwide in recent years. The motives have included terrorism, crime, and mental illness.

Nov 2, 2013
Testimony

What Should We Learn from Boston?

We cannot assume, based on Boston's response to the marathon bombings, that other U.S. cities are as prepared. Emergency managers and public safety agencies remain focused on disaster preparedness, but some hospitals have lapsed into thinking that it is a costly distraction from daily business.

Jul 10, 2013
Commentary

From Boston to Oklahoma—Lessons for the Regional Trauma Response System

Three mass-casualty events occurring in three very different settings show that disaster preparedness should not be limited to large cities or “target” areas in the United States. One trait that is common to all such events is the need for coordinated, responsive trauma care for victims.

May 23, 2013
Commentary

Lessons from Boston

Boston's health care providers reacted the way they did because they knew what they were supposed to do. Those who did not were smart enough to follow the lead of those who did. That's how a “ritualized” disaster plan works.

Apr 25, 2013
Commentary

Why U.S. Was Surprised, but Prepared for Boston Attack

Although official after-action reports are still being compiled, it looks like Boston's first responders and hospitals delivered under difficult circumstances, writes Arthur Kellermann.

Apr 18, 2013
Journal Article

Journal Article

Text Analysis of After Action Reports to Support Improved Emergency Response Planning

This study combines a text analysis of 70 after action reports (AARs) with a failure mode effects and consequences analysis (FMECA). This approach provides a mechanism to connect the AAR process with efforts to improve emergency response planning.

Jan 1, 2011
Report

Report

Evaluating the Reliability of Emergency Response Systems for Large-Scale Incident Operations

This report describes a method for modeling an emergency response system; identifying how individual parts of the system might fail; and assessing the likelihood of each failure and the severity of its effects on the overall response effort.

Jun 22, 2010
Report

The Frequency, Severity, and Economic Consequences of Musculoskeletal Injuries to Firefighters

The most common work-related injuries among firefighters are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The strict physical demands of the job and limited modified work opportunities suggest that MSDs are potentially more disruptive and costly to firefighters than to others.

Jun 21, 2010
Research Brief

Research Brief

Are Communities Ready to Conduct Rapid and Large-Scale Dispensing of Medications During a Public Health Emergency?

This research highlight summarizes the findings of RAND's initial evaluation of the Cities Readiness Initiative and the program's impact on communities' readiness to conduct mass dispensing of medications and other medical supplies.

Apr 1, 2009

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Emergency Responders

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