Attendees joined state and federal emergency management and homeland security officials for a discussion on policy and technology developments related to preparing for and ensuring emergency communications to coordinate disaster response.

A significant cyberattack in this country is inevitable, so states should take steps now to mitigate, manage and recover from it. Otherwise, officials will be caught unprepared while still being expected to successfully handle both the attack and its consequences, which could include everything from grounded air transportation to a compromised electrical grid, from faulty water treatment plants to unworkable ATMs. 

While states have had the authority to license emergency medical services personnel since the 1970s, the EMS industry has changed considerably in recent years.  It is becoming increasingly more common for EMS emergency services personnel to cross state lines to provide services in non-declared states of emergency, meaning in some instances EMS professionals are practicing medicine without a license.  While there have been limited efforts to address the problem—notably border states entering into memorandums of understanding to allow EMS personnel to work across state lines—a more permanent and wide-reaching solution has not been found. One possible way to solve this growing problem may be the formation of an interstate compact, which would allow member states to self-regulate the existing system for licensing EMS personnel.

Almost 60 years of federal record-keeping passed before this country reached its highest number of major disaster declarations, 81 in 2010. It took only one more year to shatter that record, with 99 in 2011. State emergency management handled the growing number of events even as the average operating budget slid for the second year in a row. While Congressional scrutiny over federal spending persisted in Washington, D.C., state emergency management showed the initiative and proposed a substantial restructuring of related federal grants, one that promotes flexibility and accountability. The backdrop to all of this is national elections, which can turn every issue—including better preparation for the next disaster in order to save lives and protect property—into a political football.

Chapter 9 of the 2012 Book of the States contains the following articles and tables:

Book of the States 2012

Chapter 9: Selected State Policies and Programs

Articles:

The American Institute of Architects' Design Assistance Program, which aids communities in rebuilding after natural disasters, seems destined to be in high demand again this year after tornadoes and severe thunderstorms tore across Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky in early March. AIA’s Design Assistance Program brings together a team of experts from a variety of disciplines to evaluate how best to rebuild communities hit by natural disasters. The goal is to help communities rebuild to be safer, healthier and more attractive to residents and businesses.

The tsunami that followed a devastating earthquake in Japan in March threatened to impact the U.S. Pacific Coast, causing emergency management officials to issue tsunami warnings, make evacuation decisions and implement emergency operations plans.  While states were able to handle the event, a larger tsunami could have required international mutual aid assistance. The Pacific Northwest and Canada already have an agreement in place to provide resources and assistance. This session explored lessons learned from the tragedy in Japan and ways the U.S. might respond to such a catastrophic disaster.