Category: Emergency Preparedness

How Authorities Are Tackling Security for Super Bowl LVI

Before Super Bowl LVI kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 13, a massive coalition of federal, state, and local officials is hard at work to help ensure the safety and security of employees, players, and fans during the big game. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas recently traveled to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, […]

Be Prepared for New Enhanced 911 Regulations

Kari’s Law and the Ray Baum’s Act are two pieces of federal legislation concerning Enhanced 911 (E911) services. These are advanced services for 911, the universal telephone number used in the United States for emergency services. Facilities management professionals should understand these laws to ensure that their facilities are compliant. These laws were discussed during […]

Houston Concert Tragedy Casts Crowd Management into the Spotlight

Update 11/15/21: The death toll has risen to 10 after a college student and 9-year-old boy critically injured at the event later died. Over the weekend, tragedy unfolded at NRG Park in Houston, Texas, when eight young concert goers, between the ages of 14 and 27, were killed when reported crowd surges occurred during the Astroworld […]

University, Utility Unveil Solar-Powered Microgrid in Sunshine State

Florida International University (FIU) and Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) have unveiled a solar-powered energy microgrid—the latest project to emerge from a decades-long partnership between the university and the utility. In the event of an outage due to severe weather, the FIU-FPL microgrid is capable of supplying backup power to FIU’s engineering center for approximately 24 hours […]

NFPA Highlights Four Ways 9/11 Changed the World of Fire and Life Safety

With this year marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has highlighted four ways that day changed the world of fire and life safety, shedding light on how the fire service, first responders, and others now do their jobs in ways that better protect themselves and enhance safety.

4 Back-to-Office Safety Risks to Address this Summer

Having spent months on end in multiple lockdowns, many workers around the world are now starting to make a gradual return to the office and restoring a sense of day-to-day normalcy back into their lives. However, while this is an incredibly exciting transition for a lot of people, the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t exactly gone away. […]

OSHA Mulling Heat Safety Rule as Summer Temps Climb

With parts of the country suffering record-breaking temperatures this summer, employers know they need to be on guard against heat dangers for both indoor and outdoor workers. At some point, however, those precautions may be formalized into a new standard from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The Way to the Egress: A Guide to Workplace Evacuations, Part 2

In Part 1 of this two-part series on workplace evacuations, we shared the importance of building an effective Emergency Action Plan and establishing a safety strategy to address various emergency scenarios. Continuing coverage into Part 2 of this evacuation primer, we now provide a closer look at the safety requirements for establishing exit routes and introduce best […]

The Way to the Egress: A Guide to Workplace Evacuations, Part 1

Sometimes a company’s employees just need to leave. Workplace emergencies can range from isolated chemical spills, fires, toxic gas releases, and active shooter incidents to local flooding; hurricanes; tornados; and, more rarely, terrorist attacks. Workplace lockdowns or sheltering in place may be the appropriate response, but sometimes you need to evacuate your facility. But first, […]

USDA Awards $185M in Rural Community Facilities Funding

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is investing $185 million to equip, rebuild, and modernize facilities and essential services in rural areas of 32 states. According to the federal agency, the investments will benefit 3 million rural residents. “The Biden-Harris Administration has made investing in infrastructure improvements a priority,” says USDA Deputy Under […]