Community-Based Preparedness

In 2021, Los Angeles had a 22% increase in traffic deaths and the highest death toll from traffic fatalities in the past two decades. Half of those killed were not in vehicles and were either pedestrians or bicyclists. Los Angeles Department of Transportation's spokesperson, Colin Sweeney, says…

To prepare for severe winter storms, one thing the CDC suggests is to have one's vehicle serviced regularly. Things to pack in the car include nonperishable, high energy food such as granola bars, bottled water, first aid kits, warm clothing, flashlights with batteries, jumper cables, and…

In addition to the free COVID tests available to order across the United States, free N-95 masks are now available. The initiative is part of President Biden's plan to distribute 400 million free N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile through pharmacies and community health centers.…

Beginning January 19, Americans will be able to request free COVID-19 tests through the US government's new website, covidtests.gov. Ordered tests are scheduled for delivery within seven to twelve days. There will initially be a maximum of four tests per residential household. The White House will…

The gun violence epidemic in the United States has raised concerns on how acts of violence could be prevented. Specifically, in schools, students and staff have important roles to recognize signs to prevent incidents from occurring. First, school safety experts say to notice sharp changes in…

In the U.K., students are leading the Night In protest to urge bar and club staff to receive better training to reduce incidents of contaminating drinks and "needle spiking", where someone is injected with drugs without their knowledge. Police reports show that in the past two months, there has…

There has been more than a 40% increase in emissions amidst the congestion at Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Chris Chavez, deputy policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air, indicates that the Long Beach port does not meet national air quality standards. The lower air quality could be…

Three California hospitals, two in Bakersfield and one in Redding, are receiving assistance from the National Guard amidst another surge of Covid-19 hospitalizations. These hospitals, like many others nationwide, are facing staffing shortages. Rural parts of California are facing intense COVID-19…

The Pentagon is temporarily extending FireGuard, a surveillance program that provides military and government satellite images to firefighters to implement effective firefighting strategies and evacuations. FireGuard was scheduled to end on September 30th, 2021, but its temporary renewal will last…

Due to the rise of Asian American hate crimes in the United States following the official announcement of the pandemic, many Asian Americans have began to take protective measures by purchasing guns. Gun sales have increased, however, many urge that this is not the solution. Gun violence and safety…

China recently launched a rocket to space, but unfortunately, the booster that detached was moving fast enough to go into orbit around the earth. Eventually, it will leave its orbit after circling the earth approximately 30 times, becoming one of the largest instances of reentry to Earth of a…

Residents in Manatee County, Florida have been evacuated over Easter weekend due to the potential leakage of contaminated wastewater at a former phosphate plant. Decades prior, phosphate was mined there for fertilizer use. Since the plant's closure in 2001, there remains three phosphogypsum stacks…

In the Coachella Valley, located in California’s Riverside County, the county health department has opened up pop-up vaccination sites to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to farmworkers, regardless of their age or health conditions. This program which began in January this year is helping contain the…

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released a National Risk Index map, created by 80 experts over 6 years. Taking into account community resilience and 18 natural disasters, the map has ranked Los Angeles County as having the highest risk in the United States. Some of the natural…