Community-Based Preparedness

Naloxone, the medication that is used in event of an opioid overdose, was used by physicians, paramedics, some law enforcement, and other trained first responders; however, it is now available as an over the counter nasal spray, which can be used without special medical training. This is an…

Deaths among homeless people have increased by 76% in the past five years, surpassing the growth of homeless populations. In Los Angeles County, a record number of 918 homeless people have died last year, found on sidewalks, benches, and various public areas. Particularly, the death rates of…

-- CNN On Tuesday, April 9, New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, declared a public health emergency because of the measles outbreak and has issued an order for mandatory vaccinations in certain neighborhoods. According to the CDC, 465 cases of measles have been reported this year and New York…

There is a growing consensus that California must take on a more aggressive approach in its forest management to prevent wildfires through prescribed burns and vegetation removal. According to Cal Fire and the Board of Forestry, about 23 million acres of land would benefit from these measures.…

With the last major earthquake of magnitude 6 or stronger in Napa five years ago and deficit of earthquakes in California in the last 100 years, seismic experts are warning of the end of the calm. Many seismologists are worried that the lack of urgency in earthquake preparedness could devastate the…

A new ordinance approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor expands the existing ban on tobacco smoking at public beaches, parks, and government building exteriors to include electronic cigarettes and marijuana. Additionally, this ordinance extends the ban to indoor and outdoor areas of…

With multiple casualty incidents becoming a common phenomenon, the Missouri EMS system has developed a unique solution to combat the difficulty of suddenly transporting and treating dozens of patients. A school bus has been converted into an ambulance with the ability to transport 12 patients to…

Mary Beth Sheridan and Mariana Zuniga — The Washington Post The recent blackout in Venezuela has caused at least 17 reported deaths at hospitals due to the power outages. Hospitals have been left to use their generators (if they even have one), and all public transportation has been stopped due…

Amidst the nationwide power outage in Venezuela, opposition leader, Juan Guaido, has reported at least 17 deaths at hospitals due to the blackout; however, these deaths are unconfirmed. Many hospitals are currently relying on emergency generators, and some facilities no longer have running water.…

-- NBC News One of the largest power outages in years hit Venezuela causing 22 out of 23 states to lose electricity. Though blackouts have become more frequent due to a collapsing economy, President Nicolas Maduro’s government blames the United States for sabotaging the hydroelectric Guri Dam as…

The Metropolitan Medical Directors Coalition also called the "Eagles" had their annual gathering with 70 medical directors from the most populated metropolitan EMS systems on February 27th. Together, this team oversees the prehospital emergency medical care of 114 million people in the United…

According to a report from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, there were over 6,200 pedestrian deaths last year, setting a 28-year high. Particularly, the number of SUVs involved in pedestrian deaths increased by 50 percent since 2013. The association urges for better road infrastructure,…

The Guardian: A brutal heatwave is passing over Southern Australia, leading officials to declare a code red. Temperatures are expected to stay above 35 degrees Celsius for the week. The code red allows the government to release extra funds to protect at risk individuals. Click here to learn more.

-- CNN This past weekend, flooding in Tennessee killed one person because of intense rainfall this month. This month was Nashville’s wettest February in the past 100 years. On Saturday, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) declared a state of emergency. For the full article…