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Amateur Radio Is There When All Else Fails

Roman Battaglia

August 18, 2019 |

Jefferson Public Radio |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: Puerto Rico

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, amateur radio help connect communities with emergency response teams. Across the United States, amateur radio stations are acting as frontline communication systems for those who have no other method of communication. Organizations like Oregon’s Jackson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service provides training and skill -building and -sharing for participants, who are then able to use those skills in an emergency or disaster.

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When Arizona catches fire, prisoners step up

Maya L. Kapoor

August 05, 2019 |

High Country News |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Arizona

As the cost of fighting wildfires rises and the number of firefighters declines, Arizona found a solution: paying incarcerated men and women to do the same job for just five percent of the standard rate for firefighting. Arizona’s Inmate Wildfire Program, while fundamentally exploitative, is seemingly more complex. Those that go through the program find a sense of meaning and are given the opportunity to learn leadership and teamwork skills – things they can translate in life upon release.

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Women lead the way in disaster preparedness, recovery in Odisha's Ganjam

Sahana Ghosh

June 03, 2019 |

Mongabay |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Ganjam, Odisha

A group of women in the state of Odisha, India works as the district's disaster responders in an area that has seen a record number of monsoons and other tropical storms. The women, many of whom live in the region's most vulnerable areas, act as ground-level support, evacuators, and trainers when a storm hits.

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Wildfire escape routes? There's (almost) an app for that.

Krista Langlois

May 23, 2019 |

High Country News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Durango, Colorado

Scientists and engineers in Colorado are developing an app that can help firefighters determine the safest routes to safety during wildfires. The app, currently in development, was created with data from another trail and hike tracking app and applied to analyze how long it would take a firefighter – given their unique equipment and uniforms – to escape wildfire.

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How pinwheels and Play-Doh could address post-tornado trauma in Lee County

Andrew Yawn

March 14, 2019 |

The Montgomery Advertiser |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Alabama

Comfort kits provide children with a therapeutic outlet during times of disaster recovery. With disaster relief often centered on adult needs, the kits of Play-Doh, books and various toys distributed in the aftermath of tornado damage in Lee County, Alabama, specifically address stressors borne by the youngest members of families.

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Winter Park patrollers stay on the cutting edge of avalanche rescue with C-RAD

Lance Maggart

March 03, 2019 |

Sky-Hi News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Winter Park, Colorado

In Colorado, Winter Park ski patrollers are making an effort to utilize the most effective avalanche safety training in order to create a more efficient and successful search and rescue team. Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment, or C-RAD, trains the patrollers to become part of a rapid avalanche deployment team, a unit that combines efforts of paramedics, rescue dogs and handlers, and avalanche technicians.

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A new laser-toting disaster lab aims to save lives by saving data

Hallie Golden

February 26, 2019 |

FastCompany |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington

Collecting data in the moments after a natural disaster occurs is key to understanding their impact as well as increasing preparedness. When a disaster strikes, the RAPID Facility, a partnership between several universities headquartered at the University of Washington, dispatches researchers armed with drones and other high tech to collect crucial data such as aerial photos of disaster zones, and 3D images of damage. RAPID then makes the data publicly available in an effort to improve hazard forecasts.

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How UNICEF sends lifesaving supplies anywhere within 48 hours

Melissa Locker

February 21, 2019 |

FastCompany |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Denmark, Copenhagen

UNICEF is owner of some of the world's largest humanitarian warehouses, where workers and automated robots work in tandem to ensure that the kits that can help children and families in emergencies are ready to go whenever they are needed. The robots help to pull out supplies and keep track of expiration dates, and UNICEF uses its purchasing power to "push for innovations" that help everyone in their mission.

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A year of disaster relief shows how important cash is in helping to rebuild

Ben Paynter

January 04, 2019 |

FastCompany |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Puerto Rico

Nonprofit organization Direct Relief is providing financial assistance to organizations and communities struck by natural disasters or extreme poverty, in addition to traditional goods like medicines, vaccines, and equipment. Realizing the sustainability of cash over goods, Direct Relief's funding has helped organizations staff up in times of crisis, or install long-term solutions like converting to solar energy.

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Cellphones made it harder for Denver's 911 call takers to track people down. Finally, that's starting to change.

Jesse Paul

November 23, 2018 |

The Colorado Sun |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Denver, Colorado

The same technology that helps companies like Uber find their customers is now available to public safety agencies to ensure accurate location detection from cell phone calls. Denver is among the first cities to implement the updated technology and since the city launched it in mid-2018, it has delivered an accuracy percentage in the 90s, which means first responders don't waste precious time trying to find someone in crisis. The key is for cell phone users to have updated operating systems.

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