This week on Mitigation Journal The All Hazards Podcast:
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Fuel issues demand attention: Fuel costs are reaching farther than just prices at the pump...consider the possibility that you may not be able to get fuel at all or only on a limited basis. How will this impact the ability of your service? How will this effect your personnel availability to respond or be called back to work when needed?
We also have to consider the average citizen stockpile of fuel, use of unapproved alternate fuels and the related hazards to responders.

We'll find out a bit more about the Ricin Guy...talk about ricin exposure and the signs and symptoms of ricin intoxication.

Last week I talked about the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing...I was reminded this week that March 25, 1995 was the anniversary of the Tokyo subway sarin nerve agent attack. Special thanks to MJ listener, Tom for keeping me on my toes.

In a related story, a 14-year old girl commits suicide by creating poison gas...a blood agent, hydrogen sulphide. H2S is a blood agent, similar to Cyanide.

Both these events underscore the need for us to be aware that the Consumer-Level Hazardous Materials Events are deadly...can be intentional or accidental...but deadly.

First off, the Ricin guy (the guy who had ricin, weapons in a LosVagas hotel) is out of the hospital...after treatment for ricin exposure...and has been placed under arrest for possession of biological agents. This is the story first reported in Mitigation Journal back in February...The media reported that finding ricin in the hotel was "not an act of terrorism"...The tune has changed just a bit with this guys arrest. This story is the first to two I Told You So's this week.
 
A Johns Hopkins study is looking at psychological impact changes when the terrorism alert level changes. Good study, just looking in the wrong direction. We should be focused on the Cry Wolf phenomenon and dealing with Optimism Bias.

A new (old) way of identifying risk/threat to a location. University of Arizona researchers have come up with a benchmark vulnerability study that looks at three dimensions of risk...social aspects, natural hazards and construction of the city and infrastructure. This is one of the best approaches to threat assessments...but it is not new...Looking at the social, environmental and geographical features of a given location are the basis for the All-Hazards approach.

I Told You So number two: Botox is bad...no kidding. Newsweek reports that new testing on Botox and Myobloc can migrate from the injection site and cause death. Botox is botox and neurotoxin is neurotoxin.

April 19 marks the 13th anniversary of the Murrah Federal Building / Oklahoma City bombing. The deadliest act of domestic terrorism in our history. Lessons learned? You decide.

This edition is all about our local EMS conference...A.K.A the STEP Conference. Now in its fourteenth year, this conference is the single best attended educational program in the Region.

Today I'll be providing a review of some of the sessions, interviews with speakers and vendors...if you couldn't make it this year, you'll get a feeling for what you missed!

There was so much to do this weekend...I spoke with a number of providers at the STEP conference, but ran out of time to get them all on the show. If we talked at the conference, please tune in next week...I'll have your interview up then.

Check out STEP on the WEB at www.stepems.org
Looking for a change in your EMS career? Check out Canandaigua Emergency Squad...Job opening for EMS Sergeant. www.canandaiguaems.org

Here it is! My top products list from EMS Today 2008. Categories are Education and Training, Provider Safety, Infection Control, Patient Care, and Disaster Management.

In the Education/Training Category the top pick is Jones and Bartlett Publishers for their new on-line test prep, EMS skill manual, and Firefighter skills text. Contact Larry Newell, Executive VP of Jones and Bartlett Learning lnewell@jbpub.com or the web www.jbpub.com

In the Provider Safety section, Dan White from All-Med/Alliance Medical took the top spot for several provider safety items...from head to toe...the best protection. You can get all of Dan's info at his Paramedic Blog at http://phillydan.spaces.live.com/

In the area of infection control Union Springs Pharmaceuticals, the makers of MyClyns protective spray get the high marks! Special thanks to Jim Elliot and Joel Ivers...find them at www.myclyns.com

My top pick in patient care products was the Ready-Heat blanket by TechTrade. Contact Ted Bart ted@techtradellc.com and www.techtradellc.com

The best product in Disaster Management goes to Reeves and the emergency shelters...you can find them at www.reevesEMS.com or contact Lynn at lpiacentini@reevesemes.com

In the Operation Section I thought the Controlled Access Product Dispenser hit the mark. Visit www.ucapit.com

Don't forget...all my photos and some typed notes will be posted on our Mitigation Journal blog at www.mitigationjournal.blogspot.com