At EDM Digest, Kimberly Arsenault writes about the effect of changing technology on airport emergency management, and the role of such facilities as part of the Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources under the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Infrastructure Protection.
Arsenault writes about how the need for upgrades can pose challenges to current emergency planning. “As these new technologies are introduced and upgrades occur, training, equipment, planning, and exercise needs are going to increase,” she writes. “It is important to address these needs during the development and planning stages of new systems and/or infrastructure upgrades to be certain that appropriate steps are taken to advance airport emergency management at the same pace.”
Adding to the challenge is the growing congestion, reduced revenues and, therefore, funding for smaller hubs, as well as other demands at airports around the country that are placing stresses on emergency management efforts, says Arsenault, who points to recent threat incidents at airports such as the recent event at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport where five people were killed when a gunman opened fire.
Source:
http://edmdigest.com/resources/education/transportation-infrastructure-airports/
