Terrorism is an unfortunate reality throughout the world, but one for which the U.S. healthcare system prepares on a continuing basis. To effectively treat the masses in case of a tragic event, medical settings must consistently strive for high leadership standards, communication mastery and offer comprehensive care.

RICHMOND – Nine persons ranging in age of 19 years to 85 years old died this past week in a traffic crash on a Virginia highway. Of those nine persons, only the 19-year-old Chesterfield County male was wearing a seat belt. With travel forecasts calling for a record volume of Thanksgiving week traffic, the Virginia State Police are issuing a challenge to all drivers and passengers – Drive to Save Lives.

ALBANY — Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, and Thanksgiving sees many more fires than any other day of the year.

That's the message the Firemen's Association of the State of New York sends in advance to this Thursday's holiday in hopes of helping New Yorkers stay safe.

National Fire Protection Association statistics show that 1,550 home fires occurred across the country on Thanksgiving in 2013, 230 percent above normal, a press release from FASNY said.

(TNS) -- NYPD Commissioner William Bratton appealed to Silicon Valley Monday, urging the manufacturers of encryption software to help law enforcement agencies monitor terrorist activity by allowing them intercept capabilities.

Speaking on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" the dark technology that law enforcement suspects was used to plan the attacks on Paris, Bratton said tracking terrorists with technology is becoming more and more difficult because of end-to-end encryption.

LAS VEGAS—In the wake of the terror attacks in Paris, the nation’s local emergency managers are gathered in a “Paris” ballroom (at the hotel in Las Vegas). While the location was a coincidence, a focus on responding to acts of terrorism is by design.

Al-Qaeda’s quest for “spectacular” attacks on the homeland has morphed into ISIS’ more pragmatic goal: to terrorize by any means possible. And the terrorists who struck Friday in Paris achieved that goal as grief and fear have gripped that city.

WASHINGTON – A pair of transportation projects that put two local roads on a diet is receiving a national award.

The D.C. region is notorious for terrible traffic, especially parts of northern Virginia, but there have been some innovative ideas aimed at relieving congestion and improving road safety.

On Monday, VDOT was recognized with a national award for the Reston “road diets” projects.

Congratulations Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications!! 

Every man, woman and child in the United States and Canada will dial 911 at least twice in their lifetime on average. Whether faced with a large-scale emergency situation in the wake of a natural disaster or simply reporting a property crime, the only thing that connects people to the emergency fire, police and EMS assistance they need are the dedicated 911 dispatchers working in emergency call centers across the nation.

(GAINESVILLE, Va.) - The Northern Virginia Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Council, Inc. recognized the exceptional level of service shown by EMS personnel at the council’s regional awards ceremony held June 25, 2015 at the Fairfax Fire Station 403.

“The regional EMS award winners show an outstanding level of dedication and commitment to excellence, which is responsible for the extraordinary emergency response system serving Northern Virginia,” said Todd Lupton, president of the Northern Virginia EMS Council.

Where are the big city emergency managers of tomorrow to come from?

That’s a question that Target and Big City Emergency Managers (BCEM) a nonprofit group of emergency managers in the 15 largest U.S. cities are helping to answer. Since 2010, Target and BCEM have hosted the annual “Emerging Leaders” training program at the retailer’s Minneapolis headquarters.

If I could say just three words to prepare someone for disaster it would be these: Disasters change things. All of the reasons for not being prepared, and for not following emergency instructions in a disaster (too hard, too expensive, no need), are tied to those words.