Federal and State Quarantine and Isolation Authority
Overly cautious responses to the recent Ebola epidemic have led many to ask exactly what authority to governments have to restrict the movements of those who might have been exposed. This report from the Congressional Research Service outlines state and federal public health laws related to quarantine and gives a roundup of the constitutional implications of restricting individual liberty.
Emergency Preparedness and Response Resources for Childcare Programs
All businesses should have emergency plans, but for those that care for children, knowing what to do in a disaster is especially important. Daycare facilities large and small will benefit from this newly released guide from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Childcare. The guide, which is available in English or Spanish, details steps caregivers can take to before, during, and after disasters to keep kids—and their businesses—safe.
Hashtag Standards for Emergencies
Any organization that has wrestled with creating social media policies will appreciate the thought that went into this UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs brief. The report includes background info on social media and hashtag usage and proposes creating three primary hashtag types—tags created for public reporting of events, those named for the disasters they monitor, and tags that would prompt and emergency response. Hashtag monitoring and limitations of a hashtag system are also included.
Mapgive
It doesn’t take much to give good map, but you might be surprised by the good it can do. This U.S. Department of State Humanitarian Information Unit site will give you all the info you need to become part of the online mapping community. Learn about sites that tap ordinary Internet users to help define roads, structures, and land features on satellite image and how the newly defined maps can inform environmental and crisis decisionmaking.
Sickweather
Sunny with a chance of chickenpox? This app will let you know. Sickweather scans publically available social media for reports of illness, maps it, and let’s you know when clouds of illness are on the horizon or even right down the street. Available for Android and iPhones, Sickweather is the latest way to stay ahead of the cold and flu season.