First Responder Communities of Practice

Here are some updates about the Department of Homeland Security sponsored First Responder Communities of Practice:

"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) created First Responder Communities of Practice to provide a platform for the emergency response community to collaborate across jurisdictions and disciplines. Members can stay in touch with colleagues, seek answers from subject matter experts, use their own expertise to answer others' questions, access critical documents, form communities around specific projects or areas of interest related to homeland security, and stay informed about the latest tools, technologies, and information in their fields.

Here are some of the latest developments from the communities:

• The DHS Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG) held its monthly meeting this week. They plan to release a social media guidance document shortly, which will provide guidance and use cases for agencies that are starting to use social media to better connect with the public and fulfill their missions. Join their collaboration space, the Make America Safer through Social Media community.
• VSMWG members participated on a panel discussion at the Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness Conference and Expo (TCIP) 2011 on the growing use of social media by emergency managers. Meeting notes from the event will be posted soon in the Make America Safer through Social Media community.
• Members of the Wildland Fire community are sharing examples of geographic information system (GIS) mapping during wildfire incidents. Do you have any experience that you can contribute? Check out the Wildland Fire community wall today and share!
• The AgroSecurity and Rural Readiness community has just launched. This new community is focused on the resilience of both agriculture and rural communities that are agriculture-dependent. Members discuss the challenges of preparedness and response to natural, accidental and man-made incidents that could threaten the viability of life, infrastructure and the production of crucial food and fiber needed for local and national security."

For more information, or to join, go here.