HOMELAND DEFENSE

& Security Digest

16 JANURARY 2024

HDIAC collects and publishes articles related to our technical focus areas on the web to share with the DoD community.

FEATURED ARTICLE

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Improving the Financial Resilience of Public Entities and Individuals for Natural Disasters

Individuals and state and local governments (public entities) incur losses associated with natural disasters. For individuals, there are costs associated with evacuating, possible periods of unemployment, and costs associated with physical damage caused by the event, much of which is uninsured loss. Similarly, public entities incur damage to public buildings and public utilities and tax…

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Featured Notable Technical Inquiry

Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Sections 301-303

EPCRA Sections 301-303 focus on chemical emergency preparedness and involve state and tribal emergency response commissions and local and tribal emergency planning committees. Emergency plans created under these sections are generally intended to be accessible to the public, with some exceptions for sensitive or classified information. The act’s primary goal is to inform the public about hazardous chemicals in their communities and ensure that emergency…

UPCOMING WEBINAR

Picture of a person handing out fruit to a group of children. The only items visible are the hands of the provider with an orange fruit and the children reaching.

2026 Public Health Tabletop Exercise

PLEASE NOTE:  THIS TRAINING IS A VIRTUAL EVENT THIS YEAR. The training will be held virtually again this year. A number of virtual breakout rooms and one “plenary” room will be created. Prior to the course start, registrants will receive the links to each room.  This training will include scenarios and presentations on novel concepts…

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A U.S. Army reserve soldier participates in a CBRN exercise, wearing a gas mask and orange helmet.

CBRNe Convergence Knoxville 2026

Join CBRNe Convergence Knoxville 2026 for great speakers and exhibitors. More information to come!

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A racoon dressed in boots, jeans, and a jacket, strapped with a bomb and standing in front of a red Canadian maple leaf.

CBRNe Convergence Canada 2026

CBRNe Convergence Canada 2026 will be heading to Toronto for the 4th CBRNe Convergence Canada event. This years event will feature expert speakers discussing relevant topics, workshops, capability demo and the largest CBRN/Hazmat exhibition in Canada.  

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Moshan Kahandawala, Ph. D.

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A bin filled with plastic bottles.

What is the role of cutinases or esterase activity on biodegradation of man-made structures?

The biodegradation of synthetic polymers is a key element for achieving a circular economy with high material reuse and environmentally friendly waste products.  Laccase enzymes, which play a key role in lignin degradation, have been shown to degrade high-molecular-weight polyethylene (PE) and nylon-66 membranes using a laccase-mediator system.  Additionally, esterases and cutinases are known to…

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Two U.S. Army soldiers in gas masks with yellow smoke surrounding them in a simulated chemical attack exercise

What are choking agents?

There are three main kinds of choking agents:  (1) ammonia, (2) chlorine gas, and (3) phosgene. Symptoms vary by agent type, severity, dosage, and exposure route (inhalation, ingestion, skin, and eyes) [2]. General symptoms applicable to all choking agents include, but are not limited to, irritation of the airway; difficulty breathing; accumulation of fluid in…

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A USAF medic applies moulage around the eyes of another medic ahead of a simulated blister agent attack exercise

What are blister agents?

There are three main types of blister agents: (1) sulfur mustard, (2) mustard-lewisite mixture, and (3) lewisite. The onset and severity of symptoms for each blister agent are dose- and route-dependent (inhalation, ingestion, skin, or eyes). General symptoms of blister agents include tissue damage, cell death, DNA damage, shortness of breath, severe cough, lung damage,…

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HDIAC Primer - Nerve Agents

What are nerve agents?

Nerve agents listed as Schedule 1 agents by the Chemical Weapons Convention include (1) tabun (GA), (2) sarin (GB), (3) soman (GD), (4) VX, and (5) cyclosarin [2]. Each has its own distinct physical properties but produces similar symptoms. Constriction of pupils (miosis), clouded vision, runny nose, tight chest, shortness of breath, headache, salivation, muscle…

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What information is available for M61 filter breakthrough times?

The M61 filter canister is fielded to the U.S. military for use with the M50 joint service general purpose mask. The filter canister is designed to receive incremental upgrades as new materials and designs are developed. Since their fielding in the late 2000s, various tests have been conducted to measure the breakthrough time of the…

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What information is available regarding resources and training for medics to perform in austere environments and conduct prolonged care?

The Homeland Defense & Security Information Analysis Center (HDIAC) was asked to provide resources and trainings available for medics to perform in austere environments and conduct prolonged care. Military medical professionals must often provide prolonged care in austere environments that have a lack of resources and pose logistical challenges and potential dangers. Therefore, it is…

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UPCOMING EVENTS

2025 Advanced Functional Fabrics Summit

This event gathers Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) members and the greater ecosystem from across the United States each year at the Advanced Functional Fabric Summit. Attendees will learn about new advanced fiber and…

Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference & Exhibition

Explore the innovations that will help shape national security for the next century at NDIA’s flagship Emerging Technologies Conference! Hear directly from technology leaders in government, defense industry, the commercial sector, and academia on cutting-edge…

GridSecCon 2025

NERC, the E-ISAC, and WECC are cohosting the 14th annual Grid Security Conference, GridSecCon, from October 7-10 in Las Vegas. Join cyber and physical security leaders for four days of collaboration, networking, and expert training…

TechNet Indo-Pacific 2025

TechNet Indo-Pacific is the largest strategic event of its kind in the Indo-Pacific Rim. USINDOPACOM works closely with partners to enable resilient, survivable and secure collaboration across the spectrum of contingencies. TechNet Indo-Pacific, now in…

Voice From the Community

Dr. Robert Hayes
Dr. Robert Hayes

Associate Professor, North Carolina (NC) State University

Dr. Hayes is an associate professor of nuclear engineering at NC State University, where he focuses on novel shielding technology, radiological air monitoring and retrospective dosimetry for nuclear safety, nonproliferation, emergency response, and radiation protection applications. He is a licensed professional engineer in nuclear engineering, certified health physicist through the American Board of Health Physics, and a fellow of the American Physical and Health Physics Societies. He also serves on the Advisory Council for Nuclear Security for the administrator of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.

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