General Safety Guidelines:

http://www.ci.boston.ma.us/consumeraffairs/safetyguidelines.asp

=======================

Boston Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

http://www.angelfire.com/wv2/bostonlepc/

=======================

City of Boston
Emergency Storm Center

http://www.cityofboston.gov/storm/

========================

The Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Plan of Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts

http://www.dac.neu.edu/oehs/environ3.htm

========================

Harvard University
Generic Emergency Evacuation Plan
http://www-safety.deas.harvard.edu/Genepp.html

================================

Boston Emergency Medical Services Web
http://www.bostonems.com/links.html

================================

Boston News Articles:

MA State firms form groups for disaster response:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unitedstatesaction/message/7649

Anarchists Plan to Disrupt Boston Democratic Convention: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unitedstatesaction/message/7642

FBI probes possible threat on media at convention: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unitedstatesaction/message/7604

Boston to be blanketed by surveillance cameras during DNC: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unitedstatesaction/message/7531

================================
 

Portsmouth police, fire, hospital prepared to help out in any Boston emergency

By DOUGLAS P. GUARINO

Democrat Staff Writer


PORTSMOUTH — The Democratic National Convention in Boston next week is motivating emergency preparedness plans as far north as the Port City.

Various Portsmouth agencies, including Portsmouth Regional Hospital, the Portsmouth Police Department and the Portsmouth Fire Department, say they don’t expect anything to go wrong but are prepared for any emergencies that could result during or as a result of the convention.

None are planning staffing increases.

Dr. Donavon Albertson, medical director for the hospital’s department of emergency medicine, declined to provide all the details of the emergency plans, but said they have more to do with ensuring the hospital has effective ways to communicate with employees and increase its staffing levels quickly should an emergency arise.

The plans, Albertson said, are no different than how the hospital would prepare for a big NASCAR event, a University of New Hampshire graduation, or any other event in which large amounts of people gather in one place.

In any such situation, if something dramatic were to happen, be it a sudden outbreak of an illness, an explosion or an airplane flying into a crowd, the hospital would be prepared similarly to its response to a hurricane or other naturally occurring scenario, he said.

Any emergency, Albertson noted, would be "on CNN in about three seconds."

"We are basically functioning 24/7 in all-hazards preparedness mode," Albertson said. "That is our basic approach. We feel as prepared as we can be for whatever could happen."

Assistant Fire Chief Steve Achilles said his department would not do anything significantly different next week.

"We need to make plans and contingency plans for any emergency transport from our area to the Boston hospitals," Achilles said, adding the department will follow plans laid out by Massachusetts officials.

Given Portsmouth’s proximity to Interstate 95, Police Chief Michael Magnant said his department has to consider what effect a mass exodus or evacuation of Boston would have on the Seacoast area, particularly in the event of a terrorist incident.

"We have to consider the possibility of there being a large number of people that would seek hospital care," Magnant said, adding that his officers could assist in providing security at the hospital or with traffic control.

Magnant said his department has been in contact with the hospital, State Police, the Department of Public Works and the Seacoast Emergency Response Team to ensure they are all "on the same page."

But Magnant emphasized there is no cause for public alarm, saying he had no intelligence indicating anything is expected to go wrong.

"It’s a highly visible event, so we do need to be prepared," he said