http://popularlogistics.com the intersection of emergency preparedness, public health and environmental policy Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:33:53 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Barry Meier wrote this excellent overview of the medical helicopter industry, which followed two excellent pieces by John Dougherty. From Meier's piece: The fatal collision Sunday between two medical helicopters in Arizona was the sixth crash involving the emergency helicopters since May, making the last two months one of the deadliest ... http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/05/safety-of-medical-helicopters-nyt-coverage/ In a country so harsh about other matters of personal autonomy (sex, in particular) I found it surprising that Iran would have a progressive syringe exchange policy and and a fairly gentle drug regime. From Nazila Fathi's June 27th piece in the Times, "Iran Fights Scourge of Addiction in Plain ... http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/05/irans-surprising-non-punitive-addiction-treatment-strategy/ Ann Farmer, in the Times, ("In the Metal Recycling Business, It’s Loud, Dirty and Suddenly Lucrative") reports that the price of scrap metal has more than doubled in a year. From Farmer's piece dated June 27th: Bob Rommeney steered his flatbed truck into a scrap-metal recycling ... http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/04/nytimes-scrap-metal-has-doubled-in-price/ Kirkwood Community College, particularly its veterinary science program, is sheltering hundreds of pets displaced by the floods. According to this story by Kathy Kaiser, of the Kirkwood News Service: A dedicated team at Kirkwood Community College has taken in hundreds of pets rescued from the record flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. ... http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/04/kirkwood-community-college-in-cedar-rapids-housing-displaced-pets-helping-to-reunite-owners-and-pets/ Ken Belson of the Times reported in June that state investigators had "suggested ... ways that Consolidated Edison and the New York City Fire Department can better coordinate their response to gas leaks." After a seven-month investigation, the Public Service Commission is recommending that the utility ask firefighters to remain ... http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/04/con-ed-urged-to-improve-its-response-to-gas-leaks/ Mahesh Basantani at Inhabitat reports that SolarLab, in London, is working on a solar rickshaw. We've written before about the Serpentine Shuttle - also by SolarLab - a solar ferry boat which collects enough power that it has reserves for night operation and returns power to the grid. (Thought ... http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/02/inhabitat_ahead-of-the-curve/ Michael Milstein reports in Popular Mechanics on four robotic systems being used to clean up waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington State. Here's one. Check out Milstein's article for the rest. http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/01/robots-designed-for-nuclear-waste-cleanup-popular-mechanics/ Thanks to Futurismic for their post - The Mosquitoes Are Coming! reports Futurismic, based in Wisconsin, where the record rainfalls over the past month have become something of a concern. The biggest water-related concern Southeast Wisconsin - Milwaukee in specific - has had in the last 20 years is the cryptosporidium scare ... http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/01/futurismic_west_nile/ Patrick McGeehan of the Times City Room Blog reports that A few business executives have dreamed up a private-sector solution to the problem of secure bicycle parking in New York: the city's first bikes-only parking lot. They have a space on West 33rd Street. All they need is a corporation willing ... http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/01/patrick-mcgeehan-nyt-a-bikes-only-parking-lot-in-midtown/ From the indispensable folks at Popular Mechanics. Seems worth having in a go-bag. Since we're of the belief that "go" should be organized in groups, with great attention paid to weight - we're reluctant to suggest one in every go bag - but one or two in every group seems ... http://popularlogistics.com/2008/07/01/channellock-6-in-1-emergency-tool/