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Ending America’s Energy Insecurity: Why Electric Vehicles Should Drive the United States to Energy Independenc e

February 19, 2013 Comments off

Ending America’s Energy Insecurity: Why Electric Vehicles Should Drive the United States to Energy Independence

Source: Homeland Security Affairs

The homeland/national security threat posed by the United States’ dependence on foreign oil has been part of the American discourse for years; yet nothing has been done. No pragmatic, realistic step-by-step plan has been pursued to end this scourge on the American people. The solution can be found in the problem. Net imports of oil account for approximately 50 percent of the oil the United States consumes. Likewise, 50 percent of oil consumed in the United States is consumed as motor gasoline. If, overnight, the United States stopped using oil to power its unleaded gasoline driven vehicles, if overnight drivers switched to electric vehicles, then overnight the United States would become energy independent. Using historical data to establish the effect of gasoline price changes on consumer vehicle choice, a predictive model has been created showing the expected switch to electric vehicles if the price of gasoline increases and the cost of electric vehicles decreases. There is a cost to energy independence: two to five dollars per gallon of retail gasoline sold. If monies raised from the tax are used to lower the price of electric vehicles, build recharge infrastructure, and dampen the regressive nature of the tax, energy independence is a few short years away.

Categories: energy, Homeland Security Affairs, motor vehicles, national security

Evacuation and Sheltering of People with Medical Dependencies – Knowledge Gaps and Barriers to National Prepar edness

February 6, 2013 Comments off

Evacuation and Sheltering of People with Medical Dependencies – Knowledge Gaps and Barriers to National Preparedness

Source: Homeland Security Affairs

Emergency plans are mandated by a number of federal regulations, often with conflicting definitions, to incorporate people with medical dependencies. However targeted planning for this segment is presently hampered by substantial knowledge deficits defining this population and the potential resource requirements in a disaster. These gaps prevent the development of evidence-based best practices for locating, communicating with, transporting, sheltering, and ensuring the safe recovery of those with medical dependencies. The authors discuss the knowledge gaps in preparing for this population and propose solutions to fill these gaps in order to facilitate enhanced preparedness for people with medical dependencies.

Categories: disabilities, government and politics, Homeland Security Affairs, natural disasters, public safety
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