In California there's an opportunity to lead the nation in building resilience

The scourge of wildfires yet again in California has the hallmarks of recurrent disaster nightmare for America’s most populous state. Last year’s fire season — in which the Camp Fire took more than 80 lives in the devastated town of Paradise alone — may have been the first glimpse into a future of almost dystopian threats to communities throughout the state, and the nation. However, from understanding the complexity of the causes of these events, there is an opportunity to re-write the way California approaches wildfires. In doing so, they can also provide a much needed roadmap for resilience for the rest of the nation.

OC Disaster Alert System Lags

With the onset of the traditional fire season this fall, there are serious questions about whether Orange County cities and emergency agencies are ready.

Earlier this year, Orange County grand jury officials took a look at the county’s wildfire preparedness and found systemic problems.

California blackouts are a planned disaster

Loss of economic activity because businesses can’t open, schools closed, perishable foods going bad, mobile phones can’t be charged and people with medical dependencies unable to plug in life sustaining equipment. These are all things that are commonly seen in the aftermath of a disaster that can hinder a community’s recovery and even lead to additional injuries and deaths. In the case of California’s blackouts, these effects are occurring in the name of preventing disasters.

The other existential threat candidates must confront

It now seems within the realm of possibility that over the next few years, the most important nuclear arms control treaties -- negotiated among the world's nuclear powers over nearly four decades of painstaking diplomacy -- will have expired or been eliminated. This would open the floodgates to a 21st century arms race that could be far more chaotic and dangerous than what threatened the world following World War II.

How Florida is Preparing for Hurricane Dorian

Dr, Irwin Redlener, joined MSNBC's Ayman Mohyeldin to discuss how well prepared Florida is for the incoming hurricane as well as how Tropical Storm Dorian tested Puerto Rico’s recovery since Hurricane Maria.

Health screenings help kids succeed in the classroom

A child’s wellness can have a significant impact on that child’s performance in the classroom, those in the education field tell us.

That’s why we continue to be ardent supporters of health screenings – including eye and ear checkups – for kids before they go back to school.

Mass shootings: Reassuring Children After a Traumatic Event

America is reckoning with two new mass shootings, one in Dayton, Ohio and the other in El Paso, Texas – believed to be the eighth deadliest in modern U.S. history.

While processing the constant stream of disturbing media, parents must also anticipate the needs of their children by helping them process the upsetting news.

Our planet is in crisis. But until we call it a crisis, no one will listen.

When Senator Kamala Harris was asked about climate change during the Democratic debate in June, she did not mince words. “I don’t even call it climate change,” she said. “It’s a climate crisis.”

She’s right – and we, at Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness, wish more people would call this crisis what it is.

Is New York Ready for the Next Big Hurricane?

In late November 2012, Hurricane Sandy took New York by storm. Since then, the city has been working to fortify its defenses to protect both its people and infrastructure from the next big hurricane. But as we plunge into the seventh hurricane season post-Sandy, the question remains: Are we ready?

Sanctuary Magazine Special Issue: Celebrating the Men in Our Lives

Nancy Burger, senior editor of Sanctuary Magazine, talked to Dr. Redlener about his lifelong mission to support the medically underserved in this country and his co-creation of the Children's Health Fund.