Public Safety
Public Safety
Looking for resources to cover the pandemic? Check out this page.
RECENT ADDITIONS
Acos Alliance: Freelance Journalist Safety Principles
GIJN: 10 Investigative Questions to Ask When Covering a Natural Disaster
The Murder Accoutability Project
A nonprofit group organized in 2015 and dedicated to educate Americans on the importance of accurately accounting for unsolved homicides within the United States. It pullsinformation from federal, state and local governments about unsolved homicides and to publish this information. The Project’s Board of Directors is composed of retired law enforcement investigators, investigative journalists, criminologists and other experts on various aspects of homicide.
The Journalist’s Resource: Seat Belt Use in America: A Primer and Research Roundup
PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES
RJI: A Checklist Can Minimize Risks of Journalists Covering Natural Disasters
RCFP: Police, Protesters and the Press
The guide “aims to help journalists understand their rights at protests and avoid arrest when reporting on these events. It summarizes the legal landscape and provides strategies and tools to help journalists avoid incidents with police and navigate them successfully should they arise.” It should be noted that the guide does not replace the legal advice of an attorney.
Muckrack: Guide for Journalists Covering Protests
Washington Post: State-by-State Gun Control Legislation
Alligator fatal attacks and encounters with humans: Historical data and research
From Journalist’s Resource at Harvard University.
Fatal Pit Bull Attacks Archive
Dog Bite Law
This is an attorney’s website, but it has many links to facts, figures and laws about dog bites.
Journalist’s Resource: Data and Research on Children Left in Hot Cars
Journalist’s Resource: Research on Climate Change and Natural Disasters
TrollBusters: Global Safety Resource Hub
Dubbed as “online pest control for journalists.”
OnTheMap for Emergency Management
Access detailed U.S. Census Bureau reports on the workforce and population for current natural hazard and emergency related events.
JournoResource: Are Major Cities the Safest Place to Be?
Rural vs. urban safety rates.
International Media Support Group: Journalist Safety
Medical training, how to set up a live shot, covering protests, etc.
GIJN: Guide to Investigating Methane
Video: Live Shot Safety
Tips for broadcasters on how to safely set up a live shot.
ProPublica Nursing Home Inspection Reports
GIJN: Tips for Interviewing Trauma Victims
Reporting on Sexual Violence in Conflict
An excellent resource from Dart Center Europe.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Newseum: Covering a Catastrophe
A teaching portal on how to handle coverage of catastrophic events.
FDA Food and Drug Import Refusals
Dart Center: Tips for Interviewing Victims of Tragedy, Witnesses, and Survivors
Recalls.gov
View recall announcements once they go public: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, etc.
JournoResource: Disaster and Recovery Research
From Harvard’s Shorenstein Center.
Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
From the World Security Institute, this site provides in-depth resources on global affairs.
Fire Safety Research Institute
ProPublica: Best Reporting on Guns in America
Homeland Security Digital Library
Search engine allows you to scan more than 30 homeland security blogs.
The Journalist’s Resource: Seat Belt Use in America: A Primer and Research Roundup
Office of National Drug Control Policy
GOOD: When To Taste or Toss Your Leftovers
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Has a great links, press and glossary sections.
Office of National Drug Control Policy
National Academy of Sciences: U.S. Earthquake Resilience Needs Strengthening
Theme Park Insider
Robert Niles’ site on theme parks, including safety information.
Alliance of Information and Referral Systems
The professional association for over 1,200 community Information and Referral (I&R) providers, primarily in the United States and Canada.
Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool
Analyze college campus crime statistics with this resource from the Office of Postsecondary Education, part of the U.S. Department of Education.
MSNBC Bridge Tracker
The map shows the condition and inspection dates for more than 100,000 bridges in the U.S. that are crossed by at least 10,000 vehicles per day. The records come from the latest National Bridge Inventory, as analyzed by msnbc.com. Inspections through 2006 are included. Only bridges, on/off ramps and overpasses within .2 miles of your chosen route are shown. The locations were provided by state departments of transportation.
The Food and Environment Reporting Network
Claims to be an independent, non-profit news organization that does investigative work on agriculture, environmental health and food.
Transportation for America: The State of Our Bridges
Association of State Dam Safety Officials
Journalism.co.uk: How to Report on Online Hate Groups Safely
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
James F. Foley Foundation Journalism Safety Modules
A downloadable .PDF of tips and resources to keep journalists safe when doing their jobs.
James F Foley Foundation Journalist Safety Curricula
Insurance Information Institute
Public safety, crime and other stats.
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Parenting Squad: Top 10 Tech Safety Tips for Parents of Tweens and Teens
Automobile.com
Car reviews, directories, safety, studies, etc.
Center for Science in the Public Interest’s Food Additives Guide
NatureServe.org
Offers data, information on conservation issues, nature safety and global warming issues.
Collision Safety Institute
Dozens of helpful stats, research projects and reports.
WHO@ (Working to Halt Online Abuse)
Resources, stats, facts and protection tips about online stalking.
Drug Policy Facts
Provides information from authoritative sources, with full citations, on important issues related to drug control policies and the failed drug war.
Consumerist Archives
Link to archived Consumerist site (corporate watchdog site).
National Youth Sports Safety Foundation
State-by-State Listings of Tattoo Laws
Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network
Global Power Plants
Download a spreadsheet of locations and data on power plants around the world.
National Coalition of Homeless Veterans
Department of Energy: EnergyStar Site
Helps teach businesses and individuals how to conserve energy. Good for tips and demands on the power grid during a heat wave, etc.
Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions
Looks at demands on power grid.
Leapfrog Group: Hospital Safety Score
Enter a zip code or location to get overall scores.
GIJN: A Guide to Tracking Aircraft Around the World
Highway Safety Research Center
Based at the University of North Carolina, this organization conducts interdisciplinary research aimed at reducing deaths, injuries, and related societal costs of roadway crashes. Research examines motor vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian crashes, taking into account human, vehicular, roadway and environmental factors.
The Murder Accoutability Project
A nonprofit group organized in 2015 and dedicated to educate Americans on the importance of accurately accounting for unsolved homicides within the United States. It pullsinformation from federal, state and local governments about unsolved homicides and to publish this information. The Project’s Board of Directors is composed of retired law enforcement investigators, investigative journalists, criminologists and other experts on various aspects of homicide.
Terrorist Nuclear Attacks on Seaports: Threat and Response
A .PDF file.
USGS World Volcanic Activity
History of volcanoes, tips on what to do if caught in one, reports on latest activity around the world.
Storybench: Managing Big Data for Investigating Disaster Emergency and Recovery Processes
International Association of Firefighters
News items, studies, updates, sources, etc.
Medium: Dressed for Excess: Gear for Covering Riots, Protests, Etc.
The Journalist’s Resource: Covering Water Safety and Drownings
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Subscribe to a free e-mail alert service that will send notices of recalled products to your mailbox. The agency has jurisdiction over about 15,000 types of consumer products.
Spinal Cord Injury Information Network
Aquatic Safety Research Group
Tips, research, etc.
National Fallen Firefighters Association
COPS: Concerns of Police Survivors
Bomb Threat Checklist
The Los Angeles Police Department’s site provides a “bomb threat checklist” to download should you receive such a threatening call.
Violence Policy Center
A libertarian public interest law firm offers several free legal resources off its site.
MeatingPlace.com
Products and food safety site. Articles, background and recent news.
MedlinePlus: Winter Weather Emergencies
GIJN: 10 Investigative Questions to Ask When Covering a Natural Disaster
BankRate.com: Dealing with a Natural Disaster
Report in the wake of North Carolina’s Hurricane Floyd about the difficulties people can expect to face when natural disasters strike.
Acos Alliance: Freelance Journalist Safety Principles
Food & Water Watch
Consumer group site targeted at abuse of enviornmental resources by corporations, such as water companies, fish farms and factories.
State Recycling Association Contacts
New York City Office of Safety and Health
A non-profit provider of occupational safety and health training, advocacy and information (including technical assistance and industrial hygiene consultation) to workers and unions throughout the New York metropolitan area. More than 250 union organizations and 400 individuals: union members, health and safety activists, injured workers, healthcare workers, attorneys, public health advocates, environmentalists and concerned citizens.
Mathematics of Tsunamis
The math and physics rules that govern them.
Journalist’s Resource: Data and Research on Children Left in Hot Cars
FEMA Geospatial Resource Center
Shapefiles for earthquakes, floods, wildfires and other natural disasters.
FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer
Shapefiles for earthquakes, floods, wildfires and other natural disasters.
ARCHIVED SAFETY ISSUES
Amusement Park
The Roller Coaster Database
A searchable database of more than 1,000 roller coasters. Includes information by location and distance, breaking news on the industry, record holders, etc.
Volcanoes
How Stuff Works.com: How Volcanoes Work
Daily updates on the volcanic activity. Monthly updates when the activity is slow.
How Volcanoes Work Home Page
Daily updates on the volcanic activity. Monthly updates when the activity is slow.
Alaska Volcano Observatory: Mount Redoubt
Images of the volcano’s current activity.
NASA Earth Observatory Site
Look at natural hazards such as volcanoes, fires and floods through satellite photos, etc.
Michigan Tech Volcanoes Page
Links galore.
PBS Nova: Volcano Deadly Warning
Background on seismic signals, emergency response, preparation, etc.
Space Shuttle Columbia
Google: Columbia Shuttle Links
CRS Issue Brief: Space Launch Vehicles: Government Activities, Commercial Competition, and Satellite Exports
Twenty pages in .PDF format.
CRS Issue Brief: Space Stations
Twenty pages in .PDF format.
Goddard Space Flight Center (Maryland)
Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, Ala.)
Howstuffworks: How Space Shuttles Work
CBS News: Stats on Space Fatalities
Features many key stats.
SpaceFlightNow: Radar Images
Radar image of debris field and links to data on mission.
NASA Earth Image Database
Thousands of pictures of earth and other research materials.
Space.com
Great research and interactive tools.
NASA: Space Shuttle and International Space Station
Trauma Foundation: Fireworks Injuries by Device
Chart is at lower on the page.
SafeKids.org: Fireworks Safety for Kids
Consumer Products Safety Commission: Fireworks Safety
National Fire Protection Association: Fireworks Safety
The National Council on Fireworks Safety
Database of state laws, tips, etc.
AmericanPyro.com
Site for the fireworks industry trade that features safety tips.
USA Today: State-by-State Population Growth (1790-2000)
International Association of Firefighters
News items, studies, updates, sources, etc.
The National Council on Fireworks Safety
Database of state laws, tips, etc.
AmericanPyro.com
Site for the fireworks industry trade that features safety tips.
Related
Return to Public Safety | Covering Mass Shootings | School Violence