One of the most significant — but least understood — realities of research in the social and behavioral sciences is how difficult it can be to identify specific, causal relationships, especially when examining the impact of a particular program. In fact, in all the sciences, small incremental progress is far more common than breakthroughs. That’s why I’m so pleased when I see examples of NIJ’s role in driving innovative research in policing and other stressful occupations, such as serving in the military or on crisis intervention teams.

Cancer is killing firefighters.

While research over the past decade has shown that responders have a high risk for developing certain cancers, there’s still no database to determine just how widespread it may be.

But that may soon change as members of Congress have introduced a measure to create a National Firefighter Cancer Registry.

Brian McQueen, safety officer and former chief of Whitesboro, NY Vol. Fire Dept., is hoping lawmakers give the nod for the CDC to create the registry.

Ketamine’s use in the ED as a sedating agent is well established. However, ketamine use as an analgesic agent, rather than anesthetic agent, dates back to the early 1970s, when ketamine was first introduced [15]. Over the past decade, ketamine has been used as an analgesic by US Special Forces and coalition forces in the combined Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. The need for an effective, safe, easily administered, battlefield analgesic has made ketamine a preferred agent in the combat and austere environment.

The Chicago Fire Department is collecting PPE from all paramedics, a move some say is putting the responders' lives in danger.

Chicago Sun Times reported that SCBA were removed from 75 Chicago ambulances two years ago. In addition, 70 paramedics graduating from the fire academy weren't issued fire helmets, boots and PPE.

A study of a cluster of Ebola cases that appeared in Liberia last year, months after the country was declared Ebola-free, has found that the virus re-emerged after lying dormant in a female survivor.

The results suggest Liberia and the other African countries at the center of the outbreak should maintain high levels of vigilance for longer than thought to contain any future flare-ups of the deadly haemorrhagic fever.