FDNY Pro Blog

April 12, 2018

911 Ransomware Attack

Late last month, the Baltimore 911 system was targeted by a ransomware attack that temporarily shut down its automated dispatch system, forcing dispatchers to route calls manually for 17 hours while the affected servers were isolated and cleansed of malware. “We were able to successfully isolate the threat and ensure that no harm was done […]

April 5, 2018

“Nightmare” Scenario for Healthcare

A study released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has determined more than 200 cases in 2017 of a “nightmare bacteria.” This particular pathogen is resistant to even last resort antibiotics. The resistant pathogen has been found in healthcare facilities that use IV tubing in at least 27 states. The CDC […]

March 29, 2018

Suspicious Packages Sent to Capital Region

Packages containing very crude explosive devices were intercepted at mail facilities outside of eleven military bases and intelligence agencies in Washington, D.C. earlier this week, leading to the arrest of a 43-year-old man from Everett, Washington. The suspect was already known to laws enforcement and many of the package recipients after sending incoherent letters and […]

March 22, 2018

Bomber’s Reign Ends Abruptly

The gripping fear cast over Austin, Texas at the hands of a serial bomber was resolved on Wednesday when the 23-year-old man responsible for six devices, which killed two and injured several others, detonated a seventh bomb while inside a vehicle at roadside in Round Rock as SWAT closed in. Prior to his death, the […]

March 15, 2018

Lengthy Commutes Take a Toll

Some New Yorkers say that commutes and mass transit reliability seem to be getting worse. For some, the longer travel times can even affect their health. “Being trapped like that can cause an acute stress disorder. People can develop panic attacks, flashbacks, and severe sleep disturbances,” said a neuropsychologist at NYU Langone. “When you’re in […]

March 8, 2018

Second Nor’easter in a Week Wallops East Coast

The impact of the second major storm to hit the East Coast in five days after a mostly rain-soaked nor’easter struck last Friday, had a disparate effect on the region, depending mostly on what side of the freezing line your area was in. Eastern Long Island saw much less snow, but suffered many downed trees […]

March 1, 2018

25 Years Since World Trade Center Bombing

A somber ceremony was held on Monday, February 26, 2018, at the September 11 Memorial Plaza commemorating the victims, their families and the survivors of the World Trade Center (WTC) Bombing, which took place on February 26, 1993. The bombing killed six people and injured more than a thousand others. Eight years before 9/11, terrorists […]

February 22, 2018

World’s Tallest Wooden Skyscraper Planned for 2041

Sumitomo, one of the main business groups in Japan, is planning to celebrate its 350th anniversary in 2041 by opening the world’s largest wood high-rise building. Sumitomo, a diverse corporate conglomerate best known for mining and metals, also has a forestry company, which stated the 70-story building would be 10-percent steel and use almost 600,000 […]

April 12, 2018

911 Ransomware Attack

Late last month, the Baltimore 911 system was targeted by a ransomware attack that temporarily shut down its automated dispatch system, forcing dispatchers to route calls manually for 17 hours while the affected servers were isolated and cleansed of malware. “We were able to successfully isolate the threat and ensure that no harm was done […]

April 5, 2018

“Nightmare” Scenario for Healthcare

A study released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has determined more than 200 cases in 2017 of a “nightmare bacteria.” This particular pathogen is resistant to even last resort antibiotics. The resistant pathogen has been found in healthcare facilities that use IV tubing in at least 27 states. The CDC […]

March 29, 2018

Suspicious Packages Sent to Capital Region

Packages containing very crude explosive devices were intercepted at mail facilities outside of eleven military bases and intelligence agencies in Washington, D.C. earlier this week, leading to the arrest of a 43-year-old man from Everett, Washington. The suspect was already known to laws enforcement and many of the package recipients after sending incoherent letters and […]

March 22, 2018

Bomber’s Reign Ends Abruptly

The gripping fear cast over Austin, Texas at the hands of a serial bomber was resolved on Wednesday when the 23-year-old man responsible for six devices, which killed two and injured several others, detonated a seventh bomb while inside a vehicle at roadside in Round Rock as SWAT closed in. Prior to his death, the […]

March 15, 2018

Lengthy Commutes Take a Toll

Some New Yorkers say that commutes and mass transit reliability seem to be getting worse. For some, the longer travel times can even affect their health. “Being trapped like that can cause an acute stress disorder. People can develop panic attacks, flashbacks, and severe sleep disturbances,” said a neuropsychologist at NYU Langone. “When you’re in […]

March 8, 2018

Second Nor’easter in a Week Wallops East Coast

The impact of the second major storm to hit the East Coast in five days after a mostly rain-soaked nor’easter struck last Friday, had a disparate effect on the region, depending mostly on what side of the freezing line your area was in. Eastern Long Island saw much less snow, but suffered many downed trees […]

March 1, 2018

25 Years Since World Trade Center Bombing

A somber ceremony was held on Monday, February 26, 2018, at the September 11 Memorial Plaza commemorating the victims, their families and the survivors of the World Trade Center (WTC) Bombing, which took place on February 26, 1993. The bombing killed six people and injured more than a thousand others. Eight years before 9/11, terrorists […]

February 22, 2018

World’s Tallest Wooden Skyscraper Planned for 2041

Sumitomo, one of the main business groups in Japan, is planning to celebrate its 350th anniversary in 2041 by opening the world’s largest wood high-rise building. Sumitomo, a diverse corporate conglomerate best known for mining and metals, also has a forestry company, which stated the 70-story building would be 10-percent steel and use almost 600,000 […]