NIHS News

Dr. Ruth Carrico promotes the Pandemic Preparedness Project at the Annual NACo Conference

Date:  August 3, 2009

Dr. Ruth Carrico, with the University of Louisville, promoted the Pandemic Preparedness Project at the Annual NACo Conference in Nashville, Tennessee on July 25- 28, 2009. The NIHS exhibited its tradeshow booth as well,  providing information about NIHS.

NIHS exhibits at the IAFP Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas

Date:  July 24, 2009

On July 12-14, 2009, The NIHS exhibited at The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP). Matt Craft with TranSecurity System represented the Milk Transport Security System.

$2.3 million grant positions UofL to take lead in pandemic planning

Date:  June 23, 2009

The University of Louisville has received a $2.3 million grant to help communities across the state prepare for possible future pandemics.

The federal National Institute for Hometown Security grant, which was announced at a press conference May 27, will fund five collaborative research projects aimed at detection, preparedness, protection, response and recovery involving future (disease) outbreaks.

NIHS exhibits at DHS S&T Stakeholders Conference

Date:  June 23, 2009

The National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) exhibited at the DHS S&T Stakeholders Conference.  Dr.

MITOC Supports Kentucky EM during ice storm

Date:  January 27, 2009

The Murray State Mobile Emergency Telecom Lab (METL) was deployed to support the Kentucky Emergency Management resources in Western Kentucky. Kentucky was hit by a significant ice storm on January 27, 2009. The MITOC communications resources were used to provide internet access for the Regional Emergency Manager at the National Guard Armory at Benton Kentucky. The National Guard internet capability was down because of the ice storm. If the MITOC was not at the Armory the emergency manager would not have email or internet. The storm is expected to continue for another 24 hours. Earlier today this storm stretched from the New Mexico/Texas border to West Virginia.

The Challenge

The task of assuring the security of our homeland involves protecting the citizens of the United States, the nation's critical infrastructure and key assets. This is necessary to sustain the nation's vitality against terrorism and other threats. This protection must originate at the community level. It requires discovering, developing and deploying new technology that will support first responders and key decision makers in local communities.

The Mission

NIHS' mission is to discover, develop and deploy solutions that protect and preserve the critical infrastructure of the nation's communities.

The Institute

NIHS aligns projects and research objectives with the needs and requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The strategy is to manage a distributed research enterprise that effectively transitions research and development into solutions. NIHS works with DHS to determine technology needs at the community level. Then, teams are quickly assembled from multiple universities to develop solutions to the needs.

The Strategy

Through management of the Kentucky Critical Infrastructure Protections Program (KCI), the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) provides an ongoing, integrated program dedicated to developing new technologies and devices. NIHS works through qualified academic institutions to accomplish the technological objectives.