(TNS) - One area hospital is now using an online service to help make the wait time a little less stressful for emergency department patients with non-life threatening conditions.

Beginning this week, patients can check in with the Emergency Department at Carteret Health Care in Morehead City via the InQuicker online service and wait to be seen from the comfort of their homes instead of in the waiting room. The service went live at the hospital on Tuesday.

The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy team will serve as backup emergency responders to company mine rescue teams at every coal mine site in the state.

Charles Boothe, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va. | March 14, 2016

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(TNS) - For the first time in the state’s history, Virginia now has its own mine rescue team.

The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) team will serve as backup emergency responders to company mine rescue teams at every coal mine site in the state.

Why does communications remain the thorny problem that it is?

Eric Holdeman | March 4, 2016
No. 1 finding from any functional or full-scale exercise usually is a need for better communication. FEMA

Preparing an after-action report (AAR) to identify what went well and what needs improvement is standard after a disaster exercise, be it a seminar, tabletop, functional or full-scale exercise.

'Everyone thought the electric current was going to run through the water. Cars were floating in the street from the flooding … it was insane.'

Samuel Gilbert, Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar | March 4, 2016

The challenge for schools is how far to go on a continuum with tons of options. More locks? More cameras? More guards? More drills? Adding metal detectors? Arming school staff? There’s no way to make everyone happy.

Jeremy P. Kelley and Eric Schwartzberg, Journal-News, Hamilton, Ohio | March 7, 2016

The grant cycle is earlier this year, so you better have done your homework already.

Eric Holdeman | February 28, 2016

Ten years from now, the worlds of public safety and emergency management will look like what’s on TV today.

Adam Stone | March 2, 2016

The next-generation fire suit could have a multitude of technological features.

Manuel Navarro has a relatively simple request. He would just like to know: Where is everybody?

The Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency will host a screening of the disaster thriller 'The Wave' in Vancouver. It’s the first of what agency Emergency Management Coordinator Eric Frank hopes will be a recurring disaster movie night.

Andy Matarrese, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash. | February 26, 2016

For decades, Northern Virginia has been among the leading regions to start, grow or relocate a business, not just in the United States, but also worldwide. Our region has a number of assets that make it unique. Our leaders at the local and state levels support a positive business climate, our public schools are among the best in the nation and our local colleges and universities support the development of a highly educated and skilled workforce.