Counterfeit Drugs a $30 billion business

WHO analyzed “100 studies from 2007 to 2016, covering more than 48,000 samples, [which] showed 10.5 percent of drugs in low and middleincome countries to be fake or substandard. With pharmaceutical sales in such countries running at nearly $300 billion a year, this implies that trade in fake medicines is a $30 billion business

Illicit Organ Harvesting a $1.2 billion\yr industry.

• Global Financial Integrity watchdog, the Council of Europe says the illicit trade in human organs is worth between $600 million and $1.2 billion every year

GREATER LA   multi-part investigation

The big and shady business of organ harvesting

Hosted by Steve Chiotakis Oct. 17, 2019 LOS ANGELES

 

Organ donation form.Photo credit: Magnus D (CC BY 2.0)

Did you tick the donor box when you got your driver’s license? That may mean that upon your death, an organ harvesting company can rush to get your bones, organs, or tissue at the morgue, even before your body is seen by the coroner. According to a multi-part investigation by the LA Times, those companies are selling body parts for big money. And in some cases, the procurement companies have upended death investigations. 

-------------------------------------------------

Full Coverage: The Times’ investigation into how companies that harvest body parts upend death investigations

Companies that harvest human organs, bones and other parts have moved into government morgues across the country to gain access to more bodies. In some cases, procurement teams are taking body parts before coroners are able to conduct an autopsy, even in the midst of sensitive investigations such as possible homicides. The procurement companies say there has never been a case in which a death investigation has been harmed by the procurement of body parts. Yet, The Times found more than two dozen cases in which investigations were complicated or upended by procurement, in just two Southern California morgues.

BUSINESS    In the rush to harvest body parts, death investigations have been upended

In the rush to harvest body parts, death investigations have been upended Oct. 13, 2019

The Times found a rising number of death investigations across the country were complicated or upended after transplantable body parts were taken before a coroner’s autopsy.

BUSINESS   How organ and tissue donation companies worked their way into the county morgue

How organ and tissue donation companies worked their way into the county morgue Oct. 13, 2019

How firms helped rewrite a law to make it difficult for coroners to stop them from harvesting body parts.

BUSINESS  Key cases where death probes were complicated by harvesting of 

body parts

Key cases where death probes were complicated by harvesting of body parts Oct. 13, 2019

The Times found dozens of cases in which autopsy investigations were hindered or delayed by the procurement of tissues or organs — something the industry claims never happens.

BUSINESS  Worried about how your body parts will be used? Here’s what you can do

Worried about how your body parts will be used? Here’s what you can do Oct. 13, 2019

Worried about the risks of organ donation? Here’s what you can do

BUSINESS  Executives coached coroners on how to 

keep body parts harvesting records secret

Executives coached coroners on how to keep body parts harvesting records secret

Oct. 13, 2019

Executives coached coroners on how to keep body parts harvesting records secret

BUSINESS    Summary of findings: What can go wrong 

when firms harvest bodies before autopsies

Summary of findings: What can go wrong when firms harvest bodies before autopsies Oct. 13, 2019

Los Angeles Times reporters found two dozen cases in which a death investigation was harmed by the procurement of body parts.

BUSINESS

Do you have a story to share about the donation of tissues or organs during a death investigation? Oct. 13, 2019

Tell us here.

BUSINESS

County supervisors to examine body part harvesting in the morgue after Times investigation Oct. 30, 2019

L.A. County supervisors order an in-depth report on body part procurement in the morgue after Times investigation.

BUSINESS

Coroner employees say body part donation interfered with death investigations 

Feb. 8, 2020

In internal complaints, emails and other documents, pathologists, investigators and other coroner employees detailed how procurement interfered with their work.

BUSINESS

Before harvesting body parts, procurement firm must preserve evidence, coroner says Feb. 11, 2020

A company that procures body parts from the deceased in the Los Angeles County morgue will begin preserving evidence in death investigations by taking photos of bodies, the county’s chief medical examiner-coroner told the board of supervisors Tuesday.

“When children learn to devalue others, they can devalue anyone, including their parents.”

Vulnerable Population Community. Register for Disaster Response and Disability: Approaches for Citizen Responders.

 

 

 

Webinar Announcement Disaster Response and Disability: Approaches for Citizen Responders Please join FEMA�s Individual and Community Preparedness Division on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 from 1:00pm - 2:00pm ET for a webinar on disaster response actions that support people with access and functional needs, as well as those with disabilities. The Disaster Response and Disability: Approaches for Citizen Responders webinar features federal, state and academic subject matter experts who will present approaches to increase inclusivity for people with access and functional needs, and those with disabilities, in disaster response. Topics include Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and You Are the Help Until Help Arrives. A Q&A session will follow the presentations. For more information and to register for this webinar, visit Disaster Response and Disability: Approaches for Citizen Responders. Closed captioning and an American Sign Language interpreter will be provided. For reasonable accommodations or questions, please email FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.� Agenda Aaron Levy, Director, FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Division Aaron Levy is the Director of FEMA�s Individual and Community Preparedness Division where he leads the agency�s efforts to help people prepare for disasters. Aaron oversees programs that partner at all levels of government, the private sector and community organizations to increase citizen and community preparedness and encourage disaster resilience across the nation. Linda Mastandrea, Director, FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Linda Mastandrea is the Director of FEMA�s Office of Disability Integration (ODIC) and Coordination. She will present on the office�s role within FEMA, emergency response and preparedness, and communities.� ODIC advises the FEMA Administrator and helps the agency�s offices proactively design programs, services, policies and procedures that integrate the needs of people with disabilities into the whole spectrum of emergency and disaster preparedness, response and recovery. ODIC also helps people with disabilities and their families prepare for and respond to disaster, while working with state, local, tribal and territorial stakeholders to build resilient, inclusive communities for people with disabilities. Samantha Royster, CERT Program Manager, North Carolina Department of Public Safety Samantha Royster is the CERT Program Manager for North Carolina Emergency Management. She will present the state�s efforts to include acces and functional needs in many aspects of emergency management, specifically CERT training.� Samantha will share how to incorporate the whole community into CERT Basic Training and full-scale exercises; as well as awareness training for inclusive positive interactions. During the 2018 National CERT Conference, Samanthat presented on disability awareness, and educated attendees on the daily challenges people with disabilities face and how these challenges compound in a disaster situation. In this webinar, she will describe how she conducted this exercise and how participants planned to change their behavior in the future as a result. Pattijean Hooper, Ph.D., CEM, Trident University International Dr. Pattijean Hooper will present on the concept that all emergency management programs should be both useful and universally accessible � including planning, preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation and policies. Unlike many field planning models that often have people with disabilities positioned as waiting to be rescued, her presentation will approach emergency management with the assumption that if the program is designed to be inclusive, the results will be inclusive. Two specific programs will be highlighted: The Accessible Community Emergency Response Team (Accessible CERT) training, followed by the Accessible CERT Train-the-Trainer course, were the first CERT class in the State of Washington taught�by deaf people to�deaf people, using American Sign Language. The Accessible�Stop the Bleed�training was a tactile and auditory presentation to a group of 20 blind individuals interested in community response operations should they encounter an active shooter incident.� Webinar Registration If you would like to register for this webinar, please visit the following link: Disaster Response and Disability: Approaches for Citizen Responders. Please note there is limited capacity for this session. If you have any questions or require any assistance, please contact us at FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.� Disclaimer: The reader recognizes that the federal government provides links and informational data on various disaster preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any non-federal events, entities, organizations, services, or products. Please let us know about other events and services for individual and community preparedness that could be included in future newsletters by contacting� FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.

 

Black Emergency Managers Association International Washington, D.C.  20020   bEMA International Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)   A 501 (c) 3 organization
Community\Civil Society Imperative.  The impacts of climate change are increasing the frequency and intensity of disasters.  Individuals, families, and communities must take a proactive approach and behaviors to save lives, their  communities, their culture and heritage.

 

NSBA Leadership Council Opportunity

 If you are having any difficulty viewing this message, click here to view the mobile-friendly web version.

The National Small Business Association (NSBA) is seeking leaders from the small business community to become part of NSBA’s Leadership Council. This is a great way to get involved in small business advocacy as well as  promote yourself and your business both nationally and in your community. Specifically we are seeking members who may know their member of Congress, have experience in leadership positions in other organizations, have had some experience in dealing with the media and most importantly are passionate about small business.Our goal is to have at least one Leadership Council member in each Congressional District. The needs of small business has to be communicated to our political leadership in an effective manner so that  loans, grants, contracts and small business relief measures are a national priority as we emerge from the pandemic. Congress also needs to understand the impact of tax and regulatory policies on small business.  We have developed a survey to better understand your leadership qualifications. To be considered please complete the Leadership Council Survey. The NSBA Leadership Council is the premiere network of small-business leaders from across the U.S. who meet on a regular basis to identify key issues that are important to the small business community.   Our members bring a wide variety of skills and interests to the table.  Some of our members like to work in the background while others like to be in front of the camera.  We need all types because we have a message that needs to be communicated. We need to get the attention of our elected officials and educate them on our real-world issues including the impact of Covid-19 on small business and why small business must play a leading role in improving our nation's infrastructure.  If you are interested in becoming a spokesperson for small business and gain visibility for you and your firm while helping advance the small-business community before lawmakers and members of the media please consider this opportunit Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. We look forward to talking with you soon. Please click here to take the survey. We will review your answers and will respond to you shortly.  To find out more about The National Small Business Association please click here to visit our website.

Get Involved. District of Columbia Police Department. Active Bystander for Law Enforcement Training

This week, Mayor Bowser observed the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Active Bystander for Law Enforcement (ABLE) training that is required for all MPD sworn members. For years, MPD has trained members on the requirement and duty to intervene. In 2021, as part of its annual professional development training, MPD formally adopted this new national best practice training program that prepares officers to successfully intervene to prevent harm and to create a law enforcement culture that supports peer intervention.

The Georgetown Law Innovative Policing Program, partnering with global law firm Sheppard Mullin, created the ABLE training, which employs evidence-based practices to give officers the tools and skills they need to perform an intervention on a fellow officer, a subordinate, or even a superior officer. ABLE is unique and uses lessons from other industries like aviation, medicine, and college campuses.

Learn more about the program HERE, and watch the demonstration HERE. 

The BERLIN CONFERENCE of 1884–1885. G20, COP26, IMF, World Bank. Know your history.

The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885.    ...  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Conference  

G20............................................................  https://www.blackemergmanagersassociation.org/2021/10/g20-what-is-g20-october-23-2021.html

COP26.......................................................  https://www.blackemergmanagersassociation.org/2021/10/we-havent-even-gotten-into-cop26-what.html

We haven't even gotten into COP26. What is the COP26?

From G20 to COP26.

Any relationship?

G20: What is the G20? October 23, 2021

 https://www.g20.org/about-the-g20.html  

About the G20

The G20 is the international forum that brings together the world’s major economies. Its members account for more than 80% of world GDP, 75% of global trade and 60% of the population of the planet.

The forum has met every year since 1999 and includes, since 2008, a yearly Summit, with the participation of the respective Heads of State and Government.

In addition to the Summit, ministerial meetings, Sherpa meetings (in charge of carrying out negotiations and building consensus among Leaders), working groups and special events are organized throughout the year.

Visit website for G20:

• Origins of the G20
• Participants
• How the G20 works
• The Finance Track
• G20 Empower

BEMA International signed on to the joint G20 Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Advocacy Letter . October 22, 2021

As members of BEMA International you advocate and represent full inclusion of communities of color, communities at risk (CAR), marginalized and vulnerable populations.  Inclusion of the ‘whole community’. You have a voice locally that YOU at your local community level is the start of the change in addressing issues in your community, we have a voice nationally, and globally.  A voice and taking actions not only addressing global health, but the changes and impacts of climate change, disasters\emergency management,  and crisis in our communities. The COVID-19 crisis has brought our communities together.  Do not stop the momentum. CDS Chair\CEO BEMA International   Dear Colleagues,   Thank you ever so much for signing on to the CSO Advocacy Letter ahead of the G2O Finance and Health Ministers Meeting on October 29, 2021.   Please note that the letter has been published on our website, and will be shared on our various social media platforms, we encourage you to kindly share the joint advocacy letter - calling for a coordinated, global response to the pandemic, as we ask world leaders to commit to the following urgent actions:            sEnsure at least 70% of people in every income category in every country are fully vaccinated              by sharing doses at scale, releasing production slots, and supporting non-exclusive knowledge              and technology sharing measures;               sIncrease multi-year financing for the pandemic response and preparedness in              low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to match the scale of need;              sReallocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to support the fight against the               pandemic in LMICs;            sStrengthen global leadership and accountability.. Warm Regards, Aminata W. Aminata Wurie | Senior Project Manager, Policy & Advocacy                                                     PandemicActionNetwork.org

BEMA International ®  1231 Good Hope Road SE, Washington, DC 20020

        A 501 (c) 3 organization

 

bEMA International

 

 

Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)\

Senate Hearing: Small Business Committee on women entrepreneurs. Wednesday, October 27 at 2:30 PM (ET)

 Did you know that Maryland is home to the highest concentration of women-owned businesses in the co‌untry ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

October 23, 2021 Dear Fellow Marylanders: Did you know that our state is home to the highest concentration of women-owned businesses in the country? It is a distinction that fills me with great pride and fuels my work as Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee. So I always look forward to October, because it is National Women’s Small Business Month, during which we recognize the contributions of women-owned small businesses to our local and national economies This year, National Women’s Small Business Month comes more than 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, which has devastated women-owned small businesses. Many are reporting a decline in sales and fear of permanent closure. In 2020, more small businesses closed than any other year on record and, as of May 2021, more than 37% of small businesses have closed, according to research conducted by Opportunity Insights. Throughout the pandemic, women entrepreneurs have been more likely than male owners to report a significant decline in the overall health of their business. Historically, women-owned small businesses lag behind male-owned small companies in three forward-looking measures: investment plans, revenue projections, and staffing expectations. The COVID-19 pandemic truly has confirmed the key role the federal government has in empowering women entrepreneurs to overcome the pervasive, historic roadblocks that stop them from starting and growing successful businesses. In fact, a recent report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that policies enacted by Congress in the bipartisan Economic Aid Act and the American Rescue Plan made distribution of loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) more equitable this year than during 2020. For example, while women were underfunded during the first round of PPP administered by the Trump administration, the report found that the share of loans made to women in 2021 under the Biden administration —16 percent—was in line with the percentage of small businesses owned by women, also 16 percent. This report shows that through thoughtful, targeted efforts, it is possible to bridge the historical gaps that prevent underserved entrepreneurs from starting and growing small businesses.   Now, as Congress continues to debate President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda—a once-in-a-generation investment in our families, communities, and small businesses—it is vital that we build on the lessons learned during the pandemic to continue investing in women entrepreneurs. That is why I am convening a hearing in the Small Business Committee next week, so the Senate can hear from women entrepreneurs, experts, and advocates about how we can unleash the full potential of women-owned small businesses. I am especially looking forward to hearing the testimony of Dr. Tammira Lucas, founder of The Cube Cowork in Baltimore and cofounder of Moms as Entrepreneurs. She will shed light on the unique barriers that mothers face on the path to business ownership, as well as the tools and resources Congress can create to support them on their entrepreneurship journey. The economic recovery that lies ahead will be difficult, but it is also an opportunity. With the right investments, Congress can empower women entrepreneurs so they can be an engine of economic growth for communities in Maryland and nationwide. Already, women-owned businesses employ 9.2 million people—only 8 percent of the total private sector workforce. And they generate $1.8 trillion in annual revenue—only 4.3 percent of annual private sector revenue. While these numbers seem small on the surface, they tell a remarkable story about the potential for women owned small businesses: from 2007 to 2018, total employment by women-owned businesses rose 21 percent, while employment for all businesses declined by 0.8 percent. In other words, women-owned small businesses have been drivers of economic growth in our economy despite the myriad headwinds they face on the path to success. And it’s even more evident for minority women. Between 2007 and 2018, businesses owned by minority women grew by more than 163 percent. Imagine what our women entrepreneurs could do if there were less obstacles in their way, and if they had more support during their entrepreneurship journey? To ensure a robust recovery, Congress needs to continue to be deliberate in our efforts to support women entrepreneurs. Through thoughtful policy, Congress can make meaningful changes to empower entrepreneurs, especially women. The years ahead pose a challenge, but they are also full of potential. We simply cannot allow this time to go to waste. If you are interested in watching the hearing next week on Wednesday, October 27 at 2:30 PM (ET) to hear from Dr. Lucas and our other witnesses, it will be livestreamed here. Sincerely, Ben Cardin

What would you have done? No matter who. The Community Code.

What would be your choice? 

Engagement and participation requires all, every member of the community the ‘whole community’ to always be involved.

Many sit on the sideline. Directing others, but never on the front line.  Arm chair quarterbacks.

Part of the problem never actively participating, or part of the solution. Change without sacrifice is an illusion.  Help others in your community, even those not in your community.   Rape on train in Philadelphia occurred while bystanders held ... https://www.usatoday.com › news › nation › 2021/10/19 The man, Fiston Ngoy, 35, harassed the woman, groped her and eventually raped her as fellow passengers watched the assault through more than two ... BEMA International ®  1231 Good Hope Road SE, Washington, DC 20020  A 501 (c) 3 organization

Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)