Emergency Management - Fall 2008 - (Page 10)

Editor’s Letter A Simple, Slimy Solution I can still see the flash of the first bluegill I caught with a hook and line. I was about 4 years old, and the little fish gave me a feeling I still get today whenever I go fishing. Bluegills are often a kid’s first catch because they are easy to hook and inhabit lakes and ponds all across the country. They are hardy little critters, and they can live in warmer, murkier water than, say, trout. Historically they have also been recognized as a good indicator of toxicity in the water. Scientists at the U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research in Fort Detrick, Md., have studied the fish for years and figured out how to apply the bluegill’s unique abilities to protecting water supplies. Those studies — combined with some innovative technology solutions — led to a system that is now protecting water supplies in New York City and San Francisco. Officials are worried not only about acts of terrorism, but also the temptation of some to take shortcuts when disposing of industrial chemicals. It turns out bluegills are sensitive to several types of toxins and are more reliable than trying to develop a man-made sensor to detect a variety of contaminants. Crews of eight bluegills are rotated every few weeks. At least six of the eight fish must begin to react to set off alarms because, like you and me, fish have bad days and good It turns out bluegills are sensitive to several types of toxins and are more reliable than trying to develop a man-made sensor to detect a variety of contaminants. And it all starts with the bluegill. Of course, if the little guys Best Quarterly/Trade days. It is a good gig for the little creatures, and offers us some insight into the significance of the well-being of fish and wildlife, and the resulting effects on the rest of us. It’s amazing in an age of innovative technological advances that the little hand-size bluegill is the centerpiece of this one. If bluegills can tell us that the water supply has gone bad, what else can we learn from wild critters? As I grow older, I wonder more about the existence of life forms other than human and their importance to the rest of us. I am increasingly convinced their significance is greatly underestimated by the majority of us. The small bluegills patrolling the water supplies in New York and San Francisco are further proof. k are floating belly up, the water is bad — that’s obvious. But it is much more subtle than that. For the details, you can read Jessica Jones’ story in this issue of Emergency Management magazine. For the purpose of this column, I’ll tell you that the bluegills, because they are highly sensitive to toxins, actually “cough” or “burp” when they detect a foreign substance in the water. Sensors monitor every movement of the fish, watching for changes in respiration that indicate the presence of a toxin. When the fish burps, it triggers a chain reaction of events, the last one a phone call or e-mail to the appropriate security personnel who then test the water. 2008 Maggie Award Jim McKay Editor Emergency Management Questions or comments? Please give us your input by contacting our editorial department at editorial@govtech.com, or visit our Web site at www.emergencymgmt.com. 10 L E A D , F O L L O W O R G E T O U T O F T H E W AY. http://www.emergencymgmt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Emergency Management - Fall 2008

Emergency Management - Fall 2008 Contents Contributors Editor’s Letter In the Field Deep Freeze EM Bulletin Major Player In the News Uncharted Waters Bio-Sensing Bluegills Joint Accounts Education Directory Degress of Change Triage in 3-D Products Eric's Corner Last Word

Emergency Management - Fall 2008

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