The Journalist's Toolbox: Public Safety Issues

Recent Additions to This Section
(This section features sites added to the page in the last few weeks.
Each link is cross-referenced on the page in its proper category.)

New England Journal of Medicine: Special Smallpox Report
The full report will be out Jan. 30.

State Department: Response to Terrorism
Background on U.S. policy.

U.S. State Department: International Information Programs

AIRLINE SAFETY

World IRE "In The News": Airplane Crashes
View the links to these resources and information about obtaining these resources. These pages have been updated to include our most recently added resources.

World Trade Center/Pentagon Terrorism Page
Dozens of links to research.

Search for Pilots: This FAA certified pilots searchable database provides access to a pilot's name, address, FAA region, expiration date of license and pilot certificates.

Airport Security:The DOT Inspector General has a comprehensive list of reports/documents from the about U.S. airport security. The White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security has issued reports and recommendations on the topic. An interesting way to localize this global story is to search Airport Security Violations to track your airports in your area.

FAA Report: U.S. Airports Meeting Security Requirements
Scan the list for your local airports.

Office of Airline Information

Air Safety Online's Crash Database
Searchable database of nearly every commercial air crash.

Federal Aviation Administration
Helpful links, safety information, news releases, guidelines and more.

Aviation Safety Stats
Walks you through NTSB site and how to analyze databases.

SpeedNews.com
News on the aviation indudstry.

Air Safety Online
Weekly report card on the airline industry worldwide regarding safety, ontime arrival and more. Also has a special report on fuel tank dangers.

Washington Post's Worst Aviation Disasters

Air Accident Database

The Greensboro (N.C.) News-Record 10 deadliest aviation crashes

AirSafe.com
Airplane safety site with plenty of solid research.

The Black Box: Flight Recorders
Background on them: what are they and what do they do?

Safe Skies International
Aviation professionals who provide news, safety awareness, aviation knowledge and regulatory insight for the flying public. Site has stats on what stage most air accidents occur (takeoff, landing, etc.) as well as other stats.

Encyclopedia Titanica: Titanic Research
A wealth of historical information, including passenger lists, crew bios, survivors, deckplans, articles and more.

Aviation Landings Site
FAA online databases, including an archive of FAA service difficulty reports -- searchable by aircraft type, aircraft manufacturerand the ``N'' registration number -- and a searchable database of the ``N'' registration number. See the three databases directly below.

Federal Aviation Registry
FAA site helps you check aircraft registration.

Aviation Safety: FAA and DOD Response to Similar Safety Concerns
A 74-page .pdf file.

Air Line Pilots Association
Represents most of the airline pilots in the U.S. and Canada for labor union and aviation safety issues.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Small Aircraft Registry

World Trade Center/Pentagon Terrorism Page
Dozens of links to research.

Search for Pilots: This FAA certified pilots searchable database provides access to a pilot's name, address, FAA region, expiration date of license and pilot certificates.

FAA Report: U.S. Airports Meeting Security Requirements
Scan the list for your local airports.

Office of Airline Information

Air Safety Online's Crash Database
Searchable database of nearly every commercial air crash.

Federal Aviation Administration
Helpful links, safety information, news releases, guidelines and more.

Aviation Safety Stats
Walks you through NTSB site and how to analyze databases.

SpeedNews.com
News on the aviation indudstry.

Air Safety Online
Weekly report card on the airline industry worldwide regarding safety, ontime arrival and more. Also has a special report on fuel tank dangers.

Washington Post's Worst Aviation Disasters

Air Accident Database

The Greensboro (N.C.) News-Record 10 deadliest aviation crashes

AirSafe.com
Airplane safety site with plenty of solid research.

The Black Box: Flight Recorders
Background on them: what are they and what do they do?

Federal Aviation Registry
FAA site helps you check aircraft registration.

Air Line Pilots Association
Represents most of the airline pilots in the U.S. and Canada for labor union and aviation safety issues.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Small Aircraft Registry
Another site that helps you check aircraft registration by the N-number on the plane.

Air Travel Efficiency Report
The Department of Transportation lists flight delays, mishandled baggage and consumer complaints.

Airline On-Time Statistic Report
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics offers information on delays, baggage, etc.

NTSB: Aircraft Accident Database
Look up the narrative on an aircraft accident.

FAA Air Traffic Information

Tracking Flight Status
Click on a particular region on a map, which will list airport conditions, arrival/departure delays.

Trip.com
This site accesses FAA information that allows you to track any commercial airline flight in North America.

Flightview.com
Tracks any flight in-air. Similar to Trip.com and Flight Tracker.

FlightArrivals.com
Similar to Flight View, Trip.com and Flight Tracker.

A Journalist's Guide to the FAA

Aviation Safety Network

FAA's Aviation Consumer Protection Home Page

Aviation Safety Alliance

Air Travel Consumer Report

Airliners.net

Final Report on the Airline Customer Service Commitment (DOT)

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

SMALLPOX

New England Journal of Medicine: Special Smallpox Report
The full report will be out Jan. 30.

Johns Hopkins University Biodefense Site

PBS: Bioterror
The companion site to the PBS documentary. Includes the history of biowarfare, weapons and vaccines.

Dateline NBC: Sizing Up the Bio Threat
A summary of the magazine show's excellent report on bio-warfare.

Newstrove: Biological Weapons
Links to dozens of research and reports on chemical warfare.

State Department: Response to Terrorism
Background on U.S. policy.

TRANSPORTATION SAFETY

Federal Railroad Administration: Railroad Safety
A database with accident and inspection reports, broken down by counties.

NHTSA: Van Safety
Tips from the U.S. government on preventing rollovers in 15-passenger vans.

PBS Frontline: Rollover -- The Hidden History of the SUV
Companion site to the TV show on SUV danger/safety issues.

Most Dangerous Intersections Database
Statefarm.com has a survey of what it calls the dangerous intersections in the country. Search the list by state to see your community's most dangerous intersection. Also see what the survey says are the nation's 10 most dangerous intersections.

National Trucking Associations
Resources and regulations for trucking industry.

Truck Safety Site
A very useful Web site run by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

NICAR's Trucks Census Database
Details on costs for the database and includes story examples and data samples.

IRE/NICAR: Truck Accident Databases
Current as of December 2001, the data includes 952,887 records of truck crashes. Fees up to $500 are charged for the content.

University at Albany: Center for Public Safety and Injury Prevention
A great set of online resources on aggressive driving, accidents and more.

American Public Transportation Association
Great for rider statistics by city, state, etc.

National Highway Administration: Road conditions for every U.S. City (More than 1 Million Population)
.PDF charts are easy to use and provide quick information for localizing stories.

National Highway Administration: Road conditions for every U.S. City (Less Than 1 Million Population)
.PDF charts are easy to use and provide quick information for localizing stories.

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
Auto safety and engineering studies.

U.S. DOT: Fatal Accident Reporting System Database
This links to details and samples of the data. NICAR charges for the full database. The data covers 1975-2001 and contains information on automobile accidents on public U.S. roads that resulted in the death of one or more people within 30 days of the accident.

Society of Automotive Engineers
Auto safety and engineering studies.

NHSTA Drowsy Drivers Study

St. Paul Pioneer Press: Story on Distracted Drivers

AutoSafety.org

Federal Highway Administration Expertise Database

National Transportation Safety Board
Government site with statistics and research on transportation disasters.

U.S. Department of Transportation

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Department of Transportation: Online Digital Special Collections
This site accesses digitized versions of a number of their special collections, such as Civil Aeronautic Manuals, Civil Air Regulations, Superseded Advisory Circulars, Historical Aircraft Accident Reports, etc.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Highway Loss Data Institute
Studies and stats on highway accidents. Also a set of related sites.

Federal Highway Safety Statistics
Traffic vehicle statistics broken down by state.

Fatality Analysis Reporting System
Department of Transportation chart is a great resource.

SafeRoads.org: Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
An advocacy group with polls, stats, safety tips, etc.

Highways.tv
Offers a handy collection of Web links arranged by state featuring the latest info on traffic snarls and construction spots, as well as real-time road camera feeds.

Rubber Manufacturers Association
Studies on various tire tests and other safety features.

SafeRoads.org: Speeding Facts and Stats

National Safe Kids Campaign
A searchable site that features news and research on restraint laws for transportation, playground safety, holiday safety, etc.

State Lists of Child Restraint Laws
See which state's have them, which ones don't and the fines for first offenses.

Progressive Insurance: Driver Safety
Driving advice and a blood-alcohol calculator.

National Center for Safety Analysis
Part of the Department of Transportation, this site includes studies and surveys on roadway accidents, etc.

Trucking Safety Information

SmartMotorist.com
This site offers "expert advice on the newest technology, safety equipment, and strategies for safe navigations of today's roadways. You'll find clear, informative articles on subjects like cell phones, SUVs, road rage, and winter driving.

Car Adviser
This site from the hosts of NPR's "Car Talk" tracks recalls and maintenance issues. Use the database to call up information on any make or model, another database allows you to type in the zip code to find repair shops in your area. The site is part of Cars.com.

American Academy of Family Physicians: Driving with Epilepsy Laws

Bicycle Safety Institute: Helmet Laws by State

CNN: Ford Explorer Tire Recall
Links to several stories about the controversy and recall.

Firestone Tire Recall -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Bridgestone/Firestone Voluntary Safety Recall Center

Federal Railroad Administration
The site's Office of Safety Analysis explores research on rail accidents.

Commercial Ship Tracking
Look up information on vessels.

SPECIAL REPORT: ANTHRAX AND BIOCHEMICAL WEAPONS

Centers for Disease Control Anthrax Page
Bios of recent cases in .PDF format.

Department of Defense Anthrax Immunization Program
There has been much controversy about this program.

Majorbates.com
A campaign against the Department of Defense anthrax vaccination immunization program.

Anthrax Vaccine Links
A campaign against the Department of Defense anthrax vaccination immunization program.

MSNBC/Newsweek Coverage of Anthrax Cases
Bios of recent cases in .PDF format.

Dateline NBC: Sizing Up the Bio Threat
A summary of the magazine show's excellent report on bio-warfare.

Defense Against Toxin Weapons

USAMRIID's Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook

Treatment of Biological Warfare Agent Casualties

U.S. Army Medical Management of Chemical Casualties Handbook

Treatment of Chemical Agent Casualties and Conventional Military Chemical

California Terrorism Response Plan

Emergency Planning Guidance for Local Government

TOXIC WASTE/ENVIRONMENT

EmergencyNet News Today
Site monitors current and potential political, social an natural crises.

Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
A non-profit organization monitors waste from computer corporations in Northern California.

Understanding the Nuclear Threat

Information About Nuclear Accidents
Background on the worst accidents in history. You can find similar information in a print almanac.

Nuclear Threat Initiative
Tracking the threat of other countries' pursuits of nuclear weapons.

Nuclearfiles.org
A good list of nuclear accidents.

Infoplease Nuclear Accidents Page

Pipeline Safety Links
Dozens of great links to sites such as regulatory agencies, industry groups and watchdog organizations.

Poynter.org's Drought/Brushfire Links

Firehouse.com Wildfire Coverage

Oil Spills links
Links to associations and government agencies that deal with oil spills.

National Highway Safety: Helmet Laws
Look up your state?s law for motorcycles, bikes, skateboards, scooters, etc.

U.S. Public Interest Research Group

National Interagency Fire Center's National Fire News Site

Exxon Valdez: Ten Years Later

The Exxon Valdez Settlement
In a .PDF format.

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
In a .PDF format.

The EPA's Exxon Valdez Site

Toxic Release Data
TRI has stats broken down by geography, industry, facility, company, etc.

Environmental Defense Fund Toxic Release Data
Similar to TRI site, has stats broken down by geography, industry, facility, company, etc.

Scorecard
Green Adviser?s zip code-based pollution site.

California's Pacific Gas & Electric
The site features several pages related to the blackouts, including maps, company bankruptcy documents and more.

Official U.S. Earthquake Hazards Program
Background, research, regional sites, seismic networks and more.

University of Michigan Documents in the News
Search safety reports from many areas -- transportation, environment, etc.

Kidsource.com
Studies and research on safety and health issues for kids.

Florida Division of Forestry
More information on the state's wildfires.

BioTech's Life Science Dictionary
Over 6,700 terms with biochemestry, toxicology, medicine, ecology and more.

AMUSEMENT PARK SAFETY

SaferParks.org
The site addresses amusement park accidents; it's run by the mother of a child who was injured on a ride.

Amusement Park Injuries
USA Today compiled a list of injuries. Good quick reference.

ThemeParkInsider: Accident Watch
A guide to safety at amusement parks across the U.S.

The Roller Coaster Database
A searchable database of more than 1,000 roller coasters. Includes information by location and distance, breaking news on the industry, record holders, etc.

FOOD SAFETY

Food Safety
A government site with several regulation listings.

USDA Food Safety

USDA Meat and Poultry: Holiday Food Safety
Look under featured topics menu and pull down to Holiday Food Safety.

Eco-Labels.org
Resources that monitor a company?s claim on a label. Also helps customers decipher what?s on a label. Very handy in covering consumer issues.

American Meat Institute

BacteriaMuseum.org
From the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

National Cattlemen's Beef Association

National Meat Association

MISCELLANEOUS PUBLIC SAFETY SITES

Public Interest Research Groups
Consumer protection, environmental groups, dangerous toys, etc.

Home Safety Council
A nonprofit organization in Wilkesboro, N.C.

UNC: Injury Prevention Research Center

Terrorist Nuclear Attacks on Seaports: Threat and Response
A .PDF file.

Background Checks for Firearm Transfers (2001)
Includes full-text report and Excel spreadsheets.

CDC: West Nile Virus Facts

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Government agency that investigates violations of safety regulations in several industries. The site, part of the U.S. Department of Labor, includes listings of regulations, key contacts and investigations.

OSHA's Stats page
Government site with statistics and research on injuries and safety issues in the workplace.

National Safety Council
Non-profit organization does several studies on a variety of safety issues. A great database of stats and periodicals.

Safety Alerts News
Reports on a variety of topics, from contaminated food to potential shock hazards from appliances.

U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration
Stats and research from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Child Abduction Site
Several helpful research tools if you're covering this topic and a wealth of media contact information.

NRA: State Gun Laws
Use this image map to check gun laws state by state.

PublicCitizen.org
Founded by Ralph Nader, this group's site feature's a global trade and Congress watch, health research and other helpful studies.

Disasterium: Almanac of Disasters

Disaster Insurance Information
Good background on filing claims and policy concerning the Sept. 11 tragedies.

Teacher Magazine: Making Schools Safer
Some interesting programs that schools are using.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Subscribe to a free e-mail alert service that will send notices of recalled products to your mailbox. The agency has jurisdiction over about 15,000 types of consumer products.

Material Safety Data Sheet Repository
A site full of testimonials and consumer safety data. Search and sort by product, industry, etc.

Nation?s Alcohol-Related Deaths
Launches as a .PDF file.

The Office of System Safety

MeatingPlace.com
Products and food safety site. Articles, background and recent news.

MediaChannel's News Dissector: Covering Riots
As "riots" erupted in the north of England, journalists in London, including Danny Schechter, took part in a seminar aimed at improving coverage of conflict.

CBS News Disaster Links Page

Time Bombs
Two stories from the Chicago Reader, an alternative newsweekly, about how deregulated safety measures have left our atomic energy plants vulnerable to a terrorist attack.

BankRate.com: Recovering from a Natural Disaster
Report in the wake of North Carolina's Hurricane Floyd about the difficulties people can expect to face when natural disasters strike.

Glossary Agent
Description: Glossary Agent(tm) is an expanding, focused gateway to online monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual glossaries in insurance and related fields such as law and finance. Topics include environmental protection, finance, health care, information technology, insurance, law, medicine, safety, transportation and weather.

Recycled Waste News

State Recycling Association Contacts

New York City Office of Safety and Health
A non-profit provider of occupational safety and health training, advocacy and information (including technical assistance and industrial hygiene consultation) to workers and unions throughout the New York metropolitan area. More than 250 union organizations and 400 individuals: union members, health and safety activists, injured workers, healthcare workers, attorneys, public health advocates, environmentalists and concerned citizens.

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