High Alert Institute

Unexpected Solutions for the Unexpected

Vision Statement

Our vision is to empower individuals, families, communities, businesses, and organizations to achieve Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability, Equity, and Empathy – to RISE² to every challenge.

Mission Statement

Our mission is focused on programs and projects united by an All Hazards, One Health, One Nature (AHOHN) framework for the benefit of all peoples, animals, and environments. Inherent to the AHOHN framework is inclusion of disadvantaged, historically marginalized, underserved, and unserved populations. The scope of our activities includes education, innovation, planning, preparedness, resilience, response, recovery, and sustainability.

The High Alert Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, has a 23-year history of addressing critical global challenges through our All Hazards, One Health, One Nature (AHOHN) Framework. True to our roots in disaster response, the High Alert Institute is guided by the AHOHN Framework. Our decades of experience in this field have given us a deep appreciation for the interconnected health and security of all people, animals, plants, and habitats. Moreover, the effects of any hazard or disaster, as well as efforts to reduce their impact, affect the entire environment. Understanding these aspects of the AHOHN framework helps us develop strategies to protect health and address the needs not only of ourselves but of all living beings. This wholistic and comprehensive approach is centered on the interconnected health and security of animals, plants, people, and habitats. Building upon this framework, we strive to provide solutions that are grounded in the Institute’s IDEALS – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Life-enhancing, Sustainability & Resilience. The AHOHN Framework and its IDEALS guide everything that we do.

What We Do

AHOHN Education & Publishing Branch

The trusted authority in impactful education and publishing solutions addressing global challenges. Originally a disaster response organization, we now cover issues like Chemicals of Global Concern, Environmental Justice, Decarbonization, Climate Change Impacts, Health Equity, and Sustainability. Supported by curated resources, top content collaborations, and a team of 170+ experts creating evidence-based materials for professionals, policymakers, and communities. With 1.2 million readers, our publications include 100+ articles across 200 outlets, such as position papers recognized by the UN Climate Change Conference, EPA, and HHS. We provide fact-based learning for underserved populations, publish scientific papers, and promote mental wellness through tech initiatives, focusing on community resilience and global sustainability. Our newest project, codenamed LET-CAI (Little Engine That Could AI), aims to cut through misinformation and promote verified truth.

Aquatic Animal Welfare & Mutual Aid Branch

The leading organization dedicated to the rescue, shelter, and welfare of non-native ornamental and exotic aquatic animals in the Southeastern United States. We also coordinate a national freshwater aquatic rescue mutual aid network. This branch specializes in providing essential services for this often-overlooked category of animals by supporting individuals, businesses, and communities in both disaster and non-disaster situations. Our shelter in Lake Wales, Florida, houses nearly 200 animals and features expert veterinary oversight to ensure the highest standards of care. Additionally, our Mutual Aid Network facilitates dozens of rescues and rehomings across North America each year, while also offering referral services and a comprehensive online directory of other rescue and shelter locations.

Environmental Stewardship & Drivers of Health Branch

Dedicated to exploring the complex links between humans, animals, plants, and the environment to promote environmental justice, health equity, resilience, and sustainability. The Environmental Branch leads innovative solutions that create real impact through programs such as:
• Good4Planet Project, which produces over 4 MWh of renewable energy each month
• SMART IAQ Ventilation System, which improves indoor air quality and reduces infection risk
• Environmental, Socioeconomic & Genomic Drivers of Health (ESDoH+G) Big Data Analysis Project, which investigates the connections between community and regional health factors affecting everyone

AHOHN Innovation & Technology Branch

Our mission is to address critical infrastructure challenges by developing innovative technology solutions across sectors within the AHOHN framework. We leverage commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and ready-for-market technologies to deliver affordable, scalable solutions for disaster readiness, environmental justice, health equity, resilience, and sustainability. With over 170 experts, we design, patent, license, and commercialize impactful technologies, advancing fields like healthcare sustainability, waste-to-energy, HVAC, green remediation, and renewable energy. Key initiatives include facilitating intellectual property transfers, fostering research collaborations, and developing projects such as Aeolian Wind Technologies, Sustainable Resilience Solutions, and Solar-Enabled Waste-to-Energy systems. Our work aims to reduce greenhouse gases, manage waste, and promote circular economies, empowering industries and communities to achieve a sustainable future.

The AHOHN Framework Explained

With its roots in humanitarian, environmental, and disaster health, the All-Hazards, One Health, One Nature (AHOHN) Framework offers a holistic perspective on the complex interrelationships between human health, animal health, plant health, and the environment.

The High Alert Institute operationalizes the whole of the AHOHN framework in its projects and programs. This approach focuses on building core capabilities and flexible protocols that are applied across a wide range of potential threats and emergencies, encompassing diseases, traumas, natural disasters, climate change, and man-made hazards. Superior to approaches that focus on separate plans for specific challenges, the AHOHN framework emphasizes comprehensive actions to minimize harm, including those listed below:

• Effective, Scalable Preparedness & Education
• Standard Protocols & Pathways
• Efficient Resource Allocation & Utilization
• Shared Sustainability & Resilience
Read more about the AHOHN framework