EM Weekly Podcast

Drones in the emergency response space is not a new idea, however we have seen a growth of the application and use of drones by both small and large jurisdictions. Drones are a great tool. Today we sit-down with Chief Charles Werner (ret.) a world wide drone expert and director of Droneresponders. Drones empower emergency managers and first responders to evaluate serious disaster situations. With...

With remote work more popular than ever, it’s important to consider the unique ways that emergencies and disasters may affect these employees. Employees who work from home should be sure to have a plan to deal with common emergencies and disasters. Technology can also help when it comes to emergency preparedness by enabling employees to connect to the internet, access important files and documents...

The 46th Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop will be organized around the theme of The Hazards and Disaster Workforce: Preparing to Meet 21st Century Challenges. Our ability to reduce disaster risk has always depended on the people who do the work. This includes leaders who set a vision for a more just and sustainable future, researchers who push the boundaries of discovery,...

The full organization of the ICS structure is large. However, the full organization is rarely implemented. The organization can expand and contract depending on how many people are needed at any given moment. In a large crisis, the whole structure could be implemented, but in a smaller incident, only one, two, or three of these positions might be filled. One person can fill more than one role. The...

The changing scope and scale of disasters, both natural and technological, have altered the ways in which disaster management and financing are addressed and the roles of private-sector organizations specifically. Businesses and nonprofit organizations are increasingly central to the process, offering critical support in immediate disaster response but also contributing necessary redevelopment fun...

Big data and analytics present myriad possibilities for emergency management specialists and first responders. Some of these benefits include understanding site-level impacts as they develop in real-time, adding value to programs such as Business Continuity, and creating intelligence to be used in the Planning Section of an Emergency Operations Centre. While computer-generated data has been a stap...

In recent years, the health impacts of infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, industrial and environmental catastrophes, and conflict have captured the world’s attention and reinforced the importance of strengthening public health systems to better protect communities and populations from naturally occurring and human-caused threats. Various approaches and programs have been developed to...

Behind the Mask allows readers to experience the unfiltered, horrific scenarios EMTs and Medics have been facing while manning the frontlines during this pandemic. After being sent into the epicenter of the United States twice during this outbreak and working directly alongside FEMA, David shares stories not experienced by many. So, follow along with this easy read as he takes you into his journey...

CREATING A PREPAREDNESS MINDSET We shouldn’t assume that if people know how and why to prepare that the rest will take care of itself. In order to adopt the wisdom of preparedness, people need a confident understanding of the risks they face, they need to believe that preparedness actions will indeed protect them and their families, and they need an inspirational preparedness example from a relata...

5.11 Tactical started in Modesto, California as a clothing line created by mountain climber Royal Robbins. Upon reaching the top of a climb in Yosemite California, he noticed that the trousers that he was wearing were not suited for climbing. Robbins decided that he needed to design something more durable and with better functionality. He owned a boot and clothing company and began manufacturing p...

"The rise of civil unrest in 2020 is propelling the restructuring of culture, business, and cities in our society today. As Americans watch and experience a pandemic unfold and a sharp divide across political and economic lines, the mismanagement of public safety - including domestic terrorism - has been apparent to citizens, eager for the storms to calm. How will we respond? The new uprise of mov...

In the world of public safety, a rapidly changing environment creates a need for executive coaching. Leaders within our profession are constantly facing new challenges and the learning curve is very steep. With a massive number of retirements occurring, the leadership gap and the institutional knowledge leaving our organizations present very real and very large challenges. You may have younger, le...

We are taking a look at re-framing of the Incident Management Structures. It has been over 50 years since FIRESCOPE “created” the Incident Command System and the Incident Management Structures. Is it time to re-frame how emergency management and response operates? Timothy Riecker writes “After examining these models, I think most will agree that in incident management we really do use the Team of...

It’s a common phrase, that laughter is the best medicine, and first responders and emergency managers are well known for making it integral to our workspace. In the right context, laughter does provide evidence-based health benefits. Long-term physical and mental health gains for people working in high-stress jobs are critical. With a focus on its more immediate, short-term benefits, it comes as n...

The City of Ontario California opened two POD’s to distribute COVID-19 Vaccines. Jordan Villwock joins us to explore what when right and how can other cities learn from them. Jordan is an experienced emergency manager that has participated in multiple POD exercises and events over the years. This may have been the biggest test of the POD system in the history of the United States. Links Jordan Vil...

Pandemic, Fires, Riots and More, How One EM Survived His First Year at a New Job, Steven Torrance moved jobs at the beginning of 2020 from a small city in Orange County, to the iconic City of Santa Monica. Then 2020 broke out. He faced the lockdown of the pandemic, the summer of violence, and the struggles of being on the job and facing the political and social issues that were facing the nation....

Why Emergency Managers Need to Embrace Project Management. The improvement of incident management activities requires a coordinated effort by all involved agencies with a range of expertise. It behooves all professional disciplines to bring their respective expertise to improve the relevant capabilities. Project management expertise can be employed in multiple ways. It can be used to plan and mana...

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2009 Samoa tsunami, the 2010 Chile tsunami, the 2011 Tohoku, Japan tsunami: In less than 10 years, these four events focused the world's attention on the infrequent but very real threat of tsunamis. Major tsunamis do not happen often, but when they do, they can have a significant impact on life and property. Even small tsunamis, which are more common, can cause l...

The Emergency Preparedness Network started by Paul Dutton is Helping Communities Be Ready. Dutton is a 20 year experienced veteran to Disasters and has been a Community Emergency Response Teams [C.E.R.T.] Instructor for almost 20 years training over 700 people in Disaster Preparedness as a C.E.R.T. Instructor, Red Cross Instructor, and a Professional Consultant! Paul draws on his own experiences a...

Youth Emergency Preparedness Council (YEPC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating and preparing communities for disasters. It is organized and led by the youth through local chapters, serving a district-wide region. Chapter leaders organize educational events and service projects for the benefit of the community in partnership with local, state, and national agencies. Yusuf Rasheed, and...

When disaster strikes, staying connected matters more than ever – whether for first response, medical support, recovery efforts, essential supplies, or helping citizens tell family and friends that they are okay. And when terrestrial lines and cell towers are damaged by storms, floods, and fires, satellite delivers the connectivity governments and communities need. Ultimately, disaster response is...

The National Preparedness Leadership Initiative is a joint program of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Combing the resources and thinking of these two entities enable their faculty to help program participants appreciate and prepare for the full range of crisis leadership challenges, from the health and...

Keeping the power on during a disaster is critical. Utility and emergency management companies are often criticized for not connecting deeply enough with customers. During or after a disaster, consumers without power are unable to charge their phones and other devices, and blame gets shifted to the companies. Customers feel disconnected from the big name brand organizations, and in the moments the...

We have a lot of changes happening in the world today. The United States has a new President and a new direction. President Biden has stated that COVID-19 will be handled by FEMA  and a few additional federal agencies. Kelly McKinney the Author of Moment of Truth and long-time emergency manager joins us to discuss what the future may hold for emergency management, FEMA,  and more.  President Joe B...

Emergency Management at our K-12 schools can be challenging. Each school day, we send about 55 million children to K-12 schools. We entrust the teachers and administrators to keep them safe and provide a healthy learning environment. Over the years, we have learned lessons about school emergencies that have brought light to issues of having a well-prepared school. This is done by training staff in...