Prep Talk

The New York City Emergency Management Department welcomes Commissioner Deanne Criswell. Commissioner Criswell brings a wealth of knowledge to the agency, with over 25 years of experience in federal, military and local government response to complex incidents and disasters, including six years at FEMA. Criswell is also a retired member of the Colorado Air National Guard, where she served 21 years...

Providing timely and accurate information to the public is crucial during an emergency. In the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” special guests Lisa Fowlkes, chief of the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety Homeland Security Bureau, and Benjamin Krakauer, assistant commissioner of strategy and program development at New York City Emergency Management, discuss the importance of Wireless...

Safety first. That is the message Principal Philip Carollo has for his staff and students at PS 56, The Louis DeSario School, in Staten Island. In the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” the hosts chat with Mr. Carollo and Keith Grossman, the director of emergency management at the DOE, about the importance of teaching kids how to prepare for emergencies. Find out what makes preparedness education a co...

Mentorship is a priority at the New York City Emergency Management Department. In the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” special guests Robert Cohen and Jennifer Pearsall, both with NYC Emergency Management, discuss the benefits of mentorship in professional growth. Pearsall and Cohen outline the agency’s four-step mentorship program and provide insight about how emergency managers and other organizat...

In recognition of Immigrant Heritage Week in New York City, April 15 through April 21, the latest “Prep Talk” episode features New York State Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou and Pedro Garcia, manager for staff development for training and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at the Tenement Museum. The special guests discuss the importance of working with the NYC Emergency Management Depar...

Spring is back, and the possibility of April showers could bring more than May flowers. As the potential for rain increases, so does the risk of flooding hazards. In the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” special guests Natan Mandelbaum from NYC Department for Environmental Protection (DEP) and Jessica Sanchez of NYC Emergency Management discuss how the agencies work together to mitigate flooding risk...

NYC Emergency Management is highlighting March for Meals. In recognition of Meals on Wheels Awareness month, also known as March for Meals, the latest episode of “Prep Talk” features the relationship between NYC Emergency Management and Citymeals on Wheels. “Prep Talk” hosts sat down with Rachel Sherrow from Citymeals on Wheels and Johanna Conroy of NYC Emergency Management to discuss how the part...

In recognition of Women’s History Month, the latest “Prep Talk” episode features Penny Neferis, the director of business continuity, disaster recovery and emergency response at JetBlue, and Linda Reissman, the director of emergency management at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Listen as both guests discuss how major emergencies like Hurricane Sandy and 9/11 have influenced their careers and shaped emerg...

The best way to prevent the measles is to get the vaccine. That is the message Dr. Demetre Daskalakis — Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Disease Control at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — has for listeners on the latest episode of “Prep Talk.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 127 confirmed cases of measles in 10 s...

In recognition of Black History Month, the latest “Prep Talk” episode features Jerome Hatfield and Calvin Drayton, two African-American leaders in emergency management and public safety. Mr. Hatfield is the former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region II administrator under the Obama Administration, while Mr. Drayton currently serves as the first deputy commissioner at NYC Emergency Ma...

If you’re looking to reduce your risk for hazards this year, look no further. In the latest “Prep Talk” episode, special guests Heather Roiter and Melissa Umberger provide expert perspective on how New York City works to reduce the impacts of natural and man-made hazards, ranging from winter weather and hurricanes to cyber threats and chemical releases. The guests discuss the new 2019 Hazard Mitig...

It is not too late to make a New Year’s resolution to be more prepared. That is the message the New York City Emergency Management Department wants New Yorkers to know. In the latest “Prep Talk” episode, special guest Katelyn James provides an expert perspective about how individuals can practice preparedness in 2019. James discusses NYC Emergency Management’s “Resolve to Be Ready” calendar, an in...

It is always good to be a good neighbor. To ensure that New Yorkers are prepared for the winter season, New York Cares and New York City Emergency Management partnered to release a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) about how New Yorkers can donate coats to people in need. In the latest episode, “Prep Talk” hosts chat with Gary Bagley, executive director at New York Cares, and Herman Schaffer,...

It’s always good to have a backup plan. In the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” hosts Omar Bourne and Allison Pennisi discuss the City’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) with Tony Marzuillo, director of COOP at NYC Emergency Management. Established as a mayoral executive order in 2007, the order requires each City agency to have a comprehensive COOP plan in place to ensure that agency staff can...

“Honor. Rewarding. Privilege.” These are the words members of New York Task Force 1 (NY-TF1) use to describe their work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) team. On the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” hosts Omar Bourne and Allison Pennisi sit down with three members of NY-TF1 to discuss their September deployment to North Carolina in support of Hurricane...

In the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” hosts Omar Bourne and Allison Pennisi highlight the work of NYC Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers as the program celebrates its 15th anniversary. Bourne and Pennisi chat with Christina Farrell, deputy commissioner of external affairs at NYC Emergency Management, FDNY Deputy Chief Jim Brosi, and NYPD Inspector Phylis Byrne. The special guests...

Coordination is the heartbeat of emergency management. That is the message emergency management leaders emphasized on the latest episode of “Prep Talk”. Hosts sat down with Barb Graff, director of the Seattle Office of Emergency Management, Thomas Sivak, deputy director for the City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications, and Joseph Esposito, commissioner of NYC Emergency Man...

The New York City Emergency Management Department and the FDNY remind you to “stand by your pan.” In honor of FDNY Fire Prevention Week, October 9 through 14, “Prep Talk” hosts sat down with FDNY’s Director of Community engagement Fabricio Caro, and FDNY Lieutenant Michael Kozo, to talk about the importance of educating New Yorkers about fire safety and prevention. In this episode, Lt. Kozo and Mr...

Emergency management is made possible through coordination. In the latest “Prep Talk” episode, the New York City Emergency Management Department sat down with Michael Devulpillieres, communications officer for the American Red Cross’ Greater New York chapter. Topics discussed include NYC Emergency Management’s longstanding partnership with American Red Cross Greater New York ― working together bef...

September is National Preparedness Month, and the New York City Emergency Management Department wants New Yorkers to take the opportunity to get prepared. In recognition of National Preparedness Month, “Prep Talk” hosts sat down with Iskra Killgore, director of community engagement and language access at NYC Emergency Management, to discuss the importance of preparing New Yorkers before emergencie...

In 2015, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio declared July “Disability Pride Month” in NYC in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In the latest episode of “Prep Talk”, hosts Omar Bourne and Allison Pennisi chat with a team from the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) about the work the City is doing to make New York City more accessible. MOPD’s Commissioner Vi...

The 2018 National Homeland Security Conference is under way in New York City. In the latest episode of “Prep Talk”, hosts Omar Bourne and Allison Pennisi chat with NYC Emergency Management’s Commissioner Joseph J. Esposito, and Branch Strickland, Executive Director of Finance and President of the National Homeland Security Association. Guests discuss what attendees can learn, including topics rang...

It’s summer time in the City. During this episode of ‘Prep Talk’ we sit down with Linda Whitaker from the NYC Department for the Aging and Johanna Conroy from NYC Emergency Management to discuss heat safety tips. During excessive heat, older adults and people with chronic medical or psychiatric conditions are at a higher risk for illness or even death. Listen in to learn about ways you, your frien...

Emergency plans aren’t just for humans; your furry friends need them too. June is National Pet Preparedness Month, and the New York City Emergency Management Department wants you to prepare your pets and service animals before the next emergency. In the latest episode of “Prep Talk”, hosts Omar Bourne and Allison Pennisi chat with NYC Emergency Management’s Matthew Puvogel, Community Engagement Co...

When emergencies occur, businesses without a plan are more likely to suffer losses. In many cases, businesses never recover. In the latest “Prep Talk” episode, the New York City Emergency Management Department and the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) unlock the keys to building businesses that are more resilient. Listen as guests discuss the importance of preparedness and outline the re...