COMMENTARY ARCHIVES
Creating the Problem, Then Solving It
Catherine L. Feinman
December 25, 2019
It is interesting to stop for a moment and think, “How did we get here?” The emergency preparedness and response profession has come a long way, offering emergency preparers, responders, and receivers many more invaluable tools at their disposal than their counterparts had in previous years. Over time, plans and
Laying the Groundwork for Combating Future Threats
Catherine L. Feinman
November 25, 2019
Understanding history is a critical component of emergency preparedness, response, and resilience. History has a way of exposing preparedness and response gaps and providing a roadmap for best practices going forward. Unfortunately, when not examined and taken into consideration, history tends to repeat itself. As threats evolve over time, the
2013 Navy Yard Shooting: Lessons Learned, Actions Taken
Catherine L. Feinman
November 20, 2019
There is no way to list or train for the innumerable mass casualty scenarios that a responder could face on any day, at any time, in any place. This means that no emergency response can be perfect and no plan flawless. However, rather than focusing on the “what ifs” after
Preparing a Nation for Disaster – One Community at a Time
Catherine L. Feinman
September 25, 2019
Each year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Ready campaign recognizes September as National Preparedness Month. Agencies and organizations across the United States participate in this national preparedness effort by sharing educational resources, organizing events, and mobilizing action to help reduce risk and build community resilience. FEMA recognizes that, when
Combating Threats – Both Domestic & Global
Catherine L. Feinman
July 31, 2019
Disaster planners recognize the need to build interagency, interdisciplinary support to combat widespread disasters with far-reaching consequences. However, gaining such buy-in can be challenging – especially when stakeholders do not recognize the threat to their communities or do not understand the roles they can and should play in mitigating such
Emerging Homeland Security Issues – A 2018 Panel Review
Joseph J. Leonard Jr.
May 8, 2019
DomPrep hosted the 2018 Emerging Homeland Security Issues Panel in conjunction with the Clean Gulf Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 13 November 2018. The active discussion among panel members and more than 50 attendees focused on hybrid warfare and the current threat environment, strategic and operational preparedness, emerging
Hybrid Warfare – Impact on Preparedness & Resilience
Martin D. Masiuk
May 8, 2019
During the first two decades of the 21st century, the nation’s security and defense focus was primarily on terrorism by non-state actors and lone wolves. During that same period, advances in digital and information technology were rapidly adopted by government and industry. Often, technology’s implementation was quick and cheap with
Preparing for & Responding to Disaster – A 2018 Review
Christopher Reynolds and Allison Knox
April 3, 2019
Fire, wind, and water – a lot of water. The year 2018 delivered all in a series of natural disasters that seemed almost continual. Throughout the year, there was a significant risk to lives and property caused by wildfires in the West, hurricanes in the Southeast, and flooding in numerous
Vertical Collaboration for Widespread Health Threats
Catherine L. Feinman
March 27, 2019
From infectious diseases to terrorist attacks, state and federal agencies must collaborate to provide the most effective responses for large-scale public health events. New types of threats continually emerge, terrorist tactics evolve, and environmental conditions change. Each of these factors contributes to the complexities that emergency preparedness professionals must consider
The Seven and a Half Traits of the Ultimate Emergency Manager
Chas Eby
March 13, 2019
Emergency management is an evolving discipline that requires a progressive emergency manager to fulfill new and expanding requirements for success. Successful leaders in this field follow a systematic problem-solving process and excel at coordinating multiple agencies and information sources rather than simply being experts in one subject. The seven and
Community Resilience – Combining Nature & Nurture
Catherine L. Feinman
February 27, 2019
In each disaster, examples of community resilience emerge: neighbors helping neighbors; volunteers filling response gaps; businesses providing unexpected resources; and first responders going above and beyond their call of duty. Many people have an innate urge to respond to disasters by donating their time and money, giving blood, providing transportation,
High School Interns – A Valuable Community Resource
Jennifer Pearsall
January 30, 2019
New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) has designed an internship program specifically tailored for high school students. The agency shares its lessons learned to help other agencies understand why such efforts are important, how the program works, and what steps agencies can take to start their own intern programs. Engaging
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