COMMENTARY
Information Sharing – A Powerful Life-Saving Tool
Information sharing is a valuable tool used for various purposes. However, this tool’s power in preparing for and responding to emergencies should not be underestimated. Unfortunately, critical information and data can sometimes be misused, not effectively leveraged, not shared, or simply ignored. In these scenarios, it is more difficult to accurately predict and mitigate threats and hazards, adequately prepare for emergencies and disasters, and efficiently respond to future incidents when lives and property are at…
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Technological Strategies for Organizational Leadership
Nathan DiPillo
February 22, 2023
Article Out Loud Integrating information technology (IT) into emergency management and public safety agencies involves balancing technological limitations with the organizational mindset. Finding this balance has been discussed in practice, academia, and across multiple disciplines, with friction sometimes emerging between the leadership mindset, staff, data, training, and implementation. For example,

Threat Awareness – Actions Now Mitigate Disasters Later
Catherine Feinman
February 22, 2023
Reducing or eliminating the long-term risks associated with natural, human-caused, or technological disasters begins with an awareness that specific threats exist. For example, a Chinese spy balloon crossed the United States and was shot down on February 4, 2023. The exact level of threat that it posed and the amount

Strong Foundations – What Every Disaster Plan Needs
Catherine Feinman
January 25, 2023
The initial goal of a disaster plan should be to avoid the disaster. The secondary goal should be to respond effectively when a disaster cannot be avoided. To be clear, the disaster here is not a hurricane, earthquake, flood, wildfire, tornado, or even human attacker. These are simply examples of

How One Town Stood Up to a Category 4 Storm
Jennifer Languell
January 4, 2023
When Category 4 Hurricane Ian crossed Florida in September 2022, more than 4 million Florida homes and businesses lost power. However, one town kept the lights on and was spared the devastation the cities surrounding it faced. With resilience and sustainability in mind, this author shares the planning involved in
Commentary Archives
Publisher’s Note: Auld Lang Syne (A Chance to Recollect and Restore)
MacGregor Stephenson
December 28, 2022
As we come to the end of a challenging year and a tumultuous period, please know that your efforts
are appreciated, and the sacrifices of you
Building Strength in Workforce and Structure
Catherine Feinman
December 21, 2022
Each person plays a critical leadership role, from top leadership to frontline workers. The authors in the December edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal share
The Importance of Strong Leadership for a Unique Discipline
Catherine Feinman
December 21, 2022
A transformational leadership style can help bridge relationship and communication gaps between
leaders and other community stakeholders. Learn how one young deputy fire chief learned from
Find Chances to Make Positive Changes
Catherine Feinman
November 30, 2022
Emergency preparedness and response professionals willingly insert themselves into many emergencies and disasters that they could have avoided in other professions. However, they use these
Avoiding the Complacency Trap After This Hurricane Season
Mark Misczak
November 23, 2022
Despite punishing hurricanes in Puerto Rico and Florida, the 2022 season has been relatively quiet for much of the Gulf coast and Atlantic seaboard. This
PPD-44: Implications for Domestic Incident Management
Robert J. (Bob) Roller
November 23, 2022
An essential national incident management guidance document is finally available to responders nationwide. This document will significantly improve a unified response to and recovery from
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Domestic Preparedness
November 16, 2022
Interested in sharing your thoughts on ways to improve the Domestic Preparedness Journal? Willing to help by participating in a 60-minute market research interview? We’re
The Role of Faith in Disasters
Michael Prasad
November 9, 2022
Many faith-based organizations have disaster response and recovery components as major elements of their own missions. By partnering with governmental and nongovernmental organizations, faith-based groups
Training the Next Generation of Cyber Guardians
Steve Stein
November 2, 2022
Despite small local governments being overrun with malware, ransomware, and myriad other threats,
it is difficult to find experienced cybersecurity professionals. Meanwhile, students search for
nonexistent entry-level
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Commentary
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Beachie Creek Fire – A Practitioner’s Firsthand Account
Chuck Perino
January 4, 2023
When disaster strikes, sometimes those trained to respond find themselves and their families fleeing from the fire. Once their families

Rationale for Structuring Pandemic Response on a War Footing
Thomas Russo
October 26, 2022
Given 20 years of pandemic planning, is it not surprising when people ask, “Why were we not ready?”
This question should

Lessons From Leading Virtual Operations
Jennifer Pearsall
October 5, 2022
Over the past two and a half years, most emergency preparedness professionals experienced some level of virtual work, even at

Resources Not to Be Overlooked
Catherine Feinman
September 28, 2022
The term “whole community” is frequently used in preparedness materials and discussions. In
practice, though, how often is the whole community
Commentary Archives
What Preparedness & Response Leaders Need in the New Normal
Catherine Feinman
July 6, 2022
To address the challenges that emergency preparedness professionals face in an ever-changing threat
environment, the Domestic Preparedness Journal hosted a panel discussion at the Texas Emergency
Management Conference
“Boot Camp” for Emergency Managers
David Covington
July 6, 2022
In most fields, basic training is part of the learning process. Fire, law enforcement, the
military, and other disciplines have training academies for building competencies and
Working Together: Partnership, Training, Funding & Tolerance
Catherine Feinman
June 22, 2022
When community stakeholders work together to prepare for emergencies and disasters, they will be
better prepared and have more resources to face whatever threats, risks, and
Building Capability: Zero Tolerance vs. Acceptability
Christopher Tantlinger
June 22, 2022
A tool designed with zero tolerance would not be able to function efficiently or effectively.
Likewise, taking a zero-tolerance approach to emergency preparedness and response has
Public Safety Grant Programs Changes – A 10-Year Review
Kurt Bradley
June 15, 2022
Article Out Loud Change is inevitable. As society continues to progress in the “digital age,” so has applying for various federal grant programs. It is
Crowd Behavior & Elaborated Social Identity Modeling
Robert Leverone
May 25, 2022
The issue of civil unrest has presented law enforcement across the United States with the significant challenge of restoring order while maintaining the constitutional
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