
Overcoming Communications Challenges: A Hurricane Helene Success
Jarod Rosson
January 29, 2025
As part of the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s Hurricane Helene Incident Support Task Force, Emergency Management Coordinator Jarod Rosson experienced firsthand what it is like to respond to a disaster when all ground-based forms of communication are offline.

Editor’s Note: Responding to Disasters in 2025 and Beyond
Catherine L. Feinman
January 29, 2025
The December 2024 edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal provides insight into the intersection of AI and emergency preparedness. With their exponentially increasing speed of development, existing, emerging, and not-yet-created technologies must all be part of the planning process in 2025 and beyond.

All at Once: Multi-Incident Simultaneous Response and Recovery
Tucker Berry
January 29, 2025
As demonstrated by hurricanes Helene and Milton, jurisdictions unaccustomed to compounding incidents can bolster their readiness to simultaneously respond and recover by proactively examining and preparing for unique challenges posed by such a scenario.

Nonmedical Concerns for Hospitals in a Mass-Casualty Incident
Joanmarie Verrico Wallster and Michael Prasad
January 22, 2025
Nonmedical concerns such as security and safety, unaccompanied minors, and governmental relations can adversely impact a hospital when responding to a mass-casualty incident. Failure to plan for these issues, including consequence management, could risk life and safety.

The Current State of the Opioid Crisis & Other Emerging Threats
John Johnson
January 22, 2025
Opioid deaths have surged dramatically since the pandemic. Manufacturers exploit legal loopholes and use precursor chemicals that often evade detection and regulation. These new and growing threats present challenges to public safety that demand innovative solutions and a proactive approach.

Advisory Board Spotlight: Interview with Major Rhonda Lawson
Major Rhonda Lawson
January 22, 2025
Rhonda Lawson is a major in the chief’s office of the Texas Highway Patrol (THP) Division. She began her 27-year career with the Texas Department of Public Safety in 1997 as a trooper. In 2012, Lawson transferred to the Texas Division of Emergency Management as captain and deputy Operations Section coordinator, serving as the division’s THP liaison. In 2016, Lawson was promoted to major and Operations Section coordinator for the Emergency Management Council in the Texas State Operations Center during state-level activations. In 2019, when TDEM became an independent agency under the Texas A&M University System, she transferred to the THP Division, where she is the THP-TDEM liaison and oversees the Highway Safety Operations Center. In this interview, we learn about her journey into emergency management.

Preparing for the Next Biothreat: Lessons Not to Forget
Christy Anderson
January 15, 2025
In 2024, senior officials from hospitals, healthcare organizations, public health, emergency management, and other responder communities convened at two workshops to share the lessons they learned as leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their lessons learned can help communities better prepare for the next biothreat.

Mission Ready Packages: New Possibilities
Kay C. Goss
January 15, 2025
In 2005, the Superdome in New Orleans served as a mass shelter and accommodated over 25,000 people during Hurricane Katrina. Those accommodations, though, were inadequate, with limited power, plumbing, and other resources. To avoid a similar scenario, the Mission Ready Venue Initiative enables stadiums to be a resource for immediate assistance following a disaster and to be fully prepared in advance.

Evolution of a Critical Emergency Response Tool
Jamie Hannan and Kristina Clark
January 8, 2025
During a derecho in May 2024, Texas agencies contacted and conducted wellness checks on residents with disabilities or with functional and access needs. One tool facilitated the process, sharing critical information about registrants to the emergency responders and planners who needed to know.

Why Public Works Needs a Seat at the Planning Table
Greg Hoffnung
January 8, 2025
Despite their critical role in disaster response, public works agencies are not always included in the emergency planning process. To bridge planning gaps, public works should be integrated into emergency response efforts. Key steps can help ensure that these and other agencies can more effectively respond to the next disaster.