Do We Really Assist Everyone?
Emergency managers assist disaster victims without regard to the the victims’ status. But does this actually happen in practice?
EM Qualifications: Who Needs a Degree?
There’s constant bickering in the emergency management community about whether an undergraduate degree should be a requirement. Maybe not in the past but with increasing complexity of the job, is it an idea whose time has come?
What Qualifies You to Be an Emergency Manager?
The Maui fires raised the issue of what qualifies someone to be an emergency manager. But how can we judge someone’s fitness is we’ve never defined qualifications?
Functional Annexes: The Backbone of Your Emergency Plan
While the basic plan delineates the overall strategy for the emergency operations plan, that strategy can only be implemented if it is supported by strong functional annexes that turn strategy into action.
Hazard Specific Annexes: A Misunderstood Tool
Is your hazard specific annex a useful tool in a crisis or is it just a useless appendage written to meet the requirements of someone who will never need to use it?
Who’s Going to Use Your Plan?
Your emergency operations plan may be conformant with all requirements and standards but are you really ready for a crisis?
Rethinking the Emergency Operations Center: Five Points to Consider
Emergency operations centers may be adequate for small emergencies, but can they handle a major disaster?
Politics and the Emergency Manager – Part 2
Monitoring national politics is probably the last thing on an emergency manager’s mind but the potential catastrophic effects on local programs means you can’t afford to ignore it.
Politics and the Emergency Manager
Emergency managers like to think of themselves as apolitical, serving their communities without regard to political agendas. However, the reality is that participation in the political process is an essential part of the emergency manager’s job.
Strategic Thinking
Emergency managers are skilled at operational thinking but a changing world and changing missions demand a more strategic approach.