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.
Emergency managers are skilled at operational thinking but a changing world and changing missions demand a more strategic approach.
Emergency managers specialize in bringing disparate groups to accept a common vision but when conflicts among those groups begin to escalate, many emergency managers lack the training to resolve them.
Most of the funding for community restoration following a disaster comes from insurance. But what if our system is stacked against those most needing assistance?
Emergency managers are focused on responding to disasters but often neglect crises that can increase a community’s vulnerability and ability to respond.
Emergency Operations Centers are critical tools of emergency response. But are they really what we need in the 21st Century?
The study of political economics is not normally considered a field of study for emergency managers, but it has a direct bearing on disaster vulnerability and recovery.
Many private sector organizations adopt the Incident Command System for use by their incident management team but is it really the best way to manage a crisis?
Studies from various disasters suggest that the current system of disaster recovery neglects those most in need of assistance. With the impacts of climate change already being felt, it’s time to reassess how we respond disasters.
While integrating response and continuity plans seems logical, it can be very difficult without a well-thought out process.