woman wearing virtual reality goggles with a disaster scene
Source: Generated with AI by bird_saranyoo / Adobe Stock

Editor’s Note: Responding to Disasters in 2025 and Beyond

At the beginning of each new year, discussions about change and what will happen in the upcoming year tend to dominate conversations, and 2025 is no exception. The rapid pace of technological innovations, frequent changes in leadership, and other factors make it challenging but not impossible to prepare for incidents that may happen in the months or years ahead. Lessons learned from events like COVID-19 help public health and other sectors prepare for the next biothreat. Ongoing concerns like the opioid crisis, hurricanes, wildfires, and other mass-casualty incidents keep public safety, emergency management, first responders, and hospitals ready to respond as needed.

Analysis of past trends coupled with information that emerges from research by subject matter experts helps communities mitigate future threats, risks, and hazards to lessen the consequences of potential emergencies and disasters. In addition to sharing information with established partners, communities can find new partnerships with unconventional responders like sports stadiums and embedded stakeholders like public works departments that could add even more value if brought into the discussion during the preparedness phase of a disaster.

The January 2025 edition of the Domestic Preparedness Journal discusses the threats, stakeholders, and tools communities should consider as the year progresses. To improve disaster response efforts, begin with comprehensive planning and implement mitigation strategies. The exact events that will occur in 2025 are yet to be known, but communities can overcome foreseeable and unforeseeable challenges along the way by cultivating relationships, building resources, and putting lessons learned into action. The authors in this issue spur the discussion about change and what to prepare for in the upcoming year.

Catherine L. Feinman

Catherine L. Feinman, M.A., joined Domestic Preparedness in January 2010. She has more than 35 years of publishing experience and currently serves as editor-in-chief of the Domestic Preparedness Journal, DomesticPreparedness.com, and The Weekly Brief. She works with writers and other contributors to build and create new content that is relevant to the emergency preparedness, response, and recovery communities. She received a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a master’s degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Military University.

SHARE:

TAGS:

No tags to display

COMMENTS

Translate »