Communication & Interoperability Archives

COMMUNICATION & INTEROPERABILITY ARCHIVES

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 emergency operations centers (EOC). And it appears that some aspects of working virtually is here to stay – including during a response. This article describes some lessons learned from one

Military Combat Skills for Civilian Disaster Response

Lisa Nenno and Timothy Miller September 28, 2022

During their service, military personnel acquire a broad range of lifesaving skills that are critical when on the frontline during wartime. Effective medical triage is one of the skills needed during combat and any major disaster or catastrophic event. When preparing and training for all hazards, the learned experience from

Taking Flight – Creating a Robust Aviation Response, Part 1

James Origliosso and Sky Terry September 28, 2022

General aviation pilots have been finding ways to assist their communities during emergencies and disasters for many years. However, over the past two years, significant advances in disaster preparedness have been made as emergency response plans were created and exercised to integrate volunteer aviation response into other community response efforts.

Resources Not to Be Overlooked

Catherine L. 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 represented and all community resources considered? Here are some key resources that should not be overlooked.

Tribal Nations Test Their Communications Capabilities

Bruce Fitzgerald September 22, 2022

A 9.0-magnitude earthquake is a predictable scenario along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. This article describes how the tribal nations in the Pacific Northwest are preparing their region for this catastrophic event. This exercise allowed tribal and non-tribal participants to evaluate their resources and test their communications capabilities.

Respecting Tribal Emergency Management

John Pennington September 14, 2022

Emergency management professionals tend to exhibit what they routinely advocate within their respective communities – resilience. As the field of emergency management continues to evolve, its leaders and their organizations must adjust and adapt to more than just response scenarios. They are expected to speak to the still lingering questions of

Successful Application – Virtual Emergency Operations Center

Judy Kruger and Kyle R. Overly August 24, 2022

Before 2019, partner agencies coordinated incident command primarily from a physical emergency operations center (EOC). This practice shifted to virtual EOCs during the COVID-19 pandemic for many agencies. Virtual EOCs can effectively address community needs through all phases of consequence management. Emergency management and partner agencies have found virtual on-scene

How Natural Disasters Exacerbate Human Trafficking

Lindsey Lane and Hailey York August 24, 2022

Human trafficking is the world’s second-largest criminal industry. In the wake of natural disasters, the risk to vulnerable populations rises. This article informs preparedness and response professionals on how to better protect their communities and prepare their workforces to identify the signs of human trafficking, understand recruiting methods, consider pre-existing

There Was a Pandemic Strategy and Plan

Robert C. Hutchinson August 17, 2022

Effective trainings are ones where the participants remember and later implement what they learned into their daily operations. Not everyone knows how they would respond in a true emergency. However, some trainings provide a more realistic glimpse into disaster scenarios than others. This first-hand account describes what it was like

Reduce Burnout & Increase Retention in Emergency Management

Kesley Richardson August 10, 2022

In emergency management (EM), the landscape of incoming professionals is evolving from second-career professionals to first-career college graduated practitioners. This change spotlights the difference between management and leadership and its effects on the retention and burnout of professionals. EM professionals see growth in organizations, with “projected growth between 2016 and

Creating a Common Operating Picture for Wildfire Season

Akshay Birla July 27, 2022

Life is beginning to return to normal following the past two years of the pandemic, but the world is still as unpredictable as ever. When it seems as though one catastrophic situation is coming to an end, another tends to emerge as the newest public safety issue. One set of

Societal Violence & Its Impact on Critical Infrastructure

Nathan DiPillo and Tim Scarrott July 27, 2022

The “new normal” following the COVID-19 outbreak is still evolving. Although some people have welcomed the relief from many years of commuting and focused on personal growth and time with family, others have become disenfranchised, isolated, depressed, or lack purpose and empathy. As the United States reels from the recent

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