Build Resilience as Part of our COVID-19 Recovery
We are flying blind. As Ohio restarts its economy, no one knows what to expect. We scarcely know what has already happened, let alone what might happen next. We are…
Shape the Future by Building Community Resilience Today
The future looks ominous, but for emergency managers, it always has. Since emergency management emerged as a specialized discipline in the mid-twentieth century, practitioners have always seen a future filled…
You Can’t Handle The Truth
Earlier this week, an article about the coronavirus in a national newspaper described “panic buying” at a big box store in Hawaii. Except there was no panic. According to the…
Cities Are Not Tornado-Free Zones
This week’s tornadoes in Dayton and Celina should remind everyone in Greater Cleveland that urban areas are not immune from tornadoes. While it is true that large cities are rarely…
Spread the Word
As a brand-new county EMA director I was eager to work with the fifty-nine political subdivisions in my county to create a create an outstanding county-wide emergency management organization. I…
The Brave City of China
Nobody does disaster recovery like the Chinese. Of course, they’ve had plenty of practice. Earthquakes, floods, typhoons, famines, revolutions, civil war: Chinese history is a heartbreaking chronicle of death and…
Four Leadership Roles for Emergency Managers
There are thousands of books, articles, white papers, power point presentations and webinars about leadership. They all provide helpful information. But few address the exceptional leadership challenges faced by emergency…
Not Another Meeting
“Oh, God, not another meeting” We’ve all heard it, most of us have said it. And the truth is, meetings can be unproductive, tedious, and utterly wasteful. But the takeaway…
Emergency Management is a Local Responsibility
During recent testimony, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Brock Long told Congress that state and local communities must do a better job of preparing for disaster response and must…
Information Management Issues in a County EOC
During any activation, the most critical function performed at an EOC is information management. Planning, coordinating, requesting resources, documenting operations, keeping decision makers informed and other activities all rely on…
Emergency Managers Can Boost Preparedness by Instilling a Sense of Urgency
As emergency managers, there are two things we know about disasters, and one thing we don’t. We know that another disaster is coming. We don’t know when. But we…
Emergency Management is a Local Responsibility
During recent testimony, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Brock Long told Congress that state and local communities must do a better job of preparing for disaster response and must…
Faith-Based Organizations Look to Increase Security as Mass Shootings Climb
Religious institutions cannot rely on God to protect their congregations from armed attacks, say religious leaders. That’s why more than 200 leaders of religious organizations and public safety officials from…
Here’s Why Puerto Rico Needs an Urgent and Comprehensive Federal Response
The combination of widespread power outages, the inability of relief teams and emergency supplies to travel overland to the island, and the inability of residents to self-evacuate to nearby unaffected…
Collaboration and Cooperation: Keys for Effective Recovery
Successful cities are well-equipped to recover from disasters. The characteristics that helped them grow in the first place are the same characteristics that will help them recover. But some cities…
Resilient Cities and Disaster
Cities are resilient by nature. Throughout history urban areas have been struck by a horrific menu of disasters including fires, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and wars. In the United States…
ReadyCertify: Supporting Municipal Readiness in Cuyahoga County, Ohio
As the emergency management agency for an urbanized county with fifty-nine municipal jurisdictions, the Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management (CCOEM) is continually looking for ways to support city, village,…