VOLUNTEERISM ARCHIVES
Transition – Separating Power From Preparedness
Catherine L. Feinman
January 27, 2021
At the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021, there was considerable discussion about the transition of presidential power. As leadership roles change in many federal, state, and local agencies across the United States, new policies and plans will be implemented that will affect how the nation as a whole
A Year of Crisis, Progress & Hope
Catherine L. Feinman
December 23, 2020
In 2020, literally everyone was affected in some way by crisis. In certain areas, communities endured other disasters in addition to the worldwide pandemic. Some people fared well, some are struggling, and some will not see 2021. However, amid the illnesses, economic uncertainties, and social and political unrest, there are
Putting Plans Into Action
Catherine L. Feinman
November 25, 2020
Emergencies and disasters have a way of disrupting the norm. In emergency management, disruption is to be expected. However, the events that plague preparedness professionals in 2020 may have an even greater impact on how communities plan for and respond to disasters going forward. For example, the digital world has
Protection at Home & on the Streets
Catherine L. Feinman
October 28, 2020
In 2020, health and safety crises in local communities have often proven to have national or international consequences. The world has seen how a virus in one community can quickly spread globally, or a shooting in another community can inspire civil rights movements in numerous countries. Worst-case scenario training did
Hope to Action: Medical Equipment for Children Post-Disaster
Marsha Williams, Judy Kruger, Eli Fresquez and Eric J. McNulty
October 14, 2020
Effective disaster response and recovery involves the whole community. In the United States, there is a wide variation as to how families acquire durable medical equipment (DME) for their children with disabilities post disaster. DME is essential for those children to maintain their usual level of independence as well as
Earthquake Preparedness in Non-Earthquake Country
Stephen Maloney
September 30, 2020
Emergency management is an evolving discipline that requires a progressive emergency manager to fulfill new and expanding requirements for success. Successful leaders in this field follow a systematic problem-solving process and excel at coordinating multiple agencies and information sources rather than simply being experts in one subject. The seven and
Disaster Support – Meeting Today’s Needs
Catherine L. Feinman
September 30, 2020
Despite emergency planners using worst-case scenarios and high-impact, low-frequency events when planning for disasters, experiencing an event in real time exposes gaps in those plans that were not foreseeable (or at least not included in the plan). Furthermore, as time goes on, resources and other needs naturally change. In order
Remote Contact Tracing: A New Twist on an Old Practice
David Reddick and John Anthony
August 26, 2020
The idea of contact tracing is nothing new. It has been practiced for decades to help stop the spread of infectious diseases such as smallpox and HIV. It has been taught to public health professionals for decades. However, with the global explosion of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, it has
Success Is Not Defined by Perfection
Catherine L. Feinman
August 26, 2020
All disasters are innately different, so no two responses can be identical. If no two responses are identical, then no single plan can be perfect for any specific disaster. And that is okay. Successful disaster management is about implementing the most relevant plan, finding the most reliable information available, and
Staying Prepared in a Changing World
Catherine L. Feinman
July 29, 2020
Many professions are steeped in tradition, including those in emergency preparedness and response organizations. In these well-established environments, when asked to make a change to traditional practices, the response is sometimes simply, “No, this is how we’ve always done it.” Such thinking can leave communities underprepared for new, emerging, or
Whole Community – Threats & Solutions
Catherine L. Feinman
June 24, 2020
The concept of a whole community approach has been recommended for years. However, it has perhaps not been more important than it is today. Compounding events, or disasters within disasters, are why emergency planners stress the importance of planning for the worst but hoping for the best. Well, the time
Disasters & Their Acceptable Losses
Catherine L. Feinman
May 27, 2020
One of the biggest challenges that emergency preparedness professionals face is how to balance the choices they make. Mitigating every risk is not realistic, but ignoring threats is reprehensible. Lessons learned from any disaster exposes the successes and failures of those tasked with keeping their communities safe. Some decisions have
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