PREPARE. RESPOND. RECOVER. PODCAST

Our nation’s postsecondary institutions are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for students, faculty, and staff who live, work, and study on campus. Faced with emergencies ranging from active shooter situations to fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and pandemic influenza, this is no easy task. Join us as we explore the role of emergency management at New York University with NYU’s Ann-Marie McLaughlin, Director of Emergency Management.

Whether or not emergency management is considered a profession has been discussed and debated for several years. There are all sorts of implications including recognition as professionals, education versus training, classroom instruction versus on-the-job experience, and respect for the work emergency managers do both when responding to a disaster and when doing other things to preserve life, property, and the environment. In addition to performing the duties of an emergency manager, there are political and policy-making issues requiring the emergency manager’s attention. Dr. Carol Cwiak, Associate Professor of Emergency Management at North Dakota State University has been leading the transformation of emergency management from a job to a profession. Dr. Cwiak has lectured around the world on the importance of the code of ethics and core competencies for emergency management.

Cyberattacks are an ever-growing threat to critical infrastructure such as power, gas, water stations, and transportation control systems. Cybersecurity breaches can potentially have devastating physical and economic effects. Failing to plan for cyber threats as part of emergency management procedures is detrimental to national security and have become the focus of emergency management over the last 15 years. Prachee Kale, Founding Executive Fellow At CyberTheory Institute, co-founded Think.Design.Cyber to pioneer critical systems and design thinking in the cybersecurity discipline. Prachee is also the co-author of the award-winning research article “Cybersecurity: The End Game” published in Taylor and Francis’s EDPACs Journal.

Public-Private Partnerships is an agreement between a public agency and a private sector entity. Through this agreement, the skills and assets of each sector are shared in delivering a service or facility for the use of the general public. As governments seek to upgrade infrastructure and address the challenges of climate change, among other objectives, the need for private-sector involvement has grown. When considering pricing risk in a comprehensive and transparent way, governments can tap into the true expertise of private players. Brian Barnier, Head of Decision Science and Analytics is focused on growing companies, investments, and countries, bringing practical insight to investors, boards, and management to help them bridge from strategy to execution. He accelerates improvement in business results through a "risk lens" that incorporates both growth and turnaround lessons learned across industries, professional disciplines, and countries.

One of the growing sectors in emergency management is in healthcare. Hospital emergency management is a unique position in the healthcare system. They manage the integration of planning and response efforts within the physical campus and must interact with outside emergency response, emergency management, and public health agencies. Kelly McKinney, the Assistant Vice President of Emergency Management and Enterprise Resilience for NYU Langone Health, discusses how emergency management teams within the healthcare industry are working to overcome the issues they currently face in this ever-changing world. 

The question “what makes a good leader?” is at the forefront of every organization. Establishing a strong corporate culture creates happy employees and a more efficient work environment. It can also attract great talent that will help your organization prosper. Today we speak with former Special Forces Green Beret, Fran Racioppi, Chief People Officer at Analytix Solutions and the Host of the Jedburgh Podcast by Talented War Group to discuss how emergency management and disaster response professionals are turned into confident leaders.

Educational systems are constantly transforming to reflect a more digitized world. Although there are significant benefits that technology brings to the work environment, it also creates a large gap of inequality. Dr. Craig Hansen, President of the University of Applied Research and Development, works to remove the barriers to higher education by allowing professionals in the emergency management and oil and gas industry to gain recognition of their trainings and ultimately pave the wave for horizontal and vertical growth in their careers.  

Every emergency manager has touched FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in one way or another during their career. As EMI surpasses 70 years of operation, the new Superintendent, Dr. Jeffery Stern discusses how to improve the training and education of the next generation of emergency managers, and the possibility of the development of an Emergency Management Command College. 

After suffering a traumatic and unfortunate brain injury, Jacob Green first changed career paths and became an EMT and a public safety dispatcher, then rose to the position of Assistant City Manager and founded Jacob Green & Associates, an organization which focuses on organizational and leadership development, emergency management, public safety, and crisis communications. Jacob Green is a nationally recognized expert in leadership development and crisis management, and works to build stronger and more resilient teams. 

Occupational stress in first responders is associated with an increased risk in mental health problems, while the emotional toll first responders endure on the job has caused suicide rates to skyrocket amongst the industry. Today, prepare.respod.recover. host Todd DeVoe speaks with Brice Long, COO of O2X, an organization that provides customized wellness programs for public safety departments, the military, and federal agencies to improve the lives of the people that fight to keep us safe. 

Due to the uptick of mass shootings over the years, many professions outside of law enforcement are now being trained in active shooter response programs. But have you ever thought about who teaches the law enforcement officers themselves? Join prepare.respond.recover. host Todd DeVoe as he talks with Erik Franco, the CEO of "High Speed Tac Med", one of the nation’s most sought-after active shooter training programs for law enforcement and firefighting. Learn about “Run, Hide, Fight” and how these trainings are preparing law enforcement officers to tackle an active shooter situation as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

A humanitarian crisis arises when an event affects vulnerable populations who are unable to withstand the negative consequences by themselves, and unfortunately, poor populations are likely to be more vulnerable to man-made or natural disasters. As other organizations fill the need for food and medical supplies, ShelterBox is providing the basic need for shelter. Listen in to this week’s episode of prepare.respond.recover as we explore how the disaster relief charity ShelterBox was formed and how they are working to help those in need.

Today prepare.respond.recover. speaks with Lead Research Meteorologist and Senior Director for Standards and Analytics Dr. Ian Giammanco from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) as he talks about the crazy experiments IBHS conducts to save lives and property as a result of severe weather. Why does IBHS do what they do? As we unfortunately know, severe weather disrupts lives, displaces families, and drives financial loss, however IBHS’s building safety research helps lead us to real-world solutions for home and business owners, helping to create more resilient communities.

According to NOAA, severe weather issues (such as more frequent and intense heat waves and hurricanes dumping more than the usual rainfall) are an increasing liability to the economy, with 10 weather and climate disasters costing more than $1 billion each so far this year! In addition, western wildfires have also cost more than $40 billion during the past two years alone. Today, prepare.respond.recover. speaks with StormGeo’s TropicWatch Manager Chris Hebert to discuss how the rising costs of changing weather trends, advances in data-gathering and processing, and access to low Earth orbit (remove comma) have allowed StormGeo to lead the way in keeping critical businesses informed on storms heading their way. 

Todd Mans, Founder of The Blue Cell, joins prepare.respond.recover. host Todd DeVoe to discuss why he started his training and exercise company. The two Todds explore game theory, why education and training is essential for emergency management professionals, and why it is important to take a "big tent" approach to preparing local emergency services to respond and recover to major disasters. Tune into this week’s episode now to learn more.

In this week's latest prepare.respond.recover podcast episode, learn how Capacity Building International uses the principles of emergency management to help rebuild communities ravished by war. Founder and Managing Director Kyle King and team have been in Ukraine since 2014, and today King is looking to see how they can continue their critical work. Listen in today to learn more.

5.11 has become one of the most iconic brands in public safety clothing and equipment. Today, prepare.respond.recover talks with Chris Skahill, Director of Marketing for 5.11. Skahill explains the care and attention to detail 5.11 takes to ensure that those who serve have the clothing and equipment they need to accomplish some of the most demanding jobs you can think of. Tune in today to learn more.

The word “shelter” conjures thoughts of protection and safety—a haven from whatever storm needs to be weathered. On this episode of prepare.respond.recover, we are talking to Kari Honkaniemi, CEO of Bos Construction Solutions, about KT-Shelter (KTS). KTS is a robust and large-scale weather shelter capable of performing in the most challenging environments and is designed to protect equipment, machinery, gear as well as staff. Bos Construction Solutions realized there was a pain point for quality temporary shelter, and they have solved that problem. Listen in today to learn more.

Safety in the workplace is more than a yellow vest and having a hard hat and eye protection on. It is about keeping your single most important assets (your employees!) safe. In this episode, prepare.respond.recover talks to Glen Silver, Vice President of Sales, and Doug Mayer, Emergency Management, Fire/Haz-Mat Response Business Development Specialist, at Blackline Safety--one of the leading safety companies in the world. Blackline is transforming the industrial and emergency services workplace through connected safety technology, and what makes them unique is their ability to combine technology with traditional safety systems in order to save lives. Tune in this week to hear how their goal is to ensure every emergency responder has the confidence to get the job done, and to return home safely.

Tune into this week’s prepare.respond.recover episode as we discuss the history and future of emergency notification systems in the United States. FEMA's Integrated Public Alert & Warning Systems (IPAWS) are an important tool in keeping the public safe and informed during a critical event. The Integrated Public Alert & Warning System is FEMA's national system for local alerts that provide authenticated emergency and life-saving information to the public through mobile phones using Wireless Emergency Alerts, to radio and television via the Emergency Alert System, and on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Weather Radio.

goTenna is changing how we think about communications in the disaster zone. If you have ever seen a spy movie or a military film where they track their team in harm's way, you have a basic understanding of what goTenna is all about. goTenna is seeking to fill in the communication gaps. These gaps in communications may be putting lives and livelihoods at risk. Join us in this prepare.respond.recover episode as we take a deeper look into how goTenna’s system can help out in a disaster, by keeping track of your team and ensuring their safety.

Creating a culture of preparedness is every emergency managers’ dream. Tune into the latest prepare.respond.recover podcast episode as Charles Mullenger, President & CEO of Ethos Preparedness, and host Todd De Voe discuss how Ethos is inspiring preparedness from the personal to organizational level, with the mission to save lives while building culture and community along the way.

Thousands of employees work tirelessly behind the scenes of what we take for granted on a daily basis. Join us in this week’s Prepare.Respond.Recover episode as we hear from two Verizon Emergency Response Team members, who are at the forefront of emergency response. When called upon, this dedicated team responds to ensure communications are in play from rural area manhunts, wildfires, and hurricanes. Within hours of an issue, this team often finds themselves on the road dragging a trailer towards the issue.

Emergency notifications save lives. Listen in on the Prepare.Respond.Recover Podcast as CrisisGo’s David Kaylick, VP of K-12 Solutions, and Kelly Moore, Director of Safety Leadership, explore how organizations can effectively implement mass notification strategies. Having a good plan in place ensures that your team will receive information when they needed it the most.

Join Prepare. Respond. Recover. as we explore the Department of Homeland Security’s prize competitions on strengthening the nation’s resilience to climate change. The “Cooling Solutions Challenge” is part of DHS’s effort to implement a proactive approach to climate change resilience. DHS is looking for novel ways to protect those at risk of heat-related illness or death, including first responders, households or group quarters without access to conventional cooling systems or are experiencing sustained power outages, plus displaced or homeless populations. Relative to current cooling solutions, these new designs will be more eco-friendly and energy-efficient, while being cost-effective, scalable, durable, and allowing for alternate power sources.

If you have spent any time in the Northeast during the winter (or in other areas of the world with regular snowfall), you may have seen on the local TV or heard on the radio that schools and businesses are closed due to snow. We call this a snow day. COVID-19 has impacted the way we live our lives, and the world has just experienced the largest collective snow day in the history of snow days. Mark McCourt waves the tail of what it means to pivot and make changes due to unforeseen problems (Black Swan events), as well as make changes due to issues that we should have seen coming (Gray Rhino events).

Join us as host Todd De Voe sits down with the CEO of one of the most dynamic, disaster recovery non-profits in the United States, SBP. SBP was founded in March of 2006 by Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney after they volunteered at St. Bernard Parish after Hurricane Katrina. Rosenburg noticed a deficiency in how recovery was being done, and together he and Liz put a plan in place to help rebuild a community in need. Today, SBP has built thousands of homes for disaster victims across the United States with a simple five step plan. Tune in now for this must-listen episode of the prepare.respond.recover podcast.

Jeff Schlegelmilch joins us to discuss the educational programs that the faculty and staff of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University’s Earth Institute are bringing to the Natural Disaster & Emergency Management Expo this year, taking place November 17-18 at the Javits Center in New York City. As a veteran in the emergency management space and host of his own podcast “Disaster Politics,” Schlegelmilch’s lively discussion touches on issues we all face while working in emergency management. Listen in today and learn more about NDEM Expo at www.ndemevent.com. 

For more than 35 years, IEM has been advising government agencies and industry professionals on improving protection for people and infrastructure. In this episode, we talk to Brian Koon, Vice President of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, on how IEM works with numerous public and private organizations to increase their capability to battle emerging threats, as well as apply technology to gain efficiency and resiliency.

In 2020, we saw stadiums, arenas, concert halls, and convention centers go dark.  While some facilities transformed to care centers and vaccination sites, others started planning for fans to return under new COVID guidelines.  Not only do these large event spaces need to take into account man-made or natural crisis situations, now they must plan for a safe and healthy return of guests.  So much goes on behind the scenes to make sure your trip to the ballpark is not only enjoyable, but safe.  In this episode we talk with James DeMeo, founder of Unified Sports & Entertainment Security Consulting. DeMeo, who consulted on the opening of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, shares with us what you don’t see behind the scenes.

From Superstorm Sandy to Hurricane Maria and the Baltimore Riots, communications and network interoperability are key. Hughes provides an array of satellite communications solutions that allow key stakeholders to stay connected in times of catastrophe. When terrestrial lines go down and cell towers are damaged, Hughes delivers the essential connectivity that governments and communities need. Tony Bardo, Assistant Vice President of Government Solutions, and Dan Williams, Senior Director of Business Development in Defense, join us to discuss the critical role Hughes plays in connecting people and first responders.

First established in 2014, in response to the school shooting at Sandy Hook, the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) was created to bring together expertise from the education, public safety, and industry communities with a mission to develop a coordinated approach to enhancing safety and security in K-12 environments. In this episode we speak with Vice Chair, Mark Williams, on how PASS provides school administrators, school boards, and public safety and security professionals with the information, tools, and insights needed to implement nationwide best practices to secure and enhance the safety of school environments based on their individual needs. We are also joined by Paul Timm, VP at Facility Engineering Associates, to cover an all hazard approach to school safety.

In the Southern U.S., spotting the iconic Waffle House sign means a hot meal any time of day, a stop on a long drive, or a place to gather with friends. Waffle House is Americana at its best and a symbol of pride for Southerners. Following the 2011 Joplin Tornado, FEMA Director, Craig Fugate created the Waffle House Index, an informal metric that helped FEMA determine the impact of a storm based on if the local Waffle House restaurants were closed or open. But even before the index, continuity of operations was ingrained in the culture of Waffle House. We are joined in this episode by Will Mizell, VP of People for Waffle House to talk about how they prepare, respond, and recover from a disaster. While it may not make fiscal sense to remain open, Waffle House keeps operations going for the communities they serve. Don’t be surprised if you happen to be in a Waffle House after a bad storm, the person working the grill may very well be the CEO.

After seeing firsthand the inefficiency and slow progress of traditional disaster recovery, Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney founded their own non-profit in 2006.  Named for the parish they volunteered in post-Katrina, they called their organization the St. Bernard Project. Today, the organization is known simply as SBP.  Headquartered in New Orleans, SBP seeks to achieve its mission through five interventions:  Rebuild, Share, Prepare, Advice, and Advocate.  In this episode, we speak with JR Sanderson, Senior Government Advisor and Director of the Resiliency and Recovery Lab about his role within SBP in preparing and advising public servants.

Flooding causes approximately $20 billion dollars a year in damage to homes and businesses and roughly 4.3 million homes are at substantial risk of damage from storm water and rising sea levels. In many cases, expensive premiums for flood insurance cost people their beloved homes. Today we talk with Tom Little of Floodproofing.com to discuss flood mitigation procedures that not only reduce premium costs but protect homes and business from serious damage and down time. With a suite of products for both wet and dry flood protection, Tom and his team work with insurance agents, builders, and homeowners to help determine the best possible mitigation techniques.

About 45 minutes south of Charlotte, North Carolina sits a unique test facility measuring over 40,000 square feet and equipped with 105 electric fans. This facility is where the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) can build and test structures against damage caused by high winds, hail, wildfire, and rain. Testing realistic re-creations of severe weather hazards enables researchers to accurately evaluate residential and commercial construction materials and systems. The research conducted at this unique facility significantly advances building science and influences residential and commercial structural design and construction, helping to create more resilient communities.

In August 2011, hurricane Irene destroyed towns up and down the east coast. While Irene headed north, it weakened to a tropical storm making landfall in southern New Jersey then again in Brooklyn, NY. What happened next devastated many small towns as Irene transitioned to an extratropical cyclone striking Vermont. Marion Abrams, a resident of Pittsfield, VT and a documentary filmmaker captured what happened to her town of only 500 people; a town cut off on both ends as the small White River became a raging natural disaster. This is Marion’s story of what became known as the most isolated town in Vermont.

The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) supports hundreds of permanently disabled athletes through grants and training programs. One of their programs, Operation Rebound, works solely with military personnel, veterans, and first responders. Before even leaving the hospital after the loss of his leg, Chappie Hunter, a San Diego Police Officer was approached by CAF to be part of Operation Rebound. This podcast focuses on how even if times are dark and hope is fading, personal strength, resiliency, and a supportive community can lead one out of darkness.

Security on a Hollywood production lot has come a long way from just guns, guards, and gates. Today, an all hazard, global threat approach is employed to not just secure “inside the gates” but a wide reaching world beyond the production lot. Jeff Reider, VP of Global Threat and Emergency Management at Paramount Pictures joins us to talk about his team’s role in protecting the studio lot, off site productions and events, and in the current pandemic state how employees are working from home. From natural disasters, overzealous fans, and even IP leaks from a set, you’ll hear how the role of the “security guard” has changed dramatically. 

While traveling and learning new cultures in South and Central America, Jesse Levin saw a need in a market and capitalized on it. Using his natural entrepreneurial skills, Jesse started a cultural mediation firm in Panama, working with local indigenous populations. This experience sparked a career in disaster relief that brought Jesse and his firm, Tactivate, to Haiti, Puerto Rico, and other disaster zones. Now, Jesse is using the knowledge learned in these situations to rethink and rebrand readiness for local communities. His newest venture, The Readiness Collective, looks to disrupt the prepper model and create resilient communities that leverage every person’s unique skills.

Tribal lands hold unique challenges for emergency managers. Jeff Hansen, Director of Emergency Management for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma joins us to discuss some of these challenges. From jurisdictional issues to managing relationships with the federal government, Jeff talks about how the Choctaw Nation is handling the current pandemic, infrastructure development focusing on preparedness, and piloting drone programs in tornado alley.

Many can argue that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected small businesses tremendously but restauranteurs have been hit the hardest. Limitations on restaurant capacity have forced restaurant owners to be nimble and innovative during these challenging times. In this episode, we speak with Linda Kavanagh, former chef and founder of Max Ex Public Relations on how the hospitality industry has adapted during COVID-19. From outdoor dining to changes in menus, and creative solutions for food delivery this episode discusses continuity planning to help restaurants and other hospitality businesses build towards a stronger more resilient future.

Uber’s former Director of Global Security, Carla Gray, joins the podcast to discuss the company’s role and importance in emergency management. Uber keeps the safety of their customers and drivers top of mind whether it’s helping people evacuate during a natural disaster or as a transportation source during a global pandemic. Carla discusses the need to develop strong public and private partnerships and the importance of leveraging new technologies to advance emergency and community response in the last mile. During this unique time, when faced with COVID-19, civil unrest, and an abundance of natural disasters, the security team at Uber has been tasked with being nimble and creative, showing incredible resilience.  NOTE: At the time of recording Ms. Gray held the title of Director of Global Security for Uber.

In 2014, Gabrielle Rapport, Founder and Executive Director of Operation Tiny Home, set out to help one veteran battling PTSD and housing instability. That one simple act led to a mission and the creation of Operation Tiny Home. After teaming up with Tiny House Nation star, Zack Giffin, Operation Tiny Home has helped veteran communities across the country build hope and reintegrate into society after years of service. Through workshops, grant programs and the support of individuals and corporations the organization has assisted veterans, tribal nations, and those impacted by natural disasters. When all hope seems lost their mission and their tiny homes have brought communities together, built resiliency, and instilled belief one 2x4 at a time.

David Burke, Team Rubicon’s Senior Vice President of Programs and Field Operations, joins the Prepare. Respond. Recover. Podcast in time for Veterans Day. David tells us about his service in the Marine Corps and how through continued service in disaster response, he found a new uniform as a Team Rubicon Greyshirt.

For our first episode we welcome Ambi Silk, Director, Governance, Risk & Compliance and Mohinder Kainth, Senior Global Risk Consultant both from CyberCX.  CyberCX provides business continuity services for a range of global clients including RELX and its exhibitions subsidiary Reed Exhibitions, host of this podcast. Ambi and Mohinder dive into a range of topics including the current COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain management, the importance of the “pivot”, risk management for your staff in the office or working from home, and more. The episode wraps up with the importance of a robust incident management plan using the real-life example of when Reed Exhibitions employees were in Las Vegas for one of RX’s largest trade shows during the 2017 mass shooting.