In episode 144 of the PreparedEx podcast, we delve into the critical role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in disaster response, focusing on the recent experiences during Hurricane Helene. FEMA’s push for PPP over the past several years has laid the groundwork, but it’s during real-world events that the actual value of these partnerships becomes evident….
Optimizing an organization’s crisis preparedness requires going beyond the often disjointed, conventional scope of emergency management practices. Optimal preparedness requires embracing a more holistic, or “full-scale,” approach to crisis simulation exercises. In contrast to smaller “table-top” exercises or drills, a full-scale exercise is the closest thing to a real event. They incorporate all operational and…
In any discussion on continuity of operations, it is reasonable to ask, “Why should my organization invest in a tabletop exercise program?” While the reasons are many, some that serve as a foundation for a strategic-based approach to tabletop exercise programs include: Increased operational resilience: Operational resilience requires comprehensive knowledge of the organization;…
Being able to create calm during a major emergency is not easy, Michael Brown will attest to that. It’s what you do to ensure you learn those lessons and there are always lessons-to-be-learned from major crises. Recent hurricanes, cyber-attacks, wildfires, and the mass shooting in Las Vegas are challenging situations that needed to be managed….
Communities are not just made up of homes and apartments. Many communities have businesses that provide jobs and other services to those communities. Major cities have businesses that are heavily integrated into their communities and so do some smaller cities and even towns. It’s imperative that businesses understand their communities and it is equally important…
We often get asked the same preparedness questions. These questions come from our online audiences as well as our clients during crisis simulation exercises or in everyday discussions. We decided to do this podcast based on these common questions. In this episode we discuss, risk assessments, crisis planning, different types of plans, simulation exercises and…
As we start this years Olympics and millions of people converge on Rio, the publicity machine is starting its usual move into overdrive-both negative and positive. Already the media doom mongers are running stories (and have been for some time) that it will be a disaster and that Brazil isn’t ready for the Games. Turn…
Violent situations can happen at a moment’s notice and are typically planned events. Dallas police just experienced an active shooter situation that took five police officers lives during a peaceful demonstration. How do you prepare yourself and your organization for violent attacks? Do you have a process for evaluating your organization’s ability to respond to…
According to Wikipedia, Hurricane Sandy (unofficially known as “Superstorm Sandy”) was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, and the second-costliest hurricane in United States history. The importance of preparing for hurricanes can’t be overstated. Families, individuals as well as businesses and government and none government entities need to have…
From Zombies to lethal viruses, Hollywood loves making doomsday films about something deadly spreading around the world at an alarming rate that kills everyone. Wolfgang Petersen’s 1995 movie “Outbreak” brought pandemic’s to the big screen; alerting the masses as to just how fast an invisible threat can spread across our tiny planet. One of my…