Public Safety

Conference Addresses Challenges in Emergency Management

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During a disaster, the people we traditionally think of as first responders are often not the ones who are the very first to help. It’s the residents – neighbors helping neighbors in need before public safety and aid workers can reach the scene. Local businesses also play a major role in the response and recovery phases of disasters.

“We’re fully aware that emergency management is a team sport. The buzzword at the federal level is ‘whole community’ and that’s not a new concept here,” said Holly Crawford, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services at the All Hazards/Stakeholders Summit Tuesday. “It’s clearer now than ever before that government –federal, state and local, is not the whole solution. Our resources extend further when we engage others, and we’ll continue reaching out to all sectors to assist in our mitigation, preparedness response and recovery efforts.”

Nearly 150 regional emergency managers and first responders attended the summit hosted by Emergency Management Media at the Westin Hotel downtown. The summit provided a forum for local, state, federal emergency managers, first responders and those in the technology field to share best practices and common challenges in the disaster field.

Crawford said some of the challenges facing emergency management are shrinking government budgets, unrealistic expectations for government response, and a poor economy.

“Financially speaking, individuals are hurting, states are hurting, local governments are strained, and as emergency managers and first responders we have to take into account the current environment, the economic drivers that influence our communities and their abilities to prepare for disasters,” she said.

“We know that a large portion of our society will start thinking of what they need to do to prepare for a fire when the red flag is already flying and the fire is just over the hill. But what we can do to help the cause is remind people that it does not cost a lot of money to prepare your family for disasters,” said Crawford.

She recommended that residents takes simple, low-cost steps such as completing a family disaster plan, creating an evacuation plan, identifying out-of-town contacts, and having an adequate supply of water.

Crawford said another challenge is overreliance on technology. She cited recent headlines reporting problems with emergency alert systems in Colorado as an example of how technology creates high expectations, and shortfalls can lead to destruction and even deaths. Mass notification systems are not foolproof, they are meant to augment traditional notification networks, she said.

“What we have to remember is that technology is no substitute for common sense and awareness,” Crawford said. “When technology fails us, that rudimentary, old-school, practical Plan B will be coveted.”

Pat Dennen of the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) provided an update on the disaster situation facing the state due to wildfires and also spoke of the challenges facing the state: a new administration, ongoing budget concerns and a pending reorganization for Cal EMA that will revert the organization’s name back to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Goals for the reorganization include simplifying the grant process for local communities and updating the web technology used to notify cities and counties about disasters.

Mark Armstrong with the Federal Emergency Management Agency addressed the shift to push supplies out to regions faster because the first 72 hours of an emergency are the most critical. He spoke to emergency managers about how that process would work and how they could access those supplies.

The summit also focused on emerging technology and its role in a disaster, as well as a discussion of the recent Golden Guardian statewide exercise. The drill is an opportunity for local agencies to test their emergency response plans, identify areas for improvement and train staff that have never been through a disaster.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Jason Rothlein said the experience is invaluable. “(Exercises give everyone) the ability to train in non-crucial times when we’re allowed to make mistakes that won’t affect the safety of our citizens or our staff,” he said.

Yvette Urrea Moe is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact