Center’s Blog
Use this page to stay up-to-date on COVID-19, homeland security emergency management, campus safety, job resources, career pathways, upcoming webinars, scholarships, Washington State news and more.
Disaster Exercise Scenario “Injects” – What Might Stretch Credulity?
Disaster Exercise Scenario “Injects” - What Might Stretch Credulity? Emergency Management Once Removed By Jim Mullen Somewhere, or in many “somewhere” in the United States, diligent emergency management professionals are designing disaster exercises. Some will be tabletops; some full field exercises; some a mix of tabletop/field activity. Some will [...]
On Resilience – What Is It? Why Are We Talking About It?
On Resilience – What Is It? Why Are We Talking About It? Emergency Management Once Removed October 4, 2024 By Jim Mullen Some people have difficulty discerning what disaster resilience means. Admittedly, it’s an amorphous concept because it does not carry the aura of a “final solution” – and [...]
Women in Leadership Symposium 2025
This year's symposium will center around the importance of fostering robust and dynamic relationships and partnerships with women in all-hazard fields
A Word About Disaster Preparedness
The non-partisan federal Government Accountability Office (GAO ) is entrusted with responsibility “to investigate and oversee the activities of the executive branch, to control the use of federal funds….” Housed within GAO, the Center for Strategic Foresight analyzes trends that will likely impact the federal government and society in the next 5-15 years.
Zombie Fires
Zombie Fires By Nancy Aird Zombie fires are wildland fires that return from the dead. Logically, we think that rain and snow in winter will put out the last sparks of a fire however, zombie, holdover or overwintering fires never fully extinguish. Instead, they smolder underground, hiding under a root [...]
Find Your Superpower
Find Your Superpower By Nancy Aird Did your college dreams get stopped by life experiences, financial hardships, learning challenges, COVID shutdown, or caring for children and family members? You are not alone. Since fall of 2019, 2.6 million students started their college careers. 39 million Americans have some [...]
Strengthening Law Enforcement – Taking a “Third” Side
The non-partisan federal Government Accountability Office (GAO ) is entrusted with responsibility “to investigate and oversee the activities of the executive branch, to control the use of federal funds….” Housed within GAO, the Center for Strategic Foresight analyzes trends that will likely impact the federal government and society in the next 5-15 years.
Campus Safety in this challenging day and age
Campus Safety in this challenging day and age - What your college is doing about Campus Safety? By Josh Brown – Pierce College District Director of Emergency Preparedness and Campus Safety August 23, 2024 The Pacific Northwest has one of the most diverse college communities, cultures, and potential [...]
Women in Leadership 2025
We are thrilled to announce the Women in Leadership Symposium 2025, hosted by the Center of Excellence - Homeland Security Emergency Management, will be held at Lower Columbia College in Longview, WA.
Year of Resilience 2024
Year of Resilience 2024 By Linda Crerar In 2012, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) introduced the Whole Community Emergency Management Strategy to coordinate all levels of government, increase individual preparedness, and engage with members of the as vital partners to strengthen resiliency and security in this country. [...]
Paid Internships in Conservation Law Enforcement
Paid Internships in Conservation Law Enforcement By Captain Phil Johnson For the past several years, Washington state has finished last in law enforcement staffing, lagging behind all 50 states and the District of Columbia at 1.35 police officers per thousand residents. This number continues to decline as the [...]
Apprenticeships, Internships, and Skill Centers
Apprenticeships, Internships, and Skill Centers By Nancy Aird What is your future? The future is always part of life. There are no one-size-fits-all plans for career and educational pathways after graduation, unemployment, or changing career goals. For example, my path diverged from my B.S. in Police Science and Administration. I [...]
July is Disability Pride Month
On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed in to law which prohibits any discrimination based on disability. Since then, July has been celebrated as Disability Pride Month. In 1990, the first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston and the first Disability Pride Parade was held in Chicago in 2004.
FEMA’s Whole Community Continuity Brochure
FEMA's Whole Community Continuity Brochure Every day, individuals, organizations, and government institutions conduct critical services and perform essential functions upon which neighbors and communities depend. The ability to continually perform such services comprises an important component of resilience, the ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions [...]
Women in Leadership 2025 Location Announcement
We are thrilled to announce the Women in Leadership Symposium 2025, hosted by the Center of Excellence - Homeland Security Emergency Management, will be held at Lower Columbia College in Longview, WA.
Happy Juneteenth 2024
Juneteenth is not only a day to celebrate freedom, but also a time to reflect on the struggles of the past, honor the achievements of African Americans, and renew commitments to justice, equality, and unity in our communities.
Strategic Foresight III – The “Quiet Part”
Strategic Foresight III - "The Quiet Part" Emergency Management Once Removed July 12, 2024 By Jim Mullen “Strategic foresight’s” absence was evident on January 6, 2021. Warnings signs were clearly “missed. Outnumbered, heroic police officers held the line that day, preventing a coup. Must they stand alone next time? [...]
Strategic Foresight II
The non-partisan federal Government Accountability Office (GAO ) is entrusted with responsibility “to investigate and oversee the activities of the executive branch, to control the use of federal funds….” Housed within GAO, the Center for Strategic Foresight analyzes trends that will likely impact the federal government and society in the next 5-15 years.
Happy Pride Month 2024
Happy Pride Month! By Jasmine May Each June, the LGBTQIA+ community celebrates Pride Month which started after the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York. Pride Month serves as a tribute to the history and influence of the community worldwide while also standing against discrimination and violence. It [...]
Strategic Foresight I: A Pathway to National Resilience
The non-partisan federal Government Accountability Office (GAO ) is entrusted with responsibility “to investigate and oversee the activities of the executive branch, to control the use of federal funds….” Housed within GAO, the Center for Strategic Foresight analyzes trends that will likely impact the federal government and society in the next 5-15 years.
Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter By Nancy Aird The iconic face of Rosie promoted the female defense workers during World War II, but the name of the worker was unknown. The first poster image was titled “We Can Do It!”. J. Howard Miller created the iconic women in a red bandana [...]
A Salute to “Rosies” Past and Present
It never hurts to look back on our history, if for no other reason than to avoid repeating it!
Women in Leadership Profile: Assistant Chief Martin
Women in Leadership Profile: Assistant Chief Martin By Deb Moller Assistant Chief Martin of the Washington State Patrol has a strong memory of being five years old, seeing a police car, and knowing that when she grew up, she would work in law enforcement. For AC Martin, this wasn’t [...]
Not Nearly Enough
Even predictable natural disasters frequently catch elected officials by surprise. A discouraging number of elected officials and senior staff act as if foreseeing and managing potential disaster impacts is a job for “another budget cycle.” So what are they doing in the meantime? Not nearly enough”.
After the Wildfire – Recovery and Reclamation of Land Tips
After the Wildfire – Recovery and Reclamation of Land Tips By Nancy Aird As the population builds out into rural areas, the chances of wildfire impacting your life increases with damage possible away from the direct wildfire. The severity of the fire impacts not only the vegetation we see, [...]