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Maybe We Should Take Our Issues To Jared? By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed It’s sometimes difficult to see too far into the future, particularly when we seem locked perpetually into an uncertain present. While we await the direction the Trump Administration will take in homeland security and emergency management, there are questions and concerns that like it or not, are “out there.” Worse yet (see title) we are not certain whom to ask. Will the primary DHS budget emphasis be on adding more agents to augment “deportation” forces? Will efforts to redirect federal spending priorities to border security [...]

Notes from NEMA Mid-Year By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed The National Emergency Management Association held its midyear forum in Alexandria, Virginia March 20-24. As a past president, I serve on standing committees to which past presidents are assigned as liaisons (mine are Response and Recovery, Mitigation and Private Sector, and of course, Past Presidents’). With a new administration, these are interesting times. Very capable, but largely un-empowered career personnel were able to provide progress reports within their current, narrow areas of responsibility, but cannot provide a clear sense of the direction for issues like the Emergency Management Performance [...]

Re-Packaging Preparedness Messaging By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed Three days’ preparedness was, and still is, considered reasonable for most disasters we may endure, be it flood, fire, storm or even minor earthquakes. Even in a just - in - time society, it remains a manageable goal for most people. One finding from the Cascadia Rising exercise by the state emergency management directors of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington is that the traditional 3-days disaster preparedness message was insufficient following a catastrophic quake. Such an event might well require that citizens be self-sustaining for at least two weeks. A [...]

2017-2021: The Road Ahead By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed A new Administration through budget and policy initiatives will soon impact emergency management and homeland security priorities. We must consider what we can support, and how best to oppose and amend what we regard as unwise or unjust. It is emergency management’s responsibility: we are the nation’s subject matter experts. Emergency managers, current and future, and those charged with preparing them for the challenges to our profession that lie ahead are in a holding pattern as this is written. We know little about how FEMA will be managed in [...]

The Difference Between “Good” and “Great” By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed A reporter recently asked me this question: With all the information that is available to government officials about seismic vulnerabilities, why is very little ever done about it? The answer to the reporter’s very legitimate question is the difference between having good leadership and great leadership in government. The governors and mayors I served were all “good” leaders (and good persons) who cared about doing their jobs effectively for their constituents. Very few were “great” leaders who supported looking “around corners” for the next crisis before it [...]

So, About Earthquakes By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed You may have noticed the Lifelock identity theft TV commercials. In one, a uniformed man is stationed in a bank, when armed men order everyone to the floor. Alarmed customers implore him to “do something!” His response is “oh, I’m not a guard, I’m a monitor. I am supposed to tell you when there’s a robbery.” (Pause) “There’s a robbery,” he announces. Another commercial for that company depicts an unfortunate individual in a dentist’s chair while two dental “monitors” advise him that he has a really bad cavity: alas, they [...]

Reconciliation versus Resistance: Which Will Win? - By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed After this year’s national election, a sizable portion of our population will feel devastated and perhaps even betrayed. When Kennedy defeated Nixon in 1960 (my earliest clear recollection) and in the years since, if your candidate lost there was always the realization that the sun would still rise, the country would somehow survive and that the system was stronger than an individual election cycle. The sense of loss ultimately faded. This time, this year feels different: some of our fellow citizens may conclude that something intrinsic [...]

On Hearing Without Listening By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed “Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest…” Paul Simon Elected officials in our state have ignored repeated warnings, suppressed ambitious but necessary proposals, and essentially wagered the long range future of our state in the hope that minimalist support for emergency management will be “just enough” attention to the threat an earthquake poses. Awhile back a shortstop in major league baseball named David Eckstein earned the nickname “Just Enough”. The nickname was a compliment from his peers. He possessed a weak throwing arm [...]

Then and Now By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed The 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is this month. The terrorist attack on the Pentagon, and the Twin Towers was shocking, and the anthrax attacks thoroughly spooked the national media and Congress. Concern over natural hazard risks receded, super-ceded by a relentless spending frenzy to combat terrorism. Mistakes were made. What will happen next time? THEN A false narrative peddled by the federal Administration impugned local and state emergency management professionals and their capabilities. This view allowed the bypassing of existing (and mostly effective) emergency management protocols in favor [...]

“What If” - Some Thoughts for Late Summer By Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed Both major political parties have settled upon their respective presidential tickets. It seems reasonable to gauge the impact that a victory for either major party candidate might have on homeland security and emergency management disciplines. Homeland Security may prove to be a key “voting issue” in this election. Do not expect Emergency Management issues to be elevated for discussion unless a major natural disaster (a’ la’ “Sandy” in 2012) occurs during the general election. Political debate on homeland security issues is not likely to be [...]