Confluence News Media

Please join us in welcoming Lorraine Churchill as a contributing podcaster to the Center of Excellence! We met Lorraine at the annual Washington State Emergency Management Association (WSEMA) conference and asked her to join us as an Advisory Board member for the Center, a role she has proudly held for the past three years. Lorraine’s daily life includes service as an emergency management and homeland security professional, with a unique blend of leadership and management sense, collaborative business development aptitude, and relationship-building experience delivering results vital in diverse, dynamic, domestic and international environments. Her current focus under this umbrella includes [...]

By Kellie Hale September is recognized at National Preparedness Month (NPM). It was launched back in 2004 by FEMA through the organizations Ready Campaign as a way to promote disaster planning for families and communities. With COVID-19 continuing to impact our nation, it is the perfect opportunity to be involved in NPM. Ready.gov provides a week-by-week plan of activities for September you can partake in with your family on how to be better prepared. Such activities include Make A Plan, Build A Kit, Prepare for Disasters, and Teach Youth About Preparedness. Understanding more about the ways you can be prepared for [...]

Our Center will focus on expanding the training and education activities available through the HSEM Institute. These trainings will provide professional development opportunities for faculty, industry professionals, and students. Trainings will be in the All-Hazards Emergency Management fields (Criminal Justice, HSEM, Occupational Health and Safety, EMT/EMS, Fire Command/Fire Services and Cybersecurity). Business Continuity Planning, Resilience and Recovery, FEMA fundamentals, and Mental Health in Disaster Management have been identified as priority training. These courses will help students, faculty, and industry professionals gain awareness of industry needs, while staying current, and leveraging existing strengths and partnerships. Instructors will be industry experts who [...]

  HSEM Center - Our History In the aftermath of 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) developed standards for planning, responding to, and recovering from similar terrorist attacks. Through Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8 (HSPD-8) the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Management System (ICS) was adopted. The intent was to create an ability to respond to an incident and to be able to communicate and work under one standard system. With 85% of first responders being trained in Community and Technical Colleges, the Center of Excellence for HSEM was established in September 2004. OUR ROLE The [...]

Activity 1:  Diversity within the Community and Technical Colleges System – Recovering and Eliminating Systemic Racism and Implicit Bias The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) new vision statement, “Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice in the service to our diverse communities.” Working w/the CoE Advisory Board our career pathway program will lead with racial equity and recruit diverse individuals to help change our current culture: Complete and publish a Board Statement about the importance of diversity and support for [...]