10 Steps to Starting a CERT Team
Show Description
Do you want to start a CERT team? How do you build a solid foundation that sets your team up for success? This presentation will discuss the key items you should consider and the questions to be answered before you start. Learn about the pitfalls and those things that help drive a team forward.
A Line of Duty Death Case Study: Lieutenant Matthew LeTourneau
Show Description
This presentation is a case study of the fire response that resulted in the line-of-duty death of Lt. Matthew LeTourneau, an 11-year veteran of the Philadelphia Fire Department. On January 06, 2018, Lt. LeTourneau was the officer in charge of the first-due engine company during a response to a row-house dwelling fire. After approximately 42 minutes of interior operations, a catastrophic V-shaped collapse occurred trapping Lt. LeTourneau and several other firefighters. Chief Mulray and Kennedy were principals on the team that conducted an after-action review and produced an 189-page report detailing the response, critical factors, and lessons learned.
All Weather is Local: Adoption of New Weather Observing Technologies by Emergency Management & Training Experiences
Show Description
As severe and winter weather trends evolve, emergency managers must learn new technologies and data sets to prepare and respond to new threats. Now a climate tech company is rolling out a network of X-band weather radars across Pennsylvania that are primarily being installed to improve the low-level radar coverage in these areas. The company provides new observations to emergency managers, public safety officials, and university partners (such as Millersville University) along with training on basic radar meteorology and radar data interpretation and provides information on available government and private sector resources. This presentation will provide emergency management perspectives on weather data needs gathered through informal interviews and surveys, and provide recommendations on public-private collaboration. The presentation will include video interviews with emergency management partners and compelling use cases.
Amtrak Derailment Operations: The First 24 Minutes
Show Description
This presentation will outline the fire department response and operations to the Amtrak 188 derailment and crash through the eyes of the initial incident commander for the first 24 minutes and beyond. The presentation will follow my article published in the October 2015 edition of Fire Engineering Magazine. This presentation will focus on the strategy and tactics, along with outlining how the Incident Command System was used to mitigate this accident. This emergency required a four-alarm response that included 180 fire service personnel along with 18 medic units. At 9:21 p.m. Eastern daylight time on May 12, 2015, eastbound Amtrak passenger train 188 derailed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with 245 passengers and 8 Amtrak employees on board. The train had just entered the Frankford Junction curve—where the speed is restricted to 50 mph—at 106 mph. As the train entered the curve, the locomotive engineer applied the emergency brakes. Seconds later, the train derailed. Eight passengers died, and 185 others were transported to area hospitals. The presentation will be in a PowerPoint format with audio and videos from the scene.
Building Excellence in Emergency Preparedness: Learning from Incidents in Pennsylvania
Show Description
What emergency manager hasn’t worked through a challenging after-action review process following a real-world incident? We all use this process to identify needed changes and strive for excellence in emergency preparedness. Drawing on years of experience with after-action reviews and continuous improvement, a panel of Pennsylvania emergency managers will discuss their approaches to completing incident after-action reviews. The panel includes emergency managers from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, Pittsburgh Fire Bureau, and Chester County Department of Emergency Services. FEMA’s Continuous Improvement Technical Assistance Program will moderate a discussion focused on the development and success of these jurisdictions’ After-Action Reports (AARs) from recent incidents. The panelists will consider what went well and describe what they would do differently to drive more change and action through their after-action review process. The discussion will consider topics from all four continuous improvement phases described in FEMA’s National Continuous Improvement Guidance (Discovery, Validation, Resolution, and Evaluation) to include data collection and analysis, action tracking, and assessing the success of completed actions. The panel will conclude with a question-and-answer session.
Critical Decisions for Communities Before a Disaster
Show Description
Would you want to live in Resilienton or Denialton? In times of crisis, community leaders find themselves thrust into the spotlight, facing challenges that demand swift and decisive action. Often, those challenges are the result of decisions made (Resilienton) – or not made (Denialton) – long before the disaster occurred. During this workshop, participants will explore the impact of decisions related to community planning, flood insurance, zoning, and voluntary agency engagement, for example, have on how quickly and how well a community recovers from a disaster.
This session sheds light on the often-overlooked business side of recovery. By tapping into valuable resources and partnerships, communities have the power to act and not just help their community recover, but to thrive. Emergency Managers play a critical role in helping community leaders understand how decisions made before a disaster can reduce the impact of future disasters. Attendees will discover how proactive recovery efforts can pave the way for a brighter future for their community. Join us as we visit two communities, Resilienton and Denialton, and you can decide the community you would like to live in.
This session sheds light on the often-overlooked business side of recovery. By tapping into valuable resources and partnerships, communities have the power to act and not just help their community recover, but to thrive. Emergency Managers play a critical role in helping community leaders understand how decisions made before a disaster can reduce the impact of future disasters. Attendees will discover how proactive recovery efforts can pave the way for a brighter future for their community. Join us as we visit two communities, Resilienton and Denialton, and you can decide the community you would like to live in.
Drones and Technology in Public Safety
Show Description
Drones and Technology in Public Safety is an interactive program that covers the use of drones and technology in Public Safety. Students will learn about drone program policy, working relationships across public safety, the value of partnerships and your drone program, and a working relationship with legal authorities.
East Palestine Train Derailment: Beaver County’s Involvement
Show Description
Highlighting Beaver County’s response to the train derailment in East Palestine Ohio. Starting with the initial response as a hazardous materials team component and then switching hats to the emergency management phase from the county perspective.
Effective Use of Volunteers in Search and Rescue: Maximizing the Latest Technology in Planning & Response
Show Description
This talk delves into the latest developments in search and rescue (SAR) operations by exploring the intersection of volunteer engagement, modern mapping tools, and real-team tracking of teams in the field. While there has been a significant drop in the number of volunteer emergency responders in Pennsylvania in recent decades, the need for SAR missions has increased, often requiring the need for a broader, regional response to missing person and child abduction cases. Volunteer SAR teams provide emergency response capability beyond what is locally available in both terms of volunteer capacity and technology tools This talk emphasizes the importance of fostering a strong, collaborative volunteer community to overcome the challenges of volunteer shortages, multi-agencies responses, and how to find experience in the latest technologies when is need. We will cover both Emerging Technology, Volunteer Engagement & Recruitment in this talk.
EV Fire Response on the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Show Description
As part of its foundational commitment to safety, The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is taking a proactive stance and whole community approach to managing incidents involving Electric Vehicle fires on its roadway network. The response and mitigation of EV fires and the unique challenges they pose can be complex and cumbersome to any organization, these challenges are amplified when they occur on restricted transportation systems such as the PA Turnpike. Understanding best practices and consistently applying them is crucial for the safety of responders and the motoring public. This session will highlight research and outreach conducted with both internal Turnpike personnel, contracted responders, and external partner agencies spanning 26 Pennsylvania counties to craft PTC’s systemwide approach to EV fire management to ensure the safety of responders, travelers, and critical Turnpike infrastructure.
Extreme Temperature Sheltering Guidance and New Heat Risk Toolkit
Show Description
Exposure to cold temperatures, whether indoors or outside, can cause other serious or life-threatening health problems. Extreme cold can bring on health emergencies in susceptible people, such as those without shelter or who are stranded, or who live in a home that is poorly insulated or without heat. In partnership with Allegheny County Human Services, the National Weather Service (NWS) developed a warming shelter guidance page.
The experimental NWS HeatRisk is a color-numeric-based index that provides a forecast of the potential level of risk for heat-related impacts to occur over a 24-hour period. That level of risk is illustrated by a color/number along with identifying the groups potentially most at risk at that level. Each HeatRisk level is also accompanied by recommendations for heat protection and can serve as a useful tool for planning for upcoming heat and its associated potential risk.
The experimental NWS HeatRisk is a color-numeric-based index that provides a forecast of the potential level of risk for heat-related impacts to occur over a 24-hour period. That level of risk is illustrated by a color/number along with identifying the groups potentially most at risk at that level. Each HeatRisk level is also accompanied by recommendations for heat protection and can serve as a useful tool for planning for upcoming heat and its associated potential risk.
Flood Resilience: Integrating Emergency Management & Other Programs
Show Description
Flooding is the #1 hazard in most counties and municipalities in Pennsylvania. It impacts and destroys lives and property. Increasing resilience to flooding requires an integrated approach to stormwater management, mitigation/risk reduction, emergency preparedness and response, and enforcing development regulations under the National Flood Insurance Program. In many communities, these functions are in separate programs managed by separate individuals, so integration can be a challenge.
This session will help emergency managers break through to excellence in their jurisdictions’ flood resilience programs by going beyond the limits of focusing only on the emergency management components. Attendees will learn about stormwater management practices, floodplain management regulations that apply pre- and post-incident, flood-specific emergency plans and planning that bridge multiple community programs, mitigating flood vulnerability, and tools available to help build resilience.
This session will help emergency managers break through to excellence in their jurisdictions’ flood resilience programs by going beyond the limits of focusing only on the emergency management components. Attendees will learn about stormwater management practices, floodplain management regulations that apply pre- and post-incident, flood-specific emergency plans and planning that bridge multiple community programs, mitigating flood vulnerability, and tools available to help build resilience.
Front Line Insights: Lessons from the Trump Rally in Butler, PA— EMA & EMS Preparation, Response, and Challenges
Show Description
This presentation offers a comprehensive overview of the emergency management and EMS response to the Trump Rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. Attendees will gain an inside look at the incident’s timeline, from initial risk assessment and resource allocation to the emergency response and post-event support. We’ll delve into the critical roles played by various agencies, including local EMS, fire departments, Butler Memorial Hospital, State Assets, and the Healthcare Coalition in managing over 250 patient contacts.
Key topics include the challenges faced during the rally, such as resource shortages, the rapid deployment of assets due to heat-related incidents, and the importance of pre-established relationships among responders. The presentation will also highlight the aftermath, including CISM for responders.
Through first-hand accounts and interviews, we’ll identify lessons learned to improve future emergency responses and community preparedness.
This session will underscore the resilience and character of those on the front lines, reflecting on Zig Ziglar’s quote: “Circumstances don’t create character. They reveal character.”
Key topics include the challenges faced during the rally, such as resource shortages, the rapid deployment of assets due to heat-related incidents, and the importance of pre-established relationships among responders. The presentation will also highlight the aftermath, including CISM for responders.
Through first-hand accounts and interviews, we’ll identify lessons learned to improve future emergency responses and community preparedness.
This session will underscore the resilience and character of those on the front lines, reflecting on Zig Ziglar’s quote: “Circumstances don’t create character. They reveal character.”
Fueling Resilience: Navigating Mass Care Needs in a Catastrophic Utility Outage
Show Description
Join us for a candid exploration of mass care strategies during a catastrophic utility outage. In this session, we’ll open up about the vulnerabilities revealed through our after-action report and the comprehensive improvement plan forged from lessons learned during the Keystone 6 National Mass Care Exercise. Using the scenario of a prolonged natural gas outage in the winter as a catalyst, we launched four brand new task forces (Reunification, Household Pets, Distribution of Emergency Supplies, and Licensed Facilities) and opened a full-scale people and pet shelter. We’ll share our insights and practical approaches for supporting critical disaster human service needs. Be prepared to engage in a dynamic discussion on the challenges and opportunities of engaging whole community stakeholders including private sector partners, disability advocates, and pet partners.
Harnessing Social Media in Crisis: Empathy, Inter-Agency Consistency, & Combatting Misinformation
Show Description
In the digital era, Effective crisis management is not only about responding physically but also about controlling the narrative that unfolds on social media. This presentation dives into advanced strategies for leveraging social media to effectively manage crises by maintaining empathetic communication, ensuring consistency across response agencies, and combatting misinformation. Accompanied by a live social simulation, we will showcase real-time public reactions and the spread of misinformation during a crisis scenario introduced through a news video. The discussion will focus on the principles of empathetic communication—addressing and resonating with public emotions and concerns through thoughtful social media interactions. We will highlight the importance of synchronized messaging among various response agencies to avoid conflicting information, which can exacerbate public confusion and distrust.
Help Wanted! A Plan to Recruit 911 Telecommunicators
Show Description
Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, many of Pennsylvania’s 911 centers suddenly faced a dramatic increase in job vacancies (some as high as 50%) as staff departures began to outnumber applicants. With dwindling numbers in the traditional recruitment pool of emergency services volunteers, filling these seats meant expanding the search to non-traditional job seekers.
To help our county partners in these efforts, PEMA launched the “I Am 911” telecommunicator awareness campaign in hopes of attracting a whole new audience to a career in public safety communications.
To help our county partners in these efforts, PEMA launched the “I Am 911” telecommunicator awareness campaign in hopes of attracting a whole new audience to a career in public safety communications.
How Secure Is Your Land Mobile Radio System?
Show Description
LMR systems provide the mission-critical voice communications that first responders and dispatchers rely on during the most dangerous of their responsibilities. Even momentary system disruptions can have monumental consequences for first responders. This begs the question, how secure are our LMR networks? This presentation will take a holistic review of the security of LMR systems. Topics covered will include types of service disruption, LMR network cyber security, security of voice communications, jamming, physical security, best practices, and mitigation strategies.
How the Health Are You?
Show Description
As we pursue careers as First Responders, Emergency Managers, and Dispatchers, most of us become victims of unhealthy lifestyles and high stress. Consider that 42% of the U.S. adult population is obese, including 20% of adolescents and children. 10% of the population is Diabetic and an estimated another 10% doesn’t know they are. First Responders admit to, on average, two serious mental/health conditions. This session offers a science-based look at how we got here and how to pursue a healthy lifestyle.
I am TIM Trained, Am I Safe Now?
Show Description
While a 4-hour traffic incident management course is a good start, ongoing training, SOPs, planning, and proper equipment and PPE are crucial to ensure the safety of emergency responders. This includes identifying hazards, having protocols in place, and having the right equipment on hand. The goal is to safely and effectively manage traffic incidents.
Improving School Safety with ArcGIS Indoors
Show Description
GeoComm, an Esri Platinum Partner, uses advanced GIS data, tools, and applications to create a common operating picture for rapid and effective indoor response in public safety organizations. They provide indoor maps that enhance situational awareness for school administrators, 9-1-1, and first responders during school incidents. Integrating this critical indoor location logistics information into the GIS environment used by 9-1-1 and first responders is crucial. This session, in partnership with Esri, will highlight how the underlying data within the ArcGIS Indoor data model is the foundation to better indoor situational awareness and reducing response times. As mapping applications used by ECCs and first responders continue to advance, the Esri Indoors data model will allow public safety agencies and GIS departments to scale and maximize the full potential of indoor mapping and indoor calls for service.
Integrating Field & Enterprise Data – FMI Compliance Portal
Show Description
The Floodplain Management and Insurance (FMI) Compliance Portal tool serves to establish a centralized data repository for the comprehensive management and tracking of FMI compliance cases.
The FMI Compliance Portal is designed with the integration of multiple embedded Survey 123 and ArcGIS Experience Builder tools. These components facilitate seamless data entry and updates while ensuring robust data relationships on the backend infrastructure.
Operational versatility is a key feature, enabling users to input data conveniently both from office settings and remotely from the field, contingent upon the specific aspect of the compliance case under consideration. Centralizing data input enhances efficiency and effectiveness, while also enabling the generation of insightful metrics over time. This facilitates an in-depth analysis of the compliance process, pinpointing areas that may require optimization or additional resources.
The FMI Compliance Portal is designed with the integration of multiple embedded Survey 123 and ArcGIS Experience Builder tools. These components facilitate seamless data entry and updates while ensuring robust data relationships on the backend infrastructure.
Operational versatility is a key feature, enabling users to input data conveniently both from office settings and remotely from the field, contingent upon the specific aspect of the compliance case under consideration. Centralizing data input enhances efficiency and effectiveness, while also enabling the generation of insightful metrics over time. This facilitates an in-depth analysis of the compliance process, pinpointing areas that may require optimization or additional resources.
It’s OK to Not be Okay
Show Description
“It’s ok to not be okay” is an interactive training program on breaking the longstanding norm of not discussing mental health and wellness in emergency services. During this program, students will learn about traumatic events and the body’s reaction to them, how to manage some of the feelings that come from these events, as well as when and how to seek help. We will also discuss everyday life events and feelings, and how to help fellow first responders. Last, students will learn that it’s ok that you are not feeling okay.
It’s Not Just Pet Sheltering: Strategies to Meet Animal Response Needs in Disaster
Show Description
It’s not just pet sheltering. Pet and animal disaster response is as complex as human response. Added to the complexities of the animal response needs, animal expertise, and response capabilities lie primarily in the private and non-profit sectors and may not be well-integrated into emergency management. This presentation will provide an overview of typical animal issues and response needs, strategies to facilitate planning for and operational coordination of the animal emergency response, and a discussion of how to build resource capacity and capabilities needed to build a resilient response, with a Q&A session to assist emergency managers with closing gaps in their plans and capabilities.
Language Access Inclusion in Pennsylvania Disaster Planning: Current State & Direction for the Future
Show Description
As of 2021, 25.7 million, or 8% of people aged five or older living in the United States had limited English proficiency (LEP). A limited English proficient individual is defined as a person “who does not speak English as their primary language and who has a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English”. Several laws, policies, and directives outline the obligations of Emergency Management organizations to individuals with LEP. This presentation will review the legal, policy, and guidance frameworks for facilitating meaningful language access across the disaster life cycle. Using recently conducted research with Pennsylvania emergency managers, the presentation will identify key challenges to identifying and engaging with individuals with LEP. Additionally, the presentation will provide strategies for engaging with LEP communities, including best practice examples from across the Commonwealth.
Let’s Get Resilient!
Show Description
Resiliency is identified as a critical life skill to pursue a Happy, Healthy, and Whole life and career. By learning four resiliency skills: Adaptability, Persistence, Strength, Trust, and Belief, an individual can adapt to the stresses and strains of life by bending, but not breaking. This session will provide a science-based approach to understanding stress and how to manage it effectively.
Leveraging PA211 for Disaster Response & Community Recovery
Show Description
This presentation will review the various ways PA 211’s technological infrastructure and crisis-trained Resource Navigators can assist communities in disaster situations at any scale. This includes serving as a communications and navigation hub for affected community members, directing non-life threatening communications to proper response teams, providing intake and assessment services, and tracking needs data in real-time.
Leveraging Partnerships in Planned Events to Enhance Response Capabilities
Show Description
Planned events provide unique opportunities for municipalities, response agencies, and private partners to test capabilities before emergency events occur. This presentation will review successful case studies of public-private partnerships in managing mass gatherings including marathons, NASCAR race weekends, music festivals, and VIP visits. Synergies from the partnerships built, and capabilities tested, during these events have created stronger response capabilities and streamlined resource sharing.
Municipal Codes & Their Impact on Public Safety
Show Description
Municipal Codes and their Impact on Public Safety was developed to discuss the need for updated codes and how they can set forth an environment that shows your community is committed to the safety of the public and how the codes can impact your ISO rating. This course is designed for Community Leaders, Chief Fire Officers, Public Safety Leadership, Code Officials, and enforcing municipal law. This holistic approach to community safety could save a life in your community.
Navigating the AI Minefield: Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure
Show Description
As the adoption of artificial intelligence becomes more widespread, owners and operators of critical infrastructure face growing challenges in identifying and safeguarding against increasingly elusive threats. In this presentation, we’ll delve into the hidden perils that AI poses to our systems, from sophisticated attacks, deepfakes, and data tampering. We will explore the challenges of AI, including the overreliance on AI, privacy concerns, and the quality of the data. Together, we’ll safeguard our nation’s vital systems against the relentless march of AI.
Office of Homeland Security Update: Nomination Process for CIKR Assets
Show Description
This class is designed to assist county coordinators in nominating CIKR assets within their counties. They will gain an understanding of how federally designated CIKR (Level 1 & Level 2) assets are adjudicated. They will have the opportunity to learn and discuss how Level 3 (state critical) and Level 4 (county critical) assets are nominated and adjudicated. The identification of CIKR is important when developing emergency response plans, and consequence management.
Oh !*&@ I’m an EMC! Now What?
Show Description
This presentation is for emergency management personnel who are either starting out their careers or seasoned veterans. Topics covered will include:
– Building and Improving Your Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
– Identifying Hazards and Threats within your area of operations and making threat-specific annexes
– Planning for your “BIG ONE”
– Working with neighboring municipalities to have regional/shared resources.
– Tips and tricks on creating short guides/reference books with commonly needed information
– Creating/building equipment and assets with little to no budget
– Ways to engage your creativity and “thinking outside of the box”
– Recruitment and Retention of EMA personnel.
– Building and Improving Your Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
– Identifying Hazards and Threats within your area of operations and making threat-specific annexes
– Planning for your “BIG ONE”
– Working with neighboring municipalities to have regional/shared resources.
– Tips and tricks on creating short guides/reference books with commonly needed information
– Creating/building equipment and assets with little to no budget
– Ways to engage your creativity and “thinking outside of the box”
– Recruitment and Retention of EMA personnel.
PA Health Care Coalition Special Event Support and Coordination
Show Description
This presentation will highlight the recent impact, advantages, and assistance that your regional healthcare coalitions have offered to planned and special events. Local agencies have collaborated with their healthcare coalitions, benefiting from the coordination and support provided by these regional entities. The presentation includes information on how:
– Regional health care coalitions are crucial in supporting planned and special events by providing various services and assistance.
– The recent impact of these coalitions has been significant in ensuring the smooth execution of events while prioritizing the health and well-being of participants.
– Advantages of working with health care coalitions include access to a network of medical professionals, resources, and expertise that can enhance event safety and emergency response preparedness.
– Collaboration between local agencies and healthcare coalitions fosters a unified approach to addressing health-related challenges and ensures a coordinated emergency response.
– The support offered by regional healthcare coalitions is instrumental in promoting public health initiatives, enhancing community resilience, and mitigating risks during planned events.
– Regional health care coalitions are crucial in supporting planned and special events by providing various services and assistance.
– The recent impact of these coalitions has been significant in ensuring the smooth execution of events while prioritizing the health and well-being of participants.
– Advantages of working with health care coalitions include access to a network of medical professionals, resources, and expertise that can enhance event safety and emergency response preparedness.
– Collaboration between local agencies and healthcare coalitions fosters a unified approach to addressing health-related challenges and ensures a coordinated emergency response.
– The support offered by regional healthcare coalitions is instrumental in promoting public health initiatives, enhancing community resilience, and mitigating risks during planned events.
Partnerships with Community-Based Organizations in Disaster Response and Recovery
Show Description
In emergency management, it is very important to build partnerships in the communities we serve. This session is designed to discuss the importance of partnering with Community Organizations such as the Rotary, Masons, Elks, American Legion, and others in order to support your disaster response and recovery operations. Learn how these organizations can build upon the great work they all do while at the same time supporting your emergency management mission.
Pathways to Preparedness
Show Description
This training is designed to help any resident prepare for a disaster, but it is specifically targeted at people with access and functional needs, including those with disabilities and caregivers. The training is based upon two important themes:
– Each individual must take responsibility for their own personal and family preparedness. Individuals have varying needs, abilities, and resources and there is no one-size-fits-all disaster plan. Each person needs to evaluate their own unique needs, learn about and choose options available to them in their community, and prepare to the greatest extent possible prior to a possible disaster.
– Most decisions on how to prepare for and respond to disasters are made at the local level. Each individual and family must understand how their county’s emergency management plan works, including how steps are taken to address the needs of people with disabilities in the area.
– Each individual must take responsibility for their own personal and family preparedness. Individuals have varying needs, abilities, and resources and there is no one-size-fits-all disaster plan. Each person needs to evaluate their own unique needs, learn about and choose options available to them in their community, and prepare to the greatest extent possible prior to a possible disaster.
– Most decisions on how to prepare for and respond to disasters are made at the local level. Each individual and family must understand how their county’s emergency management plan works, including how steps are taken to address the needs of people with disabilities in the area.
Planning for Success: Building HMPs You’ll Actually Use
Show Description
Local hazard mitigation planning is a valuable tool for identifying cost-effective ways to reduce risk. Mitigation planning grants constitute a sizeable portion of FEMA’s HMA spending, but for this investment to be worthwhile, these strategies need to actually be implemented. Communities often fail to access the funding they need to put their plans into action; the speaker’s recent research found that states consistently fail to direct HMGP dollars to the projects prioritized in their HMPs, instead providing funding to whoever can develop and submit a complete application on time. Mitigation plans can do more than just meet FEMA eligibility requirements. In addition to identifying mitigation actions, the mitigation planning process can be used to match projects to grant funding (including programs outside of the FEMA HMA umbrella), generate leadership and community support, and develop the key elements of a successful grant application for high-priority projects.
Planning for the Midnight Hour: A Look into Planning for Groundhog Day
Show Description
Planning for special events can be difficult for any small rural county but planning a special event over the late night hours into early morning can be very challenging. This event depending on what day of the week it falls on can double the population of the county for a 24 to 48-hour period. This event is viewed as a worldwide event as people from all across the globe attend to witness an age-old tradition that has happened annually for the past 138 years. This presentation gives an overview of the history leading up to the modern day and how it has evolved and exploded from a handful of people attending to the tens of thousands it sees today. Consideration has to be given to weather conditions, day of the week, public health for those attending, potential for VIP attendance, and potential threats. This event has planning teams from the local level through the federal level, with potential for threats and protests from all over the country. It’s a family-oriented event.
Protect 2024: Election Security in Pennsylvania
Show Description
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) mission is to promote the security and resiliency of our critical infrastructure. In January of 20217, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated election infrastructure as critical infrastructure. Since then, CISA PSAs and CSAs have worked with state, county, and local election officials and emergency managers to identify and reduce risk to election facilities, processes, and people. This presentation will highlight the efforts undertaken by these officials to protect election services and Election Day activities within the Commonwealth.
Rail Incident Response Planning
Show Description
Railroad incidents have gone in and out of the national spotlight, however, the East Palestine incident has put the railroad industry under the microscope. Incidents involving the railroad industry can have lasting impacts on the communities we serve. This training will cover the types of incidents that can happen within the community and how we as emergency management professionals can be prepared to handle these incidents. Information on how to create a railroad response plan/annex will be covered, along with resources to help train first responders for an incident. Additional information on how to involve the community and local stakeholders to bring awareness to rail incidents that may impact them will also be provided.
Self Care: Understanding & Avoiding Compassion Fatigue
Show Description
Everyone who prepares for or responds to disaster is at risk for burnout and secondary traumatic stress, because emergency responders may be physically and emotionally impacted by the experience. This workshop will explore the causes and signs of compassion fatigue and provide tips for all to prevent it. We will explore the common traits of responders that can lead to secondary traumatic stress.
Staff and volunteers involved in response efforts should be encouraged to care for their own health by maintaining normal sleeping habits, trying to exercise, eating well-balanced meals, drinking plenty of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages, taking rest breaks when possible, and talking about their feelings as needed. We call this self-care. This interactive workshop will use self-assessment tools to encourage participants to discover what can cause them stress and ways to maintain healthy self-care.
Staff and volunteers involved in response efforts should be encouraged to care for their own health by maintaining normal sleeping habits, trying to exercise, eating well-balanced meals, drinking plenty of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages, taking rest breaks when possible, and talking about their feelings as needed. We call this self-care. This interactive workshop will use self-assessment tools to encourage participants to discover what can cause them stress and ways to maintain healthy self-care.
Snow Squall Messaging & Future Efforts
Show Description
Following the implementation of the Snow Squall Warning in 2018, educating the public about snow squall science, warnings, and safety has become paramount. Leaning on relationships with the Federal Highway Administration’s Pathfinder Program, NWS offices have partnered with state agencies to develop messaging strategies and leverage tools to improve snow squall safety. This includes holding yearly Snow Squall Awareness Week Safety Campaigns across PA.
As we look to the future, it will be important to tap into other sectors of the weather enterprise to expand education efforts, increase public understanding, and improve visualization of snow squalls. We’ll discuss several exciting projects that are underway. These include virtual reality simulations, immersive mixed reality graphics, hard stop notifications, and snow squall social science research.
As we look to the future, it will be important to tap into other sectors of the weather enterprise to expand education efforts, increase public understanding, and improve visualization of snow squalls. We’ll discuss several exciting projects that are underway. These include virtual reality simulations, immersive mixed reality graphics, hard stop notifications, and snow squall social science research.
The Methodology of Special Event Liaising, Logistics, & Operational Planning
Show Description
Special events can bring joy to a kid’s face, to a family, a community, and even a town. While organizers are focused on their event’s success where does everything else go with it? Security? The weather? Medical emergencies? Partnerships? Private-Public Sector? The Valentis methodology of Special Event planning considers all aspects of the core event values and incorporates an all-hazards approach to maintain not only a quality event for participants but also a highly prepared event for public safety and security.
During this presentation, we will introduce participants to the Special Event Planning P process, display how the Incident Action Plan organizes an event, discuss considerations for special event planning and resource needs, demonstrate how emergency services liaising is important prior to and during an event, present real-world examples of how the private-public sector can partner together, and exhibit some past event to show how the Valentis methodology achieves success.
During this presentation, we will introduce participants to the Special Event Planning P process, display how the Incident Action Plan organizes an event, discuss considerations for special event planning and resource needs, demonstrate how emergency services liaising is important prior to and during an event, present real-world examples of how the private-public sector can partner together, and exhibit some past event to show how the Valentis methodology achieves success.
The Risk of Human Trafficking Post-Natural Disaster
Show Description
Natural disasters increase the risk of human trafficking for both sexual and labor abuse by increasing the vulnerability of the population impacted, and the need for quick and large-scale clean-up and recovery efforts. A comprehensive understanding of the connection between natural disasters and the heightened risk of human trafficking is paramount in mitigating, preventing, and responding to these crimes.
The School Safety & Security Coordinator as an Emergency Manager
Show Description
This presentation will focus on the intersects of the position of School Safety and Security Coordinator and the local or County Emergency Manager and associated first response personnel and how these two positions can aid each other. The presentation will use the Core Capabilities of Mission Area Protection. The presentation will be practical and feature not only ideas but also opportunities to cross-share best practices and technologies that are utilized throughout the Commonwealth. A primary example will be how to use an HSEEP model for interagency exercises to enhance the understanding of resources that each sector can bring to a disaster and how to use them while balancing the needs of the school (Planning). This presentation will also cover ways to demystify Emergency Management to school personnel by utilizing IS 100 as a tool to understand the language and process of the operational cycle.
University Support & Outreach Efforts in the Disaster Space in Pennsylvania
Show Description
This session will showcase the excellent work of Penn State University (University Park and Harrisburg Campuses), Millersville University, and possibly Carnegie Mellon.
– PSU – University Park – will discuss possible next steps for the PA Flood Tool moving to a Mitigation Hub with additional information for the floodplain managers, emergency managers, and building code partners. Additionally, 2nd presenter from PSU Main will discuss the Pennsylvania Association of Floodplain Managers fact-finding report on the needs of floodplain managers/administrators and building code enforcement staff.
– PSU- Harrisburg – will discuss the Part 1 (completed) and Part 2 (In-Progress) studies that are being conducted on behalf of PEMA and the PA Department of Insurance.
– Millersville University will discuss the ongoing collaboration with the National Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) to move the needle for Mitigation Practitioners in the field.
– Carnegie Mellon – Update on AI work for EM.
– PSU – University Park – will discuss possible next steps for the PA Flood Tool moving to a Mitigation Hub with additional information for the floodplain managers, emergency managers, and building code partners. Additionally, 2nd presenter from PSU Main will discuss the Pennsylvania Association of Floodplain Managers fact-finding report on the needs of floodplain managers/administrators and building code enforcement staff.
– PSU- Harrisburg – will discuss the Part 1 (completed) and Part 2 (In-Progress) studies that are being conducted on behalf of PEMA and the PA Department of Insurance.
– Millersville University will discuss the ongoing collaboration with the National Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) to move the needle for Mitigation Practitioners in the field.
– Carnegie Mellon – Update on AI work for EM.
USA v. Hardy Lloyd: A Case Study
Show Description
Case study on the investigation and prosecution of a West Virginia resident who made online threats directed at the jury and witnesses of the trial of the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooter.
Walk through of the National Water Prediction Service Website
Show Description
The National Water Prediction Service (NWPS) web dissemination platform is the replacement for the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) and the gateway to NWS water information. Real-time river forecast and observation data is provided in a more user-friendly, interactive format, with static images still available for the needs of partners. In addition to the hydrographs, precipitation estimate data, and probabilistic information that was available on the previous site, both dynamic and static flood inundation mapping services and national water model data are also incorporated into the new web platform. NWPS is also available through an Application Programming Interface (API) that allows you to integrate operational forecast information within your own applications. The session will provide a walk through of the available services on the new NWPS website including some refresher on the available flood inundation mapping services that are available for much of Pennsylvania.
We are Religiously Diverse, How Do We Include Everyone
Show Description
The presentation discusses the need to include all of our population. There can be invisible barriers between our many religious groups. The connections that can be made by understanding religious and cultural differences can make or break a disaster at all levels of your mission areas. How to make the connections with your different religious groups in your primary area of operations. The need to be religious literate and get “buy-in” from your local faith groups. How to earn the trust of different religious groups that normally distrust outsiders and/or the government. What resources do we have available to help with communication and where do we find these resources? Some skills we can use to engage religious leaders in the 161 documented religions in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I personally experienced much of this being in an interfaith marriage for almost 30 years. In my area, we have had difficulty with the different faiths, and how we worked through it to create a safer community.
We need more beds!!!
Show Description
Mass care is difficult, and we don’t know what is coming next. But we do know that the ask to increase space outside and within the four walls of your facility will come again. During this presentation, we will discuss a systematic approach to ensure a consistent surge of spaces within the four walls of the hospital, and the pitfalls of doing it outside of the four walls.
What does Mitigation Success look like?
Show Description
This session will highlight 3-4 Mitigation Success (Case Studies) stories within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PEMA MIRC Director and PEMA Dep SHMO will facilitate the discussion regarding completed projects with 3-4 municipal project managers.
– Yardley Borough, Bucks County – Recently awarded Community Rating System (CRS) status due to Floodplain Management and Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) project Home Elevation & Home Mitigation/Reconstruction opportunities.
– Town of Bloomsburg, Columbia County – Home Acquisitions and Flood Wall process, without funding from the US Army Corps of Engineers; granted CRS Status 2 years ago for their efforts.
– City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County – Home Acquisitions/Buyouts with FEMA & HUD dollars and Sinkhole Remediation.
– City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County – Landslide Remediation to prevent impacts to Infrastructure and Landslide Home Acquisitions in the City of Pittsburgh.
– Yardley Borough, Bucks County – Recently awarded Community Rating System (CRS) status due to Floodplain Management and Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) project Home Elevation & Home Mitigation/Reconstruction opportunities.
– Town of Bloomsburg, Columbia County – Home Acquisitions and Flood Wall process, without funding from the US Army Corps of Engineers; granted CRS Status 2 years ago for their efforts.
– City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County – Home Acquisitions/Buyouts with FEMA & HUD dollars and Sinkhole Remediation.
– City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County – Landslide Remediation to prevent impacts to Infrastructure and Landslide Home Acquisitions in the City of Pittsburgh.
When Securing the Homeland Becomes Defending the Homeland: Understanding Homeland Defense & What It Might Mean for Emergency Managers
Show Description
The Department of Defense is responsible for homeland defense, which is the protection of US people, sovereignty, territory, and critical defense infrastructure against external threats and aggression. But the mission of the Department of Homeland Security is to safeguard our homeland, the American people, and our values. Where is the line between security and defense? What are the implications for emergency managers when the national security enterprise shifts from securing the homeland to defending it?
This interactive session will provide an overview of homeland defense (including civil defense), examine the intersections of security and defense, and consider possible homeland defense scenarios through the lens of the National Preparedness System.
This interactive session will provide an overview of homeland defense (including civil defense), examine the intersections of security and defense, and consider possible homeland defense scenarios through the lens of the National Preparedness System.
When The Big One Hits Home: A look at the Rapho Township propane explosion.
Show Description
On July 13, 2023, a propane leak caused a catastrophic explosion, instantly destroying the entire Public Works facility of Rapho Township, including all tools, equipment, road signs, and other assets. This presentation covers the story of that incident, our response, and the path to recovery.