The Business Case for Curiosity: Can curiosity help us find better ways to resolve incidents?

https://hbr.org/2018/09/the-business-case-for-curiosity

Being curious at times about incident management, policies, or procedures has help resolve them more efficiently and with less cost. It's a good idea.

#Curiosity #EMGToot #EMGTwitter #BusinessContinuity #EmergencyManagement #EmergencyPreparedness

One of the issues I find in emergency management is communications. We have to learn how to communicate better.

One of those communication blocks can be the tone in which the message is delivered. Many times we find ourselves being sarcastic when we deliver a message, which hinders the interpretation of the message.

We need to do better.

https://www.johnmillen.com/blog/sarcasm-in-the-workplace

#EMGToot #EMGTwitter #EmergencyManagement #EmergencyPreparedness

Twitter says that 'verified' government and public services can access the #API for free for 'critical purposes' such as issuing weather, traffic, and safety alerts. However, none of the accounts for #NWS offices that issue real-time alerts are verified, so the new policy still won't work even in principle for them.

The damage is already done. Organizations are leaving Twitter or are no longer using Twitter, as it is no longer a trustworthy source for transmitting or receiving accurate real-time alerts.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/twitter-actually-we-wont-charge-api-fee-for-real-time-alerts​

#EmergencyManagement #EmergencyNotification #EMGToot #EMGTwitter #SMEM #EmergencyPlanning

In May 2018, NACo conducted a survey to assess key aspects of county emergency management, including organizational structure, budgets and funding, personnel and training, use of technology and ways counties collaborate with other government entities and nongovernmental organizations. NACo received completed responses from 397 counties in June 2018, representing all census divisions and 45 of the 50 states.

The results were mostly positive for those counties that responded. 2/3 of the counties the responded reported they used social media to communicate risk before, during, and after a disaster. The other statistic that stood out was that 77% of the respondents have designated shelters, but only 8% have the necessary supplies to run them.

Read the results at https://www.naco.org/sites/default/files/documents/EM%20OnePager_03.13.19.pdf

#EmergencyManagement #EMGTwitter #EMGToot

Did our emergency alerting system fail?

https://www.newsbreak.com/delaware-state/2984257914921-many-delaware-tornado-victims-had-no-warning-why-did-the-emergency-alert-system-fail

#SMEM #EMGToot #EMGTwitter #EmergencyManagement #emergencyplanning

#EMGTwitter #EMGToot #EmergencyManagement #FEMA #EMI #LMS #smem

From: @MsMerope
https://sfba.social/@MsMerope/110141881668319364

3/9/23
20-Year Anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security

Hard to believe, but it has been 20 years (as of March 1, 2023) since the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security (#DHS). As they recently noted: “Less than two years after 9/11, 22 agencies and 180,000 public servants came together with a mission to safeguard the American people and our way of life. 20 years later, the Department of Homeland Security has grown in size, capability, and complexity. As new threats emerge with increasing speed, our work to reinforce our homeland security has never been more important to our national security.”

It is a very large and complex organization with a plethora of missions and funding. Many times, the border is what you hear about most, but other major players in DHS include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (#FEMA),...

https://www.govtech.com/em/emergency-blogs/disaster-zone/20-year-anniversary-of-the-department-of-homeland-security

#EMGToot #EMGTwitter #EmergencyPlanning #EmergencyManagement

3/6/23
(TNS) - The Lexington council will review the city’s response to Friday’s windstorms that knocked out power to thousands of Fayette County residents, damaged many homes and businesses, and shuttered schools for days.

The Lexington, Ky.-Fayette Urban County Council voted Tuesday to put an after-action review into the council’s Social Services and Public Safety Committee. A date for that review has not been set.

https://www.govtech.com/em/safety/lexington-storm-review-did-911-fail-was-eoc-activated

#EmergencyManagement #EmergencyPreparedness #EMGToot #EMGTwitter #Windstorm #PowerOutage

Ohio train derailment: Governor drinks the tap water as the EPA demands Norfolk Southern manage all cleanup of a toxic train wreck -- or face consequences | CNN https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/21/us/ohio-train-derailment-east-palestine-tuesday

#Ohio #EastPalestine #Derailment #Hazmat #EMGToot #EMGTwitter #EmergencyManagement

Pennsylvania, Ohio governors speak out about East Palestine train derailment

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sent a scathing letter blasting Norfolk Southern about its handling of the East Palestine train derailment.

His letter came just hours after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine briefed the media with the latest updates, saying he's in frequent contact with the railroad's CEO.

Shapiro says he's seriously concerned with Norfolk Southern's handling of the train derailment in East Palestine, just a quarter mile from the Pennsylvania state line.

He says Norfolk Southern failed to implement a unified command, creating confusion. He says it gave out inaccurate and conflicting information. And lastly, he says it was unwilling to explore alternative courses of action instead of the vent and burn approach that caused the plume.

https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/pennsylvania-ohio-governors-speak-out-east-palestine-train-derailment/

#Ohio #PA #Pennsylvania #EastPalestine #Derailment #EmergencyManagement #EMGToot #EMGTwitter

Yes, Elon Musk created a special system for showing you all his tweets first. Another reason Twitter is quickly becoming unreliable as a tool for #EmergencyManagement

This story is based on interviews with people familiar with the events involved and supported by documents obtained by Platformer.

At 2:36 on Monday morning, James Musk sent an urgent message to Twitter engineers.

“We are debugging an issue with engagement across the platform,” wrote Musk, a cousin of the Twitter CEO, tagging “@here” in Slack to ensure that anyone online would see it. “Any people who can make dashboards and write software please can you help solve this problem. This is high urgency. If you are willing to help out please thumbs up this post.”

When bleary-eyed engineers began to log on to their laptops, the nature of the emergency became clear: Elon Musk’s tweet about the Super Bowl got less engagement than President Joe Biden’s.

https://www.platformer.news/p/yes-elon-musk-created-a-special-system

#EMGtoot #EMGTwitter #SMEM #PublicSafety

New Study Will Determine Strengths and Gaps in Buffalo’s Emergency Preparedness and Response

The latest search for answers is going on at New York University (NYU) Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service (Wagner) at the request of the City of Buffalo after a blizzard roared in like a locomotive in late December 2022, dumping as much as 49 inches of snow in Western New York. Forty-four people lost their lives—some found in snowbanks, others in freezing automobiles or homes. The ferocity of the whiteout caught even longtime residents off guard, with its speed and impact surpassing even the devastating 1977 Buffalo winter storm that prompted then-President Jimmy Carter to declare the first-ever national disaster prompted by snow.

https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/emergency-preparedness/new-study-will-determine-strengths-and-gaps-in-buffalos-emergency-preparedness-and-response/

#EmergencyManagement #EMGtoot #EMGtwitter #EmergencyPlanning #AAR

Tonight's fun at work is a continuation of last night... summed up by the movie quote, "Holy SH**, what the Fu** was that?!?!!" (Bonus points for name of movie and name of the character who said it.)

#EMGtoot #EMGtwitter #EmergencyManagement #PublicSafety #fire #VehicleAccident

I think tonight's workload can best be described by the movie quote, " GEEZ, ROOSTER, NOT THAT FAST!!!!"

It is still very cold out, but the wind is slowing down.

#PAweather #EMGtoot #EMGtwitter #EmergencyManagement

Why is it crucial to study emergency management as part of business operations?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-crucial-study-emergency-management-business-osama-f

#emergencymanagement #businesscontinuity #emergencypreparedness #disasterrecovery #EMGtoot #EMGtwitter

Elmore, Coosa and Hale Counties Now Eligible for FEMA Tornado Relief
Jan 21, 2023 7:28 AM CST

Tornado victims in Elmore, Coosa and Hale counties can now join those in Dallas and Autauga counties in being eligible for federal help.

People in these counties can apply for individual assistance from the Jan. 12 tornadoes through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That aid may include temporary housing assistance, basic home repairs and certain other uninsured disaster-related needs.

https://www.al.com/news/montgomery/2023/01/3-more-alabama-counties-eligible-for-fema-assistance-for-jan-12-tornadoes-storms.html

#FEMA #Alabama #Tornado #ALweather #ALwx #DisasterRelief #EmergencyManagement #EMGToot #EMGTwitter #SMEM

Are we in public safety or emergency management too dependent on Twitter for getting the message out? Let's look at all of the issues so far:

1) Users being blocked or locked out or sanctioned.

2) The API that is used to monitor and post to accounts has been shut off for some users.

3) Stories like the one below, where a public transit account was shut off without warning and then restored nine hours later with no explanation.

Are Cities Too Reliant on Twitter?

Social media platforms have become key communication tools for government agencies. The recent suspension of the DC Metrobus account shows the perils.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-13/despite-chaos-cities-are-sticking-with-twitter

#emergencymanagement #publicsafety #EMGTwitter #EMGToot

Congratulations to Director Randy Padfield on his reappointment as Directory of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency!

https://www.tribdem.com/news/cabinet-appointees-for-the-incoming-shapiro-davis-administration/article_45c2b902-e550-58b8-9dbf-1b636e0f155d.html

#PEMA #PEMAHQ #EMGtoot #EMGTwitter #Pennsylvania

Working though reports for the last 24 hours. Lots of broken pipes causing evacuations and relocation. Several power outages. Several warming shelters open.

#PAwx #EmergencyManagement #EMGToot

#PEMA The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency has deactivated from storm duty as of 1000 hours on 12/24/22. #pawx #EMGToot #EMGTwiter #EmergencyManagement