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Hello Lucien,
Welcome to the March edition of Emergency Management Solutions.
My Irish friends ask me, "Why do you care so much about what's happening in the US?" It's a fair question, considering I'm pretty much retired now and just celebrated my 73rd circle around the sun. But the simple fact is that good emergency managers are passionate about what they do and I have too many friends and proteges that are still fighting the good fight against the proposed changes to the emergency management system we have built over the last seventy years or so. You don't deserve this but since when have we ever given up just because the odds were against us? Non illegitimi carborundum or for you Latin scholars: Noli sinistros te deprimere
In this month's Professional Development section you'll find information on the request for information from the FEMA Review Council. While the fate of the Council is questionable, as is whether or not positive comments will have any impact on their final decision, I urge you to submit a response and encourage your constituents to do so as well. The focus of the Council is on disaster relief failures but I believe they need to hear about the pre-disaster funding that is so critical to local governments.
In this month's feature articles, both Tim Riecker and I write about the threat to FEMA. Tim considers some of the problems with proposed changes and suggests that we take advantage of any opportunities to improve. My article looks at all the pre-disaster work FEMA does that is unseen by the public and will be lost if the agency is disbanded. I think both articles are important and encourage you to read them and distribute as you think best.
A quick word on this month's book. It doesn't pertain directly to emergency management, but it is a reminder that there are plenty of people in government who are dedicated and selfless. After many years working in federal and local government, I still believe they are in the majority.
Be well!
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Canton on Emergency Management
By Lucien G. Canton, CEM
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What The Public Doesn't Know About FEMA
My brother in Los Angeles called the other day to wish me a happy birthday. After the usual pleasantries and catching up on family, our talk turned to the current situation in the United States. Oddly, for two siblings who were raised in the same environment, we are on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Fortunately, we have sufficient affection for each other to be able to discuss issues amicably with the understanding that we won’t be able to change each other’s minds.
My brother said that he thought returning emergency management responsibilities to the states was not a bad idea. He also felt that FEMA wasn’t really needed. As we talked, I realized that all he really knew about emergency management and FEMA’s role was what he was hearing on the news and most of that was the misinformation spouted by the current administration. It made me wonder what it is we’re not telling the public.
The only thing the public hears is FEMA’s recovery mission. I say “recovery” because little mention is made of FEMA’s role in coordinating the response of multiple federal agencies. FEMA not only distributes disaster relief funds from programs under its control, but also coordinates funding provided through the programs of other agencies such as the Small Business Administration. All these programs were created by Congress and have different regulations imposed by their implementing legislation. Most of the public don’t realize that many of the programs FEMA disburses directly were originally administered by other federal agencies. FEMA was created to consolidate these various programs into a single agency and to serve as the primary source of disaster relief funding.
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© 2025 - Lucien G. Canton
Lucien Canton is a management consultant specializing in helping managers lead better in a crisis. He is the former Director of Emergency Services for San Francisco and the author of the best-selling Emergency Management: Concepts and Strategies for Effective Programs used as a textbook in many higher education courses.
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The Contrarian Emergency Manager
By Timothy "Tim" Riecker
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The Future of the US Emergency Management System
It’s been a stressful time for emergency management as of late. Obviously, a lot of attention is focused on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its unknown future. This unknown future stems from criticisms of efficiency and effectiveness, and accusations of fraud. Some have said FEMA is a bloated, overly bureaucratic agency that isn’t agile enough to have optimal efficiency. While some claims may have substantial truth to them, other claims are exaggerated, while some have been proven false. Changes are being enacted, discussed, and speculated.
A council is being formed to advise on the future of FEMA, but changes are already occurring. The National Advisory Council has been disbanded; FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute and partner National Fire Academy have had their operations suspended pending a review of curricula (by who and for what seems to be unknown); employees have been laid off; documents and other information have been removed from the FEMA website; and orders are in place to remove all references to certain concepts and programs related to things such as climate change and equity – which are relevant and important to what we do.
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© 2025 - Timothy Riecker, CEDP
Used with Permission
Tim Riecker is a founding member, partner and principal consultant with Emergency Preparedness Solutions, LLC, a private consulting firm serving government, businesses, and not for profit organizations in various aspects of emergency and disaster preparedness.
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'Future Of FEMA' Debated By Republicans & Dems In House Homeland Security Committee
This is the first congressional hearing on the future of FEMA held by the House Committee on Homeland Security on March 4. If you have not seen this yet, it is worth your viewing, especially if you truly believe that FEMA will get a fair hearing in the upcoming assessment. Four representatives of the emergency management profession had a total of 20 minutes to speak in the roughly hour and a half session; the remainder of the time was taken up by politicians making it clear that their minds are already made up along party lines on the issue of FEMA's continued existence.
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Federal Register :: Request for Public Input on Experiences With FEMA Disaster Responses
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council requests information and comments from the public and other interested stakeholders to gain an understanding of their experience with FEMA during disasters. The public information and comments will ensure that the FEMA Review Council's findings and recommendations are informed by a broad spectrum of perspectives, experiences, and ideas.
FEMA Review Council requests information from the public and other interested stakeholders to help identify potential programmatic and organizational improvements to FEMA, informed by experiences with FEMA in disasters.
Potential questions for consideration are:
1. Describe your experience with FEMA's response to your request for assistance. Was FEMA's response timely and efficient to assist in your recovery?
2. Describe your overall experience with FEMA. Was your interaction with FEMA positive or negative? Please fully explain your experience.
3. By what means did you apply for benefits—was it online, in person, or over the phone? Did you encounter any difficulties?
4. Were local or state authorities or private groups able to provide assistance in a more timely or efficient way than FEMA? Please fully describe your experience.
5. What recommendations would you like the Council to make?
Please include any relevant data sources. The response to this RFI is voluntary, and the public is welcome to provide additional information that may be relevant to seeking information on experiences with FEMA.
Responses may not exceed five (5) pages per respondent and should focus on addressing the requested information described above.
Comments on this notice must be received by May 15, 2025, to be assured of consideration.
The FEMA Review Council invites submission of the requested information through one of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal:http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
- Email:FEMAreviewcouncil@hq.dhs.gov. Include Docket No. DHS-2025-0013 in the subject line of the message.
- Mail: Patrick Powers, Designated Federal Officer of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council, Office of Partnership and Engagement, Mailstop 0385, Department of Homeland Security, 2707 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20032.
INFORMATION SITES
Disaster Researchers for Justice
Currently, there is no group of disaster scholars organized for the purpose of actively engaging with practitioners and policymakers. Nor is there an established channel for disaster scholars to voice their concerns over imminent hazards and failed disaster responses and recoveries. There is no centralized effort for scholars who wish to partner in solidarity with activist groups and networks, or to speak out with a united voice against all disaster-related injustices. Disaster Researchers for Justice (DRJ) is formed to address these needs. To achieve this DRJ seeks to serve as a space for global affinity groups aligned towards disaster justice.
Emergency Management Network
Emergency Management Network is an independent media organization dedicated to unlocking the knowledge of experts for the public good. We publish trustworthy and informative content in multiple media formats by emergency management experts for the profession and the general public.
CALL FOR PAPERS
DRJ Fall 2025
Deadline: April 18, 2025
We welcome submissions from all practitioners, consultants, authors, and vendors from corporations, academia, non-profits, government, and the military.
For More Information
Call for Quick Response Research – SUBMIT NOW
The Natural Hazards Center is currently accepting proposals for a Special Call for Health Outcomes and Climate-Related Disaster Research. Funds will support awards in the amount of $10,000 to $50,00 each. Proposals for this special call will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Apply now! More information can be found at https://hazards.colorado.edu/research/quick-response
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Conferences and Webinars
National Hurricane Conference
April 14-17, 2025
New Orleans, Louisiana
The primary goal of the National Hurricane Conference is to improve hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation in order to save lives and property in the United States and the tropical islands of the Caribbean and Pacific.
Emergency Management Higher Education Colloquium
June 3-4, 2025
Virtual Conference
The Emergency Management Higher Education Colloquium is a virtual gathering for faculty, staff, and administrators in EM and HS programs to discuss curriculum, research, and best practices. It fosters collaboration and innovation to advance education and prepare future professionals for evolving challenges in the field.
DRJ Fall Conference
September 7-10
Dallas, Texas
DRJ’s annual spring and fall conferences are the longest-running and best-attended business continuity events in the world. DRJ can help you protect your organization from today’s disruptions and tomorrow’s threats by exposing you to insights from industry leaders and giving you an early look at new BC technologies.
IAEM 73rd Annual Conference
Nov. 14 – 20, 2025
Louisville, KY
The goal of the IAEM Annual Conference is to improve knowledge, competency level and collaborative skills. IAEM accomplishes this by attracting relevant high-profile speakers to address current topics and practical solutions. Convening in tandem to this annual event, EMEX, IAEM’s Emergency Management & Homeland Security Expo, draws a myriad of exhibitors who are the top suppliers to the fields of disaster preparedness and homeland security.
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by Michael Lewis
The government is a vast, complex system that Americans pay for, rebel against, rely upon, dismiss, and celebrate. It’s also our shared resource for addressing the biggest problems of society. And it’s made up of people, mostly unrecognized and uncelebrated, doing work that can be deeply consequential and beneficial to everyone.
Michael Lewis invited his favorite writers, including Casey Cep, Dave Eggers, John Lanchester, Geraldine Brooks, Sarah Vowell, and W. Kamau Bell, to join him in finding someone doing an interesting job for the government and writing about them. The stories they found are unexpected, riveting, and inspiring, including a former coal miner devoted to making mine roofs less likely to collapse, saving thousands of lives; an IRS agent straight out of a crime thriller; and the manager who made the National Cemetery Administration the best-run organization, public or private, in the entire country. Each essay shines a spotlight on the essential behind-the-scenes work of exemplary federal employees.
Whether they’re digitizing archives, chasing down cybercriminals, or discovering new planets, these public servants are committed to their work and universally reluctant to take credit. Expanding on the Washington Post series, the vivid profiles in Who Is Government? blow up the stereotype of the irrelevant bureaucrat. They show how the essential business of government makes our lives possible, and how much it matters.
About the Author
Michael Monroe Lewis is an American author and financial journalist. He has also been a contributing editor to Vanity Fair since 2009, writing mostly on business, finance, and economics. He is known for his nonfiction work, particularly his coverage of financial crises and behavioral finance.
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Emergency Management: Concepts and Strategies for Effective Programs
Second Edition
by Lucien G. Canton
This book looks at the larger context within which emergency management response occurs, and stresses the development of a program to address a wide range of issues. Not limited to traditional emergency response to natural disasters, it addresses a conceptual model capable of integrating multiple disciplines and dealing with unexpected emergencies.
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Looking for a speaker for your conference?
I offer keynotes, seminars, workshops, and webinars, either in person or virtually. You can find more details and sample videos on my website.
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©Lucien G. Canton 2025. All rights reserved.
You may reprint and excerpt this newsletter provided that you include my copyright, the source,
the author, and "reprinted with permission."
ISSN: 2334-590X
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