Insights & News

May 30, 2013

The ultimate purpose of risk communication is to reduce the amount of risks that people are exposed to by providing them the information they need to make better, more informed decisions.

December 20, 2012

Depending on the type of debris left in the wake of a disaster event, stakeholders may need to alter their debris removal strategy. When collecting, hauling, and disposing debris, a number of issues should be addressed before initiating the process.

October 11, 2012

During last week's New Jersey Association for Floodplain Management (NJAFM) conference, Crystal Tramunti (FEMA Region II) and I co-presented an interactive workshop on electronic Letters of Map Amendment (eLOMAs) that included demonstrations of how to write FEMA-approved legal descriptions and how…

September 27, 2012

With the hoopla surrounding both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions over, the emergency management world can get back to its regularly scheduled program of preparing, mitigating, responding, and recovering from predominantly natural hazards.

September 6, 2012

A recent report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirms that seven years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast, many nursing homes are still unprepared to protect residents during a natural disaster. Among the deficiencies cited, investigators…

August 23, 2012

Every year, we try to think of innovative ideas to generate interest at Dewberry’s exhibit at the Association of State Floodplain Managers' annual conference. This year, the inspiration for one of our biggest conversational pieces came from my godsons’ playroom—using Legos to build a model of a…

July 19, 2012

As part of Dewberry's Disaster Cadre, my first deployment was in 1999, providing geospatial support of FEMA mitigation efforts after Hurricane Floyd.

July 5, 2012

According to a recent study, Public Safety Survey: Revealing Americans’ Awareness and Preparedness, by the Federal Signal Corporation, Americans lack basic awareness and general concern with regard to emergency response and preparedness, including their community’s emergency communications systems.…

June 14, 2012

Recently, our rapid response skills were put to the test in Maryland. In this case, however, the state required a quick turnaround before a major disaster could strike. Critical funding was at stake, with a major FEMA deadline just weeks away.

May 31, 2012

The community of Deer Park, known as the "Birthplace of Texas," was founded in 1892, when settlers first began establishing farms and building a community in an area that today lies just outside of Houston. In 1900, a major flood devastated the settlement and destroyed most of the homes and farms.…

May 31, 2012

Thousands around the country are pledging to be a "Force of Nature" and taking action to prepare for the potential negative impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane season begins June 1 and extends through November 30. As we saw last year with Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee…

May 24, 2012

National EMS Week, May 20-26, recognizes the men and women who dedicate their lives to providing quality emergency medical care and life-saving services. As a first-responder and emergency management planner, I've been thinking a lot about the one message I wish I could share with individuals—be…