Before, During & After

In late October, FEMA released the National Continuous Improvement Guidance. The guidance provides an approach to conducting consistent and rigorous continuous improvement activities before, during, and after real world incidences. Emergency managers and other whole community partners can use this document to effectively strengthen their continuous improvement capabilities, regardless of the organization's level of experience or resources. In this episode, we're going to walk through that guidance and also some technical assistance that FEMA is working to provide throughout the nation.

• Dec 16, 2022
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A big part of FEMA administrator Deanna Criswell's strategic plan centers around instilling equity in emergency management. With this renewed focus, we are delighted to introduce FEMA's first National Tribal Affairs Advocate, Kelbie Kennedy, to the podcast. Since joining FEMA in October 2022, Kelbie has brought a wealth of knowledge about Indian Country to the agency with the goal of helping FEMA live up to our trust and treaty responsibilities to tribal nations while focusing on equity. Troy Christensen from the FEMA podcast team caught up with Kelbie at the National Advisory Council meeting that was recently held at the Choctaw Nation to discuss her background and her vision for the future of FEMA's tribal engagement and collaboration.

• Nov 28, 2022
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In addition to our ubiquitous role in responding to and recovering from disasters and emergencies, FEMA also administers numerous grant programs aimed at increasing the capacity of the nation's emergency management system. Part of that administration is understanding the challenges our state, local, tribal, and territorial partners face when applying for and successfully accessing these grants. On today's episode, we'll talk with Pam Williams, assistant administrator for FEMA's grant programs directorate about FEMA's outreach initiatives with America's tribal nations, including three recent tribal consultations and how FEMA is working hard to improve our delivery of grants to tribal nations.

• Nov 10, 2022
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The National Advisory Council, or NAC, consists of 35 members representing a wide range of geographic and professional backgrounds and is tasked with advising the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management. The NAC held its first meeting of this year, in June, in Boise, Idaho. Members shared progress reports from the equity working group as well as from the subcommittee on Workforce Climate and Readiness. They also took part in a FEMA leader panel discussion and a wildfire panel discussion and engaged in conversation with the FEMA Administrator on the Council's future direction. On this episode, we turn it over to our colleagues from FEMA Region 10, which includes Idaho, who spoke with several members of the Council, as well as the FEMA Administrator - Deanne Criswell, to discuss the importance of the NAC and how the field of emergency management is changing to meet the challenges of the future.

• Oct 27, 2022
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Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage. This tragic event inspired numerous changes in fire policies throughout the nation. On this episode we talk with Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, the U.S. Fire Administrator about all things fire prevention on this 100th observation of the Fire Prevention.

• Oct 13, 2022
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