April Showers bring…the latest news on homeland security and emergency management! This month, we’re keeping it short and sweet, with a sampling of the goings on in our sector, including cyber news and public health information.
Hagerty is excited to welcome Brian Baker, former Executive Deputy Director of the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (DC HSEMA). As our new Vice President, Brian will be one of Hagerty’s public facing leaders, serving in a key leadership capacity at Hagerty and for our clients across the US. We look forward to what his on-the-ground knowledge and leadership experience will add to our Team.
As always, we’ll continue to provide insights on innovations and best practices, but if that’s not your style, just click here to unsubscribe. Enjoy these blurbs (and any of our past issues), and we’ll meet you in your inbox next month.
Hurtling Toward Hurricane Season
Atlantic hurricane season is almost a month away, and it’s predicted to be “just as busy as last year’s.” Luckily, a new app, almost like an Uber for emergency management, could help affected communities in the immediate aftermath. CrowdSource Rescue’s founder Matthew Marchetti claims the app helped rescue over 25,000 people from Hurricane Harvey by employing local resources to respond to calls for help after major disasters when traditional services are exhausted. Though not all of us can design apps, we can all offer assistance after catastrophic events. There are numerous ways to contribute on-the-ground support, even on your vacation.
The Antidote to an American Crisis
If the opioid epidemic in America wasn’t apparent enough, the Surgeon General just urged average Americans to keep an antidote to opioid overdose in their purses and at their homes. But what is Naloxone? This article from the New York Times demystifies the drug and offers other useful advice, such as how to identify someone who has overdosed.
Atlanta Wasn’t the First and Won’t Be the Last
Cyberattacks have been increasingly on the rise, and the one in Atlanta a month ago has prompted a nationwide reaction from organizations big and small looking critically at their own cybersecurity efforts. President and Chief Executive of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, James Patchett, recently wrote a compelling warning to his City about the threat of a cyber-attack, not only to local government but also to organizations that serve the public, like banks and hospitals. Similarly, one expert emphasizes the importance of improving cybersecurity for local health departments, whose services are vital to maintaining community public health. Because cyber-attacks can disrupt both virtual networks and daily life, it’s important to have a strategy, even if your organization is small or local.
What’s Flood Got to do With It?
After the historic flooding of last year, organizations within the emergency management space are looking for ways to improve their preparedness and mitigation efforts. The Pew Charitable Trust recently released a fact sheet calling for a new federal-state partnership for flood mitigation. The Trust believes a revolving loan fund program would increase state preparedness and ultimately save FEMA money. Meanwhile, FEMA has announced the creation of its first catastrophe bond, which will secure additional reinsurance and create a “stronger financial framework” for the NFIP. For some insight on catastrophe bonds, check out this New York Times Magazine article by Michael Lewis, author of the Big Short and Moneyball.