Emergency Management
Simple steps to ensure we are prepared for what will likely be a significant wildland fire season
Our organizations should have been better prepared for this pandemic
Officials said COVID-19 would complicate evacuation plans, and loss of staff due to the virus could impede wildfire response
The Texas Emergency Management Academy’s fifth cohort put eight months of training to the test in a realistic disaster simulation
An Executive Order would compensate employees working without pay as the partial government shutdown stretches into its seventh week
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin ends the $100,000 sign-off requirement imposed by predecessor, aiming to ease FEMA bottlenecks and speed recovery aid
The agency is again accepting applications for its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program after a court order, but new rules could make it harder for smaller communities to compete for funding
Effective EOCs depend on empowered decision-makers, disciplined structure and trust built long before activation
Internal emails show LAFD deferred to Mayor Karen Bass as the city released its after-action report amid criticism over the earlier fire
FEMA says it can continue emergency response early in a shutdown, but prolonged funding gaps could disrupt planning with state and local partners
Homeland Security officials warned Congress that a funding lapse could delay disaster relief reimbursements, disrupt cybersecurity response and training
Veteran fire officials told a Senate hearing the Palisades blaze was a predictable result of failures in local decision-making, not a failure of firefighters
FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund should cover near-term storm response even if a partial government shutdown begins at midnight on Jan. 30
As questions swirl over the Palisades fire response, the LAFD Foundation acknowledges using donor money to hire a Hollywood PR firm to shape public messaging
The executive order pushes FEMA and the Small Business Administration to preempt state and local permitting and let builders self-certify standards
Local ranchers serving as liaisons helped incoming fire crews navigate terrain and resources during large fires like the Cottonwood Peak Fire
FEMA has activated its National Response Coordination Center and deployed response teams and resources to Texas, Virginia, Georgia and Pennsylvania
Kansas City Station 10 firefighters’ Facebook post goes viral ahead of a winter storm, poking fun at risky travel excuses, including nail appointments, while urging residents to stay off icy roads
In Cameron Park, a KB Home neighborhood is marketing fire-resistant construction and ember-blocking design as a way to reduce wildfire danger and improve insurability
As LAFD leaders warned they lacked resources, the department’s charity quietly paid the Lede Company to help shape messaging after the deadly Palisades Fire and a disputed after-action report
Follow along as the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and first responders from across the country put some robots through the paces to gauge whether the commercially available systems meet responders’ demanding operational need
Fire Chief Jaime Moore said he is focused on future improvements, not assigning blame, after acknowledging that the official after-action report downplayed leadership failures
The new Kensington-based facility uses high-fidelity disaster simulations to strengthen EMS readiness for mass casualty and complex emergency responses
Risk identification must go beyond simple yes-or-no questions to consider the various mitigation options
Los Angeles Fire Commission President Genethia Hudley Hayes said a draft report had been sent to Mayor Karen Bass’ office for “refinements,” raising concerns about outside influence
Los Angeles Fire Chief Jaime Moore acknowledged that the department’s after-action report on the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire was edited to reduce criticism of LAFD leadership
Families of wildfire victims say trauma, illness and suicide followed the Palisades Fire, filing lawsuits that name Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and other agencies as responsible
Fueled by predicted 90 mph Santa Ana wind gusts, the Palisades and Eaton fires erupted hours apart on Jan. 7, 2025, burning 59 square miles, killing 31 people and destroying 16,246 structures
Documents outline potential reductions to CORE and surge staffing, raising concerns about disaster response capacity
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