
why sea rise is not even everywhere?
The title of this blog post is a question that I’ve pondered many times before. I really appreciate the information on that topic provided in this Washington Post article, Why seas are surging

the continuing resolution with disaster funding is in jeopardy
The US House of Representatives need to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) in order to keep the government funded beyond December 20, 2024. Turn on the news to get the latest on machinations that are ongoing. Speaker of the House is having to rely on Democrats to pass any bill since a segment of the Republican Cause is opposed to any such measure being passed. It is a “shut it all down” approach.

climate change impacting home insurance
This issue of homeowners having their insurance carriers drop them is going to continue and heat up as more disasters cause more costly damages. The current state of affairs is shared in this New York Times article, Insurers Are Deserting Homeowners as Climate Shocks Worsen

january--return to office (RTO)
The COVID Pandemic caused a great work experiment. Millions of “nonessential workers” were sent home and when and where possible worked remotely.

women versus men as active shooters
Another school shooting has happened. This one about 40 miles north of where I grew up. This time it was a Christian School, much like the Seventh Day Adventist school shooting from only a week or two ago.

nc disaster survivors don't trust FEMA
Trust is a very basic aspect of our society’s functioning. When we get to a stop light we trust that others are obeying the red light as we enter on green. People pay their taxes and they expect that government will equitably disburse those funds to programs approved by our elected officials.

drones over new jersey
The news about drones being seen in the night sky over New Jersey is the first widescale news about drones being spotted across a wide area of a state (now expanding to other states) and drawing national attention. Drones are no longer a novelty in American airspace.

how hurricane helene applies to earthquake countr
The 2024 hurricane season has been a memorable one, especially with the impact that Hurricane Helene had on the mountainous areas of North Carolina. Now, even months after the hurricane and the rains are gone, the search and recovery for missing people continues and small pieces of the community infrastructure are beginning to be pieced back together.
What can we learn from that disaster and how those lessons can be applied to our own situation here in earthquake country? The disaster and the hazards may be different, but the experiences we see being played out in North Carolina can be instructive to our own geographical setting.

two take-aways
The recent killing of a healthcare executive and the subsequent search and capture of the assailant are good reminders for emergency mangers.

Declaring Martial Law
It is not uncommon for the topic of martial law to come up in emergency management circles. It could be while doing planning or perhaps during a disaster exercise. Someone will say something like, “What about declaring martial law?” Or “When might martial law be declared for this situation?”

An Interesting Time in History
I remember when I was about 10-12 years old, and the summers would drag on and on. By the end of August, I was ready for school to start, since it was a boring time to be a kid.

A 2025 Forecast
If you are staying up with the news, I’m thinking not about snow or hurricanes, but financial budget forecasts.

a holiday safety plan
Sometimes you can include the practical with some levity. Check out Your Holiday Safety Briefing

national association of counties presses for FEMA reforms
The National Association of Counties (NACo) has a new effort to get the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reduce the complexity of its disaster recovery processes and also reform the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

chinese hack of telecommunications companies is significant
The news of specific political personalities being hacked was in the media in the latter days of the election cycle. Today I read in the NY Times, Emerging Details of Chinese Hack Leave U.S. Officials Increasingly Concerned that the hacking of telecommunications companies was much more extensive than originally made public.

Netflix Documentary, Fire in Paradise
I just finished watching a Netflix documentary, Fire in Paradise It is only about 40 minutes long.

you are what you read
As emergency managers one of our greatest assets to our profession is our personal desire to consume as much information as possible and adapt it to use in the work that we do. This is the professional side of our lives. Professional journals and association news and events are great places to engage our brains and with other mutually interesting individuals.

Wildfire Threats in Western Washington
This topic is one that I’ve written about many times, to include having an Op-ed in the Seattle Times, Western Washington not immune from wildfire risk

the Philippines are in cyclone alley
This is the year that the Philippines will remember for a succession of storms that have hit that nation, 6 or 7 so far.

Florida Sues FEMA Over Denying Services
This is what happens when someone in your organization acts in a way that shows political favor or “disfavor” based on their political stances.
