Center’s Blog
Use this page to stay up-to-date on COVID-19, homeland security emergency management, campus safety, job resources, career pathways, upcoming webinars, scholarships, Washington State news and more.
Beware of “MDM”
In this final summary of the recent annual forum of the National Emergency Management Association held in Memphis, Tennessee in October, I found most compelling the panel discussion entitled “Combating Contested Information During Disaster Response and Recovery” addressed the emerging threat of what is called “MDM”: meaning Misinformation, Dis-information, and Mal-information.
More AI – from the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) Annual Forum, October 2023
A follow- up to my recent post (“A Thought about Taking the AI Plunge”) on the risk/reward associated embracing artificial intelligence comes from the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) October 2023 forum panel discussion on this subject.
A Thought About Taking the AI Plunge
The rising angst over the apparent advance in artificial intelligence, or AI, called to mind the limerick (“Daisy…” etc.) that HAL, the state-of-the-art computer in the film “2001, A Space Odyssey” was reduced to repeating when HAL’S human soul mate (Dave) attempted to unplug him/it (?). HAL survived, but it did not go well for “Dave”.
Security at Home
Shortly after the audacious 2008 Mumbai, India terrorist attack which took 160 lives, a Seattle Police Department Assistant Chief mused that a similarly trained team could paralyze a city like Seattle for a “considerable” time. Mumbai illustrated how a team of well-trained bad actors could exact considerable damage.
Musings on the Illusion of Certainty
“The great deception of life is to assume that what is so today will be so tomorrow” (former Senator Bill Bradley, writing in ”Time Past, Time Present).
Volunteer to Change the World by Planting Trees
Volunteer to Change the World by Planting Trees Trees are Resilience Equalizers By Nancy Aird Arbor Day (April 28) encourages us to join the world in making a step to resolving disparity, inequality and environmental justice for mankind by reforesting rural and urban land. Nature-poor neighborhoods negatively [...]
National Volunteer Month Volunteers Supporting Community Resiliency
National Volunteer Month Volunteers Supporting Community Resiliency By Linda Crerar Society needs resilient communities. Volunteering is a major engagement tool with open positions available in most communities. Joining people together helps to achieve stronger shared goals, strengthens trust and relationships as stronger bonds of solidarity are forged [...]
Report From NEMA Midyear Forum 2023
The National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) biannual gatherings are opportunities for information-sharing and straightforward discussions with government and private sector leaders. State (and territorial) emergency management directors occupy unique roles. Responsible to the governor or a senior official – in Washington State it’s The Adjutant General (TAG) – they not only deal with issues affecting their respective jurisdictions (while balancing the political inclinations of elected officials), but aided by Association staff must be alert to developments on the national front that could impact local and state government.
Emergency Management: Present and Future
Educators and senior emergency management officials have pondered what would motivate a person to aspire to a career in emergency management. How do we attract bright young students while providing continuing education and growth opportunities for those already immersed in emergency management roles? This is not just a problem of the moment how can emergency management survive, and thrive, in the long term?
Definition: “Resilience – The Capacity to Bend Without Breaking”
My favorite English professor at Western Washington, Arthur Hicks, taught Shakespeare. He administered daily, graded 10-minute snap exams on some aspect of the previous day’s reading – if you did well, he would write on your paper “so far, good…but” and he would then point out additional insights (channeling Shakespeare, I presume) the student might have incorporated into the exam response. When I asked why he did that, he said there was always something more to learn, something more to uncover – “so far, good” was thus an exhortation to dig deeper, become even more proficient.
“Back to the Future” – Taking Control and Personal Responsibility Over Our Destiny-reclaiming our future to Engage and Take Action
“Back to the Future” - Taking Control and Personal Responsibility Over Our Destiny-reclaiming our future to Engage and Take Action By Linda Crerar The main theme of the movie “Back to the Future” (1985) concerns taking control and personal responsibility over one's own destiny. A situation can be [...]
Holiday Message from the Center Director and Staff
As we look back upon the past year, we would like to acknowledge those who have helped and inspired us to keep plugging along.
And Another Thing… (notes from a grumpy septuagenarian) – Dec 2022
As our nation lurches into a worrisome and contentious period in our history, I’ll share some less-than-earth-shaking thoughts I have had recently (if you open your window, you may hear me shouting).
Education = National Security
Education = National Security By Jim Mullen Emergency Management Once Removed As a student financial aid director at a struggling private college in Illinois in the early 1970s, I had the responsibility of ensuring that students could finance their college educations without incurring loan obligations that would inhibit their [...]
Center of Excellence for Clean Energy: Helping to lead the way in alternative fuels for our future
Center of Excellence for Clean Energy: Helping to lead the way in alternative fuels for our future By Nancy Aird On October 24, 2022, Nancy Aird (staff for CoE HSEM) attended the Hydrogen in Focus Conference held at Centralia College hosted by the Center of Excellence for Clean [...]
RESILIENCE FOR NEXT EARTHQUAKE: Video Game promoting preparedness
RESILIENCE FOR NEXT EARTHQUAKE: Video Game promoting preparedness By Nancy Aird Lewis & Clark students and professors created a video game called Cascadia 9.0 (https://www.cascadia9game.org) to promote preparedness incorporating technology. The players navigate through an earthquake devastated city looking for their corgi dog that escaped during the earthquake. [...]
Women with Disabilities: Barriers and Bias in the Workplace
Women with Disabilities: Barriers and Bias in the Workplace By Kellie Hale Women with disabilities will often experience an array of barriers and biases in the workplace. They often experience an imbalance in hiring and promotion opportunities, limited access to training and retraining opportunities, and unequal pay rates. [...]
Securing the Supply Chain Summit 2022: Building Resilience through Sustainability
Securing the Supply Chain Summit 2022: Building Resilience through Sustainability On October 18, 2022, the Centers of Excellence for Homeland Security-Emergency Management and Global Trade and Supply Chain Management held their sixth summit, which focused on “Building Resilience through Sustainability.” This was the first time in three years [...]
A Legacy of Excellence gala for Dr. Michele L. Johnson
A Legacy of Excellence gala for Dr. Michele L. Johnson On Saturday, October 22, 2022, Nancy Aird (Data Research Specialist for our Center) attended the Legacy of Excellence Gala to celebrate Dr. Michele Johnson at Pierce College. Pierce College has been creating quality educational opportunities for a diverse [...]
Resilience for the Next earthquake: ShakeAlert early warning system
Resilience for the Next earthquake: ShakeAlert early warning system ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning system offer an alert to everyone. It does not predict earthquakes but indicates that an earthquake has begun and shaking is imminent. Sign up at: https://www.shakealert.org/ The Great Shakeout Earthquake Drills just occurred on October [...]
SBCTC Climate Solutions Program
SBCTC Climate Solutions Program During the 2021-2022 legislative session, Washington State legislators approved $1.5 million for expanding climate solutions education across our 34 community and technical colleges. The community and technical college system of Washington is positioned to be a key resource in helping achieve climate solutions by [...]
Education and Climate Priorities for WA state in 2023
Education and Climate Priorities for WA state in 2023 Gov. Jay Inslee outlined his climate policy package for the 2021–2023 biennium. “Climate change is a health issue, an economic issue and an equity issue. We must address these very real threats to our state, and we cannot wait. [...]
Emergency Management: Tough to Do, Tougher to Teach
Emergency Management: Tough to Do, Tougher to Teach by Jim Mullen Emergency Management, Once Removed During the Great Depression, a young Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) interviewed for a teaching position in Texas. During his interview, when asked, “Is the world flat or round” – he replied, “I can teach [...]
New podcast featuring The Future of Emergency Management after 2020: The New, Novel, and Nasty
Jim Mullen interviewed authors, Curry Mayer and Robert McCreight on their brand new book, The Future of Emergency Management after 2020: The New, Novel, and Nasty.
Gov. Jay Inslee holds press conference about CJTC expansion
Gov. Jay Inslee holds press conference about CJTC expansion On July 21st, governor Jay Inslee held a press conference where other law enforcement officials and legislators assembled to outline proposals on the expansion of the Criminal Justice Training Center to Pasco, Vancouver, and Everett-Bellingham. Our Center and our [...]