Category Archives: Emergency Management

CHARACTER IS EVERYTHING !

Additional Topics, Disaster Planning, Emergency Management, Motivation, Inspiration,

Character is Everything !

Joanne Hull | April 9, 2014

Isn’t it interesting just how much you can tell about a person working on a disaster in a matter of seconds ?  If someone is not moved by the emotional events surrounding their arrival and they can break it down to the lowest financial denominator to leverage value to their own wallet and length of their own personal timeline, that tells you everything you need to know about their character.  What more is there to say?

Maybe this……….”You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”    Coach John Wooden-UCLA, Aka- Wizard of Westwood.

 

THIS STORY HAS A MORAL

Disaster Planning, Emergency Management, How To Prepare,

THIS STORY HAS A MORAL

TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY—-HOW TO BE PREPARED ON VACATION (subtitle- A Little Piece Of The Job Has Rubbed off On Me).

Joanne Hull | March 24, 2014

I admit, I’m not the easiest person to vacation with! 

Let’s face it, when you spend the majority of your life traveling and your day job is disasters, it’s difficult not to notice things that most of your happy vacationer friends won’t be looking for.   I don’t go on vacation with the mission critical presumption- to have fun- cannot fail.

Touch Down- Tropical Island Paradise ??

The minute the plane touches down and the rest of party heads to the hotel to throw on a bathing suit, I’m back in the car off to get supplies.  For Instance; plenty of water, non-perishable food, flashlights. I make sure the car is always filled with gas, I will only stay in a hotel with a backup generator,  never book a room on the ground floor no matter how close to the  water that private patio is and, I always carry a weather radio.

Why you ask?? 

I’ve been in plenty of tropical storms and hurricanes on the job.   Try to find water or pump gas without electricity, try to find food or, see how you feel when your room heats up to over 100 degrees without a backup generator.  See how you feel when your shoes and suitcases are floating on the floor when water comes through the patio door or, how you feel when the lights finally go out and you can’t see your hand in front of your face.

My Friends think it’s funny (for now).

Two days later, they weren’t laughing when a storm hit our beautiful “tropical island paradise”.    Lights out all over the island, wind howling and, one by one they came climbing up the stair and knocking on my door.  It’s amazing what happens and how popular you become when you are the only one in the group with a dry room, sustenance, libations and light.  A veritable port in a storm…….pun intended !!!

Moral :

Even a tropical paradise has a dark side.  Go prepared!

ALL HAZARDS PLAN…..FOR ME !

Disaster Planning, Emergency Management, ,

ALL HAZARDS PLAN……FOR ME!

Joanne Hull | March 12, 2014

I’ve written my share of disaster, contingency, recovery, and continuity of operations plans in my career.  I’ve prepared the plan, exercised the plan, and played it out in real- time as Chief of Staff or as Chief of Operations on some very large disasters and emergencies throughout the country.  I certainly know the intensity for quick recovery from catastrophic events.

In light of the changing world we live in and the wrath of “Mother Nature” or violent man-made events, normal operations for me is still quite different than most of my friends who are not in my profession.

I don’t go into any situation believing that an outside source will address any of my needs in the event of an emergency.   I expect much less from outside assistance and much more of myself.