Seven Ways to Bungle Your Crisis Response! (and your career if you’re in charge)
For more than 40 years, I have been teaching and pleading about ways to handle crises effectively. Given that the number of crises has remained the same during that time frame, I’m going to take [...]
Early Lessons from the Earthquakes in Turkey & Syria
Daily our hearts break as we read updates of deaths and destruction in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6th. Despite reports of unbelievable survival and rescues, more [...]
Earthquake in Turkey and Syria Reminds California How to Prepare
Lots of Californians spend a good chunk of their time on the road. In your car, you should have a kit with a first aid kit, a blanket, a change of clothes, cash to buy [...]
Recalibrating Active Shooter Preparedness Plans For Today’s Threats
The evolution in risk & response: an active shooter threat is dynamic and complex. There is a clear upward trend in the number of active shooter incidents each year. The most recent FBI report for the [...]
Ukraine: Urgent Lessons for All Nations
We must not remain trapped in the old ways of thinking. A decade ago I was part of a UK Commission on 'National Security in the 21st Century', the findings of which apply today perhaps [...]
Resiliency Starts at Home
I have a long-standing New Year’s resolution but am not always successful in keeping it! Does this sound familiar? Living in San Francisco, we face the ever-present threat of a catastrophic earthquake and so acknowledge [...]
How well do you predict reality? Five tips to manage expectations & avoid failure
Ever been bitten by mismanaged expectations? Sadly it happens all too often – we hear the frustrated and angry cries of the team – ‘why didn’t you say? If only we knew last week?’ Can [...]
30 Lessons from 30 Years of Crisis Management
Jonathan Bernstein, started the first international email newsletter on the topic of crisis management, which now reaches readers in 75 countries. Here are 30 lessons from his 30-year career in crisis management: 1. Not planning [...]
“HOT WASH” Your Business to Help Recover From Covid-19
What is a “Hot Wash”? A hot wash is the immediate "after-action" discussion and evaluation of an agency's (or multiple agencies) performance following an exercise, training session, or major event, such as the COVID-19 pandemic [...]
Civil Unrest: Demonstrations, protests, and rioting.
Amid the anxiety and angst of the worst pandemic in 100 years, the elimination of social injustice has been the rallying cry of protesters following the George Floyd incident. Peaceful demonstrations erupting into violence under [...]
What We Should Do Now
It is time that the emergency management community examine the disciplines and practices that are considered the essential elements of their discipline. While changes have occurred over time, emergency managers have been reactive as opposed [...]
35 Years Since Mexico City – What’s Changed?
So much has changed since September 19, 1985. Three life-changing improvements stand out immediately -- but there are many more. The devastating Mexico City earthquake was the catalyst for my 35-year career in what has [...]