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The Public Opinion Crisis of Socrates
As we make plans to celebrate (if we can call it that) earth day 2022, I thought about how emergency management is sometimes considered a bunch of Ehors. Why is that? In general, we are a lot of fun to hang out with. We have great conversations. We are an intelligent bunch of folks. And we do care about the organizations that we serve. Then as I do at times I picked up my copy of the Republic and there it was, the answer.
I think of the profession of emergency management as a bunch of Socrates. As business continuity and emergency managers, we are paid to look at questions differently. At times we have to give answers that people do not like. Over the last few weeks, I have been researching managed retreat and why emergency management needs to be at the front of this issue. (Leader’Speake is hosting a webinar on this topic on May 19, 2022)
Socrates asked questions that people did not want to be answered as we address issues that have a profound impact on the human condition, such as; evacuations, water problems, land use, climate change, disaster recovery, buyout programs, and disaster funding processes that frustrate everyone, to name a few. We may not always come to the conclusion that is popular and expedient.
Socrates made extraordinary efforts to bring the greatest possible value to Athens and his students. However, he was not treated as one would expect. Asking the hard questions and making people reflect on themselves brought contempt.
The beauty of the story of Socrates is that he is painfully aware that he is a hated figure and that this is what has led to the accusations against him. He had little money and no political savvy or influence, and his personal life was in shambles. He paid little attention to his family and household. He did that all to serve the public that reviles him.
Emergencies are a disrupture, and they push the community's population and leadership to make drastic decisions at times. We have all experienced this stress over the last two years of the COVID Pandemic response and as we move toward a recovery of sorts. People are looking for a new normal and what to expect in the future. And we do not have all of the answers. We need the participation of the community in the process during blue sky days and black skys.
Socrates needed a good Crisis Communications team behind him at the end of the day. He did not have a great PIO helping him craft a message. As a profession, we need to have a constant message, get out and meet the people, and we need to be less of an Ehor. Have a happy Earth Day!
What To Read
In the Crisis Response Journal,
Tony Jaques asks what is the point of crisis red flags if no one pays any attention? And Gill Kernick shares her methodology for exploring systemic change that she developed to help make sense of our failure to learn from catastrophes.
Podcasts:
The Todd DeVoe Show
Climb and Lift: History of Higher Education Program at FEMA, in the US, Worldwide
The concept of partnering with institutions of higher education to assist with this educational and training challenge was developed in 1994 by Kay Goss with the launch of the FEMA Higher Education Project.
Since 1994, the Higher Education Program, with the mission to engage emergency management academia, and practitioners, has helped foster growth in the academic community, including college and university-based programs in emergency management, homeland security, and related fields.
Together, they have fostered a culture of continuous learning and innovation through education and research to meet the nation's challenges.
Business Continuity Today
Drought, Weather, and Why We May Have an Electricity Shortage
When we think of Business Continuity Planning, we ought to have a plan for a power outage; however, have you ever thought about a power shortage? As we see, the price of fuel impacts the supply chain. Can the drought in the American Southwest impact the electrical grid? Join Todd as he looks at how hydroelectrical generation stations have some concerns.
Web:
https://titanhst.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3KgRvv6
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tita
prepare. respond. recover.
Todd Mans, Founder of The Blue Cell, joins prepare.respond.recover. host Todd DeVoe to discuss why he started his training and exercise company. The two Todds explore game theory, why education and training are essential for emergency management professionals, and why it is important to take a "big tent" approach to prepare local emergency services to respond and recover to major disasters. Tune into this week’s episode now to learn more.
If you would like to learn more about the Natural Disaster & Emergency Management (NDEM) Expo, please visit us on the web -
https://www.ndemevent.com
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