National Preparedness Symposium underway

The 2022 National Preparedness Symposium kicked off earlier today on the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) campus.

More than 100 emergency management administrators and trainers and 100 first responders from across the nation were on hand for the opening, which featured remarks by FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks.

Hooks said everyone at the event shares a common vision of working together toward a prepared and resilient nation, adding that “together, we are going to champion the concept of ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’”

He also encouraged those in attendance to adopt a future-based mindset and anticipate risks down the road, so they’ll continue to be ready to go “when the call comes.”

Nearly a dozen plenary or full group and more than 30 breakout sessions are planned for the event, which runs through Thursday.

The plenary sessions include presentations about working with faith-based organizations and communities during emergencies by the Department of Homeland Security and weather threats by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Topics for the breakout sessions include ‘Integrating Law Enforcement and Emergency Management’; ‘Healthcare and Emergency Management’; and ‘Lessons Learned from Disasters,’ which will include a discussion about the condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida.

The latest information about training offerings across FEMA and those of its partners in the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium and Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium is also available, and optional tours are planned of several of the CDP’s training venues as well as the nearby Freedom Riders National Monument.