From Desk to Deployment: How Field Experience Amplifies Organizational Preparedness and Resilience - Hannah Winant
This session will explore the critical value of deploying emergency management staff to gain hands-on experience through real-world responses, with a special focus on lessons learned from Arlington County staff deployments via intragovernmental aid and EMAC requests. While the upfront costs in time and resources for staff deployments can be high, these short-term sacrifices yield immense long-term returns for the individual and organization. Attendees will learn how deployment experiences align with FEMA Core Competencies, contribute to practical skills and initiatives that drive agency resilience, and increase employee confidence and capabilities. We will showcase real examples of EMAC deployment benefits, from newly implemented operational procedures to enhanced coordination skills, illustrating how on-the-ground exposure can transform theoretical knowledge into practical, life-saving expertise.
What is VEMA Voice - The Podcast?
The Virginia Emergency Management Association (VEMA) is a statewide organization that promotes and supports the twin goals of saving lives and protecting property during times of emergencies and disasters in Virginia. MISSION: "To promote, support and advocate for Emergency Management in the Commonwealth of Virginia." VISION: “The recognized expert and advocate for excellence in the management of emergency preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
VEMA Voice - The Podcast provides podcasts of presentations or interviews from symposiums and interviews that affect and help us responds to emergency here in the Commonwealth of Virginia.