By: Kathy Francis, Executive Director
As the leader of the Frederick Community College (FCC), Mid-Atlantic Center for Emergency Management and Public Safety (MACEM&PS), I launched a new outreach program on Monday, December 2, 2019. I hope that you have observed the MACEM&PS “40 Days of Engagement” initiative and that you are seeing our vast professional network getting stronger, more active, and even developing a few new partnerships.
Perhaps you are wondering how I progressed the first week and what I have learned:
- We are lifelong readers.
- We value a diverse and inclusive classroom and workplace.
- We contribute to the body of knowledge.
- We are concerned about the impact that trauma may have on students, teachers, and the workforce.
Here are just a few snippets of my engagement activities.
We are lifelong readers and contribute to the body of knowledge nationwide. Dr. Mark Landahl, FCC MACEM&PS Adjunct Faculty Member, has been reading Defining Disaster: An Evolving Concept by Ronald W. Perry and discussing a more succinct way to define disasters for an upcoming book chapter.
Dr. Stacy Willett, Professor and Program Director of the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Department of Disaster Science and Emergency Services at The University of Akron, is reading Securing Utility and Energy Infrastructures by Larry Ness to better align the university’s new Industrial Control Systems Cyber Lab into the Emergency Management and Homeland Security world of Infrastructure Protection.
We are aware of the value of diverse perspectives in the classroom and workplace. Tony Thomas, Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness instructor at Dorchester County Career and Technology Center, reinforces the value of inclusion through the Human Knot activity. You will find lesson plans here (https://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/…/les…/cooperation/).
We inform the body of knowledge and provide industry connections through a collection of subject matter experts in our MACEM&PS Advisory Council.
Erica Carlson, LCSW-C, MDPEMP Incident Manager & Clinician, Maryland State Police Special Operations Division, is presenting training sessions to educators in Allegany County Schools. Erica discusses Crisis Response in schools, how trauma may impact students, and what educators can do to prepare and respond to mental health needs in critical incidents (whether active assailant, child abuse, or damaging tornado). Erica further discusses Trauma-Informed Classrooms, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and disaster response. Valued planning efforts are ongoing through the Statewide Active Assailant Interagency Working Group, especially the Critical Incident Stress Management & Family/Victim Recovery subcommittee, of which Erica is a member.
It has been a great week exploring the amazing work of our stakeholders. Watch for next week as we continue to expand and grow!
Join us as we grow in service of local, state, and national public safety.
