Emergency Management
From collapsing comms to makeshift evacuations, Katrina showed EMS leaders what true preparedness looks like. Now’s the time to embed those lessons before the next storm hits.
Raw and unflinching, New Orleans EMS shares the story of medics who chose to remain when everything else failed. It’s not just history — it’s survival, trauma and transformation.
Laura Russell’s first hurricane activation as a paramedic turned into a fight for survival as levees broke and chaos spread
The American Paramedic Association outlines a paramedic-led framework to stabilize EMS policymaking and improve system performance
In a gripping first-person account, New Orleans EMS veteran Keeley Williams-Johnson shares what it was like to survive and serve through the city’s darkest days
New Orleans EMS providers recall wading through floodwaters, improvising landing zones and carrying patients when 911 went silent 20 years ago
FEMA workers who joined a 180-signature letter warning that staff and budget cuts imperil disaster response have been put on indefinite paid leave
Experts say Katrina’s communication breakdowns, coordination gaps and aid delays still shape policy and should guide today’s debates over FEMA’s future
The AP reconstructed the July 4 Texas flash flood rescue using responder audio and survivor footage, revealing a chaotic response as the disaster killed 136 people
A longtime paramedic and former regional EMS coordinator, Blair Balmforth is being remembered for his clinical skill, kindness, and deep dedication to the people and communities he served
FEMA is now accepting applications for over a dozen grant programs to support emergency readiness, including for natural disasters and cyber threats
From hazard mapping to resource deployment, AI is changing the way agencies prepare for major incidents
FEMA acting administrator David Richardson defended the agency’s response, denying claims of delays and calling the federal-state coordination a model for disaster response
Citing improved morale and leadership, Forsyth County will no longer fill the emergency services director position
A proposed federal budget would eliminate funding for over half of FEMA’s emergency and homeland security grant programs, for training, equipment, and readiness efforts
Pennsylvania’s emergency director urged FEMA to reconsider policy changes that could raise aid thresholds and cost shares, risking future disaster relief for the state
Ken Pagurek stepped down after delays in deploying FEMA teams to deadly Texas flooding, citing growing frustration with DHS oversight and the Trump administration’s handling of disaster response
The number of people missing after the July 4 floods in Texas has dropped to just three as search efforts continue and officials praise rescuers for their progress
From chronic burnout and staffing gaps to a lack of meaningful leadership engagement, personnel are sounding the alarm — and offering a roadmap for change
President Trump toured flood-ravaged Kerr County, praising first responders and local officials while avoiding criticism over FEMA cuts
Monsoon rains triggered flash flooding in Ruidoso, New Mexico, sweeping one house downstream and leaving at least three people missing as officials continue search efforts
The number of missing people has tripled in Kerr County, home to Camp Mystic, where at least 27 campers and counselors died
Authorities in Kerr County are asking untrained volunteers to stay away from flood search zones for safety reasons and to avoid hindering rescue operations
Officials continue searching for missing campers and face scrutiny over emergency warning systems
Amid the grief and devastation of survivors, many are sharing the courageous efforts of first responders, fellow residents, family members and even camp counselors who put their lives on the line to save others
More than 80 people are confirmed dead, including 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, after catastrophic flooding swept through central Texas over the July Fourth weekend
Flooding from Tropical Storm Chantal’s remnants displaced over 60 people in central North Carolina, prompting more than 50 water rescues in Chapel Hill
With at least 82 dead and 41 still missing after catastrophic flooding in central Texas, officials warn of more life-threatening rain as search efforts continue
Families and rescuers continue searching Camp Mystic, where 11 girls and a counselor remain missing
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