In this episode of the Crisis Lab Podcast, host Kyle King sits down with Rick Fernandez, an expert in emergency management, humanitarian aid, and international police assistance. Rick brings extensive experience from his work at the U.S. Department of Justice, the New York City Emergency Management Department, and international humanitarian missions.

Kyle and Rick explore how human-centered design thinking can enhance planning processes and build stronger community and organizational resilience. They discuss how design thinking can be integrated with traditional emergency planning, foster improved trust and collaboration across agencies, and support the effective use of technology in crisis response.

Show Highlights
[02:06] Rick’s diverse career journey in emergency management
[05:13] Explanation of design thinking and its core steps
[06:35] Application of design thinking in emergency planning
[08:12] Integrating design thinking with traditional planning methods
[14:45] Challenges and solutions in inter-agency collaboration
[25:11] The role of technology in supporting crisis planning

Connect with Rick Fernandez
-Linkedin