The next emergency might not look like a hurricane at all. It could be a cyber incident, a long heat wave that knocks out air conditioning in a high rise, or a slow-moving flood problem that turns into an evacuation decision. On the latest episode of the Pittman and Friends Podcast, County Executive Steuart Pittman sits down with Preeti Emrick, the Director of Anne Arundel County’s Office of Emergency Management. They talk about what emergency management actually is and why the work is really about coordination, clear roles, and timely public information.

We walk through what happens when the Emergency Operations Center activates, how situational awareness gets built from weather forecasts, state and federal briefings, nonprofit partners, and even patterns in 911 calls. Preeti explains why training and tabletop exercises on blue sky days make the response feel like a symphony when it matters, and why modern preparedness has to include cyber incident planning alongside storms and public health emergencies.

COVID is a major turning point in the conversation. We dig into misinformation, mistrust, and the reality that disasters create trauma, not just damage. Preeti shares why psychological first aid and “meeting people where they are” can be as important as logistics, especially for vulnerable communities that lose the daily safety nets they rely on.

We also look ahead: what local and state leaders can do when FEMA funding is uncertain, why investing in resilience saves time and money later, and how residents can get involved through CERT and community outreach.

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