Prep Talk

On the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” Commissioner Zach Iscol discusses his experiences, expectations, and what he is looking forward to the most in his new role. Commissioner Iscol also chats about what sparked his interest in the emergency management field, what keeps him up at night, and his leadership approach.

As the emergency management field expands, so too does the need for diverse, knowledgeable professionals. On the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” two women leaders in emergency management from the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Elyse Morris and Cory Pardo, discuss the role of women in public service, leadership, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and much more.

Each guest also shared how they expect the emergency management field to evolve and the importance of having more women involved in public service and emergency management.

On the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” Sonja Orgias, acting deputy chief counsel and co-chair of the equity and diversity council at NYC Emergency Management, discusses this employee-led initiative, the importance of diversity and inclusion in hiring practices and emergency operations, as well as mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. She also shares how a lack of diversity in the emergency management field can adversely affect the communities that are being served. Orgias also provides best practices and discusses working with different agencies to highlight social issues and how accessibility needs are being addressed in the workplace.

With an increase in extreme weather like heavy rain, heat waves, and man-made hazards such as oil spills happening across major U.S. cities, emergency managers understand the unique challenges dense urban areas face. To construct the best approach in emergency response, the Council for Excellence in Government founded the Big City Emergency Managers (BCEM) in 2005. The nonprofit organization serves as a venue to exchange vital information and discuss areas of mutual concern in emergency response matters. Today, the group has grown to include 15 jurisdictions.

Read the full transcript: on.nyc.gov/preptalk76

On the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” Acting Commissioner D’Amora discusses his experience in a career in public service, the challenges in responding to heat and snow emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of technology in emergency management response.

Read full transcript: on.nyc.gov/preptalk75

One of the best ways to be prepared for an emergency is having a plan, but it is imperative to practice your plan to ensure you are prepared for anything that comes your way. On the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” Paula Carlson, director of exercises at NYC Emergency Management, discusses the importance of exercising emergency plans and how she and her team conduct drills and exercises to evaluate the City’s emergency plans. Carlson also shares how exercises have helped change the City’s perspective on how to prepare for and respond to different emergencies. For example, during exercises with agency partners through initiatives such as the regional quarterly exercise working group, emergency managers have the opportunity to share best practices and prepare for different hazards. Carlson also gives insight into how she and her team exercise citywide event scenarios involving large crowds, such as marathons and parades, and how to address various challenges that can occur during planned, large-scale events. She also shares her number one concert preparedness tip.

Read full transcript: on.nyc.gov/preptalk74

Before an emergency strikes, it is important to that all organizations have a plan, including businesses. New York City has over 200,000 organizations representing four million people. Any major disaster will a have huge impact on the economy. On the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” NYC Emergency Management’s Strategic Partnerships Specialist Erika Amaya discusses how organizations can be ready for emergencies and what NYC Emergency Management and its partners are doing to support these efforts. Amaya also shares ways businesses can be prepared by creating an emergency plan and how often that plan should be updated. She shares different initiatives and programs available to organizations, including Partners in Preparedness program, which provides targeted resources to businesses and in return organizations will have a greater confidence in their continuity planning.

Read full transcript: on.nyc.gov/preptalk73

As the nation continues to face a range of concurrent disasters, from severe weather to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever to take the time to make and review our emergency plans. This includes preparing our pets and service animals for disasters. On the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” NYC Emergency Management’s Andrew Perlman discusses ways we all can make sure our pets and service animals are ready for emergencies. Perlman also highlights the work of the City’s Animal Planning Task Force, which puts forth several initiatives to make sure New York City’s pets and service animals are safe and prepared no matter what (or when) disasters strike. Initiatives include the COVID-19 Pet Hotline, a cooling center partnership with Petco during periods of extreme heat, and more.

Read full transcript: on.nyc.gov/preptalk72

Join us for a very special episode of "Prep Talk," featuring staff members recounting their experiences of 9/11 on the 20th anniversary.

Read full transcript: on.nyc.gov/preptalk71

On the latest episode of “Prep Talk,” NYC Emergency Management Deputy Commissioner Henry Jackson and Director of Government Relations Yokarina Duarte discuss their multiple deployments to Puerto Rico and reflect on some of the challenges still facing the island following Hurricane Maria in 2017 and the 2020 earthquakes. The guests also talk about New York City’s unique partnership with San Juan, and the need for continued city-to-city collaboration.

Read full transcript: on.nyc.gov/preptalk70