February 28 Keynote Speaker:

Brock Long, Former Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Hagerty Consulting’s Executive Chairman

A candid, fireside chat, featuring former FEMA Administrator Brock Long (2017-2019), discussing the state of the emergency management profession and necessary changes for our nation to become more resilient. This discussion will also highlight the important roles state, tribal, and local governments and private/ non-profit organizations play within the emergency management process; as well as the challenges associated with, and lessons learned, serving as the nation’s lead emergency manager during some of the country’s most catastrophic disasters.

 
Breakout and General Session Speakers:

Aakin Patel, Administrator of the Nevada Office of Cyber Defense Coordination

Overview of Cybersecurity Threat Activities in Nevada for 2023: This presentation will cover real world examples of actual cybersecurity threat activities seen in Nevada over the course of 2023, including impact, responses, and a summary of what response components worked well and what didn't.

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Chris Smith, Innovative Emergency Management and Truckee Meadows Community College

Who should consider a Recovery Exercise? You should! How to plan and execute an effective recovery exercise: Since the early days of emergency management, we have all been part of exercises – tabletop, functional and full scale. This is a staple activity in our profession. We receive requests from community partners to participate in a variety of functions to test capabilities they wish to push to the limit – to get a sense of what we can do if we had to in an actual emergency. However, when the lights and sirens return to quarters, there is still a lot of work to be done. Yet, as a nation, we tend not to exercise one of the most challenging phases of emergency management – Recovery. We don’t practice recovery very well and this impacts how well we can recover. In this session, the team will present concepts to consider when developing a recovery exercise, focusing on the essential steps to develop, plan and execute different types of recovery-based exercises. The attendee will be able to lead an agency/entity through the exercise building blocks of how to practice a post disaster community recovery.

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Christopher Batterman, Emergency Management Coordinator for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada

Tabletop Scenarios - Who, What, When, Where, Why, & How: This session will help participate understand the who would win where and why on tabletop exercises. Participants will walk away with understanding the importance of using tabletop exercises, how to create one, and participate in one.

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Chuck Lineback, MS, NRP, NHDP-BC, Biological Program Manager for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Office of Emerging Threats

Prediction and Planning of the Next Pandemic Zoonic: Incorporating AI In Biological Planning: Most pandemics (e.g., HIV/AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome, pandemic influenza and even Ebola) originate in animals, are caused by viruses, and are driven to emerge by ecological, behavioral, or socioeconomic changes. Despite their substantial effects on global public health and growing understanding of the process by which they emerge, no pandemic has been predicted before infecting human beings. We review what is known about the pathogens that emerge, the hosts that they originate in, and the factors that drive their emergence. We discuss challenges to their control and new efforts to predict pandemics, target surveillance to the most crucial interfaces, and identify prevention strategies. We will discuss how new mathematical modelling, diagnostic, communications, and informatics technologies can identify and report hitherto unknown microbes in other species, and thus new risk assessment approaches are needed to identify microbes most likely to cause human disease and assist planners to evaluate current plans for diseases and infections affecting their communities.

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CJ Myers, Senior Director of Safety & Risk at Allegiant Stadium

Special Event Planning and Crowd Management: Discuss elements for planning and calculating occupancies for a special event

• ·         Show how overall occupancies are calculated: Concentrated, Unconcentrated, Standing Room Only.
• ·         Show how exiting and pedestrian flow is calculated. Discuss high level crowd management techniques (Similar content to what I use now in crowd management training, absent of any stadium information)
• ·         Crowd Psychology with historical examples: Hillsborough Stadium 1989, Astroworld Festival 2021, Station Nightclub (Great White Fire) 2003, etc.
• ·         Crowd Categories - Critical Occupancies, Flight Response, Craze
• ·         Crowd Fluidity
• ·         Progressive Crowd Collapse
• ·         Conduct Critical Occupancy and Emergency Egress exercises to illustrate pedestrian flows, choke points, and value of shut-off valves for managing crowd behavior.

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Craig Nimsgern, Emergency Management Specialist for the City of Henderson
and
Josie Ross, Emergency Management Officer for the City of Henderson

Straight from the Clerk's Mouth. How the Henderson Office of the City Clerk became Event Action Plan believers: Following up on the Henderson Emergency Preparedness Session on preparing for a special election; this breakout panel features both Emergency Preparedness and members of our Clerk’s office for a question and answer seminar covering everything from addressing initial feelings of anxiousness, the event action plan process for a special election, to the addition of mental health and wellness piece that won national accolade.

Win friends and influence planning, Henderson’s preparation for a Special Election: On April 3rd, 2023; the City of Henderson hosted its first Ward-based special election in City history to fill a vacant City Council Seat. The Office of Emergency Preparedness recognized this event as an opportunity to work through the planning process and train/exercise capabilities with the City Clerk’s office. This session will go through the initial meetings and feelings of anxiety about the undertaking of creating an EAP, through completion of a tabletop exercise and finally election day. All of this setting up for the 2024 election cycle.

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Dan Berc, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service, Las Vegas, NV

A Look at Recent Weather and Water Disasters in Nevada Through the Lens of Climate Change: No place is immune from the effects of weather and climate-related natural disasters. Nevada experienced more than its share in 2023. Impacts included historic flooding due to excessive spring snowmelt runoff, impacts associated with Tropical Cyclone Hilary, and an exceptionally active Labor Day storm. We will explore the causes of these events as well as where they fit climatologically. We will also look at climate change and how it has been experienced in Nevada as well as a look into the future of high-impact weather events. Can we expect greater frequency of such events due to climate change?

 

The National Weather Service and Emergency Management: Decision Support for Event Operations: The National Weather Service (NWS) provides Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS) to core partners in the emergency management community for incidents and planned events. This presentation will discuss the types of support we can provide during every phase from prevention to recovery. We will explore several cases that highlight our capabilities and support during both weather and non-weather incidents as well as several planned events of all scales, from small local events up to SEAR 1 events. We will also highlight recent improvements to the types of support we provide, to include probabilistic forecasts, threshold-specific probabilities, and event risk analyses for weather-related hazards.

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Daniel Scott, Founder, Daniel Scott & Associates LLC

Marketing Emergency Management: Strategies to Enhance Public Awareness and Engagement: Innovative strategies to enhance public awareness and stakeholder engagement in the crucial sector of emergency management. Given today’s challenging environment, this topic is not only timely but essential for fostering community resilience and preparedness. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to effectively communicate and market emergency management initiatives, leading to increased community preparedness and more robust engagement in public safety protocols.

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Dawn Johnson, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service, Reno NV

What's New With National Weather Service Hydrology and Meteorology?: The National Weather Service is modernizing Hydrologic Web Dissemination, making data and resources more accessible and useful to emergency managers, the water resources community, and the public. The new National Water Prediction Service (NWPS) will replace the legacy Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) in Spring of 2024. Learn about how this will improve the delivery of water resources information including new tools to assist with critical water decisions. This session will also discuss the latest tools and messaging techniques for meteorological products coming from the National Weather Service. Attendees will be walked through product usage in real-time.

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Dawn Thomas, Managing Director at CNA’s Institute for Public Research
and
Matthew Nagamine, Manager of Strategic Partnerships at the UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Futures 2030: New Foundations for Preparedness: The global cybersecurity landscape is rapidly changing – and by 2030, it will once again be radically transformed. To better understand how technological, political, economic, and environmental changes are impacting the future of cybersecurity for governments and organizations, the UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC), the World Economic Forum Centre for Cybersecurity, and CNA’s Institute for Public Research collaborated on Cybersecurity Futures 2030, a foresight-focused research initiative that aimed to inform cybersecurity strategic plans around the globe. The Cybersecurity Futures 2030 project includes insights that are broadly applicable across countries and regions, and across preparedness disciplines. The findings are based on discussions held at a series of in-person workshops conducted throughout 2023, including in Dubai, UAE; Washington, D.C.; Kigali, Rwanda; New Delhi, India; and Singapore, as well as a virtual workshop with participants from multiple European countries and the U.K. The workshops were centered around discussion of four scenarios that portray diverse “cybersecurity futures,” fictional (but plausible) depictions of the world roughly in the year 2030. The scenarios were designed to explore trade-offs in goals and values that decision-makers will have to contend with in the near future. This session provides a range of key recommendations for decision-makers to prepare for digital security challenges, including data privacy, talent development, and sustainability, and stresses that online spread of mis- and disinformation are becoming core cybersecurity concerns. The goal of the session is to allow decision-makers to put the findings into context of their organizational roles and responsibilities, and to think more broadly about how findings from this report could re-shape their organizations’ futures.

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Gary Scronce, Sr. Director at IEM

Leading and Managing People - Lessons Learned: As Emergency Managers, we have a wide array of job specific technical training available to us through a wide range of outlets, be they sponsored by the County or State EMA, available via FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI), trade organizations such as IAEM or from Homeland Security Consortium partners. As we move up on the Emergency Management profession though, fewer resources are available that focus on effectively managing or leading staff members. This session will provide an opportunity for those newer to managing and leading staff to benefit from very experienced managers/leaders sharing lessons they have learned during their careers, primarily from working in Nevada. For experienced managers, these lessons can serve as reminders and continuous learning on leading and managing people. The session will explore ideas for effectively leading and managing staff and teams during “blue sky” days, as well as during crisis/disaster situations. Our intent is to leave ample time at the end of the workshop for questions from the audience, as well as for the audience to share from their experience.

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Guy DeMarco, Emergency Management Specialist with the City of Las Vegas and Genos Emotional Intelligence Practitioner
and
Patsy McFadden, Organizational Development and Training Manager with the City of Las Vegas (ret.) and Genos Emotional Intelligence Practitioner

Emotional Intelligence in Emergency Management: Emergency management is built on relationships and awareness of others. That starts with an individual assessment of emotions. The science of emotions shows that how we feel affects our decision making and the way we interact with others. This session dives into the tenets of emotional intelligence and why understanding emotional intelligence can help you be a better emergency manager or responder.

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JaLae Thompson, Disaster State Relations Director for the American Red Cross

ESF #6 (Mass Care): The American Red Cross National Readiness Initiative: The goal of the American Red Cross’s National Readiness Initiative is to strengthen Emergency Support Function #6 (Mass Care) across the nation, through a ‘supportive community” collaborative approach that aligns mass care expectations and commitments with local government and high probability/high consequence disaster threats. In this presentation, stakeholders will learn about the six-step process that the Red Cross is engaging with cities, counties, and tribes across Nevada as we build and sustain authentic relationships within local jurisdictions so that the community understands, welcomes, supports, and participates in mass care service delivery in times of need.

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James Johnston, City of Elko Emergency Manager

Social and Emotional Intelligence for Emergency Managers: This breakout session is designed to aid the Emergency Manager with 4 functions of emotional intelligence including, Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Empathy, and Social Skills. These functions are then combined with the pillars of social intelligence from social dynamics, non-verbal cues, and cultural awareness. Improving these skills, Emergency Managers will advance relationships, lead a more effective team, reduce stress, and create a resilient mindset. This session will also cover some common pitfalls that lead to misunderstandings, poor communications, and poor coping strategies. We will explore the nuances of meaningful relationships as these essential connections grow to meet critical mission needs and creativity. Leadership and command concepts will be covered to explore and distinguish characteristics of success framework used to become a transformational leader.

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Janessa Patiga, Lisa Christensen, and Ken Quiner, Washoe Tribe Emergency Operations Team Leads

Disasters within Disasters - Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome: A series of tales and stories that share best practices and lessons learned from a marathon of disasters.

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Jennifer Posten, Certified Business Continuity Professional with Risk Solutions International
and
Kelly Echeverria, Washoe County Emergency Manager

How to Supercharge Your Planning:Unveiling a new module in NevadaContinuity.com: In a world facing ever-increasing challenges, the role of emergency managers has become pivotal in safeguarding communities and minimizing the impacts of disasters. This presentation delves into how a new NevadaContinuity.com module can help Emergency Managers align their planning efforts. Join us as we explore a new feature that bridges the gap between planning and action. Discover how this new user-friendly module will help your organization be more resilient.

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Jesse Murray, Vice President of Electric Delivery and Natural Disaster Protection for NV Energy

Lessons from NV Energy's execution of the Natural Disaster Protection Plan: Since 2019, NV Energy has developed and executed the Natural Disaster Protection Plan to mitigate the potential for wildfires caused by NV Energy's facilities, as well as hardening those facilities to be more resilient to increasing instances of extreme weather throughout the state. The plan has several components, including increased investments in infrastructure, improved situational awareness, proactive de-energization, increased inspections, and improved incident and emergency response. This presentation will provide an overview of the features of the program and specifically highlight the emergency response, situational awareness, and proactive de-energization programs known as Public Safety Outage Management (PSOM).

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Jordan Arnswald, Emergency Response Specialist for the National Nuclear Security Administration

Understanding the Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST): The What, Who and Why: The Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) is the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) multi-mission nuclear emergency response capability that leverages the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) world-class scientists and technical experts to contend with the Nation’s most pressing radiological and nuclear challenges. NEST is the umbrella designation that encompasses all DOE/NNSA radiological and nuclear emergency response functions, some of which date back more than 60 years. NEST conducts operations in close coordination with federal mission partners, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Defense (DoD), and Department of Homeland Security, as well as State, local, tribal, and territorial governments during relevant crises. NEST’s core competencies include specialized knowledge of U.S. nuclear weapons, improvised nuclear devices (IND), and radiological dispersal devices (RDD, or “dirty bombs”) with expertise in spectroscopy, device modeling and assessment, radiography, atmospheric modeling, environmental monitoring, dose assessment, medical effects, and nuclear forensics. NEST capabilities include searching for nuclear threat devices based on signatures, intelligence, and investigatory information, knowledge of nuclear weapons in response to nuclear incidents and accidents involving U.S. nuclear weapons, atmospheric measurements and modeling for radiation contamination, pre- and post-detonation forensics, medical advice for management of radiation injures, and regionally based teams who advise federal, state, local, and tribal public safety officials, first responders, and law enforcement personnel on steps to protect public health and safety or the environment during incidents involving radioactive materials. By providing dispassionate scientific advice during fearful events, NEST equips decision-makers with the knowledge to save lives and help the public recover quickly from crises.

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Keith Johnson, USDOJ/ESF13 Field Coordinator for Region 9 and Liaison Officer to Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and FEMA IMAT for Maui Fires response
and
Robert Patrizi, USDOJ/ESF13 Regional Law Enforcement Coordinator and ESF13 Incident Commander for Maui Fires response

U.S. Dept of Justice, ESF #13 Program - Who we are, what we do, and lessons learned from the Maui Fire response: The U.S. Department of Justice/ Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) is the primary federal agency responsible for the Emergency Support Function 13 - Public Safety and Security - program. This session will provide a brief overview of the ESF 13 program, including how the program operates during both blue skies and grey skies. Additionally, presenters will discuss their experiences during their response to the Maui fires in August of 2023 and lessons learned from that response.

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Kristina Freas, Emergency Manager, Panasonic Energy of North America

Disaster Preparedness Factors of Adults Over the Age of 65: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between lifestyle factors and disaster preparedness in older adults over the age of 65 living independently in states with a risk of natural disasters. This research aimed to contribute to the knowledge of community resilience and improving personal preparedness for vulnerable adults over the age of 65. However, further research is needed to address factors that account for disaster preparedness activities. The study explores the variables of physical disability, healthcare provider involvement, and income, assessing a relationship between factors and disaster preparedness behaviors through the theoretical lens of Locus of Control (LOC). The multiple linear regression model findings indicated that income and healthcare provider involvement were predictors of disaster preparedness, and the presence of physical disability did not produce statistically significant results. Study findings contribute to the resiliency efforts of emergency managers, healthcare providers, and community planners by investigating factors contributing to disaster preparedness behaviors of adults over the age of 65. Future research should improve assessment instruments and refine survey questions to address limitations imposed by current methodology and research design.

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Kyle Cerfoglio, Director of Domestic and Joint Operations for the Nevada National Guard

Nevada National Guard JOC 101:Will give an overview of the capabilities of the National Guard in domestic response. What we are and what we are not. Will also talk about our Joint Operations Center and the broader capabilities of the military.

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Lee Cabaniss, Emergency Manager, Elko County Office of Emergency Management
and
Matt Petersen, Chief, Elko County Fire Protection District

Emergency Management and Coordination (who says we have enough staffing?): Emergency Management in rural Nevada is a fluid and all-encompassing task that takes effort from every department to elected officials and everyone in between to make the final outcome happen. From planning to the AAR this is how we have become successful in Elko County. We cannot operate on islands or build a bridge to nowhere. Coordination and communication is not innovative, it is just simple initiative.

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Lucas J. Basham Murphy, Operations Command Center and Emergency Operations Center at the Nevada National Security Sites

Rethinking MSELs: Leading and Adapting in Dynamic Emergency Management: In an era where emergencies unfold with unprecedented unpredictability, the traditional use of Master Scenario Event Lists (MSELs) with pre-populated timelines in emergency management exercises needs a critical reassessment. This session proposes a paradigm shift towards a more adaptive and realistic approach in constructing and utilizing MSELs. Drawing from a comprehensive analysis of past emergency responses and the limitations of rigid MSEL timelines, the presentation will explore the benefits of dynamic, scenario-driven MSELs that better mimic real-world conditions and foster enhanced preparedness. Attendees will be engaged in an insightful discussion on how to effectively integrate flexibility into MSELs, ensuring that emergency response teams are not just prepared, but are adaptable to the fluid nature of real crises. This session is essential for emergency management professionals seeking to refine their approach to crisis simulations, thereby aligning training and preparedness efforts with the complexities of actual emergencies. The proposed method offers a practical roadmap for agencies to elevate their emergency response strategies, making this session a must-attend for those committed to leading the charge in next-generation emergency preparedness.

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Molly Bargmann, Deputy Director of Recovery, AC Disaster Consulting

Navigating the Shift: Preparing Gen Z and Millennial Leaders for Succession in Emergency Management: Join us for a panel discussion featuring local, experienced emergency managers where attendees will learn how to establish effective strategies for information-sharing and collaboration platforms that cater to both retiring experts and emerging young leaders. This includes leveraging digital tools and creating environments where knowledge is freely exchanged, ensuring that the wisdom and experience of retiring professionals are not lost, and reinforcing interoperability amongst teams. Attendees will also have the chance to engage with our panel speakers with a live question-and-answers discussion related to real-life examples in emergency management. The panel presentation will offer insights into robust succession planning processes in emergency management. This includes identifying potential Gen Z and Millennial leaders early, providing them with mentorship opportunities, and gradually increasing their responsibilities. The focus will be on creating a seamless transition that maintains organizational stability and retains critical knowledge. A crucial aspect discussed will be methods for documenting and capturing the vast repository of disaster management institutional knowledge from retiring experts. This includes creating comprehensive documentation systems, conducting exit interviews, and developing case studies and training modules based on their experiences. The goal is to ensure that invaluable lessons and insights are preserved and accessible to the new generation of emergency managers.

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Noah Boyer, Sergeant, Special Operations Division, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, SWAT Tactical Bomb Technician

State of Nevada Bomb/Public Safety Bomb Squads’ Responsibilities, Capabilities, and Adaptation to Emerging Threats: This presentation will give a general overview of Public Safety Bomb Squads in the State of Nevada, history of Public Safety Bomb Squads, and roles and responsibilities of Public Safety Bomb Squads as required by Nevada Revised Stature 476. The presentation will also include an overview of bomb squads’ current capabilities and roles in response to explosive threats and adaptation to tactical environments and active assailant crisis response. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of ways that bomb squads can assist in nontraditional situations and changes to the bomb squad community with the implementation of National Security Presidential Memorandum 36.

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Rev. Bryan A. Ostaszewski, Ordained Minister, Sr. Chaplain Counselor, Board Certified Mental Health Life Coach

Coping With Grief After A Disaster Or Traumatic Event: Grief is the normal response of sorrow, heartache, and confusion that comes from losing someone or something important to you. Grief can also be a common human response after a disaster or other traumatic event. This discussion will contain information about grief, the grieving process, and what happens when the process is interrupted and complicated or traumatic grief occurs. It also offers tips and resources for coping with both types of grief including suicide ideation.

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Rob Warfield, Utility Security and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Department of Utility Services - Henderson, NV

Operation TOMODACHI- The U.S. Military Response to the Black Swan of 2011-The Great Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Catastrophe: On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 earthquake struck off the Northeast coast of Honshu, Japan. This earthquake lasted six minutes. It struck at a depth of 14.9 miles and was 42 miles from the Japanese coast. The quake generated a tsunami that reached a height of over 130 ft (40 meters) and impacted not only 1200 miles of Japanese coast, but also across the Pacific Ocean. The Tsunami reached the coast in under 30 minutes. It disabled the Fukushima Nuclear cooling system which resulted in three reactors melting down and the release of radioactivity into the Pacific Ocean and the atmosphere. In response, the President of the United States directed that U.S. Military to provide humanitarian assistance to Japan. Operation TOMODACHI was conducted in support of the Government of Japan to alleviate additional death and human suffering.

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Ross Armstrong, Executive Director, Nevada Commission on Ethics

Ethical Emergencies - Maintaining Compliance with Nevada's Ethics Law: Nevada's state and local government employees are all required to maintain compliance with Nevada's Ethics Law. Failure to do so can lead to canceled contracts with vendors, financial penalties, and even removal from public office. This session will review the provisions of the Ethics Law most relevant to emergency preparedness officials, discuss how to incorporate ethics compliance into emergency preparedness planning, and provide attendees a better understanding of how the Ethics Commission can help in both the planning and response phases of an emergency.

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Roxann Crawford, Disability Integration Specialist for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX

Gaps and Shortfalls for People with Disabilities in Recent Disaster Response and Recovery: We will take a more in depth look at disability related gaps and shortfalls in recent disasters including Typhoon Mawar in Guam and the devastating fires in Maui, Hawaii. In identifying challenges in past disasters there is an opportunity for others to review their plans, attend trainings, and build relationships with resources available to them in the State of Nevada such as the newly developed Nevada G197 Inclusive Emergency Planning Training.

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Sadie Martinez, Colorado State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management's Access and Functional Needs Coordinator
and
Ethan Williams, Planning Supervisor at the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

An Inclusive Way in Moving beyond the buzzword of "Whole Community Inclusion" in Emergency Management:Colorado's Approach to Inclusive Emergency Management. How to include Access & Functional needs as a "how to" tied to the "must dos" when working across many support partners. We will introduce a universal resource language that helps build resiliency and saves life and property quicker. We will introduce the Access & Functional Needs RESOURCE framework as well as share the blueprint and strategies to implement from a local to state level supports to help "Everybody" prepare and learn what the CMIST resources are and to prepare for the the resources disruptions, so that "Anybody" can identify what the resources are and have a "Somebody" to focus on equity and inclusion so that "Nobody" is left behind. WE will share all the "use it " so we "don't lose" it opportunities that helps when turnover occurs in emergency management. We will share where we have come from and where we are going in Inclusive Emergency Management.

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Sharon Luce, Deputy Administrator of the Nevada Division of Emergency Management

Collaborative Response and Recovery: Mt. Charleston/Hurricane Hilary Lessons:This panel, which includes Billy Samuels, Clark County Fire Department Deputy Fire and County Emergency Manager; Brian O’Neal, Clark County Fire Department Assist Fire Chief and Southern Nevada Incident Management Team Type 3 Incident Commander; Diana Clarkson, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Emergency Manager; and Jason Douglas, Mt. Charleston Fire Protection District Assistant Fire Chief, explores lessons learned from the Mt. Charleston/Hurricane Hilary incident. Addressing severe flooding and damage, the discussion focuses on integrated emergency response. Key points include effective operational coordination and operational communication among agencies, resource allocation challenges, community engagement strategies, the role of training in preparedness, and policy refinement. Attendees will gain insights into collaborative approaches, resource management, and community resilience, fostering improved preparedness for multifaceted incidents. The panel aims to distill practical takeaways, contributing to ongoing efforts to enhance inter-agency coordination and response capabilities.

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Shea Schultz, Recovery Supervisor, Nevada Division of Emergency Management
and
Corin Roth, GIS Specialist, Nevada Division of Emergency Management

Nevada's Preliminary Damage Assessment Tool - 2023 Lessons Learned: Shea Schultz and Corin Roth will discuss the lessons learned from the deployment of the statewide PDA tool and PDA teams in 2023. Discussion will include the changes made to streamlining the data required from local jurisdictions, how to best utilize the tool, the importance of inputting accurate data, and the challenges faced when that isn’t done.

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Taylor Allison, Lyon County Emergency Manager

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Foraging into the Future for Quad-County Emergency Management: Participants will embark on a journey with the four newly appointed Quad-County Emergency Managers (representing Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, and Storey Counties) as each organization develops a full-time Emergency Management program. The Quad EMs will reflect on lessons learned from the first year at the reins, including overcoming limited to no succession planning, building and/or rebuilding EM programs with scarce resources, and fostering relationships with local, state, and federal stakeholders. This presentation will have an emphasis on regionalization as the four EMs fortify a regional model that aims to strengthen mutual aid agreements, establish efficiency, and serve as a peer support network.

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Tennille Pereira, licensed attorney in Las Vegas with the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and the Director of the Resiliency & Justice Center

Advancing Trauma Trained Response in Emergency Management: A resiliency center director, social worker and emergency manager will present on lessons learned in the aftermath of the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in recent history. They will provide insight on how they overcame many of the mistakes and systemic obstacles made by integrating victim services directly into emergency management and response protocols. They will discuss key collaborative efforts between victim service providers and the public sector that effectively integrated the victim's perspective into emergency response planning and response to ensure a more trauma-informed system.

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Todd Devoe, International Association of Emergency Managers Region 9 President

TBD

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Vanessa Gatto, Director of Debris Management, AC Disaster Consulting
and
Jenelle Miller, Currently assisting Florida Division of Emergency Management with debris oversight 

Blank Space: Filling the Gaps in Mutual Aid with Swift Collaboration: Let's "Shake It Off" - this presentation focuses on programs aimed at helping communities bounce back from disasters and become more resilient! In the wake of a disaster, the swift activation of mutual aid agreements is critical to effective response and recovery. This presentation delves into the mechanics of mutual aid, illuminating the legal frameworks and collaborative strategies that form the backbone of inter-agency support during crises. We will explore the complexities of deploying aid, focusing on the coordination among various entities to ensure a cohesive response effort.  Crucially, the session will outline best practices for the meticulous documentation necessary to track the deployment of resources and personnel, which forms the foundation for post-disaster reimbursement. Attendees will learn to navigate the complicated processes of disaster reimbursement, including adherence to federal, state, and local guidelines.  Through real-world case studies, we will examine past responses to distill actionable lessons, enhancing future readiness. Additionally, the presentation will highlight innovative technological tools that are revolutionizing mutual aid coordination and simplifying the reimbursement process, thereby streamlining disaster response and financial recovery.  Following the session, participants will be better able to:

•  Clear Understanding of Mutual Aid Coordination: Audience members will gain a comprehensive understanding of the benefits of engaging in mutual aid coordination and how they can be effectively activated and managed during disasters.
•  Documentation Strategies for Reimbursement: Attendees will learn strategies to ensure meticulous documentation, which is critical for the reimbursement process post-disaster.
•  Leveraging Technology for Efficiency: Participants will discover how to leverage technology to facilitate mutual aid coordination and simplify the reimbursement process. 

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William "Bill" Savran, Network Manager of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno

Nevada Seismological Laboratory and Providing Real-Time Situational Awareness for Earthquakes and Wildfires in Nevada and the Greater Lake Tahoe: The Nevada Seismological Laboratory (NSL) at the University of Nevada, Reno operates a statewide microwave network that enables real-time observations of natural hazards. The primary mission of the NSL, over the last 50 years, has been to provide real-time observations of earthquakes and engage with decision makers and the public on seismic hazards throughout Nevada. Within the last several years, the NSL has utilized its wide-reaching communications network to provide real-time situation awareness for other natural hazards. Most notably, the early-detection of wildfires using internet capable pan-tilt-zoom cameras. The NSL also provides network connectivity for long-term ecological observatories and field research stations in the northern Sierras. We are working to bring two new technologies to Nevada to help first responders, decision makers, and the public be more informed of earthquake and fire hazards. First, we are bringing ALERTWest, a state-of-the-art command-and-control software for our wildfire cameras that has received numerous accolades in California, to the Nevada fire camera network. Most notably, the technology was named as one of the Time Magazine Inventions of the Year for 2023. The system features real-time artificial intelligence (AI) to detect smoke during both daytime and night-time and the ability for first responders to control cameras remotely to provide situational awareness during firefighting missions. Next, we are working with the U.S. Geological Survey to bring ShakeAlert, an earthquake early-warning system, to Nevada, which can provide alerts from seconds to minutes before strong shaking arrives at a location. The warning times can provide ample time to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” or make decisions on critical infrastructure in the state. This system is currently available in California, Oregon, and Washington and has been used to halt critical infrastructure and public transportation such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit from impending seismic waves. These two technologies are the culmination of on-going efforts from the NSL to provide the state of Nevada with the best available real-time information on natural hazards.

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