Building Linkages in Emergency Management

Opening Remarks

Strengthening resilience to extreme weather for households and communities

This presentation will explore the evolving nature of climate change and the growing frequency and severity of extreme weather events. It will examine the rising economic costs of these events, including impacts on the housing market, as well as the often-overlooked effects on mental health and community well-being. Building on this context, the presentation will shift to practical, actionable solutions. Participants will learn how individuals can be empowered to reduce their exposure to risk at the household level, with a focus on key hazards such as flooding, wildfire, and extreme heat. The session will highlight simple, effective measures that homeowners and renters can take to strengthen resilience and better protect their homes and families.

Ethical Hacker-What 25 Yrs of Cyber Attacking Taught Me About Emerg. Resp.

Drawing on 25 years of ethical hacking, this session explores how modern attackers think, move, and exploit the blind spots many organizations don’t realize they have. The first half examines today’s threat landscape—how vulnerabilities are identified, how quickly attackers pivot once inside, and why even well-funded organizations are often compromised by simple oversights. The second half shifts to operational impacts, highlighting how cyber incidents affect emergency response. These attacks rarely stay digital—they can disrupt dispatch systems, corrupt critical data, and impact communications at critical moments. Through real-world examples, this session demonstrates how cyber events can escalate into physical crises, and how municipalities, first responders, and public sector agencies can strengthen resilience, continuity, and recovery to keep essential services running.