Summary In this episode of '5 Minutes to Chaos', host Steven Kuhr engages with Rich Pepe, a seasoned crisis management professional with extensive experience in law enforcement, emergency services, and corporate security. The conversation explores Rich's journey through the NYPD Highway Patrol, his volunteer firefighting experience, and the evolution of emergency services in New York City. They discuss the critical role of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) in coordinating responses...

Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, Steven Kuhr and Peter LaPorte discuss the intricacies of crisis management and emergency response, drawing from their extensive careers in the field. They explore the evolution of emergency management, the importance of community engagement, and the role of technology in enhancing response efforts. The conversation highlights key lessons learned from major incidents, the significance of women in leadership roles, and the ongoing challenges...

Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, Steven Kuhr and Linda Reissman discuss the challenges and experiences faced during the recent Hurricane Helene disaster in North Carolina. Linda shares her extensive background in emergency management and her unconventional role in supporting her community during the crisis. They explore the importance of communication, the impact of misinformation, and the need for civic education in disaster response. The conversation highlights the...

Summary In this episode of 'Five Minutes to Chaos', Steven Kuhr interviews Kit Lee-Demery, an experienced emergency manager, who shares her journey through various roles in crisis management. They discuss the importance of emergency management in different sectors, particularly in the private sector, and how it has evolved over time. Kit shares her experiences preparing for Hurricane Milton, emphasizing the need for effective communication and situational awareness during emergencies. The...

Summary In this powerful episode of 'Five Minutes to Chaos', host Steven Kuhr engages in a deep conversation with John Peruggia, a veteran of the New York City Emergency Medical Services and Fire Department. They discuss John's extensive career, the merger of EMS with the FDNY, and the challenges faced during significant incidents, particularly the events of September 11, 2001. John shares his personal experiences and reflections on leadership, crisis management, and the evolution of...

Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, host Steve Kuhr engages with Frank McCart0n, a seasoned emergency management leader with extensive experience in both New York City and California. They discuss Frank's journey through various roles in emergency management, the importance of crisis management practices, and the lessons learned from significant events such as wildland fires and structural collapses. The conversation emphasizes the need for coordination among agencies, the...

Summary Senior Crisis Manager John Liuzzi shares his experience in crisis management as the global director of crisis management and business continuity for a large wine and spirits distributor. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the business and being a business partner rather than focusing solely on compliance. John discusses the logistics of the distribution business, including domestic and international transportation, and the significance of business survivability. He also...

Summary In this episode, Steve Kuhr reflects on his experience during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and shares his thoughts on crisis management and communication. He discusses his journey from being in Orlando, Florida for a healthcare conference to making his way back to New York City to support the response efforts. Steve highlights the importance of effective communication and the challenges that still exist in crisis management today. He also expresses his gratitude to the...

Summary In this episode, Mike Willis and Debbie Blyth discuss a cyber attack on the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the crisis management response to it. The attack occurred in February 2018 and affected CDOT's systems, including HR, payroll, contractor payment, variable message signs, toll collection, and more. The attack was initiated through a misconfigured virtual server in public cloud infrastructure, which allowed the attackers to gain access to the CDOT domain. The...

Summary In this conversation Podcast Host Steven Kuhr interviews Sarah Lux, an emergency management public information officer from Lake County, Florida. They discuss the role of public information officers (PIOs) in crisis management and share their experiences in the field. Sarah talks about her background in anthropology and how she transitioned into government communications. She also highlights the importance of utilities in crisis management and the challenges of communicating with the...

Summary In this episode, host Steven Kuhr welcomes Bob Ingram, a former battalion chief in the FDNY to the show. They discuss various topics related to emergency management and crisis response. They start by talking about a recent bridge collapse in Baltimore and the response to similar incidents in New York. They then delve into Bob's FDNY career and his role in special operations and hazmat. They also discuss the merger of EMS and FDNY and the challenges posed by lithium-ion battery fires....

Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, host Steven Kuhr interviews Paul Penn, an experienced emergency management leader. They discuss the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland - which occurred on the day of the recording - and how crisis management architecture potentially helped the response. They highlight the importance of communication in crisis management and the quick response to the Mayday call from the captain of the vessel. They also touch on...

Summary In this conversation, Steven Kuhr and Battalion Chief Jerry Tracy discuss the various units and operations of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). They highlight the extensive experience and expertise of the FDNY in responding to complex emergencies and crises. They also discuss the formation and role of squad companies, which are specialized units that can respond to fires, hazardous materials incidents, and other emergencies. The conversation emphasizes the importance of...

Summary In this conversation, Steven Kuhr and Michael Moquin discuss their experiences and observations in the emergency management and crisis management fields. They highlight the broad scope of emergency management, which encompasses both the public and private sectors. They also discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the industry, with an increase in crisis management jobs in the private sector. They emphasize the importance of reading job descriptions carefully to understand the specific...

Summary In this episode, host Steve Kuhr is joined by three guests to discuss the importance of exercises in crisis management. The guests include Rob Burton, the CEO of prepared X and ICMC, Tod Langley, the co-founder and CEO of Crisis Response Leader Training, and Adam Montella, a crisis manager and emergency manager and SVP at SummitET. They discuss the different types of exercises, such as tabletops, functional exercises, and full-scale exercises, and the importance of continuous...

Introduction Jeannette Sutton, Ph.D., specializes in disaster and risk with a primary focus on online informal communication, and public alerts and warnings disseminated via short messaging channels. Much of her research investigates the evolving role of information and communication technology, including social media and mobile devices, for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Her current work centers on message design and testing across a range of hazard contexts including...

Introduction Peter is the Senior Risk Solutions Specialist for The Markel Group. He has been in EMS, emergency management and safety for over 30 years, having worked as a paramedic in NYC, as the Paramedic Director at Jersey City Medical Center and the Director of EMS and Disaster Preparedness for Saint Barnabas Health Care System. Peter was also the Safety Officer for the NJ State EMS Task Force. He remains a member of the Executive Board of the International Association of EMS Chiefs after...

Show Notes Five Minutes to Chaos has reached its 52nd episode, marking a significant milestone in the success of the podcast. The podcast has featured a diverse range of guests and panel episodes, covering various crisis events and innovative approaches to crisis management. For this special episode, Steven Kuhr discusses the topic of heat emergencies, which he believes captures the essence of emergency management. Key elements of managing heat emergencies include interagency collaboration,...

Introduction With over a decade of experience building organizational resilience, Jason distills complex strategies into clear, actionable plans that support people, culture, and business processes, ensuring regulatory compliance, cost-effectiveness, and confident navigation of any disruption. Jason also loves dogs. Contact Info https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-hoss/

Introduction Chief Jorge A. Rodriguez is the Emergency Management Coordinator/Director for the El Paso Office of Emergency Management, with over 25 years of public safety, emergency management and homeland security experience. In a dual capacity, he also serves as an Assistant Fire Chief with the El Paso Fire Department with a program portfolio that includes special operations, aircraft rescue and firefighting, homeland security grants and the Office of Emergency Management. He managed the...

Summary Brittany Castillo, CEO of Ashbritt, discusses the company's role in post-disaster debris management and emergency management logistics. She highlights the importance of local hiring and economic recovery in disaster areas, as well as the humanitarian initiatives undertaken by Ashbritt. Brittany also emphasizes the challenges and complexity of contractor operations in the emergency management industry. She shares the story of Ashbritt's humble beginnings and the involvement of her...

Introduction Art Powers is the Senior Principal for Emergency Preparedness & Response at ExxonMobil. He is a past coordinator of the ExxonMobil Americas Regional Response Team and has worked in various leadership roles in ExxonMobil’s US Pipeline and Distribution operations over his 25 years with the company. Art is an IAEM Certified Emergency Manager and obtained a Master of Science in Emergency Management in 2008 and a Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation in 1993, both from...

Introduction Strategic advisor and global economic policy expert Michele Wucker coined the term “gray rhino” as a call to decision makers to improve how they respond to obvious, probable, impactful risks. She is founder of the Chicago-based advisory firm Gray Rhino & Company. A former media and think tank executive drawing on decades of experience in global finance and economics, she works at the nexus of policy, behavioral science, and business strategy. Her four books include...

Introduction Chris Tuttle is the Emergency Communications Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for Region 2, which includes the states and territories of New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Since 2010, Chris has supported and promoted the nationwide improvement of emergency communications capabilities, while addressing the complex issues facing the emergency communications ecosystem. Chris...