#43 Interview with Former FEMA Administrator Brock Long

Today we dive into all things related to Brock Long's impressive career as a change agent and leader in emergency management. We talk about the complexities of a FEMA response in coordinated response, the need for disaster declaration reform, moving forward with a career in mind, and how to better prepare for disaster through mitigation. Brock speaks extensively about the mitgation process and changes that need to happen at FEMA and State governments to clear the way for communities to become Disaster Tough. "Brock Long is the former Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Confirmed in June 2017 by the US Senate with strong bipartisan support (95-4), Brock served as the Nation’s principal advisor to the President responsible for coordinating the entire array of federal government resources down through 50 states, 573 tribal governments, and 16 island territories to assist them with executing disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. Brock is the 10th Administrator and the youngest to hold the office. While serving as Administrator, Brock coordinated the federal government’s response to over 144 Presidentially declared disasters and 112 wildfires, including three of the Nation’s most devastating hurricanes and five of the worst wildfires ever experienced. During this time, nearly $44 billion of disaster activity occurred under the various federal recovery programs."As the FEMA Administrator, Brock led two major initiatives which will have long-lasting impacts on the emergency management community. He rapidly transformed the agency’s business enterprise by implementing innovative Community Lifeline and FEMA Integration Team concepts to strengthen public-private partnerships and permanently embed full-time staff within the offices of state and tribal governments to better meet constituent needs. Further, as the result of effective advocacy and eight influential Congressional testimonies, Congress passed the Disaster Recovery Reform Act and made pre-disaster mitigation a national priority, provided meaningful changes to the FEMA workforce, and bolstered state and local emergency management capability."From 2008-2011, Brock served as Director of Alabama’s Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) under Governor Bob Riley. As Director, he served as the State Coordinating Officer for 14 disasters, including eight presidentially-declared events. Brock also served as an on-scene State Incident Commander for the Alabama Unified Command during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill."He is a graduate of the prestigious Executive Leadership Program offered by the US Naval Postgraduate School/Center for Homeland Defense and Security. He attended Appalachian State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Public Administration." - Hagerty Consulting website; Brock Long Bio