Elevating Emergency Management

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Maryland Department of Emergency Management Acting Secretary Russell Strickland joins Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson to discuss the shifting landscape of emergency management. From new and evolving threats to harnessing new tech to build resilience and redundancy, learn why elevating emergency management to Cabinet-status strengthens state/local collaboration, communication, and coordination to advance community emergency preparedness.Last week, the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) became the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM). As previously reported on Conduit Street, the Maryland General Assembly this year passed SB 658, which establishes MDEM as a forward-facing, Cabinet-level entity. The bill also transfers the 9-1-1 Board to the Department.MACo supported the bill, as MDEM will work directly with county emergency management offices to develop scalable, flexible, and adaptable concepts and better align critical roles and responsibilities when disasters strike. This partnership will ensure the continuity of government in the face of an innumerable number of catastrophic events.In addition, as Maryland’s 9-1-1 system is a vital part of the State’s emergency response and disaster preparedness network, MDEM is the proper entity to help advance the deployment of a statewide NG911 system that our residents expect and deserve.The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more. Episodes are also available on MACo’s Conduit Street blog.Listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website.Useful LinksMaryland Department of Emergency ManagementFollow MDEM on Twitter and FacebookPrevious Conduit Street Coverage: Introducing the Maryland Department of Emergency ManagementCybersecurity Awareness Month – Resources for CountiesNext Generation 9-1-1 (NG911)