Emergency News & Updates

Illustration of AI risks affecting emergency services and critical infrastructure
Anthropic's IPO Filing Reveals AI Safety Risks: What Emergency Managers Need to Know
What Anthropic's IPO filing reveals about AI safety, operational resilience, and five actions emergency managers can take now. Read more...
FEMA’s October 2026 Strategic Direction: What Emergency Managers Should Take Away
FEMA’s October 2026 Strategic Direction: What Emergency Managers Should Take Away
FEMA’s October 15, 2026 memorandum, FEMA Strategic Direction and Agency Priorities, establishes four objectives intended to guide agency planning, resource decisions, operations, and partner engagement: Reduce Federal Government Dependency Deliver America... Read more...
Illustration of a small community, public infrastructure and a compass introducing Response-Depot Grant Navigator.
Find Federal Grants for Your Community: Meet Grant Navigator
Meet Response-Depot Grant Navigator, a free federal grant discovery tool for cities, villages, townships, counties and special districts. Search opportunities, review official requirements and export results. Read more...
Editorial illustration of an office building, preparedness checklist, radio and abstract seismic waves in navy, white and teal.
Great ShakeOut 2026: Turn the October 15 Drill Into an Organizational Readiness Check
Use the October 15 earthquake drill to practice protective actions, examine staff accountability and test continuity decisions—with a focused follow-up discussion. Read more...
Hurricane Isaias: 5 Emergency Management Lessons for Preparedness, Coordination, and Response
Hurricane Isaias: 5 Emergency Management Lessons for Preparedness, Coordination, and Response
Subtitle: A major hurricane approaching the northern Gulf Coast highlights why effective emergency management begins well before landfall. Hurricane Isaias is putting emergency preparedness and response capabilities to the test... Read more...
The Emergency Manager's Complete Guide to Field Resources: Trackers, Templates & Toolkits
The Emergency Manager's Complete Guide to Field Resources: Trackers, Templates & Toolkits
A comprehensive guide to the field resources every emergency manager needs — from FEMA cost recovery documentation to tabletop exercise design, after-action reporting, and continuity planning. Read more...
Federal Funding for Emergency Management & Homeland Security: A Beginner's Guide for State and Local Programs
Federal Funding for Emergency Management & Homeland Security: A Beginner's Guide for State and Local Programs
Federal funding for emergency management and homeland security can be complex and confusing. This entry-level guide breaks down the major grant programs available to state and local agencies and how... Read more...
FEMA Modernizes ICS Position-Specific Training: What Emergency Managers Need to Know
FEMA Modernizes ICS Position-Specific Training: What Emergency Managers Need to Know
FEMA Modernizes ICS Position-Specific Training: What Emergency Managers Need to Know FEMA has just made a significant update to one of the most recognizable training programs in emergency management. The... Read more...
What Does an Emergency Manager Actually Do? FEMA's New Professional Framework
What Does an Emergency Manager Actually Do? FEMA's New Professional Framework
FEMA's new professional framework puts clearer language around what emergency managers do, the core responsibilities they carry, and what organizations should expect from a mature emergency management program.  Read more...
Nor'easter Response & Preparedness: What Emergency Managers Need to Know Now
Nor'easter Response & Preparedness: What Emergency Managers Need to Know Now
A Nor'easter is bearing down on the region, and for emergency managers, that means one thing: the clock is already running. Nor'easters are deceptively complex events — combining heavy snow... Read more...
Cyber Attacks on Tanker Ships: What Emergency Managers Need to Know
Cyber Attacks on Tanker Ships: What Emergency Managers Need to Know
A cyber attack on two tanker ships near Gibraltar — both destined for US ports — offers a critical case study in maritime supply chain vulnerability and its emergency management... Read more...
FEMA Awards Major Grants Today: What Emergency Managers Need to Know
FEMA Awards Major Grants Today: What Emergency Managers Need to Know
FEMA Announces New Grant Awards – September 15, 2026 The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced a significant round of grant funding aimed at strengthening emergency preparedness and response... Read more...
Lessons from the Carolina Hurricane & Flooding Disaster
Lessons from the Carolina Hurricane & Flooding Disaster
An operational case study examining the emergency management response to the Carolina hurricane and flooding disaster, with actionable lessons for planners and responders. Read more...
Emergency Management Capacity: What Happens When Preparedness Organizations Lose Staff
Emergency Management Capacity: What Happens When Preparedness Organizations Lose Staff
A federal court recently ruled against DHS over FEMA staffing reductions. Beyond the legal implications, the ruling raises a critical question for all emergency management organizations: how much does staffing... Read more...
The Quiet Season Problem: Why Emergency Managers Can't Afford Complacency in a Slow Hurricane Year
The Quiet Season Problem: Why Emergency Managers Can't Afford Complacency in a Slow Hurricane Year
As of mid-September 2026, the Atlantic hurricane season has been remarkably quiet. No named storms have made landfall. Wind shear and unfavorable atmospheric conditions have suppressed development despite historically warm... Read more...