5 Minutes to Chaos Steven Kuhr

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 focus of each role. They also discuss the need for a generalized crisis management framework that can be applied to various incidents, along with incident-specific annexes or playbooks. In this conversation, Steven and Mike discusse the importance of understanding the specific risks and hazards that a business or organization may face. They emphasizes the need for crisis managers to have a comprehensive understanding of the business operations and dependencies, both domestically and internationally. Mike and Steve also highlight the importance of networking and building relationships within the industry, as well as finding a niche within emergency management. Mike suggests that aspiring emergency managers should pursue certifications that align with their interests and career goals.



Takeaways



Emergency management is a broad field that includes both the public and private sectors.



The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in crisis management jobs in the private sector.

Job titles in emergency management can vary, so it's important to read job descriptions carefully to understand the specific focus of each role.



A generalized crisis management framework, along with incident-specific annexes or playbooks, is an effective approach to emergency management planning.



Crisis managers should have a thorough understanding of the specific risks and hazards that a business or organization may face.



It is important for crisis managers to have a comprehensive understanding of the business operations and dependencies, both domestically and internationally.



Networking and building relationships within the industry is crucial for career development in emergency management.



Aspiring emergency managers should pursue certifications that align with their interests and career goals.

Contact Information

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-moquin/

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 improvement and taking action based on the lessons learned. They also highlight the challenges of engaging senior leaders and stakeholders in the exercise process and the need for a formalized crisis management team in organizations. The conversation focused on the use of exercises in crisis management and the role of technology in enhancing these exercises. The participants discussed the importance of understanding the consequences and impacts of decisions, as well as the need for executives to be involved in the recovery process. They also highlighted the prevalence of cyber events and the need for organizations to be prepared for them. The conversation touched on the use of technology, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, in conducting exercises, but emphasized the importance of human expertise and emotional intelligence in guiding the exercise process. Overall, the participants emphasized the value of exercises in improving preparedness and the need for a combination of technology and human facilitation in conducting effective exercises.



Takeaways



Exercises are a crucial component of crisis management and can range from tabletop discussions to full-scale simulations.

Continuous improvement is essential in exercises, and organizations should take action based on the lessons learned.

Engaging senior leaders and stakeholders in the exercise process can be challenging, but it is crucial for effective crisis management.

Having a formalized crisis management team is important for organizations to effectively respond to crises and disasters. Understanding the consequences and impacts of decisions is crucial in crisis management.

Executives need to be involved in the recovery process and understand the importance of the first 10 minutes and the subsequent 12 to 24 hours in determining the outcome of a crisis.

Cyber events are prevalent and organizations need to be prepared for them.

Technology, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, can enhance exercises, but human expertise and emotional intelligence are still essential in guiding the exercise process.

Exercises are valuable in improving preparedness and organizations should strive for a combination of technology and human facilitation in conducting effective exercises.



Contact Information

Rob Burton

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robburton9/



Tod Langley

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tod-langley-ceo-80103654/



Adam Montella

https://www.linkedin.com/in/disasterguy/

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 atmospheric, meteorological, geological, technological, biological, and human induced threats for communication via Wireless Emergency Alerts and other alerting channels. She is employed at the University at Albany, SUNY, as an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. She is also the director of the Emergency and Risk Communication Message Testing Lab. And in her spare time, she critiques Wireless Emergency Alerts on Twitter (@warningrater) and hosts a webpage called “The Warn Room” thewarnroom.com.
Dr. Sutton has held numerous grants from the National Science Foundation, FEMA-IPAWS, DHS, NOAA, USGS, and the Office of Naval Research. Her research has been published in Risk Analysis, the Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management; the Proceedings of Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management; Information, Communication, and Society; Health Communication; and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Jeannette is an appointed member of the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Board at NIST. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and completed her postdoctoral training at the Natural Hazards Center.

Contact Information
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannettesutton/

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 completing his term as the President. Peter has published numerous textbook chapters and articles related to EMS and Emergency Management and routinely speaks at state and national conferences.



His credentials include a master’s degree in public health, a bachelor’s degree in EMS Management, and he has his CEM from the IAEM and is a Fellow of the American College of Paramedic Executives. Peter is also a Master SCUBA instructor and for fun - a certified Kansas City BBQ judge.

Contact Information

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-dworsky-mph-nrp-cem-facpe-a8b1347/

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, communications, public information, and the establishment of cooling centers.



Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Milestone

00:56 Conceptualizing the Podcast

03:21 Monologue Episode

04:14 Choosing the Topic: Heat Emergencies

08:08 History of Emergency Management in NYC

09:29 Heat Emergency in Chicago

11:25 Jerry Hauer and the Task Force

12:53 Interagency Collaboration

18:42 Reducing Heat Deaths

19:09 Monitoring and Intelligence

20:04 National Weather Service and Regional Calls

21:46 Emergency Operations Center

24:36 Communications and Public Information

27:27 Unity of Effort and Shared Situational Awareness

29:53 Cooling Centers and Transportation

32:17 Summary and Gratitude



About Steven Kuhr

Steven Kuhr has spent his career in Emergency Management, building a diverse portfolio of leadership positions across multiple sectors. Mr. Kuhr served as Director of Emergency Management, Enterprise Continuity, and Security Operations at Colorado Springs Utilities. While serving in this position, Mr. Kuhr oversaw crisis, risk, and resiliency operations for energy and water utilities, as well as dam operations for Colorado’s second largest city. During this time, Mr. Kuhr also served as a Director with InfraGard-Denver and co-founded the Colorado Critical Infrastructure Alliance.



Earlier, Mr. Kuhr served with the New York City Office of Emergency Management as a founding Deputy Commissioner where he led emergency operations and multi-risk emergency planning. Prior to that he served with the New York City Fire Department as EMS Deputy Chief and Special Operations Commander.

Mr. Kuhr is a trusted Crisis Management Leader. He has advised elected officials, CEOs and “C-Suite” Leaders during complex emergencies, major disasters, and terrorist attacks. Mr. Kuhr is also a respected consultant, having served as Managing Director and Emergency Management Practice Leader at Kroll Inc., and President and Chief Operating Officer at Strategic Emergency Group LLC.



Mr. Kuhr has advised a variety of organizations in several business industries and government sectors to include federal, state, and local government agencies, transportation (rail, aviation, seaport, and surface), financial, energy (electricity/natural gas), water/wastewater, dams, major league baseball, cable news, commercial properties, defense, justice, law enforcement, and an agency serving people with disabilities and special needs.

Mr. Kuhr Hosts “5 Minutes to Chaos – A Podcast”, a weekly podcast available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, where he and guests explore the complexities of crisis management.

Mr. Kuhr holds a Master of Science in Homeland Security Management and a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management Administration. He is a Colorado Certified Threat Liaison Officer and held a certification as an Advanced EMT-IV Paramedic.



Contact Information

https://www.linkedin.com/in/skuhr/

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/