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New FEMA Administrator Interviewed on Challenges Being Faced

Problems, problems everywhere.

The first thing that crossed my mind after reading the article linked next was “how do you define success?”

“Deanne Criswell and the 121 major disasters she’s managing as FEMA administrator.”

Every emergency manager has challenges to be faced at every level of government. The issue with a national position is that things are happening — all the time! Floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, vaccines, PPE, funeral expenses, the list goes on.

The “121 major disasters” might sound big to some, but there are many hundreds more I expect on that list since closeout of disasters can take years and years.

I also expect that Deanne has the adrenaline flowing with being new to the position and also working to get her team in place — while waiting for the next unforeseen pipeline to have an issue that makes the headlines.

Claire Rubin shared the link above.
Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.