FEMA Think Tank

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Deputy Administrator Serino speaks at FEMA's Think Tank held in Colorado Springs on Tues., July 24. Serino was also in Colorado to visit burn areas in the aftermath of the Waldo Fire which was declared a major disaster on June 29, 2012.
Deputy Administrator Serino speaks at FEMA's Think Tank held in Colorado Springs on Tues., July 24. Serino was also in Colorado to visit burn areas in the aftermath of the Waldo Fire which was declared a major disaster on June 29, 2012.
Deputy Administrator Serino hosts FEMA Think Tank Conference in San Francisco, CA on Feb. 17, 2012 to discuss the importance of utilizing social media tools and employing alternate forms of communications during disasters.
Deputy Administrator Serino hosts FEMA Think Tank Conference in San Francisco, CA on Feb. 17, 2012 to discuss the importance of utilizing social media tools and employing alternate forms of communications during disasters.
More than 40 Joplin officials and community leaders gathered to share lessons learned from a devastating May 2011 tornado as part of a nationwide Think Tank teleconference on pre-disaster recovery planning hosted at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo. May 15, 2012.
More than 40 Joplin officials and community leaders gathered to share lessons learned from a devastating May 2011 tornado as part of a nationwide Think Tank teleconference on pre-disaster recovery planning hosted at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo. May 15, 2012.
Deputy Director Serino leads the FEMA Think Tank held in Bennington, Vt. on Aug. 17, 2012 on the role of faith-based and community organizations in advancing the whole community approach to emergency management.
Deputy Director Serino leads the FEMA Think Tank held in Bennington, Vt. on Aug. 17, 2012 on the role of faith-based and community organizations in advancing the whole community approach to emergency management.

What is the FEMA Think Tank?

FEMA recognizes that the best solutions to the challenges we face are generated by the people and the communities who are closest to these challenges. It is essential that these partners are invited to the table to actively participate in thought-provoking discussions.

That is why we are reaching out to state, local, and tribal governments, and to all members of the public, including the private sector, the disability community, and volunteer community, to seek their input on how to improve the emergency management system. FEMA wants to hear your ideas and suggestions, to both explore best practices and generate new ideas. The FEMA Think Tank will help facilitate these conversations and encourage further discussion.

The FEMA Think Tank has two main components:

  • Online Forum: Submit your own ideas, comment on others, and participate in conversations meant to generate creative solutions. The forum is open to anyone who wants to discuss a variety of emergency management issues, such as how as we prepare for, respond to, recover from, or mitigate against all types of disasters, as well as ideas on how we can continue to integrate the whole community.
  • Monthly Conference Call Discussions: Deputy Administrator Serino will conduct monthly conference calls to discuss some of the real-life solutions and ideas that are generated by this online forum. These calls will be open to the general public and captioning for participants who are deaf or hard of hearing will be provided. The Deputy Administrator will travel to a different location each month to personally meet with members of the emergency management community.

When is the next FEMA Think Tank Conference Call?

POSTPONED: FEMA’S OCTOBER THINK TANK

FEMA’s Think Tank scheduled on Tuesday, October 30 in Orlando, Florida has been postponed to allow FEMA leadership and participating emergency management experts to focus on response preparations due to the potential impacts of Hurricane Sandy.

FEMA urges those along the East Coast to monitor the progress of Hurricane Sandy.  Individuals in the region should continue to monitor their NOAA Weather Radio and local news for severe weather updates, warnings and watches, and follow instructions of local officials. While the exact track of the storm is uncertain the potential impacts go beyond coastal areas – know your risks, have a plan, and be prepared. Now is the time to update your family communication plans, check your supplies, and stay informed.

FEMA will reschedule the critical Think Tank titled, Looking Back, Looking Forward - FEMA Think Tank 2.0 in the near future. The collaborative forum will look at various solutions-based models that have been identified on previous calls and implemented in local communities to advance emergency management. In the looking forward portion of the forum, FEMA will look at the future of the Think Tank and explore new collaborative web tools the emergency management community can use to share resources and best practices.

We encourage you to visit the online forum to comment on the ideas we will be discussing in the future or submit your own ideas and comment on others.

Get Involved

FEMA’S 2012 COMMUNITY RESILIENCE INNOVATION CHALLENGE

FEMA is pleased to announce, in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation, FEMA’s 2012 Community Resilience Innovation Challenge.  This program, managed through the Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Foundation, aims to identify and support best practices to strengthen community resilience.

FEMA and its partners know that preparedness must continue in communities year-round. This new monetary opportunity is designed to continue to move community preparedness forward and assist local areas in building and revitalizing community-based partnerships to advance the nation’s resilience to disasters. Funding levels will range, with a maximum award of $35,000, and applications are open to most local, state, and tribal agencies and governments; business entities; associations; organizations and groups. Submissions will be accepted through October 26.

Additional information on the Challenge program criteria and application process can be found at www.ResilienceChallenge.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ideas will be discussed during the monthly conference call?
Each month, Deputy Administrator Serino will select three to four ideas on improving emergency management at the federal level to discuss during the conference call. The individuals that submitted these ideas will have the opportunity to brief the Deputy Administrator during the call. The call will then be opened for questions and further discussion.

Who can participate?
Anyone can participate in the FEMA Think Tank. If you have an idea or suggestion on how to improve the emergency management system, you can submit that idea to the online forum or comment, comment on another’s idea, and listen to the monthly calls with Deputy Administrator Serino.

How do I participate?
Visit FEMA's online collaboration platform to participate in an open dialogue and discussion and join the monthly conference calls.

How can I find information from previous FEMA Think Tank calls?
Visit FEMA's Think Thank conference call archives page to hear recorded audio or read the transcript of the previous FEMA Think Tank Calls.

We look forward to a productive conversation that will generate innovative solutions and move us forward as a team.

Last Updated: 
10/26/2012 - 18:31
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