Three truths about emergencies that change everything

This scenario — increasingly common across the United States — illustrates why we need a fundamental shift in emergency management. At the recent CESA Annual Conference, emergency managers challenged conventional approaches to disasters. What became clear is that effective emergency management can no longer be the exclusive domain of professionals with “emergency manager” in their job titles — it must become the work of communities, businesses, and individuals.

Three realities changing everything

1). The disasters we prepare for aren’t always the ones we face.

While earthquakes, hurricanes, and wildfires dominate headlines, FEMA data reveals a different reality: flooding and severe storms account for over 70% of all natural disasters since 1990 and are the leading threats to most communities nationwide. Here in San Mateo County, 40% of our critical infrastructure lies in potential flood zones, yet only 23% of our emergency resources are allocated to flood preparedness.

2). Yesterday’s isolated events have become today’s cascading crises.

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, nine out of the 10 years with highest disaster activity have occurred in the last decade. The interval between billion-dollar disasters has shrunk from 82 days in the 1980s to just 18 days today. In 2024, 41% of Americans lived in areas affected by disaster declarations, with active disaster conditions present for 73% of the year.

We experienced this firsthand in San Mateo County during December 2022 and January 2023, when after years of drought, multiple atmospheric rivers struck in rapid succession, displacing residents and requiring simultaneous evacuation planning, road clearing, and shelter operations.

This isn’t a “new normal” — it’s a fundamentally different operating environment requiring new approaches.

3). No single entity can manage this alone.

When disasters struck in previous generations, we relied on specialized emergency responders. Today’s complex, overlapping crises require everyone’s involvement. Every disaster begins and ends locally — the average American waits 22 hours for outside help following a major disaster.

The collective path forward

America’s emergency response culture faces a paradox. We excel at the dramatic moment of crisis — rushing toward danger, mobilizing resources, and displaying remarkable heroism. Yet this same “rise to the occasion” mindset undermines our willingness to invest in preparation before emergencies or sustain the methodical work of recovery afterward.

This creates what we call the “crisis-complacency cycle” — periods of intense focus after disasters, followed by diminishing attention as memories fade. Our individualistic society struggles with the collective, sustained commitment required for true resilience.

The American spirit of rugged individualism serves us well in the moment of crisis but fails us in the steady work of preparation and recovery. This is precisely why emergency management professionals are increasingly looking to societies with more collectivist cultural foundations, where emergency preparedness isn’t an occasional government campaign but a continuous social expectation woven into daily life.

True resilience requires reimagining our relationship to emergencies:

• From individuals expecting government rescue to families developing self-sufficiency for the first 72 hours;

• From businesses treating emergencies as external disruptions to seeing preparedness as core to their responsibility;

• From community organizations operating in silos to serving as bridges between official systems and vulnerable populations; and

• From government agencies positioning themselves as saviors to becoming facilitators of community capability.

Just do one thing

If you can commit to doing one thing to be better prepared for disasters today, go meet a neighbor you don’t know, get their contact information and check on them during a disaster. We would have better community preparedness, response and resiliency if we all did just this.

The future of emergency management isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about building communities that are connected and able to be ready together.

Ryan Reynolds is assistant director of Emergency Management for San Mateo County. Dr. Shruti Dhapodkar is director of San Mateo County’s Department of Emergency Management. Contact: DEM_Info@smcgov.org