Dousing Fires + Career Acceleration + the Archives
Profiles in Preparedness #18
"Data doesn't douse fires." - Steve Wolf, Team Wildfire
This quote gets right to the heart of what organizations need to remember as they prepare for an uncertain future.
Better situational awareness helps communities and organizations get left of bang—whether we're talking about wildfire risk, severe weather, potential acts of violence, or public health emergencies—but awareness alone isn’t enough.
Cities, homeowners, and businesses need the ability to act when the threat materializes. Smoke detectors are critical, but they don’t replace the need for a fire extinguisher.
When we talk about getting left of bang, we’re talking about two essential elements:
The ability to detect threats, risks, and hazards before they occur or escalate.
The readiness to respond to and recover from disasters effectively when action is needed.
For organizations, turning intentions into actual readiness means rolling up your sleeves and proactively developing the capabilities needed when you're executing under pressure. That’s why I believe project management is more than a skill. It’s a critical catalyst for preparedness.
I posted an article this week where I showed how a reputation for getting things done can be a true career accelerator for professionals in emergency management, public safety, and homeland security. If you're involved in designing or delivering the projects to advance your readiness, I invite you to read on.
This Week‘s Reads
I didn’t have the chance to get much reading done this week, so I don’t have other articles to share. We will be back next week though with our regular programming.
In the meantime, I invite you to explore our “Profiles in Preparedness” archives where you might find new ideas and strategies for staying ahead in an ever-changing landscape.
As always, thanks for reading!
For When You’re Ready
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And if you’re thinking about how to strengthen your organization's preparedness, that’s what I do. Whether it’s assessments, planning, speaking, or exercises, I help teams build the skills and strategies to stay ahead of the next challenge.