In early October, nearly 50 city officials attended a training forum in Wenatchee where they learned from emergency management professionals and experienced leaders to become champions for emergency planning and preparedness in their communities. The day was filled with learning, information sharing, best practices, practical strategies, networking, and so much more.

Check out the top five takeaways!

1. When it comes to emergency management, all disasters start and end local
   Washington is the fourth most disaster-prone state in the country, and cities are on the front lines when it comes to disasters and emergencies.  In Washington, emergency response begins and ends with local leaders. It’s the effectiveness of local responders and elected officials that counts when an emergency strikes. You can lay the groundwork for a successful emergency response by taking a bottom-up approach and engaging the community and local leaders before a disaster happens. Remember that any immediate outside help that may come will eventually leave, and the responsibility for local cleanup and recovery is on you.

2. Emergencies are going to happen, whether you are prepared or not
   It’s important that local leaders carefully and thoughtfully plan—the landscape of disaster response is expanding at a rapid clip, including earthquakes, wildfires, floods, mudslides, cybersecurity threats, and more. Creating mutual aid agreements with neighboring jurisdictions, beyond just for police and fire service, is a good place to start.

3. Significant damage can be done to cities by cyberattacks—but simple solutions exist
   Cyberattacks targeting cities are a significant and ongoing threat, with attackers often using ransomware and other methods to disrupt services, demand payment, and potentially steal data. One of many possible solutions might include rescinding the policy of allowing de minimis personal use of government technology by employees, which can reduce your city’s “attack surface” by as much as 40%.

4. Communication during an emergency is paramount, and time is of the essence
   In an emergency, people need to know what is happening and what to expect. Clear, accurate, and timely information is the key to saving lives, coordinating resources, and reducing panic. Pro tip: Keep your city’s public information officer (or the person in charge of communicating during a disaster) involved from the start.

5. Relationships matter, especially in an emergency
   Building relationships with service providers, trusted community members, volunteers, businesses, and other governments ensures an emergency response plan is both comprehensive and actionable.