2024 Concurrent Session Descriptions

This is a TENTATIVE listing.
All content programming is subject to change and more will be added.*

 

Lessons from Recent Wildfire Disasters

Climate and urbanization have fueled increased threats and needs for mitigation and adaptation to reduce risk from extreme heat and wildfires. Unprecedented harm from drought and excessive heat and poor management of the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) have exacerbated the climate crisis.  A transdisciplinary approach with scientists, researchers, practitioners and communities is needed to reduce risk and improve human and environmental security.  \This session brings together speakers working to understand, mitigate, and improve wildfire, drought and extreme heat response and recovery through planning, education, engineering and design of resilient communities.  In addition to improved tools for detection, alert, and warning, more attention to training and education, nature-based solutions, and transformative climate adaptation strategies are needed.  The panel builds on recent experiences and multi-sector capabilities to support risk reduction and climate resilience

 

Spontaneous Volunteers: How to Turn Emotion into Action

Most disaster focused organizations are dependent on volunteers to carry out their mission.  When disaster strikes, many members of the community want to get involved at that moment and be a part of the solution to that disaster.  We will discuss how best to seize that opportunity with a new volunteer and the tactics of converting that spontaneous volunteer into a long-term member of the organization.  Many disaster volunteers associate their long-standing work with the organization to that first disaster that attracted them.

 

Harnessing the Tech Revolution for Greater Resilience

A coordinated, agile emergency response system is imperative as extreme weather and manmade events, such as cyber-attacks grow more frequent and more severe. By augmenting the know-how of emergency response coordinators with cutting edge technologies, government agencies can react more quickly and efficiently to disasters and emergencies, manage the potentially massive scale of a disaster, deliver critical supplies and resources to people who need them and save lives by improving rescue efforts and getting people out of harm’s way.

This session explores the ways technology is transforming emergency management and how innovative tech solutions—such as AI, machine learning, and large language models (e.g., ChatGPT); blockchain; quantum—are, or will be, revolutionizing disaster response, preparedness, and recovery to achieve greater resilience.

 

Money is key to all stages of disaster

Description:  Money is key to all stages of disaster. fintech (financial technology)– plays a unique role in leveraging the latest tech and AI to drive & deliver funds  in all stages of disaster – preparation, response, recovery, rebuild.  Money can be delivered to the – Right Person. Right Time. Right Purpose – in 30 minutes vs weeks/months.

Plus, this same technology provides “accountable giving” – data on how the funds were spent to greatly speed, simplify & streamline accounting and audits, and to reduce waste, fraud, & abuse – hot topics in an election year.

In this panel (Visa, FEMA, Good360, PaaL) – hear stories from the trenches by public and private sector leaders in disaster. Hear how planning, partners & pilots –  are making a dramatic difference in delivering disaster funds – fast, safe, and with dignity.