What’s Your Why?
September is National Preparedness Month. For a special newsletter, we asked our region’s expert “What’s Your Why?” We wanted to know why our partners are involved in emergency preparedness. Why do they work to help keep our healthcare system prepared for disaster? Take a look below to see what they've answered!
“I'm here because I've always loved watching thunderstorms. In my 20's, I decided to be a storm spotter, that required a ham radio license--which I passed the test for in 1997. In October of 1997, our city was devastated by a "thunder-blizzard", crippling our power grid and our streets. With my ham radio license and a 4x4, that linked me up with the American Red Cross and county emergency management. For the next six years, I was a volunteer with American Red Cross disaster services. That led me to an opportunity to apply for a position at the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. I was accepted and have been working to make a positive difference in my community, my state, and my world through NEMA for 23 years (and counting). All because I love watching thunderstorms. “
— Brent Curtis, Preparedness & Operations Section Manager, Nebraska
Several years ago while working a public event, I was flooded with questions about how someone can prepare for a tornado outside of taking cover and stockpiling food. Intrigued, I developed a plan to prepare out citizens by using a Point of Dispening model and allowing citizens to leave with a complete preparedness kit. Each phase of the POD program was utilized and upon exit, those who participated left with a closed 5 gallon bucket filled with preparedness items. It was a great method to offer preparedness kits, but also to show the public how PODs work in wake of disaster. Flash forward a few years, the same method of delivery was used to plan, administer and run a Covid POD. The community was familiar with the process, the burden of education was minimal and the community was in and out very quickly. We all won and we are are just a little more prepared for the next event. It was a job well done. This is why we do what we do!
-Skip Cowan, Community Services Coordinator/PHEP Coordinator, Kansas
“I feel humbled to help others who respond to emergencies. They accomplish so many great things and do so much for their communities. One of my favorite parts of my job is interacting with members. I feel lucky to see all they do and to play a small part in their work. I keep going because I am able to play a small part in helping others on what could be one of their worst days. I keep going because the work I do enables those on the frontlines to respond to emergencies with the information and resources they need.”
-Kara Amann-Kale, Director of Hospital Preparedness Programs, Missouri
“Innately I have always been a planner. Thinking of things before they happen and taking action to avoid them or reduce their impact. Some people think I am weird:). In 2002, a tornado flattened our home in rural NE. I of course, was at work. I remember the despair of not knowing if my family was okay and hoping they had listened to "the plan". It was an odd hot and sultry October day. I will never forget trying to get home among the debris (no good cell phones yet), while putting my hospital on notice (as the ER/OR Director), there would surely be injuries. After running around and stepping over things on our country road, I found my daughter sitting outside at the top of our lane, unharmed. Although my family had disruption that day, I am a believer that planning matters and out of chaos does eventually come order. For years, we found things in pastures and eventually recovery happened. A few bumps and bruises and a whole lot of learnings later, it remains my "why".
— Shelly Schwedhelm, Executive Director, Emergency Management & Biopreparedness | Region 7 Disaster Health Response Leader, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, & Kansas
“When I started as an Emergency Response Coordinator I really did not know what I was getting myself into. Throughout the last four years I have learned quickly how important relationships are. The flood and Covid proved to us that collaboration with community partners are one of the most important things. With that being said I have learned to love my position because every day I get the opportunity to meet new people and help our communities thrive and prepare to the best of our abilities so we are ready for the next disaster that is thrown at us.”
-Catie Larsen, Emergency Response Coordinator, Nebraska
“I love doing what I do. The Nebraska Floods in 2019 were a perfect example of why we prepare. I tell everyone what I do and sometimes they ask "Why? That will never happen." After the floods in 2019 a lot of people thanked our team and were grateful, we prepared.”
— Jake Dunn, Director of Emergency Readiness & Surveillance, Nebraska
From the time I was born, until I moved out of the house at 18, my family had been involved in different types of public service. My father was a Deputy Sheriff in Adams County, and also the Director of the ambulance service for Adams County. My mother started as a case worker with Nebraska Department of Human Services, and retired as the Director of Health and Human Services in a Adams, Clay, Nuckolls, and Webster Counties.
As I was growing up, the idea of serving the public was just something that was natural.
In 1996 I joined a small fire department in South Central Nebraska so I too, could give something back to the community in which I lived. Through the years, I went from being a part of a small volunteer department to working as a firefighter for the city of Hastings, President of the Mutual Aid Assoc. and then retiring as fire chief for the USDA.
When I retired from the fire service in 2022, my desire to help the public was still strong and that led me to the position I’m in now, as the Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordinator for Adams, Clay, Nuckolls, and Webster counties, ironically, the same area my mother covered through her time with DHHS.
The shift from being a first responder to an organizer and planner has taken a little time for me to adjust to, but I love my new role and look forward to the next decade or more of continuing to help the people I share this small part of the planet with.
-Erik Meyer, Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordinator, Nebraska
“Preparedness is Key to response. No plan is perfect but is key to guidance in response. I believe this and practice this not only for my facility but for the SW Kansas Region. I have been in preparedness for 17 years and I strive to not only assist in preparing my facility, and county but also the SW Region.”
-Mindi Bremer, Emergency Preparedness, Safety Officer, SWKSHCC Readiness and Response Coordinator, and Clinical Advisor at Wichita County Health Center, Kansas
“Community preparedness and readiness provide vital services and resources when needed most, and engaging communities in preparedness efforts leads to increased readiness and resiliency.
The impact of COVID-19 has further highlighted the need for strong, healthcare community-based efforts to prepare for and respond to any disaster by ensuring all individuals are not only aware of risks and hazards but also know what to do to remain safe and by providing access to vital services and resources when needed most.
Engaging communities, community partners, and leaders improves both communication and coordination during and following a crisis, leading to recovery.”
-Ronald J. Vought, SA-7 HCC, Public Health and EMS Coordinator, Iowa
“I started in Public Safety as a Firefighter/EMT in 1978 and progressed to a Fire Inspector then Arson Investigator to a Police Officer/Training Officer/Investigator to a Planner for the Counties around the Cooper Nuclear Station and Radiological Instructor moving to Kansas to work with Homeland Security/Emergency Management supervising six Regional Coordinators. Working with Public Health, Bioterrorism, Hospital Emergency Preparedness working with Deployable Resources, IMT's USAR teams, Haz-Mat, K-9, Law Enforcement, and National Guard CSTs and CERFPs training them for all hazard disasters and school shootings. All these duties involved disaster response, pandemic and mass casualty responses, response and recovery operations while working with my brothers and sisters at occupations I was familiar with responding to floods, tornados, severe winter storms, hazardous material incidents, and training and exercises to test their plans. You can't measure the success of planning, training, and exercises in dollars, but you know that lives were saved, people were rescued in a timelier manner and fewer people were injured or died because of it. Being able to help people when they need it the most to restore their livelihood and prosperity is a good feeling. I deployed to around 16 tornado aftermaths, half a dozen flood events, grain elevator explosions, hazmat incidents and other severe storms, including the Greensburg and Chapman KS tornados and the 2011 Missouri River flooding and the Anderson Creek Wildfire. I am getting ready to retire soon. Leaving the job is not difficult, but leaving my brothers and sisters, first responders, emergency managers, and hospital and public healthcare folks is very hard. I started in Public Safety because I wanted a job that was secure year around so I could support my family. Little did I know that the first shift I worked I would do CPR on two different people after a crash course that morning and fight a machine shed/hay fire that night. It's been a wild ride since then 45 years ago. Now I intend to watch my grandchildren grow, do a little more camping and fishing and enjoy time with my friends. “
— Dennis Colsden, RROMRS Coordinator, Nebraska
“My goal has been to be in a position that I can give back to my State. The EPRU team at Public Health gave me that opportunity.”
-David, PHEP Program Manager, Nebraska
“I began my role in Public Health as a way to serve my community in a different way than previous jobs provided. Since becoming the Emergency Response Coordinator for the health district my "why" is now to not only promote health and safety but also to be a positive presence in our area, to help bridge the gap between various services and communities so that we are utilizing all of our resources effectively.”
-Anonymous, Emergency Response Coordinator, Nebraska
“When a disaster occurs, I want to know that these services are doing the best they can for my family and community.”
-Kay Beesley, PEPH Planner, Missouri