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If you’ve been following along, you know we recently launched the first episode of our new podcast, Ready for Anything - and it couldn’t be more timely.
We’re all inundated with daily news of critical events like the novel coronavirus pandemic, raging wildfires, public protests and civil unrest. Our lives feel unpredictable, and it’s more important than ever before that we stay informed.
In 30 high-impact minutes, Ready for Anything brings you expert insights on how governments and organizations can respond, communicate and recover when the unexpected happens.
Subscribe now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Episode 1 is Now Live!
In our first episode, “Is Public Safety Alerting Broken?” we take an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities local governments face when communicating with the public.
If you’ve been working in government through the pandemic, or if you’re a citizen who’s been on the receiving end of COVID-19 updates, you know how important the communication link is between local authorities and the communities they serve.
Many federal, state and local governments use alerting systems to reach people with critical information quickly. Coupled with effective planning and management, the right technology can save lives.
But there are stumbling blocks, and many jurisdictions just aren’t there yet.
Take the 2017 example of California’s wildfires, when authorities did not use alerting technology, and instead resorted to knocking on doors to issue evacuation warnings. More than 10,000 buildings were destroyed, and 47 people died.
What obstacles are standing in the way of effective public alerts? And how come more governments haven’t adopted them?
Is Public Safety Alerting Broken? Hear From the Experts
In episode one, we talk to two seasoned experts as they share their firsthand knowledge about critical events management in the public sector.
Hot on the heels of launching her startup to help small businesses and non-profits survive the pandemic, Magda Sulzycki brings over 13 years of expertise in business continuity planning to the conversation.
We’re also joined by Mike Akpata – an expert in public safety from virtually every angle. His impressive resume includes serving in Afghanistan, policing for 21 years and representing his community as a city councilor.
Our guests share insights from their accomplished careers in public safety, each giving us their take on the challenges governments face in implementing effective alerting systems. For example: How do you manage vast amounts of incoming information and effectively translate it to the public?
As Magda explains, this can be one of hardest parts of the job. COVID-19 serves as a prime example, where the sheer volume and cadence of information inputs and opinions makes it really difficult to interpret and share useful data.
And, as Mike describes, despite these and many other complexities, the public has rightfully come to expect updates in near real-time so they can take action to mitigate risks.
Intrigued? Listen to the Full Episode Now
If this sneak peek touches on issues that matter to you – as someone responsible for public safety, or as a member of the public – check out the full episode for all the details, on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about the power of critical event management in the Cloud here.
On the Next Episode of Ready for Anything…
In our second episode, we ask Dr. Jack Rozdilsky, Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency at York University: how can organizations ensure their employees are kept safe and informed in the midst of a public health crisis? Plus, Laura Beattie – Director of Enterprise Business Continuity Management and Global Environment, Health and Safety here at BlackBerry – provides practical BCM tips based on her 20 years in the industry. Don’t miss it!