UNIVERSITY-COMMUNITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PARTNERSHIPS: BRIDGING DIFFERENT WORLDS FOR COMMON GOALS

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1 UNIVERSITY-COMMUNITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PARTNERSHIPS: BRIDGING DIFFERENT WORLDS FOR COMMON GOALS Claire Knox, Ph.D., University of Central Florida Manuel Soto, City of Orlando Emergency Management Steve Lerner, Seminole County Emergency Management

2 AGENDA What is experiential learning? National trends in emergency management higher education Practitioner Perspective Mr. Lerner Practitioner Perspective Director Soto Academic Perspective Dr. Knox Hands-on Activity Questions and Answers

3 WHAT IS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING?

4 WHY DO EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING?

5 NATIONAL TRENDS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HIGHER EDUCATION 242 emergency management academic programs: 9 doctoral level 41 masters level 47 bachelors level 48 associates level 97 certificates and minors On average the emergency management academic programs have been in effect 8 years and were housed in a variety of departments and schools. Public Administration/Management, Emergency Services/Disaster Management, Public Health/Health Services, Environmental/Earth Sciences, Engineering, Criminal Justice, Public Safety, and Business Management.

6 FLORIDA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HIGHER EDUCATION Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Everglades University BS in HS with EM Concentration BS Degree with Major in Crisis & Disaster Management Florida A&M University Florida Atlantic University Florida State University Indian River State College Lynn University Miami-Dade College Northwest Florida State College Nova Southeastern University St. Petersburg College University of Central Florida University of Florida University of South Florida, Tampa University of West Florida BA-Level EM Concentration/Minor MBA Crisis Management Certificate MPA EM Specialization & Certificate; EM BA Concentration & Certificate EM Certificate; Associate in Emergency Administration & Management EM Planning /Administration MS & Certificate Emergency Preparedness Program AAS Emergency Administration & Management Emergency Prep for Vulnerable Pop Track; Emergency Leadership Specialty Track Associate Degree, Certificate, Track in BAS in Public Safety Management BA Minor and Certificate in EM EM Concentration in BS/MS in Fire/Emergency Services; Executive EM Certificate Graduate Disaster Management Certificate Grad Certificate in EM Public Health

7 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HIGHER EDUCATION DELIVERY Three dominant modes of teaching: online (38%), faceto-face (36%), and mixed-mode (26%). Majority of undergraduate programs have 30 or fewer students (65.8%). Majority of graduate programs have 10 or fewer students (61.9%). Primary purpose of the emergency management program: pre-employment (65.1%); advancement in current emergency management, homeland security, or related field (34.9%).

8 SEMINOLE COUNTY INTERNSHIPS Established 2006 Over 60 interns in 9 years Coordinated efforts with University of Central Florida, Seminole State College and Embry Riddle University 3 out of state students Average time spent: 12 weeks-6 Months

9 WHAT DOES A TYPICAL INTERN DO?

10 WHAT DO INTERNS DO? Update contact list Develop EOC job aids Research Review Plans Develop Exercises Local Mitigation Strategy Special Needs Program Social Media Write EOC reports GIS Maps EMAP Develop Brochures Public Outreach

11 WHAT DOES AN INTERN WANT FROM YOU? Practical application A mentor A meaningful experience Career guidance Training Meet other professionals in the field Participate in conferences

12 USE OF INTERNS IN EMAP Seminole County became Accredited in October 2014 Utilized interns to gather proofs of compliance Developed summaries on why the proofs of compliance met standards Developed overall EMAP Standards template Assisted with Online Self Assessment Fresh set of eyes for consistency Helps someone who doesn t know your program understand your program

13 BEST PRACTICES Thorough application process (Check social media) Orientation (See Handout) Exercise Checklist (See Handout) Answer Questions (multiple times) Have more than 1 Be flexible Give interns all the tools they need to do their task (contacts, phone numbers, addresses etc.) Provide interns with an address Allow them to have their own folder on a network drive

14 WHERE ARE THE INTERNS NOW? George Town University Emergency Management Alabama Emergency Management Microsoft Brevard County Information Technology Lake County Emergency Management City of Nashville Planning Department Environmental Protection Agency University of South Florida Emergency Management Central Florida Intelligence Exchange Walt Disney World Orange County School Board Emergency Palm Beach County Emergency Management Pinellas County Health Department Florida State Senate Target Emergency Management United States Customs and Border Patrol Orange County Sheriff s Office United States Air Marshall Central Florida Rail Corridor Seminole County Purchasing and Contracts Seminole County Sheriff's Office AmeriCorps

15 ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE

16 EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING COURSE PRODUCTS

17 BENEFITS OF INCORPORATING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Linking theory with practice Better preparing future emergency managers Increasing civic engagement and responsibility Increasing institutional visibility Developing research and leadership skills Increasing professional contacts

18 Students get true hands-on experience, working with real deadlines, in true pressure situations, and sometimes experiencing first-hand the outside influence of politics in emergency management. (This experience is quite valuable as compared to academic theory, where the student more or less has control over their grades and deadlines.)

19 10 PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY- CAMPUS PARTNERSHIPS (STRAND, MARULLO, CUTFORTH, STOECKER, & DONOHUE, 2003) Entering Partnerships 1. Share a worldview 2. Agree about goals and strategies 3. Have trust and mutual respect Conducting Partnerships 4. Share power 5. Communicate clearly and listen carefully 6. Understand and empathize with each other 7. Remain flexible Outcomes of Partnerships 8. Satisfy each other s interests or needs 9. Have their organizational capacities enhanced 10. Adopt long-range social change perspectives

20 THANK YOU! Claire C. Knox, Ph.D. - Claire.Knox@ucf.edu Manuel Soto - manuel.soto@cityoforlando.net Steven Lerner - slerner@seminolecountyfl.gov