麻豆精品

“Historic event.” This phrase has appeared more often in the news. Hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, viral outbreaks, cyberattacks, mass shootings 麻豆精品 S� disasters both natural and human-caused are hitting harder and closer to home, reshaping lives and even topography.

While hardly new, catastrophes continue to challenge communities everywhere. In fact, the U.S. has averaged more than 10 major disaster events every year for the past decade, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information 麻豆精品 S檚 2024 billion-dollar disaster analysis.

When Hurricane Helene 麻豆精品 S� one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes to hit the continental U.S. since Hurricane Katrina 麻豆精品 S� swept across Florida in September 2024, residents watched as the Category 4 storm made roads disappear beneath rising floodwaters, submerged entire neighborhoods and caused trees to snap like matchsticks. Amid the devastation, first responders and emergency management personnel worked around the clock, coordinating rescues, directing resources and keeping the public informed. Their quick action not only saved lives, but also marked the beginning of a long road to recovery for the hard-hit communities.

Here 麻豆精品 S檚 the truth: When people are unprepared, it increases the likelihood of disasters leaving deeper scars 麻豆精品 S� more tragic deaths, more economic damage, more long-term struggles. But with effective emergency management, the worst impacts can be reduced or even prevented altogether.

Since the dawn of time, people have found ways to prepare for the unexpected, from ancient civilizations stockpiling food in case there 麻豆精品 S檚 a drought to cities building flood defenses. Emergency management aims to establish safe and resilient communities that can effectively cope with hazards and disasters. And today, UCF is at the forefront of the field.

Home to the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 No. 1 emergency and crisis management graduate program (U.S. News & World Report), UCF is where students and faculty are shaping the strategies that protect lives and strengthening the systems that prepare communities for whatever comes next.

When Disaster Strikes

During the devastating tragedy that was Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi were slammed with a storm surge that covered rooftops and erased entire communities from the map.

麻豆精品 S淭hink about everything just being wiped off the face of the Earth, 麻豆精品 S� says Chris Emrich, Boardman Endowed Professor of Environmental Science and Public Administration in the School of Public Administration. 麻豆精品 S淸That area] was one place where I could go and study pure hurricane impacts. And what I came to understand is that disasters are local. The decisions we make as a society really matter in how we 麻豆精品 S檙e able to prepare for, respond to and rebound from them. 麻豆精品 S�

Those decisions are only getting more complicated. Longer droughts are colliding with intense rainfalls. Intersections that never used to flood are now drowning in stormwater. Coastal cities are caught between sea-level rise and booming populations, while inland towns are facing storms that rarely make national headlines.

麻豆精品 S淧lace matters when it comes to disaster, 麻豆精品 S� Emrich says.

Florida, for example, has finite land, finite water and a rapidly growing population. That tension between economic growth, ecological balance and community safety creates what he calls 麻豆精品 S渢ricky problems. 麻豆精品 S� And tricky problems require more than one kind of expert.

The decisions we make as a society really matter in how we 麻豆精品 S檙e able to prepare for, respond to and rebound from [disasters]. 麻豆精品 S�

That 麻豆精品 S檚 why Emrich works alongside experts across biology, engineering, economics and political science at UCF to tackle challenges from hurricanes and flooding to red tide and coastal economics. As a faculty member involved with UCF Coastal 麻豆精品 S� part of the university 麻豆精品 S檚 interdisciplinary Faculty Research Clusters Initiative 麻豆精品 S� he helps coordinate collaborations among 25 to 30 faculty members across nearly every college. The goal: create solutions, tools and technologies that help communities adapt and thrive.

One example is HazardAware, a UCF-developed hazard-readiness online tool that helps people determine how prepared their home, or a potential future home, is for the next big storm. Emrich served as principal investigator on the research that powers it.

With coverage for 13.3 million addresses across 196 counties along the Gulf of America (also known as the Gulf of Mexico), the tool is designed for one of the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 most hurricane-prone regions. Type in a home address, and within seconds HazardAware generates a personalized HazardReady score, showing how resilient the property is, what hazards it faces and estimated annual risk costs.

麻豆精品 S淚n my career, I found that turning tools and technologies into better decision-support measures for people moves the needle the most, 麻豆精品 S� Emrich says. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e able to take our skill sets and attack challenges from different perspectives. This engages students in 麻豆精品 S� different ways to find solutions. 麻豆精品 S�

And that 麻豆精品 S檚 exactly the point. The same innovations that help communities prepare for and respond to disasters also shape the next generation of leaders in the field. At UCF, hands-on experiences paired with world-class instruction are readying future emergency management specialists.

Equipping Essential Personnel

From hurricanes to wildfires to mass casualty incidents, the need for effective emergency management professionals has never been greater. More trained, compassionate and highly trained workers are needed to protect the safety and well-being of people locally, nationally and globally.

When some of the country 麻豆精品 S檚 largest employers need top emergency management talent, they look to UCF.

In 2003, an emergency management minor and graduate certificate were created by Naim Kapucu, Pegasus Professor of Public Administration and Policy and associate dean of research for the College of Community Innovation and Education, in the aftermath of 9/11. These later grew into Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 first undergraduate degree in emergency management.

In 2010, Environmental and Emergency Management Professor Claire Connolly Knox joined UCF, bringing a mission to expand the program 麻豆精品 S檚 reach and impact.

麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Within the first couple of years of the minor and graduate certificate, they were the most populated offerings in [the School of Public Administration]. So it just made sense 麻豆精品 S� to expand both, 麻豆精品 S� Knox says, reflecting on the growth of what are now UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 undergraduate and graduate degrees in emergency management.

Through the bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 program, students gain the knowledge and practical experience needed to tackle today 麻豆精品 S檚 complex emergency management challenges, learning through a curriculum that blends academics with real-world training. Courses cover all phases of emergency management 麻豆精品 S� mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery 麻豆精品 S� while emphasizing ethical decision-making, resilience and social responsibility. This strong academic foundation has helped nearly 200 UCF students earn undergraduate degrees in emergency management since Fall 2018.

Under Knox 麻豆精品 S檚 leadership, expansion continued, including the launch of UCF Online 麻豆精品 S檚 emergency and crisis management graduate program in 2018, which has ranked No. 1 nationally for three consecutive years (U.S. News & World Report). The program serves 108 students as of the Spring 2026 semester.

With advanced education and training, graduate students apply their expertise to manage disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation, strengthening community readiness and helping restore stability.

“Our faculty are active researchers with funding from federal, state and local agencies. They 麻豆精品 S檙e bringing innovative, cutting-edge, community-based research into the classroom and engaging interested students in the research process. 麻豆精品 S�

Learning extends beyond textbooks, with faculty who bring years of field experience and research clusters that enhance resilience and disaster preparedness.

麻豆精品 S淲e are some of the most cited and published faculty housed within an emergency management program in the nation, 麻豆精品 S� Knox says. 麻豆精品 S淥ur faculty are active researchers who obtained $12 million in federal grants and $6.3 million in local and state contracts in the last five years. They 麻豆精品 S檙e bringing innovative, cutting-edge, community-based research into the classroom and engaging interested students in the research process. 麻豆精品 S�

Partnerships with local government agencies provide students with applied experience through internships and training exercises in live Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). For example, the Seminole County Office of Emergency Management opens its EOC to students multiple times each semester, allowing them to work with software and equipment while applying classroom knowledge in high-pressure, real-world scenarios.

Graduates leave UCF ready to step into roles in crisis and disaster preparedness and response across government, healthcare, military, education, nonprofits and private organizations like banks and theme parks.

麻豆精品 S淲hen you ask what sets UCF apart, I always point to our people, 麻豆精品 S� says Knox, founding director of the emergency and crisis management master 麻豆精品 S檚 program. 麻豆精品 S淲e have researchers [advancing the field], faculty [with] real-world experience, an advisory board that keeps us connected to industry and a mentorship program where experts in the field guide our students. On top of that, every student is required to complete an internship. Many of our students are graduating with their degree and a job in hand. 麻豆精品 S�

Ready to Respond

UCF graduates are proving that emergency management is more than a profession 麻豆精品 S� it 麻豆精品 S檚 a calling. And with each new class of Knights, communities across Florida, and beyond, can face the next disaster with confidence, resilience and hope. The following emergency management alumni are among the many Knights making a difference in the field.

---

---

Growing up in Sarasota, Florida, Brett Napier 麻豆精品 S�21 麻豆精品 S�23MECM was no stranger to the anxiety of hurricane season.

What he didn 麻豆精品 S檛 know back then was that those annual brushes with disaster would eventually shape his career.

At first, Napier thought his path would be in business.

麻豆精品 S淚 started at UCF planning to go into marketing, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淏ut I didn 麻豆精品 S檛 feel any passion for the work. 麻豆精品 S�

A casual conversation with a friend at the Recreation and Wellness Center changed everything.

麻豆精品 S淢y friend was in the emergency management bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 program and he told me about it. I did some research and immediately thought, 麻豆精品 S榌This] fits who I am as a person, 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� he says.

That decision set him on a new course 麻豆精品 S� one grounded in public service and fueled by curiosity about how communities prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate disaster.

Napier first pursued his bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in emergency management, then went on to UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 nationally ranked master 麻豆精品 S檚 program in emergency and crisis management.

麻豆精品 S淏y the end of my undergrad, I felt like I was only scratching the surface, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 knew Dr. Knox was leading the master 麻豆精品 S檚 program, and I had a fantastic experience in one of her classes, so it was an ideal fit for me. 麻豆精品 S�

What stood out to him most was how closely the program was connected to the real world.

麻豆精品 S淭he level of exposure to real scenarios is [unmatched], 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淸From] professors who 麻豆精品 S檝e worked in the field or spent decades studying public administration and emergency management to guest speakers who hold positions of power [across] public, private or nonprofit sectors, you 麻豆精品 S檙e learning directly from the people shaping the profession. 麻豆精品 S�

A required internship helped Napier find his professional footing. For nearly five months, he worked with Volusia County Emergency Management, focusing on mitigation projects and helping refine comprehensive emergency management plans.

While completing his master 麻豆精品 S檚, he accepted a position in Sarasota County 麻豆精品 S檚 solid waste department as a disaster recovery coordinator. There, he managed debris operations and coordinated debris management site approvals 麻豆精品 S� skills that became critical during the response to Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Through the MECM Mentorship Program, Knox helped open the door to Napier 麻豆精品 S檚 current role as operations and extreme weather manager in the City of Boston 麻豆精品 S檚 Office of Emergency Management. The shift from Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 hurricane-heavy workload to Boston 麻豆精品 S檚 public safety priorities was eye-opening.

麻豆精品 S淚n Florida, you 麻豆精品 S檙e working hurricanes year-round. In Boston, we 麻豆精品 S檙e less prone to severe weather and more focused on man-made disasters or [public safety] threats, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Still, the goal is the same: protecting communities. One of the projects Napier 麻豆精品 S檚 most proud of is expanding Boston 麻豆精品 S檚 flood sensor network.

麻豆精品 S淲e already had sensors along the coast, but we needed more coverage inland. That data will help us be more proactive and respond faster, especially because so many people here live in basement units that are vulnerable to flooding, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

The emergency management field is constantly evolving 麻豆精品 S� and so is Napier 麻豆精品 S檚 role in it. He 麻豆精品 S檚 currently pursuing a master 麻豆精品 S檚 in city planning at Boston University, drawn to the field 麻豆精品 S檚 intersection with emergency management. City planners make long-term decisions about where and how communities grow, directly influencing how exposed vulnerable people and infrastructure are to hazards. For instance, thoughtful planning can avoid development in floodplains, wildfire-prone areas or coastal zones, reducing the risk before disasters even occur.

No matter where his career takes him, Napier says his mission is to make a tangible difference in the lives of others and to pay it forward.

麻豆精品 S淚 hope to lift others up, whether that 麻豆精品 S檚 just helping the communities I serve or improving the processes that go into serving them, and then helping those who are looking to work in public service find their niche so they can also make a positive impact, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

---

---

Florida native Michele Jones 麻豆精品 S�11 麻豆精品 S�14MPA knew hurricanes and unruly weather were a fact of life. But a different kind of disaster left a lasting impression: 9/11.

麻豆精品 S淚 was in eighth grade when that happened, and it was definitely one of those life-altering tragedies, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 at school and everyone 麻豆精品 S檚 crying, and there didn 麻豆精品 S檛 really seem to be a plan or much communication. 麻豆精品 S�

That moment planted the seed for what would become a lifelong dedication to public service and emergency management.

When Jones first arrived at UCF, she considered studying computer science, but her interest in public service never faded. A case study on the 9/11 attacks introduced her to the critical role of communication, coordination and emergency response. It inspired her to switch her focus to public administration, with a minor in emergency management and homeland security, showing her how effective communication can make all the difference in saving lives.

During her time at UCF, Jones explored homelessness in Florida, examining its root causes and potential solutions to support people in transitional situations. This experience, she says, gave her the chance to practice problem-solving on a community scale.

麻豆精品 S淯CF provided me with [a foundation] to understand how to collaborate with partners, along with helping me understand the mechanics and operational sides of emergency management, 麻豆精品 S� Jones says.

An internship with the Seminole County Fire Department also gave her firsthand exposure to local operations, from grant programs to emergency planning processes. After graduation, she took her skills to the American Red Cross, working directly with communities, partners and volunteers. From there, she joined Brevard County Emergency Management, where she played a key role during hurricanes Matthew and Irma.

麻豆精品 S淲e experienced cascading impacts 麻豆精品 S� [everything from] loss of water to sewage backups. But the key lesson was the power of strong partnerships with our communities, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淲e had all our coastal cities and internal cities on the phone … and twice a day we would call them as the storms passed. You can 麻豆精品 S檛 build trust in the middle of a disaster. It has to be established throughout the year. 麻豆精品 S�

Jones 麻豆精品 S� career has since taken her to IEM, a consulting firm for emergency management, where she manages its Center of Excellence and helps teams develop procedures and processes to support communities nationwide.

麻豆精品 S淲hat keeps me inspired is the ability to problem-solve with emergency management and see the tangible impact we make on communities to help them recover stronger, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

She emphasizes that emergency management isn 麻豆精品 S檛 just about reacting to disasters. It 麻豆精品 S檚 about long-term planning and resilience.

麻豆精品 S淭he cycle of emergency management 麻豆精品 S� response, preparedness, planning and mitigation 麻豆精品 S� happens simultaneously. If there 麻豆精品 S檚 a flood, that 麻豆精品 S檚 an incident that could potentially impact, for example, a fire station. We will then have to mitigate that in the future. So we must start planning mitigation activities from that moment, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

Through it all, mentorship remains central to Jones 麻豆精品 S� mission. Inspired by the guidance she received from UCF faculty like Knox and other industry mentors, she 麻豆精品 S檚 dedicated to helping cultivate the field 麻豆精品 S檚 future workforce.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 incredibly important to continue building up the next generation of emergency managers, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淥ur communities deserve strong emergency managers who can help them through some of the most challenging phases of their lives. 麻豆精品 S�

Whether responding to an emergency, coordinating across agencies or mentoring future leaders, Jones embodies the impact and reach of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 emergency management programs 麻豆精品 S� ones that transform students 麻豆精品 S� curiosity into skills, and skills into service.

---

Crisis Calls. They Answer.

The following alumni also gained valuable experience through UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 emergency management programs before joining major companies, applying their expertise to enhance emergency response and resilience.

Ava Hanner ’21MECM, Public Information Officer for New Smyrna Beach Government

Stephanie Hendrix ’13 ’24MECM, Emergency Management Operations Manager for Pinellas County Government

Aldair Hernandez ’23MECM, Resilience Business Partner at Dentsu

Steven Lerner ’13, Division Manager at Seminole County 麻豆精品 S檚 Office of Emergency Management

Travis Leslie ’16MS ’25MECM, Master Deputy Sheriff at the Orange County Sheriff 麻豆精品 S檚 Office

Misael Lugo ’18 ’20MECM, Emergency Manager at Boeing

Blaze Schoembs ’23, Preparedness Associate at Hagerty Consulting