Summary In this episode of 'Five Minutes to Chaos', Steven Kuhr and Tom Sivak discuss the intricacies of crisis management, emphasizing the importance of people, relationships, and adaptability in emergency situations. Tom shares his extensive background in emergency management, detailing his experiences from local to federal levels, and highlights the need for effective planning, technology integration, and community resilience. The conversation also touches on the evolution of emergency manage...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 80
Summary In this episode of 'Five Minutes to Chaos', Steven Kuhr discusses the evolving landscape of crisis management in 2025 with emergency management experts Kelly McKinney and Tom Serio. They share personal experiences from recent disasters, the complexities of federal crisis management, and the importance of effective communication and coordination among stakeholders. The conversation emphasizes the human element in crisis management, the role of the private sector, and the need for emergenc...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 80
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, Steven Kuhr interviews Arthur J. Simental, M.S., CEM, discussing his extensive career in emergency management and the historical evolution of the field. They explore the significance of understanding emergency management's history, the impact of political changes on FEMA, and the importance of adapting to modern challenges. Arthur shares insights from his research and experiences, emphasizing the need for a cohesive identity in emergency manageme...
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 77
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, Steven Kuhr interviews Brendan Winder, head of emergency management for Christchurch, New Zealand. They discuss Brendan's journey in emergency management, the unique risks faced by New Zealand due to its geography, and the significant challenges encountered during the 2011 earthquake. Brendan shares insights on crisis management, the importance of community resilience, and the lessons learned from managing the red zone in Christchurch. The conver...
Feb 06, 2025•49 min•Season 4Ep. 78
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, Steven Kuhr and Adam Eckstein discuss the critical intersection of crisis management and the restoration industry. They explore the evolution of satellite communication, the role of the Association of Continuity Professionals, and the importance of pre-planning and situational awareness in disaster response. Adam shares insights into the logistics and command structures of restoration operations, emphasizing the need for collaboration and prepare...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 77
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, host Steven Kuhr speaks with Yaniv Amar, a New York City firefighter and former Marine, about his journey through emergency services and his recent deployments to Israel following the October 7th attacks. Yaniv shares his experiences in the Marine Corps, the differences in fire service operations between the U.S. and Israel, and the unique challenges faced during crisis situations. The conversation highlights the importance of service, resilience...
Jan 23, 2025•53 min•Season 4Ep. 76
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, host Steven Kuhr speaks with Michelle Newcomb, an expert in crisis management and organizational resilience. Michelle shares her unique journey into the field, stemming from a childhood experience with wildfires. The conversation explores global perspectives on crisis management, highlighting cultural differences in emergency response, particularly in countries like Sweden and Singapore. They discuss the importance of weather preparedness for bus...
Jan 16, 2025•58 min•Season 4Ep. 75
Summary In this episode of 'Five Minutes to Chaos', host Steven Kuhr engages in a deep conversation with journalist Anne Woolsey McCartan about the intersection of crisis management and journalism. They explore the importance of relationships between emergency responders and the press, the role of technology in communication, and personal experiences that shape their understanding of crisis situations. The discussion also touches on significant events like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, emphasizing...
Jan 09, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 74
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, host Steven Kuhr speaks with Brent Bloomfield, the Assistant Chief and Director of Emergency Management for the West Palm Beach City Fire Department. They discuss Brent's extensive career in emergency management, the challenges faced during hurricanes and special events, and the importance of community resilience and support from elected officials. Brent shares insights on the operations of the fire department, the impact of significant events li...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 73
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, Steven Kuhr interviews Chief Bill Van Helden, who shares his extensive experience in emergency management and crisis leadership. The conversation covers Bill's career journey, the importance of spirituality in emergency services, and the emotional toll that crisis management can take on leaders. They discuss significant events like Hurricane Charlie, the need for courage and command presence in emergencies, and the importance of thinking the unth...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 72
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, host Steven Kuhr interviews Dr. Yasmin Ali about her book detailing the Waverly train disaster of 1978. The conversation explores the chaotic emergency management landscape of the time, the personal experiences of Dr. Ali's family during the disaster, and the subsequent changes in regulations and the establishment of FEMA. The episode highlights the importance of disaster planning, community response, and the evolution of emergency management in ...
Dec 06, 2024•53 min•Season 3Ep. 71
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, host Steven Kuhr engages with Liz Treston, an expert in community-based emergency management, to discuss the critical aspects of crisis management, particularly in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. They explore the roles of VOADs and COADs in disaster response, the shifting impact of hurricanes on inland communities, and the need for national disaster insurance. The conversation highlights the importance of community preparedness, collaboration among...
Nov 28, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 70
Summary In this episode of '5 Minutes to Chaos', host Steven Kuhr engages with Rich Pepe, a seasoned crisis management professional with extensive experience in law enforcement, emergency services, and corporate security. The conversation explores Rich's journey through the NYPD Highway Patrol, his volunteer firefighting experience, and the evolution of emergency services in New York City. They discuss the critical role of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) in coordinating responses during...
Nov 21, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 69
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, Steven Kuhr and Peter LaPorte discuss the intricacies of crisis management and emergency response, drawing from their extensive careers in the field. They explore the evolution of emergency management, the importance of community engagement, and the role of technology in enhancing response efforts. The conversation highlights key lessons learned from major incidents, the significance of women in leadership roles, and the ongoing challenges faced ...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 68
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, Steven Kuhr and Linda Reissman discuss the challenges and experiences faced during the recent Hurricane Helene disaster in North Carolina. Linda shares her extensive background in emergency management and her unconventional role in supporting her community during the crisis. They explore the importance of communication, the impact of misinformation, and the need for civic education in disaster response. The conversation highlights the resilience ...
Nov 07, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 67
Summary In this episode of 'Five Minutes to Chaos', Steven Kuhr interviews Kit Lee-Demery, an experienced emergency manager, who shares her journey through various roles in crisis management. They discuss the importance of emergency management in different sectors, particularly in the private sector, and how it has evolved over time. Kit shares her experiences preparing for Hurricane Milton, emphasizing the need for effective communication and situational awareness during emergencies. The conver...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 66
Summary In this powerful episode of 'Five Minutes to Chaos', host Steven Kuhr engages in a deep conversation with John Peruggia, a veteran of the New York City Emergency Medical Services and Fire Department. They discuss John's extensive career, the merger of EMS with the FDNY, and the challenges faced during significant incidents, particularly the events of September 11, 2001. John shares his personal experiences and reflections on leadership, crisis management, and the evolution of emergency r...
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 65
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, host Steve Kuhr engages with Frank McCart0n, a seasoned emergency management leader with extensive experience in both New York City and California. They discuss Frank's journey through various roles in emergency management, the importance of crisis management practices, and the lessons learned from significant events such as wildland fires and structural collapses. The conversation emphasizes the need for coordination among agencies, the critical...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 64
Summary Senior Crisis Manager John Liuzzi shares his experience in crisis management as the global director of crisis management and business continuity for a large wine and spirits distributor. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the business and being a business partner rather than focusing solely on compliance. John discusses the logistics of the distribution business, including domestic and international transportation, and the significance of business survivability. He also shares...
Oct 10, 2024•53 min•Season 3Ep. 62
Summary In this episode, Steve Kuhr reflects on his experience during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and shares his thoughts on crisis management and communication. He discusses his journey from being in Orlando, Florida for a healthcare conference to making his way back to New York City to support the response efforts. Steve highlights the importance of effective communication and the challenges that still exist in crisis management today. He also expresses his gratitude to the individua...
Sep 11, 2024•25 min•Season 3Ep. 62
Summary In this episode, Mike Willis and Debbie Blyth discuss a cyber attack on the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the crisis management response to it. The attack occurred in February 2018 and affected CDOT's systems, including HR, payroll, contractor payment, variable message signs, toll collection, and more. The attack was initiated through a misconfigured virtual server in public cloud infrastructure, which allowed the attackers to gain access to the CDOT domain. The respon...
Jun 13, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 61
Summary In this conversation Podcast Host Steven Kuhr interviews Sarah Lux, an emergency management public information officer from Lake County, Florida. They discuss the role of public information officers (PIOs) in crisis management and share their experiences in the field. Sarah talks about her background in anthropology and how she transitioned into government communications. She also highlights the importance of utilities in crisis management and the challenges of communicating with the pub...
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 60
Summary In this episode, host Steven Kuhr welcomes Bob Ingram, a former battalion chief in the FDNY to the show. They discuss various topics related to emergency management and crisis response. They start by talking about a recent bridge collapse in Baltimore and the response to similar incidents in New York. They then delve into Bob's FDNY career and his role in special operations and hazmat. They also discuss the merger of EMS and FDNY and the challenges posed by lithium-ion battery fires. The...
May 30, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 59
Summary In this episode of Five Minutes to Chaos, host Steven Kuhr interviews Paul Penn, an experienced emergency management leader. They discuss the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland - which occurred on the day of the recording - and how crisis management architecture potentially helped the response. They highlight the importance of communication in crisis management and the quick response to the Mayday call from the captain of the vessel. They also touch on the ch...
May 23, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 58
Summary In this conversation, Steven Kuhr and Battalion Chief Jerry Tracy discuss the various units and operations of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). They highlight the extensive experience and expertise of the FDNY in responding to complex emergencies and crises. They also discuss the formation and role of squad companies, which are specialized units that can respond to fires, hazardous materials incidents, and other emergencies. The conversation emphasizes the importance of training ...
May 16, 2024•1 hr 50 min•Season 2Ep. 57
Summary In this conversation, Steven Kuhr and Michael Moquin discuss their experiences and observations in the emergency management and crisis management fields. They highlight the broad scope of emergency management, which encompasses both the public and private sectors. They also discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the industry, with an increase in crisis management jobs in the private sector. They emphasize the importance of reading job descriptions carefully to understand the specific focus of...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 56
Summary In this episode, host Steve Kuhr is joined by three guests to discuss the importance of exercises in crisis management. The guests include Rob Burton, the CEO of prepared X and ICMC, Tod Langley, the co-founder and CEO of Crisis Response Leader Training, and Adam Montella, a crisis manager and emergency manager and SVP at SummitET. They discuss the different types of exercises, such as tabletops, functional exercises, and full-scale exercises, and the importance of continuous improvement...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Introduction Jeannette Sutton, Ph.D., specializes in disaster and risk with a primary focus on online informal communication, and public alerts and warnings disseminated via short messaging channels. Much of her research investigates the evolving role of information and communication technology, including social media and mobile devices, for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Her current work centers on message design and testing across a range of hazard contexts including atmospheri...
Apr 25, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Introduction Peter is the Senior Risk Solutions Specialist for The Markel Group. He has been in EMS, emergency management and safety for over 30 years, having worked as a paramedic in NYC, as the Paramedic Director at Jersey City Medical Center and the Director of EMS and Disaster Preparedness for Saint Barnabas Health Care System. Peter was also the Safety Officer for the NJ State EMS Task Force. He remains a member of the Executive Board of the International Association of EMS Chiefs after com...
Apr 18, 2024•45 min•Season 2Ep. 53
Show Notes Five Minutes to Chaos has reached its 52nd episode, marking a significant milestone in the success of the podcast. The podcast has featured a diverse range of guests and panel episodes, covering various crisis events and innovative approaches to crisis management. For this special episode, Steven Kuhr discusses the topic of heat emergencies, which he believes captures the essence of emergency management. Key elements of managing heat emergencies include interagency collaboration, comm...
Apr 11, 2024•42 min•Season 2Ep. 52
