[FEMA Basic Academy Graduation]
[00:00:05]
THE BASIC ACADEMY IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY PRIDE OURSELVES ON.
IT PROVIDES A FOUNDATION FOR ALL EMERGENCY MANAGERS.
AND HERE'S THE THING, IT'S FOR ALL THOSE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS IN A DISASTER.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THOSE INCIDENTS WITH EFFECTIVENESS.
I'M REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSED AND EXCITED BECAUSE, UH, YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE THAT THERE'S A TOP DOWN LEADERSHIP LEVEL.
I THINK AS YOUR PARISH PRESIDENT IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST PARISH PRESIDENT THAT HAS, HAS DEVOTED THE TIME AND COMMITMENT TO TAKE ALL THESE COURSES.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND MY TEAM, THAT WE HAVE A PARISH PRESIDENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION PUT SUCH A HIGH MARQUEE VALUE ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ITSELF.
WE CAN'T JUST KNOW ABOUT THOSE FOUR HAZARDS.
WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO PLAN EFFECTIVELY FOR THEM, PRACTICE THOSE, EXERCISE THOSE, TRAIN FOR THOSE, IT HELPS US GET BETTER SO WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT THOSE CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, ESPECIALLY ELECTED OFFICIALS BEING EMBEDDED HERE AT THE EOC WORKING WITH OUR STAFF, THAT I REALIZE THERE'S A WHOLE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE AND A WHOLE FRAMEWORK THAT FOR ME TO DO MY JOB PROPERLY, I NEED TO KNOW THIS EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING LEADS TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM.
IT'S GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BETTER PREPARED AND IT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO MAKE, TO GIVE THE PARISH PRESIDENT THE CORRECT INFORMATION SO THAT SHE HAS A CLEAR SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S OCCURRING AND THEN THAT WILL ALLOW HER TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS THAT'S GONNA SERVE, ULTIMATELY SERVE THE CITIZENS THAT ARE IN HARM'S WAY.