The Importance of Community Engagement in Emergency Management

In the world of Emergency Management, we often speak of planning, preparedness, and mitigation. While all of these components are critical to a community’s recovery, the first step must be community engagement. Without buy-in and awareness within the community, the effectiveness of our response is significantly diminished. With increasing access to capabilities of technology, we must challenge ourselves to explore how we utilize technology to better address emergency management concerns with an emphasis on community engagement.

In 2019, Milwaukee County and the city of Milwaukee were among the first communities to identify racism as a public health crisis. And in doing so, we have subsequently taken steps to address the underlying social determinants of health. In his 2020 Milwaukee County Vision address, County Executive David Crowley focused heavily on investing upstream to address the “deep inequities that have existed in government systems for generations.” If you think of it, “investing upstream” is precisely what emergency preparedness is, both literally and figuratively. In Milwaukee County’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM), we have worked tirelessly to engage all communities within the County. Understanding that disparities only exasperate disasters, we are working closely with our community partners to engage populations that have been historically underserved, overlooked, and misunderstood.

An example of this incorporation of technology is our county-wide pandemic response. In the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Milwaukee County’s OEM quickly established itself as a forerunner in using technology to address the community’s needs. By developing a COVID-19 dashboard, we could inform the community regarding disease burdens within the County. It became abundantly clear that minority and socially vulnerable communities experienced the most significant challenges. As vaccines became available, we could identify geographic areas within the County with high disease burdens but low vaccination rates. The Milwaukee County COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard was recognized as a 2022 Special Achievement in GIS Award Winner by Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping for our revolutionary use of technology in public safety.

Taking technology to the next level, we developed the Evaluating Vulnerability and Equity Model (EVE Model), which proposed that we view community vaccination rates alongside the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to inform the equitable allocation of essential public resources. In doing so, we increased vaccination rates throughout the County. Our innovative approach has been recognized locally by the Wisconsin Policy Forum as the recipient of the 2021 Pandemic Hero Award.

“The first step to a community’s recovery is community engagement. We at Milwaukee County shift that paradigm to include the feedback from the whole community in the development and assessment of our preparedness plans and goals”

As we addressed COVID-19, we also experienced significant emergency management issues regarding public safety, environmental risks, and civil unrest. By building upon the models, we established during COVID-19 to address the disease burdens and vaccination rates, we are now monitoring disaster impacts within communities with the highest social vulnerability ratings. However, technology can only take us so far. Our goal within Milwaukee County OEM is to ensure that we provide the greatest level of service to those in the greatest need. We continue to prioritize community engagement to educate and inform the population and garner feedback regarding our residents’ physical, emotional, and financial needs.

In government, far too often, we rely on “best practices” and past knowledge to develop strategic plans to address service needs. Far less frequently do we ask the community what they need. It’s high time that we shift that paradigm to include the feedback from the whole community in the development and assessment of our preparedness plans and goals. When we think of diversity, we often think along the lines of race and gender, and we miss the opportunity to include those who may have access and functional needs. This is unacceptable. In Milwaukee County, every operational plan is viewed through racial equity and an intentionally inclusive lens to ensure that we accurately and thoroughly assist the community.

I’ve always believed that necessity is the catalyst for innovation. Our current operational model requires us to get out into the community, build relationships and be open to critique. I will not pretend that outreach is always easy, that feedback is always comfortable, or that we always get it right. But the information that is gathered during these processes is invaluable. Yet, how can we do better if we don’t know better? And the only way to know is to ask. Stay inquisitive.

Who are our most prominent stakeholders?

Who is our most at-risk population?

What are our objectives?

What are our resource gaps?

Who is missing from this conversation?

We must keep the community at the top of our minds in the whirlwinds of an emergency and the calm before the storm. Being ever conscientious of the community’s unique needs will inevitably make us better providers and human beings. So, my advice to those of us who are in the world of Emergency Management, both novice, and veteran, is to include the right people, ask the tough questions, be open to the feedback, and be willing to implement change when necessary. Only then can we truly serve the whole community.