Hurricane Nolo nears Hawaii Island; nor'easter warnings from Virginia to Massachusetts

EMN Media Podcast | Featuring Jeremy Greenberg Artificial intelligence is changing how we prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. But with all the excitement surrounding AI, one important question remains: Are we solving real emergency management problems, or are we simply chasing the latest technology? In this episode of EMN Media, host Todd T. DeVoe, CEM, sits down with Jeremy Greenberg, President of Provincial Strategies, Senior Advisor to Aspen Digital, and former FEMA Director of Response Operations and Chief of the National Response Coordination Center, to explore AI's evolving role in emergency management. The conversation centers on the AI for Disasters and Emergencies (AIDE) Initiative, a collaborative effort involving the Markle Foundation, Aspen Digital, and RAND that examined approximately 1,800 technologies to better understand how AI can support disaster operations. Todd and Jeremy discuss the opportunities and challenges of bringing AI into emergency management, from improving situational awareness and processing large amounts of information to overcoming organizational barriers and ensuring technology serves the people making critical decisions. They also explore the growing demands placed on emergency managers as disasters become more complex and technology advances at an unprecedented pace. But one message stands above the rest: AI may help us make faster, better-informed decisions, but it cannot replace an emergency manager's experience, judgment, and leadership. This episode goes beyond the hype to examine what AI can realistically deliver, where its limitations remain, and how emergency management professionals can prepare for a future in which technology and human judgment must work together. Because at the end of the day, technology is a tool. People make the difference. Links AIDE Website: https://www.aideinitiative.org/ AIDE Playbook: https://www.aideinitiative.org/playbook/

Episode Description What if the key to building stronger, safer, and more resilient communities isn’t another seawall, a bigger emergency operations center, or more concrete, but the relationships we build in everyday places? In this episode of EMM Hope, hosts Todd DeVoe and Andrew Boyarsky welcome Dr. Daniel P. Aldrich, author of the new book Beyond Common Ground: How Everyday Places Solve Big Social Challenges, published by the University of California Press. Dr. Aldrich challenges conventional thinking about how communities prepare for and respond to crises. Rather than focusing exclusively on physical infrastructure, he explores the power of social infrastructure—libraries, parks, community centers, neighborhood gathering spaces, and even radio programs—to strengthen social connections, build trust, and help communities confront some of society’s most difficult challenges. Drawing on examples from Japan, Philadelphia, and Africa’s Sahel region, Dr. Aldrich demonstrates how investments in relationships and shared spaces can help reduce disaster vulnerability, prevent crime, and counter violent extremism. For emergency managers, community leaders, and anyone interested in resilience, this conversation raises a fundamental question: Are we investing enough in the people and places that hold communities together before disaster strikes? Because when disaster happens, the first person to help you probably won’t be a government official. It will be someone who knows your name. Show Notes The Power of Social Infrastructure In this conversation, Todd DeVoe, Andrew Boyarsky, and Dr. Daniel P. Aldrich explore the often-overlooked connections between everyday community spaces, social capital, and resilience. Topics We Explore 1. Beyond Concrete and Steel Why social infrastructure deserves as much attention as traditional investments in physical infrastructure, and why stronger communities require more than buildings, roads, and emergency equipment. 2. The Importance of Social Capital How trust, relationships, and community networks influence disaster survival, emergency response, and long-term recovery. 3. Japan’s Ibasho Centers How elder-led community spaces demonstrate the importance of social connections, particularly among older adults living in communities exposed to tsunami hazards. 4. Greener Neighborhoods, Safer Communities What Philadelphia’s neighborhood greening initiatives reveal about the relationship between shared spaces, neighborhood investment, and crime reduction. 5. Radio as a Resilience Tool How community broadcasting in Africa’s Sahel region can help counter extremist recruitment, strengthen local relationships, and create opportunities for community engagement. 6. A Polysolution Approach to Complex Problems How a single investment in social infrastructure can help address multiple challenges, including climate change, public safety, social isolation, and disaster resilience. 7. Lessons for Emergency Managers Why building relationships before a disaster may be just as important as developing response capabilities, and how emergency managers can incorporate social infrastructure into preparedness and mitigation strategies. Questions for the Conversation * What exactly is social infrastructure, and why should emergency managers care about it? * How does social infrastructure differ from social capital? * Are we spending too much on physical infrastructure while overlooking the relationships that help communities survive? * Can a library, park, community center, or radio program actually save lives during a disaster? * What can American communities learn from Japan’s Ibasho centers? * How do we measure trust and relationships when our profession is accustomed to measuring equipment, staffing, and capabilities? * What can local governments do today to strengthen social infrastructure without significant new funding? * What is the one thing emergency managers should reconsider after reading Beyond Common Ground? About

THE EMN DAILY NEWS | Thursday, 1 October 2026 The Overview Flood watches across Texas and Oklahoma; FY27 starts on a CR Flood watches cover southern Oklahoma and much of north and central Texas today as the remnants of Hurricane Polo move across the region, with flash flood warnings overnight around Wichita Falls and a watch running through Friday evening over the Hill Country counties still in Public Assistance recovery from the July floods. Fiscal year 2027 opens on a continuing resolution that runs through December 11, holding agencies at fiscal 2026 levels and permitting up to $26.37 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund. The national preparedness level holds at 2 with 58 incidents and 4,826 personnel, down 574 in a day, with no new large fires. Year-to-date fire counts were adjusted sharply upward to 62,218, moving the season from 124 to 134 percent of the ten-year average. Dome in Yosemite National Park reached 39 percent contained as a second California team mobilizes. For great insight from leading emergency managment professionals, visit EM Network on Substack. KEY TAKEAWAYS Oklahoma and north Texas: The Norman forecast office holds a flood watch until 1 p.m. today for 25 Oklahoma counties and five northern Texas counties, with 2 to 4 inches likely and local amounts to 6 inches. Flash flood warnings ran overnight for Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, Iowa Park and Sheppard Air Force Base after 1 to 3 inches fell in short order. Central Texas: The Fort Worth office carries a flood watch through Friday morning across north central Texas, including Dallas, Denton, Collin and McLennan counties, with 2 to 3 inches widespread and localized totals to 5 inches. The Austin and San Antonio office holds a watch until 7 p.m. Friday for Hill Country counties including Kerr, Bandera, Uvalde, Real, Edwards, Gillespie and Kendall, all of which carry open Public Assistance from the July declaration. Fiscal year: Agencies begin fiscal 2027 under the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, signed September 2, which funds the government through December 11 at prior-year levels. The measure permits up to $26.37 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund, with obligations charged against fiscal 2027 appropriations rather than treated as supplemental. Under a continuing resolution, agencies cannot start programs, projects or activities that were not already funded and active, which constrains new grant starts until a full-year bill passes. Get ready, Long Beach! Join emergency management professionals from across the country and around the world for the IAEM 74th Annual Conference & EMEX, November 9-11, 2026, and experience three incredible days of big ideas, new connections, innovation, and the people shaping the future of emergency management. We’ll see you in Long Beach! Wildfire posture: Preparedness Level 2 with 58 incidents, 14 uncontained large fires, 1,641,606 acres and 4,826 personnel, a drop of 574, per the Wednesday situation report. Initial attack was light, with 91 fires and no new large incidents; one large fire was contained, and five complex teams were committed. The Northwest, Northern California and Southern Area each released more than 220 people in a single operational period. Reporting adjustment: Year-to-date fires rose from 57,521 to 62,218 in one reporting cycle, almost entirely in the Southern Area, which moved from 28,661 to 33,302. That shifts the season from 124 to 134 percent of the ten-year average for fire counts. The situation report attributes such changes to mapping or reporting adjustments rather than new activity, and a similar acreage swing last week reversed within days. California: Dome in Yosemite National Park grew 151 acres to 5,410 and jumped to 39 percent contained, up from 31, with 932 personnel and California Team 4 mobilizing. Costs stand at $24 million. Plaskett on the Los Padres National Forest is fully contained, and Timber holds at 88 percent with numerous structures still threatened. Northwest:

FEMA has issued a formal definition of emergency management, calling it the strategic coordination of emergency services to protect life, property, and continuity of operations, and paired it with 12 coordination responsibilities that every FEMA component must now align its doctrine, training and publications to. Three Federal Register notices published yesterday reset the annual assistance numbers: Individuals and Households Program maximums rise to $44,800 each for housing and other needs, Serious Needs Assistance goes to $790, and the Public Assistance simplified procedures threshold moves to $1,093,800. Texas added four more counties for Public Assistance, while its Individual Assistance request for 30 counties remains pending. The national preparedness level holds at 2 with 62 incidents and 5,400 personnel, down 297, and three new large fires in the Southern Area. Moisture from decaying Hurricane Polo brings wetting rain and localized flooding to the Southwest and Colorado today. The EMN Daily NEWS is your concise daily update on national and state-by-state emergency management news. For more detailed analysis of issues facing emergency management, subscribe to EM Network on Substack. KEY TAKEAWAYS FEMA doctrine: The definition came in a September memorandum from Administrator Cameron Hamilton, released September 22 during National Preparedness Month. It sets 12 coordination responsibilities running from capacity building through continuous improvement, alongside professional skills covering command and coordination, consequence analysis, planning, decision-making under pressure, technical writing and after-action analysis. FEMA says the standard applies regardless of sector, and all components will update doctrine, policy, guidance, training, workforce materials and exercise products to match. Assistance thresholds: The new figures took effect with yesterday’s Federal Register notices and are indexed to a 2.9 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for the 12 months ending August 2025. The Individuals and Households Program caps at $44,800 for housing assistance and $44,800 for other needs assistance. Serious Needs Assistance is set at $790. The Public Assistance simplified procedures threshold rises to $1,093,800. Texas: The major disaster declaration for the July storms and flooding now includes Grimes, Live Oak, McMullen and Schleicher counties for Public Assistance, in addition to the 19 counties approved earlier. The state’s request for Individual Assistance covering 30 counties remains pending. Get ready, Long Beach! Join emergency management professionals from across the country and around the world for the IAEM 74th Annual Conference & EMEX, November 9-11, 2026, and experience three incredible days of big ideas, new connections, innovation, and the people shaping the future of emergency management. We’ll see you in Long Beach! Wildfire posture: Preparedness Level 2 with 62 incidents, 15 uncontained large fires, 1,690,313 acres and 5,400 personnel, a drop of 297, per the Tuesday situation report. Initial attack was light, with 90 fires, three new large incidents, two large fires contained and five complex teams committed. Year to date, the country is at 57,521 fires and 8,565,689 acres, 124 and 141 percent of the ten-year averages. Southern Area: Fifty-five new fires and three new large incidents. Honey, nine miles southwest of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, on Bureau of Indian Affairs protection, is 333 acres and 80 percent contained, with active fire behavior and structures threatened. 3 Alpha Sierra, five miles west of Weston, Florida, is 330 acres and 16 percent contained. Stone Bridge near Wilburton, Oklahoma, grew to 45 acres with residences threatened. California: Timber on the Los Padres National Forest jumped to 88 percent contained, up from 77, with numerous structures still threatened and costs at $171.6 million. Dome in Yosemite National Park grew 178 acres to 5,259 acres, at 31 percent contained. Command on

THE EMN NEWS DAILY BRIEF | Tuesday, 29 September 2026 Hawaii County has shifted from response to damage assessment after Hurricane Nolo and is asking residents and businesses to file damage reports through separate residential and commercial forms. Governor Josh Green has identified roughly $686 million in damage and recovery costs from the state’s first four disasters of 2026, before Nolo, which was the season’s seventh tropical cyclone. In the Northeast, Rhode Island Energy restored all 50,000 customers it lost in under 48 hours, and PSEG Long Island reported more than 128,000 cumulative outages, with more than 99 percent restored by late Monday. The nor’easter produced an 81-mile-per-hour gust at Montauk Point and 6.3 inches of rain in southeastern Massachusetts. The national preparedness level holds at 2 with 64 incidents and 5,697 personnel, down 306, while the Southern Area reported 63 new fires. CISA released nine industrial control system advisories last week. The EMN NEWS Daily Brief is your concise daily update on national and state-by-state emergency management news. KEY TAKEAWAYS Hawaii assessment: Mayor Kimo Alameda said flooding remains the county’s biggest concern, particularly in Kau, where roads closed after overnight rain. Naalehu, Waiohinu and Pahala took the brunt of the rain and wind, the same communities Hurricane Lala hit in August. The three shelters opened in Naalehu, Pahala and Ocean View held 10 people Sunday morning and have since closed. Hawaii water system: Department of Water Supply crews are assessing the system for damage and connecting backup generators, and will notify customers when normal use may resume. Customers may see low pressure or intermittent service while conditions stabilize. The essential-use request remains in effect. Kauai deadlines: Hurricane Lowell recovery continues, with the Koloa hurricane resource center open today and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Households that lost food to power outages may be eligible for replacement SNAP benefits. Real property tax exemption applications close tomorrow with no extensions. Owners of storm-damaged property have until June 30, 2027, to file for disaster tax relief. Get ready, Long Beach! Join emergency management professionals from across the country and around the world for the IAEM 74th Annual Conference & EMEX, November 9-11, 2026, and experience three incredible days of big ideas, new connections, innovation, and the people shaping the future of emergency management. We’ll see you in Long Beach! Nor’easter restoration: Rhode Island Energy deployed more than 270 crew members and field personnel, responded to more than 270 vegetation-related outages and over 150 wires-down 911 calls, and replaced 20 broken poles. Scituate, South Kingstown, Cumberland and Coventry were hardest hit. PSEG Long Island ran 16-hour shifts against more than 1,000 downed trees and 530 large branches. Coastal damage: Long Island is assessing steep erosion at Gilgo Beach, where the Army Corps of Engineers was already mobilized for sand replenishment. The stairs to the surf at Smith Point Park were destroyed, part of the Jones Beach fishing pier was knocked down, and the Jones Beach theater took significant damage with water reaching the orchestra seats. In Lindenhurst, floodwater surrounded homes for three days. Measured coastal inundation in New York City topped 2.6 feet. Wildfire posture: Preparedness Level 2 with 64 incidents, 17 uncontained large fires, 1,681,161 acres and 5,697 personnel, a drop of 306, per the Monday situation report. Initial attack was light at 89 fires, with one new large incident and five complex teams committed. Year to date, the country is at 57,339 fires and 8,563,287 acres, 124 and 142 percent of the ten-year averages. Southern Area: Sixty-three new fires, the most of any region by a wide margin, and one new large incident. Rafter 4B southeast of Eldorado, Texas grew 850 acres to 2,100 and rose to 50 percent contained, adding 114