The President’s Banquet at the annual conference is traditionally a time when incoming presidents outline their vision and strategic initiatives for the year ahead. This year's banquet at the Broadmoor was no exception, though I also chose to use that time at the podium to inspire industry-wide collaboration and teamwork and to issue a challenge to emergency managers everywhere.

In the spirit of transparency and to ensure that all IAEM members have an opportunity to hear the message, a video recording of the banquet speech is shared below. I intend to post more conference reflections in the January 2025 edition of the State of the Association Address, so for now, my message is simply about sharing the challenge.

The Challenge

One of my favorite experiences from the IAEM2024 annual conference was planting the Easter egg during the opening ceremony and listening to folks reference it throughout the week. I enjoyed watching the crowd stand and clap when they had no idea what was in store. And I especially got a kick out of listening to keynote speakers reference the Easter egg later that day. No one would learn the meaning and purpose of what they experienced until the President’s Banquet on Wednesday.

So, what was it?

The walk-up song at the opening ceremony was Danger Zone, by Kenny Loggins, from the 1986 movie Top Gun. The crowd didn’t realize it then, but by the end of the week, I would be issuing a challenge to emergency managers around the country inspired by that song and movie.

Danger Zone was chosen not just because I love Top Gun (yes, I’m a child of the 80s; it’s in my DNA) but because of what the movie and song represent: courage, grit, risk, and creative problem-solving. As we look at emergency management, where we’ve been, what’s influencing us, and what’s in front of us, I see we have the same opportunity to push the limits.

Except, moving forward, I’ve changed my approach.

You won’t find me asking for a fly-by.

Looking around, it’s clear that emergency management stands at a pivotal moment in time:

• Federal grants have been reduced, and there’s a lingering threat of them going away in their entirety.
• Federal oversight entities have been evaluating our effectiveness at long-term recovery, and they’re considering whether that mission should be reassigned to other departments.
• More emergency management agencies nationwide are being shifted under other organizations, moving us further away from the executives in charge.
• Mis, dis, and malinformation continue to spread after each large-scale incident, which not only affects survivors but is killing our spirits as emergency managers.
• We’re in a state of permacrisis. Something is always happening, and it feels like we can never catch up.

Honestly, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If I listed them all, you’d never make it to the end of this blog post. In summation, these outside influences are attacking the heart and soul of emergency management, and the very core of what we do is being questioned. It’s time we band together. And it’s time we get to work.

Emergency managers everywhere have been issued a challenge.

THIS is the year we must channel our inner Maverick.

”You’ll never know what you can do
Until you get it up as high as you can go”

What does it mean to channel our inner Maverick?

Mavericks think outside the box in pursuit of innovative ideas. They are known for their boldness and self-reliance and are seen as trailblazers in their fields.

They don’t just go along to get along.

They challenge the status quo of what has always been in search of a better tomorrow.

The world is telling us it’s time to think and operate differently and pivot to meet the evolving needs of modern society. As I shared with the crowd, emergency managers around the country have an opportunity to shape the future. It’s time to tell and sell our story differently, grab a seat at the executive table, and gain the much-deserved respect and recognition from chief elected officials and chief executives everywhere.

We must work together to build a stronger tomorrow, no matter who we represent or where we live. Public, private, nonprofit, academicians, utilities, universities, healthcare, transportation – it doesn’t matter. We must start advocating for the same things and we must. get. loud.

But to effectively implement change, we can no longer be a house-divided.

So, we must channel our inner Mavericks and be bold with where we go from here.

As you look ahead to 2025, here are some ideas on ways to change your approach and push the limits:  

• Schedule meetings with local officials to tell emergency management’s story. Be bold. Think bigger than what we’ve always done and speak to the disaster landscape of the future.
• With every crisis comes opportunity. When your program is asked to step up and take on responsibilities outside of the “traditional emergency management mission space” (…we can discuss this later), leverage the request as an opportunity to build or improve your program. Need more staff? Funding? Authority? This is the time to ask.
• Fiercely advocate for more robust systems, equipment, tools, policies, and processes. The status quo, mediocrity, and maintaining an average program won’t cut it anymore.
• Proactively engage senior officials in your organization to show them the value of emergency management. We aren’t just an insurance plan. Every organization needs an emergency manager.
• Speak up! Especially when funding and staffing decisions are being made that affect your programs.
• Be a leader. When you convene partners and collaborate on initiatives, don’t just convene; lead the conversation.
• Don’t sit back. Go after more authority, autonomy, funding, and staff. Regularly.

At the end of the day, the future of emergency management is one where we are no longer just a part of public safety, circling the outer perimeters of first response. We are public administrators. It’s time we level up our game to reflect that position.

p.s. As my flight was boarding in Colorado to return home, I heard Danger Zone playing over the speakers in the airport. No, I’m not kidding, and you can bet I grinned from ear to ear on the jet bridge. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to a fantastic week.  

“Out along the edges
Always where I burn to be
The further on the edge
The hotter the intensity”

2024 IAEM Banquet Message from IAEM-USA President Carrie Speranza, CEM