Emergency Management Solutions Newsletter

 

Helping Managers Lead Better in Crisis

 December 2011


Headshot
In This Issue
Is the Occupy Movement Really Unique?
Video: GGRC Preparedness Series
Professional Development
Life Balance
From the Bookshelf
Speaking Engagements

Is the Occupy Movement Really Unique?

 

A Historical Case Study

There have been a number of articles recently comparing the Occupy movement to the anti-war movement of the 60's, particularly in the area of lessons learned about crowd control. However, there is another historical event that is an even closer parallel to the Occupy movement: the Bonus Expeditionary Force and the occupation of Washington DC in the spring and summer of 1932.

 

Like the Occupy movement, the BEF was driven by economic need and the perception of unfair treatment. Like Occupy, the BEF attempted to influence the government by its physical presence. And like Occupy, it provoked an over-reaction on the part of government authorities.

 

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE
_________________________________

Disaster Preparedness Series 

 

Assessing Your Readiness
Assessing Your Readiness

This is the seventh video in the Golden Gate Regional Center Disaster Preparedness video series for the developmentally disabled. This video is intended to help service providers conduct as assessment of their facility using client needs as the foundation for their emergency plans.


Quick Links
   
Logo JPEG
My Website

Visit my blog

My Blog  
Emergency Management Solutions Newsletter
Newsletter Archive
Find me on Facebook

View my profile on LinkedIn
    
Follow me on Twitter

View my videos on YouTube
Join My Mailing List
Greetings!  

Welcome to the December issue of Emergency Management Solutions.
 
For years I have been a proponent of the study of history to help us cope with problems today. I firmly believe that there is really nothing new under the sun and that we can learn from the past. So this month my article looks at a forgotten incident from our past that has remarkable parallels to today's Occupy movement. I hope you find it interesting and thought-provoking.
  

My monthly newsletter is a great way to keep in touch but you're not getting full value if you're not also signed up for my blog. I usually try to blog twice a week, so don't miss out! You can sign up on my blog site Canton on Emergency Management.

 

Visit my blog 

 

If you are having trouble viewing my featured article, try clicking on the link at the top of the page. Alternatively, you can always find my white paper on my blog site, Canton on Emergency Management.

 Regards,
 
Lucien Canton

Professional Development 

 

Unless you're dealing with winter storms, chances are the holiday season will be fairly quiet around your office. So what will you be doing with all that quiet time?

 

So much of what we do is driven by external influences that we often feel as if we have no control over our work. But the fact is that we do - it's a question of scheduling and setting priorities. The basis for regaining control of your work is to establish goals and a realistic strategy for achieving them. I'm not talking about New Year's resolutions or a laundry list of things you'd like to do. I'm talking about specific things that you want to accomplish in terms of your work, your finances, and your professional development.

 

So take that quiet time and ask yourself, "What three things can I accomplish in the next year?" Map out a simple strategy and get to work!

 


Life Balance 
 
Ever since I was a little boy, the sound of the Salvation Army bells was the sign for me that Christmas had arrived. It was a magical time, with the decorations and that special "Christmas" feeling. To this day, the song "Silver Bells" is one of my favorite holiday tunes and always evokes pleasant memories.
  
As I grew older, the sound of the bells still meant Christmas, but I began to understand the meaning behind those bells. I learned about the work that the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, and so many other agencies do and how important these holiday donations were to them. I experienced the good they do first hand in my work in emergency management.
 
So take a moment during the holidays to think about all those volunteers who have given generously of their time to help others. I have a personal tradition of dropping a small donation in the kettle of the first bell ringer I hear each Christmas. Why not start your own holiday tradition for your favorite agency?
 
From the Bookshelf 

 

Looking for a little light reading over the holidays or for a gift for your favorite emergency manager? Try Stephen Keane's Disaster Movies: The Cinema of Catastrophe. Be warned - this is a serious work on film criticism, not a coffee table book and it is primarily focused on films from the 1970's to the 1990's. However, Keane's comments on how you define a disaster movie are interesting given our own problems defining disaster and it's just plain fun to realize how many of these movies you've seen. I'm admittedly a bit of a film buff, but I still think the average person will enjoy this book.

 
Speaking Engagements 

  

Looking for a Speaker?

 

Need a speaker for your next conference? I offer keynotes, seminars and workshops. You can find more details on my website  or on my SpeakerMixpage. 

 

Lucien Canton Seminar Excerpts
Lucien Canton Seminar Excerpts
 
If you've heard me speak...

...I'd greatly appreciate it if you would take a minute to give me feedback on SpeakerMix. Just go to the site and click on the "Write A Review" button. 

 

Many thanks!

�Lucien G. Canton  March 2011