At FEMA, we know that emergency management requires expertise at all levels of government to be successful. We are at our best when we work together to help people before, during and after disasters.
In July, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell implemented the new Emergency Management Exchange (EMX), a new staff collaboration designed to better understand, communicate and share emergency management practices and information across all levels of government.
EMX brings state, tribal, local or territorial emergency managers or government officials to FEMA to work hand-in-hand with FEMA leadership on issues relevant to emergency management across the nation. Participants are nominated by their government office or program and then selected by FEMA. This Spring, EMX will again bring four non-federal government participants to FEMA. In exchange, a FEMA employee will also be available to support capability gaps specified by the non-federal government.
This full staff exchange gives FEMA a new way to collaborate with its partners. Both organizations benefit as they develop important program direction, share diverse and dedicated workforces, and consider solutions for the future of emergency management.
The first exchange included participants from California, Idaho, Maryland and Oklahoma. One of these four EMX participants is Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) Deputy Executive Director, Chas Eby. Since July, Eby has been working within the Recovery Directorate on projects to help deliver disaster recovery assistance to survivors and communities.
Maryland Department of Emergency Management Deputy Executive Director Chas Eby.
Eby wanted to participate in this opportunity to forge a partnership with FEMA and get a better understanding of the programs FEMA offers the states.
“I was excited FEMA was looking for state input on federal programs and how they can be leveraged to assist state and local jurisdictions, Tribal Nations and territorial governments,” he said. “I found the FEMA team to be very receptive.”
The EMX staff exchange is an opportunity for officials at different levels of government to work together and Eby experienced this collaboration firsthand. “FEMA is such a large agency with so many programs. There’s so much technical assistance, support, knowledge and expertise available,” he said. “It can be overwhelming to grasp it all from the outside. I’ve been able to work with dedicated people and learn more about how FEMA can support states.”
When in Maryland, Eby and the MDEM team are facilitating a study for a state disaster relief fund program. This proposed state program would fund assistance programs in instances when survivors are affected by an incident that may not meet federal disaster declaration threshold requirements.
“We want to identify new ways to address this problem. I can leverage what I’m learning at FEMA to help inform how we can improve and develop new programs in Maryland, including within a new Office of Resilience which will be housed in MDEM.”
“I have also had the opportunity to learn from my three EMX colleagues, Delanie Edmunds (Idaho), Alexandra Gallo (California) and Paige Nutter (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma),” said Eby. “Our EMX cohort has been collaborating closely on our projects and identifying ways to keep the EMX program effective for future participants.”
The nomination period for the next group of participants is open until November 30. This Spring, EMX will again bring four non-federal government participants to FEMA, but this time a FEMA employee will also be available to support capability gaps specified by the non-federal government.
This full staff exchange gives FEMA a new way to collaborate with its partners. Both organizations benefit as they develop important program direction, share diverse and dedicated workforces, and consider solutions for the future of emergency management.
For additional information on the program, or to learn how you can nominate your state, local, tribal, or territorial government employee for EMX, visit FEMA's EMX page.