Why Saran Wrap Belongs in Your Disaster Kit
When we talk about disaster preparedness, everyone thinks about the obvious things: water, flashlights, batteries, medications, first aid supplies, and food. But there is one inexpensive item I think deserves a place in almost every disaster kit: Plastic wrap. Yes, Saran Wrap. I have spent a lot of my career working in emergency medicine, disaster […]
“Work outside your comfort zone.”
That was one of the strongest messages from today’s SAPA panel on Large-Scale Combat Operations and the Role of Physician Associates in the Future Fight. Cross-train. Continue to practice. Learn how to lead, advise, and remain effective when the environment, and the patient, does not follow the plan. In austere settings, you will not always […]
Looking forward to presenting tomorrow at the 2026 SAPA & NSPA Annual CME Conference on
Prolonged Casualty Care Principles: From the Battlefield to Disaster Response I’m especially excited to present alongside a PA colleague and bring together military, civilian, and nursing perspectives to explore how the principles of prolonged casualty care translate from military medicine into disaster response. When evacuation is delayed, resources are limited, infrastructure is disrupted, and definitive […]
Before the Next Disaster: Apps You Should Have on Your Phone Now
We spend a lot of time talking about disaster kits: water, food, medications, flashlights, batteries, chargers. But what about your phone? For most of us, our phone is also our weather radio, map, communication system, flashlight, camera, source of emergency information, and sometimes even our connection to emergency services. The problem is that a disaster […]
🦈 What does Shark Week have to do with disaster leadership? More than you might think!
I had the opportunity to speak at a MENSA conference, where the theme was Shark Week, so naturally, my presentation became: 🦈 SWIMMING WITH SHARKSStaying Calm, Leading Effectively, and Making Decisions When Disaster Strikes And nothing keeps you humble quite like standing at the front of a room full of Mensa members thinking, “Well… literally […]
Too Hot to Power: When Extreme Heat Strains Critical Infrastructure
We often talk about extreme heat as a public health emergency. We talk about heat exhaustion and heat stroke. We remind people to hydrate, check on older adults, avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day, and seek out air conditioning. But there is another part of the extreme heat conversation that deserves […]
Whoever saves one life, it is as if they have saved all of mankind.” ~Qur’an 5:32
What is your favorite quote? This verse has guided my life and career. As an emergency and disaster nurse, it reminds me that every life matters and that even helping one person can have an immeasurable impact. It’s more than my favorite quote, it’s my purpose. ❤️ It aligns with another belief I live by: […]
Building Preparedness, One Community at a Time
I had the privilege of spending time with the incredible women of The Links, Incorporated – Southern Maryland (MD) Chapter discussing something that affects every community: disaster preparedness. Preparedness isn’t just about having supplies. It’s about having the knowledge and confidence to act when seconds matter. During our session, we talked about practical steps individuals […]
One skill everyone should know is how to save a life.
What’s a skill you consider basic, that most people don’t actually know how to do? Every minute matters during an emergency, and bystander action can mean the difference between life and death. Yet many people have never learned CPR or how to stop life-threatening bleeding. Imagine if every family, workplace, school, and place of worship […]
What The Last Ship Can Teach Us About Disaster Preparedness
Like many people interested in emergency management, disaster response, and public health, I recently started watching The Last Ship on Netflix. Although it’s a fictional television series, it raises an interesting question: What can emergency professionals actually learn from disaster fiction? Quite a bit. While Hollywood naturally dramatizes events, many of the challenges portrayed in […]