George Mason faculty and staff present at the International Association of Emergency Managers Conference

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 18:45:02 +0000

George Mason faculty and staff present at the International Association of Emergency Managers Conference Nathan Kahl Tue, 12/03/2024 - 13:45

Members of George Mason University’s Center of Excellence in Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Cyber and Intelligence (C5I Center) and the Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities (C-RASC)—along with industry partners—presented at the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Annual Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado, November 18-20, 2024. The event convened emergency management professionals worldwide to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in the field.

George Mason presented emergency management-related work from various research centers, represented by Linton Wells II from the C-RASC and the C5I Center; Shou Matsumoto, also of the C5I Center; and industry partners.

George Mason’s exhibit included:

Work related to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-funded, "Enhancing Emergency Communications Resiliency and Effectiveness Through Artificial Intelligence." This effort is done in conjunction with the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications. The use of AI in emergencies was a major conference topic and several universities and industry partners presented in this area.
C5I Center partner ES Lab reflected the growing importance of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) defense by showcasing a computer equipment rack shielded against EMPs. ES Lab is donating the device to George Mason.

The conference’s 2,500 attendees could attend over 50 workshops and sessions covering disaster recovery, crisis communication, and climate change adaptation. A recurring theme was the importance of community preparedness and the role of technology in enhancing emergency response.

Following the conference, Wells and partners visited NIST's Public Safety Immersive Test Center and toured the FirstNet Authority facility in Boulder, Colorado. They also visited NOAAs Space Weather Prediction Center, which ties to EMP protection.

The ES Lab plans to collaborate on a significantly expanded presence at the 2025 IAEM conference in Louisville, which could provide opportunities for Georg Mason activities involved in Public Safety and Emergency Management to partner with emerging areas such as EMP, drones as first responders, and adaptive, compound threats.

IAEM, with more than 6,000 members, is an educational non-profit dedicated to promoting the Principles of Emergency Management and representing professionals whose goals are saving lives and protecting property and the environment during emergencies and disasters.

Topics

Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities

first responders

CEC Global Engagement