Dr. Keith Clement, a Fresno State criminology professor and expert on emergency management/homeland security education for the State Department, believes Hurricane Isaac and other natural and human-caused hazards bring emergency preparedness into sharp focus.

“Emergency preparedness is a critical subject these days,” said Clement,” with wildfires raging in the Western U.S., a major tropical storm/hurricane threatening the Gulf Coast, earthquake ’swarms’ in Southern California and massive drought throughout the Midwest and Plains states.”

The key question, Clement said, is “How ready are you and your family to ’hang on’ for 72 hours after a disaster or catastrophe?”

With the State Department, Clement in May participated in a digital video conference discussing emergency management with officials in U.S. consulates in cities across Canada and with academics, first responders, public educators and emergency project managers.

Clement has also given presentations on a variety of emergency management and homeland security subjects with the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Clement also serves as the planning director for the California State University’s Council for Emergency Management and Homeland Security (CEMHS) organization, a statewide academic initiative geared towards creating a more traditional and formalized academic discipline.

He is coordinating and moderating the 2012 CEMHS Emergency Management and Homeland Security Education and Campus Preparedness Summit at the California State University Chancellor’s Office Sept. 22-26 in Long Beach.

Clement is graduate coordinator of the Homeland Security Program in Fresno State’s Department of Criminology.

Related links: