Self-Imposed Barriers to Technology Adoption

04/15/25 • 59 min

Technology is a driving force in public safety today. There are multiple challenges that come with considering which technologies should be adopted and fielded within an organization. Before that can happen, we need to collectively overcome self-imposed barriers to technology adoption, which is the subject of this Disaster Zone Podcast.
The podcast guest is Garry Briese who has had a distinguished career in the fire service. Only recently retiring in January 2025 as the Executive Director of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs. Previously Garry served for 23 years as the Executive Director/CEO of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) in Washington DC and prior was the Executive Director/CEO of the Florida College of Emergency Physicians for 14 years.
Additionally, he was appointed as the Regional Administrator for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 8 of the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush. Prior to DHS/FEMA, he was Vice President, Emergency Management & Homeland Security for ICF International, a $1.5 billion NASDAQ-listed professional services corporation.
Today he serves as one of four independent directors on the corporate Board of Directors of WS Darley Company, a 116-year-old family-owned business founded in 1908. In 2024, Darley had more than $1 Billion in sales as an international pump & fire apparatus manufacturer & distributor for the military, fire and emergency services.
Garry has presented at conferences in Japan, Israel, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Sweden, Canada, the United Kingdom and across the United States. He is a well-known speaker on leadership and followership and on future challenges for both the private and government sectors. He has broad experience in non-profit organizations and for-profit companies in local, state, national, federal, and international domains His visionary and forward-thinking leadership and accomplishments have been recognized by multiple international and national organizations.Please visit our sponsors!
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Previous Episode

Examining the Changes at FEMA with Craig Fugate

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been predominantly in the news for many months. Most recently as both President Trump and the Secretary of Homeland Security have made remarks that FEMA should be abolished. More recently a 20-person council has been established to examine how best the federal response and recovery efforts to disasters should be accomplished. This then is the topic for this podcast.
Craig Fugate the podcast guest served as President Barack Obama’s FEMA Administrator from May 2009 to January 2017. Previously, he served as Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s Emergency Management Director from 2001-2007 and Governor Charlie Crist from 2007-09.
Fugate led FEMA through multiple record-breaking disaster years and oversaw the Federal Government’s response to major events such as the Joplin and Moore Tornadoes, Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Matthew, and the 2016 Louisiana flooding.
FEMA’s effectiveness in dealing with more than 500 Presidentially declared major disasters and emergencies under Fugate’s leadership restored the faith of the American people in the Federal Government’s ability to respond to disasters.
Prior to his tenure at FEMA, Fugate was widely praised for his management, under Governor Jeb Bush, of the devastating effects of the 2004 and 2005 Florida hurricane seasons (Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Dennis, Katrina, and Wilma). Craig provides senior level advice and consultation in disaster management and resiliency policy through Craig Fugate Consulting LLC.
Please visit our sponsors!
L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com
Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulse
Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com