LeadersLink

06/01/2026

A panel tasked with revamping the role of FEMA recently released its recommendations. The FEMA Review Council proposed that state and local governments take on more responsibility for responding to disasters. It also suggested dramatically narrowing the number of individuals eligible for federal disaster aid.

The changes come after the president proposed an overhaul, or outright elimination, of the disaster response agency.

04/26/2026

Challenging times for communities across the country as most of the U.S. experiences record drought. Local leaders who may never have faced this before now need to factor water conservation and wildfire prevention measures into their emergency plans.

The contiguous United States is experiencing record drought levels for this time of year, according to weather data.

04/16/2026

Love seeing communities that have suffered trauma and disasters reach out and support one another!

Mayor Rick Blangiardi thanked the New York City Fire Department for their help during the ongoing disaster recovery following the recent Kona low storms.

03/30/2026

Cities and counties can resume applying for federal aid to make their communities safer from potential disasters. The program, which President Trump signed into law in his first term, has been restarted in accordance with a federal judge's order after being eliminated for allegedly being "wasteful and ineffective."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday opened applications for a major resilience grant program that the agency canceled last year, less than three weeks after a federal judge ordered FEMA to make the funding available.

03/18/2026

Disaster recovery is a slow process. St. Louis, Missouri residents impacted by an EF3 tornado there last May met this week with city leaders to learn about measures to speed up rebuilding.

Mayor Cara Spencer said residents should expect visible changes to tornado-impacted areas as the one-year anniversary of the storm approaches.

03/03/2026

Check out this universal message on getting through disaster and crisis from someone who understands them intimately. Angela Blanchard, longtime Houston Chief Resilience and Recovery Officer, stood up a shelter there for 10,000 people in a matter of hours after Hurricane Katrina. She now advises communities around the world on rebuilding and recovery.

In this keynote address, Angela shares stories from communities all over the world where people have faced the unthinkable and gone on together to rebuild th...

02/21/2026

Last year was a near record breaker when it comes to major disasters in the U.S. Hurricanes are often to blame. But not this time.

The LA wildfires last January helped push the nation's "billion-dollar disasters" to a near record last year, even without a landfalling hurricane.

01/27/2026

Ever wonder how cities decide who gets plowed out first after a blizzard? Technology now plays a major role in dealing efficiently with a snowstorm's aftermath.

See how traffic data help cities optimize snow plow routes, allocate resources efficiently, and keep roads safe during winter storms.

01/13/2026

We are pleased to announce that Bemidji, Minnesota Mayor Jorge Prince will be the fourth recipient of the Tommy Longo Disaster Leadership Award for his courageous conduct when his city was devastated in 2025 by a destructive derecho.
LeadersLink crated the nationwide award to honor city and county officials who lead their communities well through a major disaster.
Nominations for the award came from around the country, with nominees leading recoveries from wildfires, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes.
The three-judge panel said Mayor Prince was chosen because he’d done an extraordinary job leading Bemidji when the straight-line wind event, called a derecho, swept through the city of 15,000 on June 21, damaging hundreds of homes and businesses and causing widespread power outages. The hurricane-force 120 mph winds caused $10 million in damage to city-owned buildings alone and destroyed an estimated nine million trees there and in the surrounding county.
“Mayor Prince demonstrated exceptional leadership and resilience during the derecho,” the judges wrote. “His ability to guide the community to a swift and robust recovery while working to implement innovative measures to protect against future threats truly sets him apart as a leader dedicated to long-term community wellbeing.”
The award is named after the late mayor of Waveland, Mississippi, John Thomas “Tommy” Longo. Longo led the city’s successful recovery from Hurricane Katrina and volunteered to serve as one of LeadersLink’s first mentors, sharing what he had learned with other mayors whose towns had been damaged by hurricanes.
LeadersLink Founder and Executive Director Kathleen Koch will present the award to Mayor Prince in the coming months at an event in Minnesota. The League of Minnesota Cities nominated Prince for the award.
“As disasters become more frequent and severe, leaders like Mayor Prince are a brain trust for those who follow,” said Koch. “Sharing what disaster veterans like him have learned can help speed the recoveries of other communities struggling after major disasters.”

01/05/2026

What plans does your city or county have to safely evacuate disabled residents and others with mobility challenges during a disaster? This examination of the 2025 Los Angeles fires has lessons every community can learn from.

People with disabilities face higher disaster deaths because planning failures turn hazards into disproportionate threats. The public should be ready to manage on their own for extended periods, and public entities need to plan for and be honest with people they cannot reach in an emergency.