8 | | JUNE 2021Be sure you read that title correctly. It's not "Don't forget `em, ya'll!" It's "Don't forget EM, ya'll!" The lack of that small punctuation mark signifies something very different, and much needed in today's world ­ Emergency Management (EM). Our world today certainly seems more out of sorts than most of us have seen in our lifetimes: worldwide pandemic, fierce storms and wildfires, civil unrest, an active hurricane season... In times like these, the importance of Emergency Management is clear. Many organizations and municipalities have spent a great deal of time and effort over the past years, perhaps decades, ensuring that their contingency plans were current and well-exercised. In 2020, those organizations were stressed, but not as much as those who simply didn't put much thought into preparedness. "It'll never happen to us," or "It could never get THAT bad," are phrases they might have uttered in days past. Those organizations are likely still reeling from this year's reality - they just weren't as ready as they could have been.One challenge that many top managers face is how to justify spending on Emergency Management when other expenditures are more pressing, more visible, and may provide more short-term benefit. Since most organizations are not facing a major disaster at any given time, perhaps the better approach is not to focus on the current state of affairs, but rather to By Jeff Johnston, CEM, Asst. City Manager / Deputy EM Coordinator, City of McAllen, TexasDON'T FORGET EM, YA'LL!IN MY OPINION
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