TULSA, Okla. — As hurricane season began, the Southwestern Division’s public affairs teams convened in New Orleans to collaborate with their New Orleans and Mississippi Valley Division counterparts.

Teams from Tulsa, Little Rock, Fort Worth, and Galveston came together for the training-based meeting to enhance communication strategies and disaster response plans based on lessons learned from past natural disasters.

“Collaboration and training are linchpins of success,” said Neil Murphy, Galveston District public affairs chief, “especially for emergency and disaster response.”

“The bench-marking, alignment, and confidence gained by pausing to plan deliberate actions when the sun is shining builds the foundation for faster, effective, and efficient execution when the clouds roll in – when lives and property are at stake, this activity is a must-do,” said Murphy.

The training sessions centered on hurricane response protocols, drawing from the experiences encountered within the Mississippi Valley’s area of responsibility. These protocols, crafted from past disasters’ lessons, guide swift and coordinated action.

“Early coordination and collaboration among division and district offices before an event occurs is critical for any emergency mission success,” said Lisa Parker, Mississippi Valley Division chief of public affairs.

“Having a plan and discussing lessons learned and best practices only enhances our capabilities to be better communicators before, during, and after a disaster,” said Parker.

The teams visited critical flood mitigation projects in New Orleans as part of the training. These site visits provided invaluable insights into infrastructure resilience and enhanced disaster response capabilities.

This meeting was more than just getting ready for hurricanes. It shows that the public affairs teams in the Southwestern Division are working together and supporting each other. They’re breaking down barriers between different areas and departments to work as one team. This unity is crucial for dealing with disasters effectively.

“I’m thankful that SWD leadership fosters an environment where new thoughts, ideas, and techniques are encouraged and shared,” said Murphy. “When leaders support this in the communication planning realms, we strengthen our ability to conduct the necessary activities that help us all prepare for and reduce risks from the natural disasters before they appear on the horizon.”