The new normal: A catalyst for leadership adaptation in a tumultuous world—Let’s stop applying 20th century solutions to 21st century problems in emergency management

Attila J. Hertelendy, PhD; Eric J. McNulty, MA; Frederick M. Burkle, Jr, MD, MPH, PhD (Hon), DTM, FAAP, FACEP

doi:10.5055/jem.0628

Authors

Attila J. Hertelendy, PhD
Eric J. McNulty, MA
Frederick M. Burkle, Jr, MD, MPH, PhD (Hon), DTM, FAAP, FACEP

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.0628

Keywords:

COVID-19, pandemic, emergency management

Abstract

The COVID-19 Pandemic continues to be one of the most formidable public health challenges in modern history. Amidst the backdrop of new variants of the SARS CoV-2 virus, the pandemic that everyone thought would be over in a year shows little signs of abatement. Concurrently, the emergency management community globally have responded to an unprecedented number of crisis events. From March 2020 to September 2021, there have been sizeable disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes and tropical storms, earthquakes, and flooding. In addition, cyberattacks and terrorist activity have required additional manpower, management resources, and both the talent and funding to adequately study and train differently than we have to date.

Author Biographies

Attila J. Hertelendy, PhD

Associate Professor, College of Business, Florida International University, Miami, Florida; Adjunct Professor, Emergency and Disaster Management Program, Georgetown University, Washington DC; Co-Director of Research, Disaster Medicine Fellowship, Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts

Eric J. McNulty, MA

Associate Director, National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Center for Public Leadership, Boston, Massachusetts

Frederick M. Burkle, Jr, MD, MPH, PhD (Hon), DTM, FAAP, FACEP

Professor (Ret.), Senior Fellow & Scientist, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Senior International Public Policy Scholar, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington DC

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