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Session 51 | Risk to Resilience: Continuity Strategies for Effective Emergency Preparedness
Time: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Type/Topic: Operations/Regulatory/Legal Compliance
Session Summary
This session will explore how healthcare facility administrators can strengthen continuity planning by preparing for non-traditional emergencies that increasingly impact operations and patient care. Moving beyond hurricanes and fires, participants will examine emerging threats such as cyberattacks, supply chain disruptions, utility failures, workforce shortages, and cascading infrastructure impacts. Through real-world examples and guided discussion, the session highlights practical strategies to enhance resilience, including redundancy planning, cross-sector partnerships, adaptive staffing models, and decision-making under uncertainty. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to integrate these considerations into existing emergency plans, ensuring their facilities remain operational and responsive in an evolving risk landscape.
Presenters
Franklin Riddle
Executive Director | Tampa Bay Health & Medical Preparedness Coalition
About the Presenter
Franklin Riddle is Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Health and Medical Preparedness Coalition (TBHMPC), Florida's largest healthcare coalition representing nine counties in West Central Florida. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare emergency preparedness, he works closely with hospitals, long-term care, and community partners to strengthen coordination, training, and response capabilities. He previously served with ASPR and the Florida Emergency Response Team and holds the Florida Professional Emergency Manager - Healthcare (FPEM-HC) designation.
Pam Keil
Emergency Management Specialist | Orange County Office of Emergency Management
About the Presenter
Pamela Keil is an Emergency Management Specialist with Orange County's Office of Emergency Management, overseeing nearly 285 healthcare facilities. She reviews emergency plans to state standards and ensure they are practical and effective. Her work proved critical during Hurricanes Milton and Ian, when facilities evacuated due to flooding. Pam holds a Communications degree with over 20 years of experience in media, retail, and marketing. Prior to joining Orange County, she served with the Florida Division of Emergency Management. As often as life permits, you can find her at any of the four parks of Walt Disney World or Aquatica Water Park.
Steven Lerner
Division Manager | Seminole County Office of Emergency Management
About the Presenter
Steven Lerner graduated from the University of Central Florida in May of 2013 with a bachelor's degree in public administration a minor in Emergency Management and a Master's Degree in Public Safety and Service Leadership from Drury University. Upon graduating college, Steven was hired by Seminole County's Office of Emergency Management where he currently serves as the Division Manager. Before this role, Steven held other positions in the Division focused on managing state and federal grants and conducting extensive mitigation work for the County. Steven has worked on several notable incidents in Central Florida. Steven served as the Planning Section Chief for the Orlando Pulse Night Club Attack, Hurricane Matthew, and Hurricane Irma. Steven was also deployed to the State EOC to support communities in the recovery from Hurricane Michael. Most recently, Steven has served as the Planning Section Chief for the COVID-19 Response in Seminole County, FL, and Unified Incident Commander for Haiti Repatriation efforts. Steven has achieved the Florida Professional Emergency Manager designation through the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association and the Certified Emergency Manager designation through the International Association of Emergency Management. Most recently Steven was a graduate of the National Emergency Management Executive Academy where he joined other leaders in the Emergency Management field from across the nation to discuss high-level policy issues and develop evidence-based solutions to increase the effectiveness of the response to national-level incidents.