Brian Cavanaugh, former Senior Director for Resilience Policy on the National Security Council (NSC), current Senior Vice President at American Global Strategies, and Vandenberg Coalition Advisory Board member joins Flash Focus. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Brian and Vandenberg Executive Director Carrie Filipetti discuss the protocol guiding hurricane emergency response efforts. Helene and Milton have rocked the southeastern U.S., decimating communities, leaving millions without power, and resulting in the death of over 200 Americans and reportedly over a 1,000 remain missing. For many Americans, these storms have evoked imagery from other recent catastrophic hurricanes in U.S. history, such as Hurricane Katrina In this episode, Brian highlights what resilience policy is, how disaster response is coordinated at the local, state, and federal levels, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster relief fund, ways that Americans can support impacted communities, and more. 

If you would like to support those impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, we suggest donating to one of these efforts, among others:

• American Red Cross - You can make a financial donation or schedule a blood donation by visiting redcross.org. You can also text the word HURRICANES to 90999 to make a donation.
• United Way - You can donate directly through the United Way's website at www.unitedway.org/hurricane-helene to support various disaster relief efforts. United Way has several state-specific funds available. 
• North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund - Governor Roy Cooper is encouraging donations to this relief fund that will support nonprofits providing essential items like food, water, and cleaning supplies. Learn more at nc.gov/donate. 
• Florida Disaster Fund - Governor Ron DeSantis has activated the fund to support response and recovery efforts in Florida. Contributions can be made at volunteerflorida.org.