Coming Full Circle: The Power of Relationships in Emergency Management

Returning to the City of Los Angeles for a consulting project where my career began almost 20 years ago felt a bit like coming home. Walking into the Emergency Operations Center brought back a flood of memories from my early days in emergency management: the excitement of learning the ropes, the challenge of writing plans from scratch, and the colleagues who played such a big role in shaping my path.

My early years at the City of LA taught me that while plans and procedures matter, they are only as strong as the people carrying them out. Spending much of 2025 back in the City’s EOC reminded me of that truth all over again.

Emergency management is built on trust, familiarity, and the kind of teamwork that only develops over time. Documents guide us, but relationships drive the work.

In nearly every training and exercise I’ve participated in, we’ve heard the same reminder: “when disaster strikes, you don’t want to be meeting the people around you for the first time.” Indeed, the stronger the relationships, the faster you can get to work, and the more seamlessly you can solve problems in the moments that matter most.

Coming back to where it all started underscored just how much those early connections shaped not only my career, but the way I approach every response and partnership today. It was a full circle moment, and a powerful reminder that while the tools and technologies of our field evolve, the value of strong relationships remain our greatest asset.

City of LA EOC where my career began nearly 20 years ago and where I completed an almost-year-long project in 2025.