Скачать или смотреть Patrick Sheehan on Tennessee Emergency Management Agency

Patrick Sheehan, Director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, is one of the people most Tennesseans never see but rely on constantly. Drawing on decades of experience responding to disasters ranging from floods and tornadoes to pandemics and infrastructure failures, Patrick explains what emergency management actually looks like day to day, why preparation is mostly unglamorous and relational long before anything goes wrong, and how leadership, trust, and calm matter more than perfect plans. This conversation explores what government can and cannot do in a crisis, why community readiness and personal responsibility still matter, and what Tennesseans should understand about preparedness in a world where disasters are more frequent, more complex, and rarely look the way we expect.

**Our episode with TEMA's Patrick Sheehan was recorded prior to Winter Storm Fern, but the information is relevant for both this storm and events Tennessee will face in the future. Please check TEMA's website for support and resources related to the storm.

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00:00:00 – Introduction
Welcome to Signature Required and introduction to Patrick, Director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.

00:03:40 – What Emergency Management Actually Is
Patrick explains what emergency management really looks like beyond headlines and sirens, and why most of the work happens long before a disaster occurs.

00:07:15 – Preparing for the Unknown
Discussion on planning for events you cannot predict, balancing risk, probability, and consequence across floods, tornadoes, and infrastructure failures.

00:11:30 – The Role of Relationships in Crisis Response
Patrick shares why emergency management is fundamentally about trust, coordination, and building strong relationships across agencies before anything goes wrong.

00:15:10 – Leading Without the Spotlight
A candid look at quiet leadership, invisible wins, and why effective emergency response rarely comes with public recognition.

00:18:45 – Government Limits and Public Expectations
Patrick explains the realities and limits of government response during disasters and the gap between public expectation and operational reality.

00:22:30 – Decision Making Under Pressure
How leaders make critical decisions with incomplete information, high stakes, and no perfect outcomes.

00:26:40 – Learning From Failure and After-Action Reviews
The importance of honest reflection after crises, what after-action reports really do, and how systems improve over time.

00:31:15 – The Human Cost of Crisis Leadership
Patrick reflects on the emotional toll of long-term crisis response and the responsibility leaders carry long after the event is over.

00:36:50 – Why Preparation Is Mostly Unsexy
A practical conversation on why preparedness is repetitive, methodical, and often overlooked until it is urgently needed.

00:41:20 – Advice for Future Public Servants
Patrick shares lessons for those entering public service, emphasizing humility, patience, and long-term thinking.