Regina Phelps to Deliver Opening Keynote Address

Regina Phelps, founder of Emergency Management & Safety Solutions in San Francisco, will present the opening keynote address, "From Bored to Terrified in Sixty Seconds or Less! The Role that Human Factors Plays in Emergency Response." The address is part of the Opening Plenary Session on Tuesday, October 17 at 8:00 a.m.

First responders have jobs that can go from one extreme to another in moments - in other words, from bored to terrified. How does one maintain vigilance, effectiveness and responsiveness in the emergency response professions that are so often mundane and ordinary for hours, days or weeks on end.and then punctuated with moments of sheer terror? What are the human limitations to these essential occupations? How can the study of human factors assist in making these jobs even more effective?

Reflect back 17 years to a stark reminder of this polarity. At 5:03 p.m. on October 17, 1989, America had just settled down to watch the World Series. The game was between two Bay Area teams - the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A's. At 5:04 p.m., the earth opened, buildings and freeways collapsed, the top deck of the Bay Bridge failed, and responders and citizens were digging people out with their bare hands. What can HF/E professionals do to assist those individuals to quickly "flip the switch to ON" and maintain their effectiveness?

As HFES approaches its 50th anniversary, it is important to reflect on the important work that professionals in this field do - it has always been vital and relevant. Now more than ever, it is critical to the overall ability of this country to respond in an emergency.

Regina Phelps is an internationally recognized expert in the field of emergency management and continuity planning. She holds a master of public administration degree and a bachelor of science degree in nursing and is a Certified Emergency Manager (International Association of Emergency Management). With more than 24 years of experience, she has provided consultation and speaking services to clients in four continents. Emergency Management & Safety Solutions is a consulting company specializing in emergency management, continuity planning, and safety. A partial list of clients includes Levi Strauss & Co., Liberty Mutual, Northern Trust, Chiron, VISA, Triton Container, Intuit, Stanford University, Adobe, TransUnion, and the World Bank. Ms. Phelps has received numerous honors and awards, including the Business Recovery Managers Association Award for Excellence in Business Recovery Planning.