Stephenson Disaster Management Institute (SDMI)

🌧️ Stay aware and informed of the incoming weather threats! Tune in to your local and state emergency management offices for the most up to date information. ☔️

June means hurricane season is here 🌀. SDMI has been fortunate enough to be involved in the FEMA Review Council over the last year leading up to this hurricane prep. Today’s summit in New Orleans was a tremendous opportunity to bring together so many leaders in emergency management!

FEMA officials say no changes expected in hurricane response despite turmoil at agency Flanked by local leaders, officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday sought to assure New Orleans area residents that it stands ready to assist should disaster strike this hurricane season, after a year of staffing cuts and shifting federal priorities.

Workshop alert 🚨!
LSU and ULL researchers, through this NOAA-funded grant, are pleased to announce that we have finalized the details for the first session of our workshop series on Ocean and Coastal Acidification (OCA).

LOCATION: Port Sulphur YMCA
ADDRESS: 278 Civic Drive Port Sulphur, LA 70083
DATE: June 16, 2026
TIME: 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM (Lunch will be provided)

All are invited to join. We will be partnering with Plaquemines Parish Government for the first workshop and look forward to collaborating with all attendees to understand OCA impacts to fisheries and coastal communities through knowledge sharing, partnerships and community action. Participant stipend provided for up to 30 attendees as allowed.

Please follow the link here https://lsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cC5c4XWP5wH5fWm

to RSVP the event. The workshop agenda can be found in comments.

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Do you love oysters 🦪 and fish🐠 that come from Louisiana waters 🌊 ? Are you interested in learning about Ocean & Coastal Acidification (OCA)? Our team and Plaquemines Parish have partnered to host a free workshop to educate any community members interested! See below flyer for details. Participant stipends are available for the first 30 individuals. Lunch will be served!

Please swing by our booth at LEPA this week! The team is looking forward to seeing everyone and supporting Louisiana Emergency Managers.

https://www.louisianafirstnews.com/news/louisiana-gohsep-conducts-hurricane-exercise-to-test-emergency-response/

SDMI is working alongside GOHSEP this week to support the annual statewide exercise. SDMI’s Operations Manager, Brian Stevens is part of the evaluation team for the duration of the exercise. We value our partnership and continued collaboration with GOHSEP for these important events to enhance statewide mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.

Louisiana GOHSEP conducts hurricane exercise to test emergency response State agencies gathered Tuesday to prepare for a worst-case hurricane scenario, aiming to ensure readiness before a storm makes landfall.

Coming Soon!

The LSU Stephenson Disaster Management Institute (SDMI) has received funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to host a series of stakeholder workshops across coastal Louisiana focused on ocean and coastal acidification and what it could mean for our fisheries, coastal economies, and communities.

Louisiana’s coast supports a vital seafood industry and communities that depend on oysters, shrimp, blue crab, and other coastal resources. These 3–4 hour Foundational Community Workshops will bring together parish officials, seafood industry representatives, scientists, tribal partners, and resource managers to discuss changing coastal conditions, share local observations, and identify research and monitoring needs.

• SDMI will coordinate logistics, facilitation, and reporting—making it easy for parishes to host and participate.
• Coastal parishes interested in hosting a workshop, or those wanting to participate are encouraged to reach out to the point of contact below.
• For more information or to coordinate a workshop, contact Stuart Nolan at [email protected]

SDMI was honored to host another successful Annual Board of Experts meeting last week ✅ . We are so thankful for the continued support from our dedicated BOE Members and our founder, Emmet Stephenson and returning Board Member Dr. Edie Zusman 💜💛🐯. We are grateful for a successful 2025 with big sights set on 2026! 💫✨

It has been a productive week at DHS Headquarters in Washington, DC for SDMI Board Member Mark Cooper and Associate Director Lauren Stevens. Their work continues on the Presidential Council to review FEMA and provide recommendations on reforming the agency. The Council worked this week alongside the DHS team members on the final draft report, due to be completed and presented by the end of 2025.

SDMI’s Board of Expert Member Mark Cooper, and Associate Director Lauren Stevens continue to serve on the Presidential FEMA Review Council, hearing from local, state, and other emergency management stakeholders in panel discussions and listening sessions. Feedback from all over the country has been gathered in New Orleans, LA, Los Angeles, CA, Fort Worth, TX, Oklahoma City, OK, Burlington, VT, Asheville NC, and San Juan, Puerto Rico to name a few. A handful of final stops ahead, then submission of the Final Report for consideration in December.