Monmouth University’s Department of Criminal Justice hosted the Emergency Management Education for Students and Communities event in partnership with FEMA Region 2’s Higher Education Roundtable on Dec. 3, 2024. The event highlighted new academic programs, courses, and current student projects and focused on the roundtable’s main theme of “Emergency Management Education for Students and Communities.”
Monmouth students Greta Valvo, Sierra Poole, Brandon Benanti, James Gentles, Isabella Garrison, Jacob A. Kallman, Sekou Diabate, and Anthony M. Cristello presented their research, while Thomas J. Carey, Ed.D., specialist professor of Homeland Security, moderated the event.
Valvo, Poole, Benanti, and Gentles showcased their capstone project, “Mental Health for First Responders to Terrorism Events,” from the Seminar in Criminal Justice course. Directed by Meg Forney, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department, the research focused on Operation Inner Armor, a proposed 10-month treatment plan for first responders exposed to psychological strain from traumatic events. The plan addresses anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance abuse.
Garrison, Kallman, Diabate, and Cristello presented, “Applying the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) Model to Ocean Township,” a project from the Emergency Planning course under Carey’s direction. Their research focused on wildfire mitigation in Ocean Township and the use of the THIRA process to help communities assess risks and develop necessary capabilities.
Carey also co-presented with James Kinard, instructor in the department, and Scott Nielson, Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management coordinator, on new experiential learning opportunities for students.
The roundtable included additional presentations:
- John Comiskey, Ed.D., specialist professor in the department, who discussed his research, “Active Shooters: Who Are They?”
- Dan Osgood, Ph.D., senior research scientist at Columbia University’s Climate School, who presented his research on “Gamification for Trust Building, Teaching, Data Gathering, and Coordinated Decision-Making”
- Bernard Jones, DSc., associate professor at St. John’s University, who provided an overview of St. John’s simulation lab where students and practitioners are exposed to emergency management related scenarios.
Carey represents Monmouth University as a member of the Higher-Ed Collaborative, a regional community of educators, researchers, emergency managers, and private sector entities across New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is also he FEMA 2 Liaison for the Department of Criminal Justice and a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), credentialed by the International Association of Emergency Managers.
The event also welcomed practitioners, including Dan Engelhardt, deputy director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security; Kathy Moskel, Sayreville CERT coordinator; and Ryan Lowry-Lee, community preparedness officer for FEMA Region 7. Their discussions covered homeland security, incident management, community resilience, and campus CERT programs.
FEMA Region 2 , covering New Jersey, continues to engage academic and other partners through thematic roundtable discussions, fostering collaboration to achieve the agency’s objectives. Regional 2 works with federal agencies, local offices of emergency management, subject matter experts, private sector representatives, and institutions of higher education to discuss the future of emergency management.
The roundtable’s experiential component combines service learning and internship opportunities with Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, which trains individuals in disaster response. Homeland security and criminal justice can participate in CERT training and activities and internships with the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.