SFI Overview

The world is changing in ways that can have major effects on the emergency management community. Thinking more broadly and over a longer timeframe will help us understand these changes and their potential impacts. FEMA launched the Strategic Foresight initiative (SFI) to promote broader and longer term thinking on those changes and their effects.

FEMA is only one member of the broad emergency management community. Therefore, the SFI engages all levels of government, non-profits, businesses and individuals. The diverse group improves our understanding of various issues.

The SFI also serves as a tool to develop strategies and plans. By understanding the potential future environment, organizations will better understand and anticipate risk and take advantage of opportunities. For example, the SFI may identify new requirements and emerging capabilities. This could support decisions about investments, planning efforts, and exercises. The SFI can also help establish a research agenda for the field of emergency management.

Benefits for the Community

Working together to identify the issues affecting the future will provide the emergency management community a broad view of issues and needs. The SFI network will also gain by interacting with a broad set of professionals with similar interests and distinct expertise.  The SFI provides a chance to further align the broader emergency management community's missions and efforts.

FEMA's Role

FEMA's role in SFI is to set up the discussion space, provide analysis and support, and encourage participation from the community. FEMA will also participate in discussions, share questions, concerns and decisions, and will help organize the community around this effort.

All information produced from the SFI will be available to participants and the broader emergency management community.

Toolbox

These documents reflect some of the research, collaboration and insights we have received from the SFI community. Please feel free to contact us with input or questions. 

Reports

• Crisis Response and Disaster Resilience 2030: Forging Strategic Action in an Age of Uncertainty
  Progress Report Highlight the 2010-2011 Insights of the Strategic Foresight Initiative - January 2012
• SFI Information Packet
  Project overview and status, initiative insights from research, analysis and workshops, and a list of strategic needs developed during the July 2011 SFI Workshop
• Summary of Findings
  High-level overview of SFI findings for a variety of topics affecting the future of Emergency Management

WEBINARs

• SFI Overview - February 2012
  http://emforum.org/SFI/moreinfo.htm

RESEARCH

Driver Papers
Social, Environmental and Technological Trends that could effect the future of Emergency Management

• US Demographic Shifts
• Universal Access to and Use of Information
• Critical Infrastructure
• Government Budgets
• Technological Development and Dependency
• Changing Role of the Individual
• Climate Change
• Evolving Terrorist Threat
• Global Interdependencies

Communication

Since the SFI aims to engage a large and diverse audience, communication will take on many forms. We support communication with an online collaboration space, in-person meetings, conference calls, and other means.

• To join the SFI online dialogue please visit the following webpage: www.fema.ideascale.com

Contact Us

To join the SFI community or send us your questions or comments, please email FEMA-OPPA-SFI@fema.gov, and we will reply to your message as soon as possible.