2016 Articles

Superstorm Sandy: Lessons for Optimizing Limited Training Resources for Local Impact

Schlegelmilch, Jeffrey; Gutnik, Alyssa L.; Chandler, Thomas E.; Frye, Noelle

Professional training development, whether for a classroom, work environment, or other setting, typically follows a validated instructional design model that includes an assessment of learner needs before the development of a training. This foundational principle is integrated into federal guidance documents for emergency preparedness training. That said, local preparedness resources are sometimes in misalignment with this principle. Funding tends to favor nationally defined priorities as a proxy for the assessment of local needs. This letter explores this dynamic in the context of the response to Superstorm Sandy, and proposes a revised funding paradigm to support training development.