Full transparency – the voice on the audio is generated by AI, but the text was written by a human.
Hello – this is an AI-generated voice representing Mike Prasad from the Center for Emergency Management Intelligence Research or CEMIR. One of the projects we are working on is a concern for equitable feeding choices for infants and toddlers, during disasters.
There are currently disparities in the support of family choices for infant/toddler feeding by families, during disasters in the United States. The current federal or national model only supports powdered formula as a possible substitute, in the event of any issues or challenges with breastfeeding or chestfeeding.
There may be differences in capabilities and capacity in each state, locality, tribal nation, or territory – also known as the SLTT’s. We are also researching those as well, with the idea that deliberative planning is needed to establish a set of national standards and protocols for the planning, organizing, equipping, training, and exercising for mass care feeding teams in disaster shelters.
Researchers at the CEMIR are also developing tactics and methods which could be used by anyone, to further solutions for pediatric feeding during disasters, in their own jurisdictions. Changes, such as the support of durable medical equipment, consumable medical supplies, and personal assistance services1, need to be made to the general population sheltering mass care feeding missions conducted at those state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) levels, in order to help protect the health of infants and toddlers adversely impacted by disasters.
Prasad recognized through independent practitioner research, that this pediatric disaster feeding concern was a “Pink Slice” or Johari Window problem2 – something emergency managers quote unquote did not know they did not know. Research so far has provided a possible non-legislative pathway for change, even though that change will not be implemented via a formal academic advocacy/change model or theory. There are connections to academic models for change theory, such as the Power Politics theory from Mills3, which may come into play, for this problem statement and at some point in the researchers pracademic advocacy work. Those CEMIR researchers have focused their advocacy efforts on individuals who could be considered “emergency management elites”, effectively those who are decision-makers, internal influencers, etc. So far, this has included:
- Limiting advocacy efforts to focused emergency management related groups and not the general public,
- Identifying individuals who have an influence for this specific problem statement – and the policy changes needed in the United States to fix it – and developing or furthering relationships with them, and
- Using the POETE process to provide a strategy of relationship development, communications, collaborations, and continuous improvement with those who have influence.
The CEMIR researchers collaborated to further describe the problem statement to the pracademic world, through an article in the Domestic Preparedness Journal on May 10, 2023, which was published by the Texas Division of Emergency Management. A link to the article can be found in the notes for this podcast audio feed. More to come via our Substack site.
A book is coming out as well, where we are contributing a chapter. More on that to come, as well.
https://www.fema.gov/pdf/about/odic/fnss_guidance.pdf
https://blog.bartondunant.com/what-is-the-pink-slice/
Mills, C W. 1956. The Power Elite. New York: Oxford University Press
An introduction to a Pediatric Disaster Concern: Feeding for Infants and Toddlers