Standing Together in Leadership: A Demanding Call to Action to Support Fellow Emergency Managers

New York, New York - As we approach the 2025 hurricane season, a time when emergency management professionals rally to safeguard our communities, we must also take a moment to reflect on the strength of our own community. The recent departures of several long-standing and deeply committed leaders from the United States Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency have left an undeniable void, and wound,—not just within the Agency, but in the emergency management professional community as a whole. The contributions of all such leaders, such as Mary Comans, Adrian Sevier and Chris Page, among others, and their sacrifices during their long-standing time of civil servitude, and, finally, their dedication to service, will, and absolutely must not be, forgotten.

The departure from an institution that one has dedicated years—often decades—of one's life to is a profound loss. It is a transition that is deeply personal, one that challenges a leader’s sense of belonging, purpose, and identity. Those of us who have walked similar paths understand the complexity of emotions that come with such an abrupt shift. To those who are facing this moment: you are not alone. The emergency management community stands with you, and we encourage every leader in this field to check in with their colleagues, to support them, and to remind them that their value is not defined by their title, but by their enduring impact.

We also take this moment to reaffirm a principle that our firm holds vehemently: the right to due process must be protected for all, including those in the highest levels of leadership. The language of appeals rights is not mere formality—it is a necessity. Notice of appeal rights, particularly as they relate to class complaints of discrimination and class appeals under 29 C.F.R. 1614.204 and 5 C.F.R. 1201.27, is critical to ensuring that justice is accessible to all. Senior executives, despite their exclusion from individual complaint and appeal rights, must not be led to believe that they are without recourse as members of a class. Further, our firm believes that the written absence of written notice is, in effect, an absence of rights.

To those recently removed: we encourage you to come together. The path forward may seem unclear, and the weight of recent events may make the thought of taking action seem overwhelming, but leadership is not only about guiding others—it is about standing up for what is right, even when the personal cost is high. Filing a class complaint at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or a class appeal at the Merit Systems Protection Board, is not just about the present—it is about safeguarding the future for those who will follow. We are confident that, as you navigate this difficult journey, you will rise to meet the call of leadership once more.

The emergency management community is resilient. We have faced disasters, rebuilt entire communities, and overcome immense challenges, together. Now, let us stand together once again, and as we always do, not in response to a formidable external exigency, but in support of each other, to address the unusual tumult of the exigency inside of us.

HOF

February 28. 2025