The Women Behind Hillsborough’s COVID-19 Response – Part Two – Hillsborough County

Four women who have combined their emergency management education and experience to serve

Emergency management is transforming. Growing populations, a global pandemic, and intensified natural and human-made disasters are key reasons the field has an evolving scope.

Pictured in above image (from L to R): Katja Miller, Clarissa Grant, Julia Watson, and Torii Sutherland

In Hillsborough County, there is another noteworthy shift. As a mighty team of 17, the County's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is dominated by women. Torii Sutherland, Katja Miller, Julia Watson, and Clarissa Grant are four of the women changing the face of emergency management.

The tides of change

They are in good company. For the first time in history, the nation's emergency management departments - the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Fire Administration -both have women at the helm.

When emergency management was in its infancy, the field naturally attracted individuals working in law enforcement, fire rescue, and the military. Traditionally, those roles were male-driven, therefore, emergency management was as well.

Miller, who focuses on human services and mass care for the County, looks forward to the continued evolution of emergency management with women holding top positions. Grant, an operations coordinator, agrees. She hopes for an increased number of women in the field and more diverse leadership.

Miller and Grant's wishes are coming true on a national scale.

In the early days of emergency management, when staff mostly hailed from law enforcement, fire rescue, and the military, responding to emergencies was the primary focus. Now, response is one pillar of emergency management, and the field has grown to embrace preparedness and recovery in impactful ways.

What once was a field entered into by progression is now entered into as a profession. Academia is driving people into emergency management, driving diversity, and - as proven by Miller, Grant, Sutherland and Watson - when education meets experience, capabilities soar.

Education meets experience

A strong drive to use her skills to help people during times of crisis led Sutherland from satellite communications to the military, and it eventually guided her to Hillsborough County. In her current role as Planning Section Chief, Sutherland is able to expand her knowledge base and use her talents to help Hillsborough residents during critical moments. Sutherland holds a master's degree in biochemistry, and says she is constantly learning in her position.

Similarly, Miller knew that she wanted to serve. Beginning her career as a firefighter at age 18, Miller was hooked. While obtaining her bachelor's degree at USF, a course titled "Planning for Emergencies" opened her eyes to emergency management, and in the midst of COVID-19 and 18-hour workdays, Miller pushed through, earning her master's degree in crisis and emergency management.

Having her mom as a director for BayCare, Watson always knew that she was destined for something in the medical field. She started out as an EMT for Pinellas County but wanted more. Helping people in emergencies was her passion, but Watson sought to help people on a large scale. While working full time, Watson obtained her undergraduate degree in emergency management and homeland security. Like Miller, while on the front lines of COVID-19, Watson completed her master's degree in disaster medicine and management.

Grant chooses this line of work because of the great need. Grant says that she has always had an interest in public health and science. And she has carried that interest through her adult life. Grant has her nursing degree, an undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry, and her master's degree in public health. Emergency management is a big component of public health, and Grant wanted to be able to help communities prepare for and recover from disasters at any moment.

Women play an important role

As Women's History Month closed out, questions specific to the role of women in emergency management were posed to the group.

What do women bring to this line of work? Sutherland, Watson, Miller, and Grant agree that compassion and resiliency are just two of many qualities. And, in emergency situations, these abilities are crucial.

How can the profession increase the number of women in the field? Through education and mentorship.

Finally, why should women be in emergency management? Their resounding answer, "Why not?"

Read Part One

Originally posted here:

The Women Behind Hillsborough's COVID-19 Response - Part Two - Hillsborough County