The District of Columbia (DC) Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) and Georgetown University’s Emergency and Disaster Management Graduate Program are privileged to host the inaugural Homeland Security and Preparedness (HSP) Symposium to be held from May 13-14, 2019. This event will be held at the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies campus located at 640 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC.



The theme of this multiagency, multidisciplinary event is to bring experts together from around the National Capital Region to discuss homeland security, preparedness and response to complex emergencies. This year, we are paying specific attention to the threats faced by houses of worship and schools. The spate of attacks and threats on these institutions across the world have drawn into sharp focus the need for collaborative planning efforts across all public safety and human service disciplines to respond to these incidents.

Over the course of two days, the symposium will feature tracks geared towards Intelligence and Information Sharing, Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP), Critical Infrastructure and Long-term Risk Reduction, Disability Integration into Emergency Preparedness, Business Emergency Preparedness, School Safety and an Executive Leadership track. Each day will provide structured opportunities to collaborate and network with practitioners and academics dedicated to homeland security and emergency preparedness. The HSP Symposium will aid District agencies and stakeholders in collectively planning for and responding to incidents of all hazards for the whole community.

Keynote and Plenary Speakers:
▪ Brock Long, Former FEMA Administrator
▪ Edward Gabriel, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
▪ Reverend Eric Manning, Emmanuel AME Church, Charleston, South Carolina
▪ Reverend Frank Pomeroy and Mrs. Sherri Pomeroy, First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs, Texas
▪ Alan Hausman, Tree of Life Synagogue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania