Spit, Blu Tack, and Resilience: Innovating Emergency Management with Limited Resources
| Tuesday, July 15, 2025 |
| 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM |
Overview
Liam Scott, Operational Systems, National Emergency Management Agency
Speaker
Mr Liam Scott
Operational Systems
National Emergency Management Agency
Beyond the Inbox: Rethinking Communication, Decision-Making, and Leadership in Emergency Management
Abstract
In disaster and emergency management, we often focus on capability, coordination, and resilience, but overlook how our everyday tools shape decisions during crises. One of the most overlooked risks? Email.
In this keynote, I will challenge our sector’s dependency on the inbox as the operating system for leadership, coordination, and decision-making. I’ll explore how communication tool, originally designed for convenience, have become barriers to clarity, speed, and collaboration in emergencies.
Drawing from experiences across national emergencies like Cyclone Gabrielle, the COVID-19 response, and international deployments, I’ll unpack how information overload, delayed direction, and fractured decision-making stem from our over-reliance on email and legacy comms platforms.
Most importantly, I’ll explore what a shift beyond the inbox could look like, reimagining systems of leadership, integrated intelligence, and real-time collaboration. Because if we want to meet tomorrow’s challenges with purpose, we can’t afford to lead with yesterday’s tools.
In this keynote, I will challenge our sector’s dependency on the inbox as the operating system for leadership, coordination, and decision-making. I’ll explore how communication tool, originally designed for convenience, have become barriers to clarity, speed, and collaboration in emergencies.
Drawing from experiences across national emergencies like Cyclone Gabrielle, the COVID-19 response, and international deployments, I’ll unpack how information overload, delayed direction, and fractured decision-making stem from our over-reliance on email and legacy comms platforms.
Most importantly, I’ll explore what a shift beyond the inbox could look like, reimagining systems of leadership, integrated intelligence, and real-time collaboration. Because if we want to meet tomorrow’s challenges with purpose, we can’t afford to lead with yesterday’s tools.
Biography
Liam Scott manages the technology portfolio at New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). With a background in Defence and over a decade of experience in operational systems, Liam has led key projects enhancing operational and emergency response capabilities across the public sector. His expertise includes finding practical, resourceful solutions using available tools and ingenuity to improve situational awareness, communication, and coordination during critical incidents. Passionate about building resilient communities, Liam brings a strategic, people-focused approach to emergency management. He is committed to leveraging technology to empower the emergency management sector to ensure the most vulnerable are supported on their worst day.
