Kalyna White

A new study examining extreme heat emergency management in New York City highlights challenges emergency managers may face when using data-driven risk indices to guide preparedness and response decisions. The researchers studied hand-crafted indices used for geographic targeting—tools that combine selected variables into risk scores representing priorities such as reducing social vulnerability.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Brian Cavanaugh as Under Secretary for Management at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), filling one of the Department’s most critical leadership positions responsible for overseeing management, acquisition, human capital, information technology, financial management, and administrative operations across the nation’s third-largest federal department.

The U.S. Senate today confirmed Cameron Hamilton as Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), giving the agency a permanent leader as it faces another active disaster season and a period of significant organizational change. Hamilton was confirmed as part of a package of more than 70 executive branch nominees approved by the Senate. Hamilton returns to FEMA after previously serving as the agency’s acting leader in 2025.