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David Paulison

Former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director

David Paulison
Travels From Travels From:
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
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Categories Categories:
Leadership, Motivational, Peak Performance, Peak Performance
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David Paulison Biography

After a career serving at every level of firefighting and emergency response, David Paulison took over the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As FEMA Director, he overhauled the agency, creating a nimble and proactive emergency response organization that could predict and mitigate the potential dangers from natural disasters and other threats. Calling on his experience as a paramedic, a firefighter, a fire chief in Miami-Dade county, and the head of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Paulison reshaped FEMA based on the combined knowledge and expertise of emergency responders and managers with real-world experience. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities, David Paulison understands what it takes to turn around a large organization when the stakes are high, and he explains how organizations can recreate themselves to be more responsive and more effective when times get tough.

The Nation's First Responder. Throughout his career, Paulison has been at the eye of the storm for several crisis situations and natural disasters, and his presentations are filled with personal stories about the harrowing circumstances and behind-the-scenes efforts to save lives. He was the man in charge at the crash of the ValuJet Flight 592 that went down in the Everglades, and he oversaw the relief efforts after Hurricane Andrew. After Hurricane Katrina he was called in to take over FEMA on September 12, 2005. Paulison was previously appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate as the administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration in December 2001. In that role, Paulison headed the U.S. Fire Administration, part of FEMA's Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, supporting state and local fire service programs, and overseeing programs to reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies.

The Man to Call in an Emergency. Paulison's speeches on leadership and crisis management are informed by a career of impeccable public service under tough conditions. He began his career as a rescue firefighter and rose through the ranks of rescue lieutenant commander, district chief of operations, division chief, assistant chief and then deputy director for administration before becoming the Miami-Dade Fire Chief. This lifetime of experience in public service made him the ideal candidate to serve as the director of the FEMA's Preparedness Division, in the newly created Department of Homeland Security. He held the post from 2003-2004, and during his tenure, he administered a broad range of programs designed to strengthen state and community emergency preparedness in order to reduce loss of life and property in disasters. He administered first responder grant programs totaling more than $1 billion, and oversaw more than 350 employees. He was also responsible for training federal, state, and local emergency managers and first responders, and for conducting a nationwide program of exercises. Before joining FEMA, Paulison, who has 30 years of fire/rescue services experience, was chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. In that position, he oversaw 1,900 personnel with a $200 million operating budget and a $70 million capital budget. He also oversaw the Dade County Emergency Management office.

More About David Paulison. A certified paramedic, Paulison oversaw the Miami-Dade Urban Search and Rescue Task Force. His emergency management experience includes Hurricane Andrew and the crash of ValuJet Flight 592. He is also past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. A native of Miami, Florida , Paulison earned a bachelor of arts from Florida Atlantic University and completed the program for senior executives in state and local government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. In 2004, he received the Mason Lankford Fire Service Leadership Award from the Congressional Fire Service Institute. Additionally, he has received the LeRoy Collins Distinguished Alumni Award and has been inducted into the Miami-Dade Community College Hall of Fame. In 1993, Paulison was selected as Fire Chief of the Year by his colleagues from the state of Florida.

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David Paulison Speaking Topics

  • You're In Charge...Act Like It!: Leadership in Times of Crisis

    Beginning at the moment he accepted the post of FEMA director, David Paulison had to take over an organization that was under the intense national spotlight, and he had to not only resurrect the reputation of FEMA, he had to produce real world results. Calling on his experience leading teams of rescuers and national organizations, Paulison explains the aspects of leadership that you can't learn in books. His presentation is not based on theories or academic research; rather, he imparts how leaders have to act in moment, when it matters most, and when there is little time to waste. He engages audiences with personal, gripping stories and makes them applicable to every kind of crisis.

  • Emergency Management: The Right Decisions When It Counts

    As a paramedic, firefighter, and fire chief in the heart of hurricane country, Paulison has a lifetime worth of expertise leading citizens, communities, and organizations through emergencies. With lessons from some of the biggest emergencies and disasters of the last 20 years, including Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina, and Rita and the crash of ValuJet Flight 592 which crashed in the Everglades, he takes audiences through his personal experiences, imparting principles and practical takeaways that he has learned and developed in times of great difficulty and extreme pressure.

  • Organizational Turnaround: The Lessons from FEMA

    After the largest natural disaster in U.S. history, David Paulison was handpicked to recreate FEMA, the nationwide organization in charge of disaster response. With the viewpoint of a first-responder and career firefighter, he began to immediately reconstruct the organization's culture, installing experienced personnel, instituting a national preparedness network, and securing career posts for regional directors who had on-the-ground experience in emergencies – posts that had traditionally been filled by political appointees. These moves and others made the turnaround of FEMA a textbook case for organizations to study. Paulison delivers a powerful message about the life-and-death decisions and crucial, forward-thinking reforms that he implemented to ensure that the nation is prepared for the next emergency before it gets here.

David Paulison Videos

  • Former FEMA Director A South Florida Native - YouTube
    Former FEMA Director A South Florida Native - YouTube
    Former FEMA director David Paulison is using his experience with Hurricane Katrina to educate communities on disasters.
  • Paulison Urges Patience During Ike Recovery - YouTube
    Paulison Urges Patience During Ike Recovery - YouTube
    FEMA administrator David Paulison told residents of Texas and Louisiana to be patient as the clean up of Hurricane Ike continues. (Sept. 15)
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  • What topics does David Paulison speak about?

    David Paulison is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Leadership, Motivational, Peak Performance, Peak Performance.

  • Where does David Paulison travel from?

    David Paulison generally travels from Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

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David Paulison is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as You're In Charge...Act Like It!: Leadership in Times of Crisis, Emergency Management: The Right Decisions When It Counts and Organizational Turnaround: The Lessons from FEMA. The estimated speaking fee range to book David Paulison for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. David Paulison generally travels from Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Cathy Sexton, Caspar Berry, Christi Tasker, Andy Habermacher and Matthew Halloran. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling David Paulison for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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