Center For Disaster Research & Education

About the Center

---

Paige Scott and Shana Hammaker Presenting Partnership Project at IAEM Annual Conference 2026

The CDRE along with 11 MU undergraduate and graduate students will be attending the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) annual conference on November 6th-12th in Long Beach, California. Paige Scott, MSEM graduate student, and Shana Hammaker, MSEM graduate student, will present a poster titled “Millersville University x Amazon Business: One Day Preparedness.”  A partnership project with MU-IAEM and Amazon Business to improve resource management and logistics for local emergency managers and communities. Additionally, Scott will discuss the partnership project with the title, Prepared to Lead: Amazon Meets Millersville at the EMVision Talk to share it with various professionals in the EM field.

Learn more about the IAEM club at Millersville and how to join.

 

---

 

CERT training FALL 2026

The Millersville Center for Disaster Research and Education (CDRE) certified 24 students and community members as CERT volunteers over the weekends of September 26th, October 3rd, and October 4th. The two-weekend fall 2026 session included a diverse mix of participants, ranging from middle school and college students to local community members, all with unique backgrounds. CERT is a program created by FEMA to train community members and its volunteers about disaster preparedness and what they can do in their communities to help respond to disasters before emergency personnel arrive. Participants learn about CERT and their primary responsibilities through a core curriculum offered in every fall and spring session. Each CERT course is led by a professional specializing in that specific field. These courses provide valuable insights and hands-on activities in basic disaster preparedness, fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, team organization, hazardous weather, and disaster medical operations.  Millersville CDRE offers training every fall and spring, with sign-ups released early each semester. Millersville University CERT is open to all students and community members that are interested in learning about preparedness and helping their community prepare and respond to disasters.

 

CDRE hosts the Dr. Hank Fischer Memorial Symposium

Dr. Henry “Hank” Fischer ’73, professor of sociology emeritus, initiated the Center for Disaster Research and Education at Millersville and pioneered the creation of the online Master of Science in Emergency Management. His research specialty in behavioral and organizational response to disasters and terrorism engaged students on grant-funded research projects, including participation in first-hand accounts and reports pertaining to national and international disasters. Fischer retired in 2008 after 19 years of service to Millersville; he passed away in January 2026.

A memorial symposium to honor him was held in September 2026, organized and hosted by Dr. Sepi Yalda, director of the CDRE, in collaboration with Dr. Joe Trainor ’02, dean and professor at the University of Delaware Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration. A former student of Fischer’s, Trainor offered the keynote research talk, “Human Behavior and Disaster/Severe Weather Warnings.”

The symposium consisted of panels of faculty who were directly involved in the development of the MSEM program providing their perspectives on the development of the program and its impact on the future emergency management offerings at Millersville. Also featured were several graduates of the program who worked directly with Fischer and are now leaders in their organizations. Another panel focused on the importance of the emergency management degrees at Millersville from the practitioner perspectives, with invited speakers from the public and private sectors.

A goal to establish an endowed scholarship supporting student research in emergency management is underway, and additional support will be needed to reach the funding threshold. If you would like to help students offset research-related expenses, please visit Make a Gift | Millersville University. Under College of Science and Technology, locate the field labeled “Which area of the College would you like to support?” and enter:

Dr. Hank Fischer Student Rsch in EM Endowment

Your generosity will help provide meaningful research opportunities for future emergency management students. Thank you for your support.

 

---

 

---

Dr. Duane Hagelgans was a Presentation Speaker at the Kentucky State Emergency Services Conference 2026

Dr. Duane Hagelgans attended the Kentucky State Emergency Services Conference from September 8th—11th, 2026. He was a speaker and presented a session titled: Leadership: From Lincoln to Last Week. Dr. Hagelgans presented his research into leadership, with the central question being whether leadership itself has changed or if it is the environment of leadership that has evolved. His research demonstrated that much of what worked for Lincoln, the Roosevelts, and other historical leader's forms the core of leadership today. His presentation concluded with one of the most important lessons for all leaders: take care of your people, take care of your family, and take care of yourself, physically and mentally. During his time at the conference, he participated in sessions every day, networked, recruited, and represented Millersville University’s BSEM and MSEM programs.

 

---