The People Behind the Mission

Long after the equipment is packed, the work is complete and responders return home, it’s often the people they remember most.
For Philip C. Stitzinger, CEM®, Emergency Management Chief, his time supporting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ response in Saipan will be remembered not only for the progress made following Super Typhoon Sinlaku, but for the people he met and worked alongside along the way.
“Observing the field progress in person is both inspirational and rewarding, but it’s the people who stay with you long after you have returned home,” Stitzinger said.
After retiring from the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve last year, Stitzinger made the decision to dedicate more of his professional time to supporting ESF #3 disaster-response missions. His experience in Saipan reaffirmed that choice.
“I would not have traded this experience for anything,” he said.
The mission also reinforced an important lesson about preparedness: readiness does not begin when disaster strikes.
“Preparedness is an everyday practice. Whether we are planning for major disaster relief or just navigating through routine hurdles, it’s the little things we accomplish to address future challenges and to ensure our resilience,” Stitzinger said.
True preparedness, he said, extends beyond infrastructure and physical protection. It depends on people working together before an emergency occurs.
“Preparedness goes far beyond just building physical barriers to withstand a disaster. True readiness relies on community involvement. By developing mutual aid plans, coordinating our training, and practicing exercise scenarios ahead of time, we ensure that our vulnerabilities are addressed together.”
For Stitzinger, one of the greatest rewards of emergency management is working alongside people who willingly leave their everyday lives behind to help communities facing some of their most difficult moments.
Each responder arrives with different experiences, skills and perspectives. What brings them together is a shared willingness to step outside their comfort zones, solve problems and support one another.
Stitzinger encouraged responders to recognize the value of the experience they gain during a disaster mission. Emergency management rarely looks the same from one day to the next, and every mission offers an opportunity to learn something new.
He also encouraged responders to carry those lessons home—whether by pursuing professional credentials, adding emergency-management experience to their resumes, applying new skills to their everyday jobs or seeking future opportunities to serve.
Most importantly, Stitzinger said, responders should pay attention to the people around them.
Every person on a disaster-response team was selected for a reason. Their knowledge, experience, communication skills, adaptability and willingness to collaborate all contribute to mission success. Together, those qualities create something greater than any individual responder could accomplish alone.
As his Saipan mission comes to an end, Stitzinger knows the experience will stay with him.
“Emergency management is a small world, and we will likely see each other again at some point,” he said. “I look forward to that day.”
For those who answer the call to serve, the mission may eventually end—but the people, lessons and memories often come home with them.

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