i

Homaida Razack, Emergency Management Consultant

Homaida Razack is the principal of Go Fig-
ure Consulting of Vancouver. An indepen-
dent consultant, she has a background in
human ecology, sustainability education
and disaster management. With her long-
term interest in disaster preparedness and
community resilience, she has worked for
the Emergency Preparedness for Industry
and Commerce Council (EPICC) and the B.C. Provincial Emer-
gency Program during the spring freshet flood of 2007,

With a bachelor of science in biological sciences from the
University of British Colunbia and a master's in human ecology
from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, she was among the graduates
of the JIBC’s first Emergency Management Certificate Program
graduating class of 2005.

“| didn’t work in the field like my many classmates, some of
whom were quite capable of teaching some courses. In addition

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to the facts and processes learned in our training courses, | also
learned a lot from my classmates about the emergency manage-
ment challenges they deal with every day in their communities
and agencies, about how things work or don’t in the real world
of emergency coordinators, search and rescue, emergency social
services and so many others

“The training we received in this program—the courses,
problem-solving, group work, assignments, role plays—also
taught ine about myself and my strengths and vulnerabilities,
especially when it comes to working with others under stressful
situations. Some of these lessons were tough and confronting.
others hilarious, and | am better for it.

“| feel | ve participated in a program able to adapt to the
needs ot society, foster collaboration and share learning across
disciplines and programs with various people from first respond-
ers through to folks working at all levels of government and pri-
vate enterprise”