Leveraging Technology for Stronger, Safer Communities: FDEM Executive Director, Kevin Guthrie’s Keynote at the Forerunner Summit

At the Forerunner Summit, Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), delivered a powerful keynote on the state’s evolving emergency management strategy. His remarks reflected on Florida’s role at the forefront of disaster preparedness and recovery, underscoring the leadership, innovation, and adaptability required to navigate today’s challenges.

With increasingly frequent and intense storms, the State of Florida has had to evolve rapidly by digitizing processes, modernizing operations, and leaning into innovation to meet rising demands. FDEM has made major strides in implementing updated technologies and streamlining recovery workflows, enabling the division to respond faster and more effectively than ever before.

Historically, Florida’s emergency management teams relied on manual processes to track and verify crucial floodplain data. Guthrie shared that FDEM had “warehouses of documents” that are now digitized and centralized in one place with Forerunner. This shift to a digital platform has enabled FDEM to track compliance across communities more efficiently, especially in the aftermath of disasters.

“Forerunner has helped our team to streamline elevation certificate, floodplain management, and compliance processes,” Guthrie said, noting that Forerunner’s team has been a collaborative partner in adapting the platform to meet Florida’s complex and evolving needs.

Director Guthrie’s keynote served not only as a reflection on the progress made but also as a call to action for emergency managers across the country to embrace innovation, strengthen partnerships, and prepare for the unknown.

Watch the keynote address here:

Watch other sessions from the Forerunner Summit here.