NTEA, organizers of The Work Truck Show 2019, have announced former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Craig Fugate will serve as keynote speaker at the 2019 Fleet Technical Congress.
Scheduled for March 5, 2019, in Indianapolis in conjunction with The Work Truck Show and Green Truck Summit, Fleet Technical Congress addresses issues facing the vocational fleet community, providing expert strategy and insight to help fleet managers enhance their resources and overcome operational challenges.
The 2019 Fleet Technical Congress will focus on disaster management challenges and strategies, which makes Fugate’s more than 15 years in state and federal emergency management incredibly relevant to the insights that will be shared. Fugate has managed government response to some of the country’s most devastating natural disasters. Serving as FEMA administrator under President Barack Obama from May 2009 to January 2017, Fugate led the organization through multiple record-breaking disaster years and oversaw the federal government’s response to major events such as the tornadoes in Joplin, Mo., in 2011, and Moore, Okla., in 2013; Hurricane Sandy in 2012; Hurricane Matthew in 2016; and massive Louisiana flooding in 2016.
“Fugate has played a critical role in helping our country recover from some of the most devastating disasters in recent history,” says George Survant, NTEA senior director of fleet relations. “Emergency preparedness is sometimes overlooked in the work truck industry. Learning how Fugate was able to lead emergency response during such chaotic and challenging situations will help fleet managers develop or improve their own emergency response plans.”
Prior to his position as FEMA administrator, Fugate served as Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s Emergency Management Director. In that role, he led emergency response during the 2004 and 2005 Florida hurricane seasons that included hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Dennis, Katrina and Wilma. Currently, he serves as principal of Craig Fugate Consulting LLC where he provides executive-level advice and consulting in the areas of emergency management and crisis response, NTEA says.
Fleet Technical Congress begins at 8:30 a.m. March 5 with opening remarks, followed by Fugate’s keynote address at 8:45 a.m. After the keynote, attendees can select from a variety of general sessions led by top fleet managers and industry suppliers covering disaster recovery planning, strategies to secure fuel supplies, using data to design work trucks, ensuring a reliable fleet power supply and last-mile delivery.
In addition to Fleet Technical Congress and Green Truck Summit general sessions, NTEA says attendees can choose from dozens of concurrent sessions March 5–7 on topics such as fleet productivity, risk mitigation, OEM chassis updates, and more.
