With over two decades of leadership experience in national security, crisis management, and commercial strategy, Rowdy Oxford has a clear message for today’s business leaders: emergency preparedness is not just for government agencies; it’s a strategic asset every company should embrace.
Oxford, a U.S. Army veteran and current Regional Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer (EPLO) to FEMA, has spent his career operating at the intersection of defence operations and civilian response. Drawing from his frontline experience coordinating disaster logistics and Defence Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) missions, he believes that many of the core principles used in emergency management can be adapted to create more agile, resilient, and forward-looking businesses.
“Emergency planning is about making decisions under pressure, building systems that don’t break, and ensuring that people know their role when the unexpected happens,” says Oxford. “Those principles directly apply to corporate environments, especially in today’s world of rapid change and uncertainty.”
Strategic Foresight, Not Panic Reaction
According to Oxford, the cornerstone of effective emergency planning is foresight. He stresses that businesses like emergency response agencies must conduct scenario planning. This is not just for natural disasters or cybersecurity threats but also for supply chain interruptions, market disruptions, and personnel losses.
“Too many organizations only think about risk once they’ve already been hit by it,” he notes. “But resilience isn’t built in the middle of a crisis. It results from smart planning, training, and culture building long before things go wrong.”
He parallels incident command systems used in disaster response and executive leadership models in the private sector. Both rely on clear chains of command, defined roles, cross-functional communication, and rapid decision-making. When businesses adopt similar structures, especially during periods of high stress, they can maintain operational integrity and respond faster to challenges.
Building the Right Team Culture
Oxford also emphasizes the importance of culture in both fields. In emergency response, mission success often depends on how well teams function under pressure. That means trust, role clarity, and consistent training are non-negotiables. He argues that corporate teams can benefit immensely from adopting the same mindset.
“In crisis management, everyone knows their position, backup plan, and how their actions affect the bigger picture,” says Oxford. “That kind of clarity creates a culture of accountability and empowerment. Businesses that operate with those values don’t just survive disruptions, they grow through them.”
He recommends that executives regularly review their continuity plans, encourage interdepartmental collaboration, and run internal exercises to test responsiveness. “It’s not about scaring people,” he explains. “It’s about giving them confidence through preparation.”
The Power of Public-Private Lessons
Oxford’s extensive work with public agencies and private contractors has given him a rare perspective on where the two worlds intersect. He believes business leaders can learn much from the public sector’s emphasis on coordinated preparedness and the disciplined execution of contingency plans.
For example, many federal response agencies conduct annual full-scale exercises simulating large-scale disasters. These exercises aren’t just about operational readiness. They also do stress-testing systems, identifying weak points, and improving year over year.
“In the corporate world, we do fire drills for buildings but not for business models,” says Oxford. “Imagine how valuable it would be if every leadership team simulated a major disruption, loss of a key supplier, rapid market shift, internal leadership change, and practised how they’d respond.”
From Reaction to Resilience
Oxford urges business leaders to consider emergency planning not as a cost but as an investment in stability, trust, and long-term value. He points out that customers, employees, and investors are increasingly examining how organizations handle pressure and that reputational damage during a crisis often stems from a lack of preparation, not the event itself.
“Resilient organizations don’t just bounce back,” Oxford concludes. “They adapt, grow, and lead. And that kind of resilience is built the same way we build emergency response systems: through foresight, teamwork, discipline, and a deep commitment to mission success.”
As threats become more complex and disruptions more frequent, Rowdy Oxford’s cross-sector insights timely remind us that preparation isn’t just a government responsibility; it’s a business imperative.
About Rowdy Oxford:
Rowdy Oxford is a U.S. Army veteran, FEMA EPLO, and seasoned defence and emergency management executive. He specializes in crisis coordination, public-private operational strategy, and leadership development. With over 20 years of experience, he remains committed to building resilient systems and mentoring future leaders across government and industry.
