Ryan Blizek is the Lead Disaster Response Specialist responsible for communications for an international disaster relief organization. Since 2016, he has worked to develop and lead the organization's global disaster response communications team. This team is tasked with providing boots on the ground comms support of deployment operation in incidents where infrastructure is often damaged, inadequate or compromised. He has deployed on numerous disasters around the globe (8 US states and 24 countries) responding to hurricanes, floods, fires, earthquakes, Ebola, Covid-19, and in multiple war zones. Prior to this role he was Firefighter/EMT for 12 years in the greater DC metro area. As a front-line responder, he was also tasked with supporting public safety communications including multiple 911 PSAPS. He currently serves with Boone Fire Department in NC.

Presenting:

• Zero to Hero: Journey of Creating a Disaster Response Comms Support Team