Lessons From Venezuela

Strategic Response Partners CEO Steve Slepcevic joins Roofing Contractor Executive Director Jill Bloom to discuss lessons from disaster response and why contractors are uniquely equipped to help when emergencies strike. From family preparedness and backup communications to medical training and cross-training crews, he shares practical ways contractors can prepare before a crisis occurs.

Fresh from a humanitarian deployment to Venezuela following a devastating series of earthquakes, Slepcevic shared firsthand accounts of coordinating rescue efforts amid widespread building collapses and thousands of displaced residents. His message, however, extended far beyond international disaster response. For contractors, the conversation centered on one simple idea: preparation begins long before the emergency.

A Different Kind of Leadership

Slepcevic explained that his organization responds to disasters around the world, often deploying independently with experienced teams made up of former military personnel, firefighters, paramedics and search-and-rescue specialists. Rather than waiting for an invitation, he describes responding to what he calls a personal calling to serve where the need is greatest.

Upon arriving in Venezuela, his team quickly began evaluating damaged structures, working alongside local officials, heavy equipment operators and medical organizations to identify buildings with the greatest chance of containing survivors. The operation required construction knowledge as much as emergency response experience.

For Slepcevic, managing cranes, excavators and structural assessments felt familiar.

"I was running it like a construction project," he explained during the interview, describing how coordinating equipment, crews and building evaluations mirrored the responsibilities of a superintendent or project manager.

That connection is precisely why Bloom believes contractors can play an important role during emergencies.

Contractors Are Natural First Responders

Throughout the discussion, Bloom encouraged listeners to think beyond traditional jobsite safety meetings. Contractors already possess many of the skills needed during emergencies, including equipment operation, hazard recognition, logistics and leadership. The missing piece, Slepcevic said, is preparation.

He recommends every contractor begin with a written family emergency plan. Employees cannot effectively respond to workplace emergencies if they are uncertain about the safety of their own families. Every household should know where to meet, how to communicate and what alternate evacuation routes exist should normal transportation corridors become blocked.

Communication also plays a critical role.

Natural disasters frequently eliminate cellular service, internet access and traditional communication systems. Slepcevic encouraged contractors to consider satellite communication devices or mobile internet systems capable of operating independently of local infrastructure. Those investments, he noted, can become invaluable during hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes or other large-scale emergencies.

The conversation also highlighted the importance of maintaining emergency supplies, deployment equipment and medical resources that can be quickly accessed when disaster strikes. 

Training Beyond Compliance

Perhaps the most valuable takeaway from the conversation centered on continuous training.

Slepcevic believes companies should expand their safety programs beyond OSHA compliance by incorporating first aid, emergency medical response, evacuation planning and scenario-based exercises into routine safety meetings. Bringing medical professionals into training sessions, practicing emergency procedures and reviewing deployment equipment regularly can help employees develop confidence before an actual crisis occurs.

His own organization conducts recurring equipment inspections and cross-training exercises so personnel understand multiple roles. Security specialists learn wildfire response. Medical personnel participate in rescue operations. Team members routinely train outside their primary disciplines because emergencies rarely follow job descriptions.

That philosophy also applies to contractors.

Whether responding to a worker injury, severe weather event or community disaster, companies that invest in ongoing education create stronger, more resilient organizations. Slepcevic also encouraged leaders to invest in physical fitness, mental preparedness and relationship building within their communities.

"You don't know when someone will need you—or when you'll need them," he said, emphasizing the value of building strong local connections before disaster occurs.

As the conversation concluded, Bloom reminded listeners that emergency preparedness doesn't require massive investments overnight. Instead, companies can build resilience one step at a time by strengthening safety programs, developing family preparedness plans and creating a culture where training never stops.

For contractors, those investments may never seem necessary—until the day they become indispensable. And when that moment arrives, preparation can make all the difference.