On July 31, 1976, a powerful thunderstorm stalled over Colorado’s Big Thompson Canyon, triggering a flash flood that swept away buildings, roads, and powerlines in its path. More than 200 people were injured, hundreds more were stranded until the floodwaters receded, and 144 people were killed. It remains the deadliest flood in the state’s recorded history.

Join this upcoming webinar on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 to mark the recent 50th anniversary of this turning point disaster.

U.S. emergency management has become largely defined through a security framework, which has stalled its development and identity as a distinct profession. The field has an opportunity to evolve by infusing a humanitarian ethos into the profession.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, civilians in storm-damaged Florida stepped in to assist in impacted counties, using personal boats to rescue stranded victims, providing food and water, and distributing supplies, among other grassroots response activities. The latest Quick Response Research study examines how and why these "zero responders" participated in the early aftermath of the storm.