Question One
The National Response Framework recognizes the fact that there are disasters and catastrophes that are larger than what one institution can handle. Accordingly, it establishes a framework for coordination of intergovernmental and inter-organizational response efforts in managing a disaster. It adopts the “whole community” model which is an all-inclusive approach where individuals, families, communities, private sector, non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, local, state, tribal, territorial, insular area and federal government are all involved in disaster response and recovery. To this end, specific roles are designated to each institution based on their unique effectiveness and resource capabilities. Furthermore, the National Response Framework incorporates a unified command structure that ensures smooth coordination of response and recovery activities among these institutions (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
Question Two
Being the emergency manager for New Orleans, I will not allow homeowners back into their houses to collect their personal effects before the demolition. This decision is informed by the fact that there was a significant structural damage on the buildings as a result of the Hurricane. Therefore, allowing homeowners to enter their homes puts their lives at risk (Browne). In as much as getting their personal effects back would aid their recovery; it is certainly not worth more loss of human life. If anything, I can come up with a program whereby trained personnel themselves salvage overtly important personal effects and deliver them to their respective owners. It may be costly but therapeutic and warranted when viewed through recovery lenses.
Question Three
All community stakeholders ought to be involved in setting up a local recovery/mitigation committee. More so, it ought to be as diversified as possible so as to achieve maximum representation of all categories of people in the community in question. This is in accordance to the spirit of inclusiveness as incorporated by the National Response Framework and in accordance with the community concept as per the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s guide to A Whole Community approach to Emergency Management: Principles, Themes, and Pathways for Action’. Additionally, it is naturally easy and convenient to rally people to support a course for which they were involved in their inception. Furthermore, they will have a sense of ownership of the committee. Hence, they would submit to its authority without unnecessarily feeling as if the regulations by the committee are being imposed on them (Kapucu and Ozerdem). Additionally, in the event of a disaster, every member of the community is affected in one way or another hence it is only fair that no one is unjustifiably exempted in the formation of a committee that is meant to come up with mechanisms of cushioning them from risks. However, the need for experienced people and those who have respective expertise in various disaster management disciplines cannot be overemphasized. Their input will be invaluable and accordingly, their involvement is indispensable (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
Question Four
In their comprehensive plan to address response and recovery from a disaster for their community, emergency managers ought to include a community-wide emergency plan and Federal government initiatives. Besides being mandated by the National Response Framework, integration of emergency initiatives of all other relevant players by a community will go a long way in aiding collaboration among all the stakeholders and help lessen jurisdictional chaos among them. Moreover, since the Federal government is endowed with significantly huge resource base, economics demands that both the Federal government initiatives and community ones are synchronized in order to achieve optimum allocation of resources. Therefore, it is imperative that the Federal government’s initiatives are included as well (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
Works Cited
Browne, Katherine E. Standing in the Need: Culture, Comfort and Coming Home After Katrina. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2015.
Federal Emergency anagement Agency. National Response Framework. Policy. Washington DC: US Department of Homeland Security, 2013.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. A Whole Community Approach to Emergency Management: Principles, Themes and Pathways for Action. Federal. Washington DC: US Department of Homeland Security, 2011.
—. Developing and Maintanining Emergecncy Operations Plan. Policy. Washington DC: US Department of Homeland Security, 2011.
—. National Response Framework. Federal. Washington DC: Department of Homeland Security, 2013.
Kapucu, Naim and Alpaslan Ozerdem. Managing Emergencies and Crises. Orlando: Jones & Bartlett, 2011.
