According to the Emergency Management Institute, emergencies are when a release of energy or a hazardous agent creates a chain of events in response to impact on a community (EMI 275). In order to effectively respond to the consequences of an emergency, the fundamental principles of Community Emergency Planning are used to prepare beforehand (EMI 247). These principles include the concepts that :
Emergency planners are ready for either passive or active resistance to planning response and create ways to overcome the challenges. Other organizations and the community often do not consider preparedness important enough to consume resources. Promoting public awareness and support encourages assistance. Formal descriptions of each partnering agency helps to reduce conflict between organizations seeking to maintain autonomy.
Planning prior before incidence occurrence should encompass all community threats. Community hazards take the form of natural, technological, and deliberate. Emergency planners discuss all potential hazards that might present to the community and create a procedure for dealing with each. When evaluation of potential hazards shows they would have similar responses, they are grouped together to simplify response protocols. This also reduces the number of different types of training and promotes more efficient performance.
Planning prior before incidence occurrence promotes cooperation between all response organizations for participation and commitment through clear definitions of agreement. Each response organization in a community has its own structure, personnel, equipment, and policies in place. In order to work in a coordinated manner, in-depth discussions of the responsibilities and priorities of each agency must be clearly defined and agreed upon to avoid conflict and redundancy or omission of needed services in time of disaster.
Planning prior before incidence occurrence is based on accurate information about the threat, what type of human behavior to expect, and what types of support is available from external sources. By making assumptions about the types of public behavioral reactions to the various types of threats, precautions are able to be planned in anticipation. Communications, medical response teams, transportation authorities, and public utilities are only a few of the problems to be addressed.
Emergency planners have the ability to identify the most appropriate type of actions for the situation while promoting flexibility for continuous assessment of needs. Even the most intensive planning will not anticipate every need. Emergency response team must have the ability to improvise solutions on short notice when it is apparent a need is not being met. Plan should not be so detailed as to allow no room for last minute changes.
Emergency planners look for links between emergency response, recovery from the disaster, and mitigation of hazards. Every event will have a stage of recovery and sometimes actions will begin for recovery while response actions are still in progress. Coordination between agencies involved in each stage helps avoid conflict.
Planning prior before incidence occurrence provides training and organizational evaluation at the levels of the community, departments, teams, and individuals. After an explanation of the completed plan for each department, organization, and the public, training and practices promote quick and effective responses at all levels of the event.
Emergency planning is a continuous process since changes occur over time in personnel, equipment, abilities to perform assigned responsibilities, and other factors in response. Changes in the community, organizational structures, and administrative heads may all affect even the best emergency plan and prompt updates. Cwiak conducted a study that demonstrated that there is an imbalance between legislative committees and emergency management with the latter being in a subordinate position that frequently causes disruption in the process (Cwiak 1). As legislators come into and leave office, the relationship between the two entities alters and re-evaluation of the plans on all levels must take place.
The Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) promotes emergency preparedness in areas with large numbers of people and at high risk against the threat of terrorism (FIREHOUSE). Funded by the federal government, the UASI are eligible to apply for SHSP funds. The total amount available in 2016 is $587,000,000 and awards last for three years. Cost sharing and matching funds are not required. Individual offices apply for E-grants through the Office of Homeland Security (Office of Homeland Security 3).
The Metropolitan Medical Response System started as a hazardous waste threat response and later became designated as a response to terrorist threats (Office of Homeland Security). The organization trains first responders in specific actions related to terrorism disaster. Funding is obtained through Congress designated for “medical strike teams”. The 127 jurisdictions across the country share a $30 million allocation.
Works Cited
Cwiak, Carol L. "Strategies For Success: The Role Of Power And Dependence In The
Emergency Management Professionalization Process.". PhD. North Dakota State
EMI. "Emergency Management Institute (EMI) | AEMRC - Fundamentals of Emergency
Management". Training.fema.gov. N.p., 2016. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
FIREHOUSE. "The Metropolitan Medical Response System | Firehouse". Firehouse. N.p., 2008.
Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
Homeland Security Grants. "Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)".
Homelandsecuritygrants.info. N.p., 2016. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
Office of Homeland Security. "FY 200 9 Metropolitan Medical Response Systems (MMRS)".
NYS Office of Homeland Security. N.p., 2009. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
