Assignment

Emergency plans create the foundation for a community's strategic plan of action during any emergency situation. Many communities, encouraged by FEMA's incentives, strive to incorporate the all-hazards approach to develop preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery plans to address identifiable threats in a given area. The plans help emergency managers and local emergency service personnel to coordinate effective response efforts in any emergency situation. These plans specify the procedures that impact the daily operations in any emergency operations or management workplace.

Locate your state's emergency management plans and review the sections on preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. After doing so, evaluate the plans using the following prompts. (Be sure to support your evaluation with specific examples and quotations from the plans [750-1,000 words]).

1. Where do you see evidence of the all-hazards approach in the plans? Can you tell from the plan which hazards are of most eminent threat in your area? Based on the plans, do you think your state is sufficiently prepared to address those threats? Why or why not? Which threats do you think your state's plan has left out or not considered in as much depth as it should?

2. While emergency management plans present relevant information for government, emergency managers, and emergency responders based on government guidelines, they should also present information regarding the community at large. Does your state's plan adequately address the community's role in mitigation and in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters? Why or why not? How do you think your state could better involve the community in all aspects of emergency planning and preparedness?

3. Identify three components of your state's emergency plans that relate directly to your field of work or the field of work you aspire to get into. For example, if you are a firefighter, can you locate information in your state's plan that dictates communication channels when firefighters become involved in a statewide crisis? The goal is for you to learn more about how your job duties are directly impacted by your state's emergency plans. Conclude with recommendations on how your state's emergency plans could be better implemented in your direct line of work.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.