Response to the following discussions(X4) with approximately 150 words or more. Include a reference to each response. Be thoughtful and insightful and it must demonstrate critical thinking and analysis.
1. Numerous factors contributed to the development of modern Emergency Management as a discipline. These include the Cold War, a more centralized governmental philosophy, and efforts to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the Emergency Management process. Traditionally the role of emergency, or disaster, management remained in the hands of local and state governments (Phillips, Neal, & Webb, 2012), and the federal government was solicited when the scale of the emergency was beyond the capabilities of local institutions. It was recognized that disaster relief was needed for natural as well as external threats and that the processes in place included redundancies and inefficiencies that hampered relief efforts.
Rather than rely on local individuals that perhaps had no formal training or expertise in emergency management, FEMA was created to consolidate efforts of multiple agencies and ensure that the people called upon to provide disaster relief were trained professionals with experience and the tools and resources needed to mitigate disasters. The standardization of procedural responses and structure of emergency response was established to maximize effectiveness.
One of the outcomes from hurricane Katrina and the FEMA response is the recommendation from the Senate Report on Katrina to create a "Comprehensive Emergency Management Organization within DHS" (Haddow, Coppola, & Bullock, 2008). The concept behind the comprehensive approach would involve the agency at all levels including preparedness and transform the department form a reactionary agency into one that is proactive.
This federal agency could award or withhold funding for local preparations to lessen the potential impacts of future disasters. This uses the "Power of the Purse" to influence how localities prepare for and are ultimately assisted in disaster response. This does, however, introduce opportunities for corruption, and would require additional oversight to ensure improvements had merit, rather than being simply a chance to receive additional funding. The development of this comprehensive approach should help Emergency Management professionals address all four functions of emergency management: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation to minimize the impact of natural and man-made disasters.
2. Emergency management professionals today perform a crucial role in keeping our nation ready to respond to disasters and minimize human and economic losses efficiently. Between the 1950's and early 1970's emergency management in the U.S was divided into two areas; civil defense and natural/technical disasters. Local and state governments handled emergency management. The majority of emergency management personnel was employed part-time and lacked emergency mitigation, planning, management training, and experience. The federal government had little involvement in assisting local and state governments during times of crisis and would only assist when given congressional approval.
A series of natural disasters made it obvious to the federal government that changes were needed to help protect communities against disaster. The first of these steps was the passing of the Disaster Relief Act of 1950. This law allowed the federal government to assist and intervene in local matters during times of crisis without requiring congressional approval. This law was further expanded and refined by the Disaster Relief Act of 1974.
After major disasters, federal and state officials developed a series of changes and created agencies to assist in emergency management, preparedness, and relief. The number of agencies created presented a problem in itself. These agencies lacked efficient organization, were decentralized, often provided redundant services that resulted in confusion and poor response during times of need.
In 1978, President Carter sought to improve emergency management in the U.S. by making changes through the initiative Reorganization Plan #3. This initiative led to the formation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 1979. FEMA consolidated multiple federal agencies under one single department that would be responsible for all aspects of emergency management.
FEMA has continued to evolve to this day. After every new disaster, the emergency management field has evolved to correct past deficiencies and better prepare for possible new events. Emergency management professionals this day count with specialized training and a high level of expertise gained from past mistakes, successes and the recognition of government officials from all levels of the importance of a highly-trained emergency response force.
3.Been an emergency manager, is your duty to identify how a disaster will affect each community and have to take in to consideration how the emergency services and the community will react to such an event. A tornado in Utah who has an average of 2 tornados per year according to NOAA, will not be as prepare as Texas who has an average of 155 tornados if multiple tornados hit different parts of the state.
When a disaster occurs communities' responded in different manners. The emergent norm theory allows specialist to anticipate the disaster behavior encounter in a community.
An accepted behavior in a small town where everyone knows each other, is expected of neighbors to help other neighbors. We saw this on May 2017 where the community of Eden N.C came together and cleaned up debris after a tornado and a major storm hit the town less than a week apart (Spectrum News). In contrast of a major city were people socialize only with coworkers, close friends and families, helping a neighbor is not what you expect. At the contrary people would rise to the occasion and try to benefit themselves, even if they violate the law. This was seen in New Orleans East, where two men were arrested after looting a home (The New Orleans Advocate).
When we talk about a systematic approach to a disaster we have to see how the society will be affected as a whole. In the summer of 1995 in Chicago a three day heat wave created havoc among the city. Road buckled, and 3,000 fire hydrants were open leading to a water use record, also the influx of patients admitted to the ER backlogged hospitals and emergency services. At the end the totaling death count total 733 people (Chicago Tribune).
The most fascinated theory I learned was the sociopolitical ecology theory. It suggest competition occurs over resources needed for mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery and there will be winners and losers. Without knowing I used this theory before. When I trained Sailor in Ship Damage Control I mention to my trainees that incase the ship was hit by a chemical or biological attack I will have them take their protective suit and don a fire fighting suit.
They will be contaminated, but the ship will survive. When one sailor ask who I would send to do this, I told them I would send the administrative personnel first. Because I need my medical personnel to take care of the wounded, the cooks to provide meals and the engineers to power the ship, but I can lose my administrative personnel because paper work can wait.
4. The emergent norm theory is essentially, theory that enables researchers to record spontaneous aspects of disaster behavior. It is posed that new norms and social structures are created immediately after a disaster. The systems theory pertains to the interactions between humans, physical and built environment.
Lastly, the sociopolitical ecology theory focuses on the human aspect as in the systems theory however, with a much more detailed analysis. It references possible competition among social groups. The competition involves what group may become disaster victims and who might recover from a disaster faster than other groups.
During a flood, various groups and physical structures are affected. Referencing the three theories, all apply to the scenario. After a major flood, groups will form and attempt to assist each other. This would have never happened had there not been a flood in the first place.
Thus, a new norm is created. The systems theory explains how, after a flood, a city's government will attempt to mitigate any damage done to a highway or area heavily affected by the flood. The highway may be damaged, leaving access routes blocked off to people. Lastly, the sociopolitical ecology theory might explain why people that were wealthier may have been much more prepared for the flood as opposed to single women.
I would say that the systems theory explains why efforts are shifted toward mitigation of hazards and risks. Lessons learned come into play and agencies, governments or private groups will learn from what occurred and attempt to prevent it from happening again. Security in an area may be altered, dikes may be built or housing may be torn down to avoid future damage.