Emergency Plan
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Emergency Plan
Albeit, there is no clear-cut definition of terrorism, however, in broader sense terrorism can be defined as a means of coercion that utilizes or threatens to utilize violence. Perpetrators of terrorism resort to violence in order to spread fear for their vested interests. In contemporary times, most of the countries are investing a lot, in terms of human or financial resources, in order to counter terrorism. While planning the counter-terrorism measures, it is imperative to identify the signs of terrorism. Identification and spotting of terrorist activity would help the counterterrorism authorities to take effective and suitable measures.
The importance of emergency response agencies can never be downplayed, as these agencies are critical for countering terrorism. However, before the implementation of the plans to counter terrorism or deal with an emergency situation, these agencies are required to stimulate their planning. The initiation of an emergency plan spins around the classification of emergencies. Organization of emergency planning is also an essential component of the initiation of an emergency plan. An emergency plan is mainly divided into two parts, that are further subdivided into four components each. So, there is a total of eight components that account for the emergency plan. The focal point of this essay will be the implementation of each component of the emergency plan. In addition, this essay will discuss all the activities that are considered inexorable for the implementing eight components of emergency plan.
Discussion
Every emergency plan includes two main components which are further subdivided into four parts each. The components and sub-components of an emergency plan are as follows:
Reactionary Planning: It serves the purpose of management, supervision, and the safety of the individuals during any terrorist attack or any other emergency situation. The sub-components of reactionary planning are:
Stress Alleviation
Enabling support and emergency response system
Health and Wellbeing
Communication
Resiliency Planning: Resiliency planning is all about the capacity of the people to deal with the hazards of terrorism. The capability of the social system is the measure of the capacity of individuals to cope with a terrorist attack, disasters, or any other emergency situation.
The sub-components of resiliency planning involve the following:
Disaster management
Emergency Management Services
Availability of resources
Preparedness
The sections below will analyze what actions can be taken to implement each component of emergency plan.
Stress Alleviation
Being an emergency respondent, it is imperative not to be incapacitated by fatigue or stress. If an emergency respondent is incapacitated then he or she will offer less than he actually can. Enhanced personal resilience and managing stress are the most important things for a person who works as an emergency respondent, and he is dutybound to carry out these tasks ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"ybuKGBZk","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Kapucu, 2012)","plainCitation":"(Kapucu, 2012)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":569,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/P2ZFA5DA"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/P2ZFA5DA"],"itemData":{"id":569,"type":"article-journal","title":"Disaster and emergency management systems in urban areas","container-title":"Cities","page":"S41–S49","volume":"29","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Kapucu","given":"Naim"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2012"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Kapucu, 2012). The personal outcome also depends upon how an emergency respondent copes with the stress. following are the actions that are inevitable during an emergency.
It is very important for emergency respondents to recognize who they are, what are they doing, and what do they expect from what they are doing.
It is imperative for the respondents to decide what they want to achieve and what is the purpose of their experience.
Emergency respondents must learn the importance of teamwork and must work as a team. Working as a team would help them to deal with secondary traumatic stress.
Enabling Support and Emergency Response System
The response system is highly important for an emergency plan. Normally response activities start immediately after the emergency situation shows up. The endpoint of response phase is difficult to define. Actions that must be taken to implement the support and emergency response system include the use of geospatial information, a collaboration between the support system and response system. Geospatial information is important as this can be used to display the distribution of hazards. The distribution of hazardous can be seen not only for the present situation but also for the situations in the future. Geospatial information system and remote sensing system must be in place and work properly to guide response teams during an emergency situation. The most important thing for the response team is the evacuation of the people and for that purpose model events can be designed to train the response teams ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"D8TLdHrw","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Chang, 2018)","plainCitation":"(Chang, 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":576,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/FRVU5Y7Y"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/FRVU5Y7Y"],"itemData":{"id":576,"type":"article-journal","title":"Exploring the Dynamics of Local Emergency Management Collaboration in the United States—What We Learned from Florida County and City Emergency Managers' Viewpoints.","container-title":"EurAmerica","volume":"48","issue":"1","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Chang","given":"Kaiju"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Chang, 2018). In addition, these model events can also help in the development of multiagency response plans. All the critical aspect of the response plan must be checked by exercise designers.
The extent of damage can also be measured by developing energy infrastructure models. Furthermore, the collaboration between the support system and response is inevitable for the effectiveness of both of the systems. If response time is decreased and quality of time is increased then the collaboration between both of the systems can be achieved. Another way to enable collaboration between both is the maintenance of public services. All the government agencies and business communities in Florida must join hands for the collaboration between the support system and response system.
Health and Wellbeing
The major concern during an emergency is health and wellbeing of the individuals. Ensuring the health and wellbeing of the individuals is one of the main objectives of any emergency plan. As far as the actions are concerned, the following are the actions that are inexorable during any emergency concerning health and wellbeing.
An integrated state county must be in a place for the government agencies to achieve their goals. Department of education can play a vital role in spreading awareness among the people. In addition, all the people that are responsible to ensure health and wellbeing of the individuals must be trained enough to deal with any kind of catastrophe. These people should know what services people require concerning their health and wellbeing in different emergency situations ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"2OP6J7n4","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Phillips, Neal, & Webb, 2016)","plainCitation":"(Phillips, Neal, & Webb, 2016)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":582,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/NDQU7QPX"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/NDQU7QPX"],"itemData":{"id":582,"type":"book","title":"Introduction to emergency management","publisher":"CRC Press","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Phillips","given":"Brenda"},{"family":"Neal","given":"David M."},{"family":"Webb","given":"Gary"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2016"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Phillips, Neal, & Webb, 2016). All the healthcare institutions must have a proper department to deal with patients and individuals brought to them amid any natural disaster, terrorist attack, or any other catastrophe. Every business must have health and safety equipment to deal with an emergency situation when the response team is on the way. The government must ensure that all the businesses are fulfilling minimum health and safety requirements. Employees must be taught how to deal with an emergency as a first responder. All the things aforementioned are responsible for health and wellbeing of the individuals during an emergency situation.
Communication
The importance of communication can never be downplayed. In one of the above sections, the importance of geospatial information is explained, however, geospatial information would be of no use, if geospatial information is not communicated properly. To evade communication problem commercial infrastructure must be utilized in full capacity coupled with high bandwidth communication ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"iMLh4BhT","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Hu & Kapucu, 2016)","plainCitation":"(Hu & Kapucu, 2016)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":580,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/8ZSL8VJ7"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/8ZSL8VJ7"],"itemData":{"id":580,"type":"article-journal","title":"Information communication technology utilization for effective emergency management networks","container-title":"Public Management Review","page":"323–348","volume":"18","issue":"3","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Hu","given":"Qian"},{"family":"Kapucu","given":"Naim"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2016"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Hu & Kapucu, 2016). The communication between all the electronic systems and equipment must be well protected. During any emergency recorded by remote sensing or geospatial information, people must be communicated and informed to evacuate the place. In addition, there must not be any kind of communication gap between the different departments of the agencies or between the different agencies.
All the stakeholders must be taken on board in order to make the communication network effective. If there is any glitch in the communication networks then it must be solved. The whole communication network has to be controlled by the main server with backup, if in case the information is lost. All these actions are important to implement the crisis communication plan effectively.
Disaster management
Implementation of an emergency plan has so much dependence on the successful implementation of disaster management. In addition, post-disaster management is also important. First of all, natural calamities must be grouped in major and minor types. The type of natural disaster depends upon the potential of the disaster to cause damage to human life and property. The intensity of damage is different in different situations and disasters. So, the first action is to categorize the natural calamities as major and minor. Following that response plan resources to both major and minor calamities should be allocated separately.
Contingency plans must be designed separately for major and minor calamities. During the review, the measures that are required to deal with natural calamity, either major or minor must be sorted. Key communities, such as the business community in Florida and social functionaries must be trained for the successful execution of the disaster management plan. Assessment of risk must be carried out prior to implementing the plan ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"KToJ0HMP","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Organization, 2017)","plainCitation":"(Organization, 2017)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":583,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/EZJH6E3F"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/EZJH6E3F"],"itemData":{"id":583,"type":"article-journal","title":"Emergency response framework (ERF)","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Organization","given":"World Health"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2017"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Organization, 2017). Duties must be defined, details must be straight, escape roots must be marked and designed in order to implement the disaster management plan effectively.
Emergency Management Services
Whenever a hazardous situation arises, emergency management services start working to deal with the situation. The main task of the EMS is to provide information for an emergency response concerning any disaster. Actions that are needed for emergency management services to work effectively during any hazardous situation include the rapids mapping service that is indispensable for emergency response. In addition, risk and recovery maps must also be provided by EMS in order to prevent the damage ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"bFXjfKWw","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Chang, 2018)","plainCitation":"(Chang, 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":576,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/FRVU5Y7Y"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/FRVU5Y7Y"],"itemData":{"id":576,"type":"article-journal","title":"Exploring the Dynamics of Local Emergency Management Collaboration in the United States—What We Learned from Florida County and City Emergency Managers' Viewpoints.","container-title":"EurAmerica","volume":"48","issue":"1","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Chang","given":"Kaiju"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Chang, 2018). Furthermore, early warning and monitoring systems must also be put in place by EMS in order to deal with an anticipated threat.
All the government agencies in Florida must be well aware of any emergency by EMS so that they could protect the individuals, improve the safety measures, and promote volunteer efforts. There must be a plan for protecting businesses owing to their importance in the economic sphere. Emergency management service must devise plans for the safety of business centers, community centers, public places, and buildings.
EMS should devise plans to increase the resilience of the communities to disasters. In addition, this is EMS’ responsibility to lessen the impacts of disaster. Review of the emergency plans and pointing out flaws in the previous plans can also affect the management services positively. EMS should design how effective assistance can be provided to the victims. Everything must be planned prior to the implementation of an emergency plan, and everything must be planned according to the type and category of disaster or hazardous situation.
Availability of Resources
Identification of resources for the emergencies and allocation of these resources in the right manner makes the emergency plan effective and successful. All the resources must be in place i.e. the required quantity in terms of manpower and equipment and required capabilities of the manpower. All the limitations have to be identified as well. In terms of equipment, it must be ensured that all the equipment is working properly. Proper inspection and certification for the equipment are necessary. In addition, without coordination between humans, equipment, and supplies emergency plan cannot be implemented successfully. Therefore, coordination is inevitable. Government agencies must designate resources to environmental safety. The process of accountability should be there to avoid any illicit use of resources, and the channel to use financial resources must be transparent ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"KxJWdqi0","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Kapucu & Hu, 2016)","plainCitation":"(Kapucu & Hu, 2016)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":575,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/6MP4XRTJ"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/6MP4XRTJ"],"itemData":{"id":575,"type":"article-journal","title":"Understanding multiplexity of collaborative emergency management networks","container-title":"The American Review of Public Administration","page":"399–417","volume":"46","issue":"4","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Kapucu","given":"Naim"},{"family":"Hu","given":"Qian"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2016"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Kapucu & Hu, 2016). In addition, emergency response agencies must have a replacement in case they lose their resources. Resource management department should manage the deployment and working of all the resources.
Preparedness
Preparedness actually stands for all the activities that are undertaken in less time. All these activities must be undertaken before disaster hits the community. It actually enhances the enthusiasm of community and organization to respond effectively. Identification of hazards and development of plans are necessary for the successful implementation of preparedness. A disaster plan is normally devised by individual agency, however, when disaster strikes, it demands teamwork on account of all agencies. So, in order to make this phase successful, all the agencies must work closely and be prepared for the negative fallout of the disaster ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"WG80ro65","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Organization, 2017)","plainCitation":"(Organization, 2017)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":583,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/EZJH6E3F"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/jsvqEXt1/items/EZJH6E3F"],"itemData":{"id":583,"type":"article-journal","title":"Emergency response framework (ERF)","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Organization","given":"World Health"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2017"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Organization, 2017). Training exercise must be conducted by all the agencies and they should evaluate their preparedness level following the training. Geospatial information is also important to implement this phase successfully.
Preparedness involves equipping, training, planning, organizing, exercising, evaluating, and taking corrective measures. Exercising and training are the most important factors amongst aforementioned components of preparedness. The organization and operation of planning and disaster management depend upon structural mitigation measures. Such structural mitigation measures include training, evacuation planning, public education and awareness, warning system, and land use of planning. All these are important for structural mitigation measures which are in turn important for the successful implementation of preparedness.
Conclusion
The implementation of a successful emergency plan cannot be possible without the successful implementation of each component. Neither of the eight components can be downplayed or disregarded while planning to deal with an emergency situation. In addition, it is not possible to prevent the disaster completely, however, the extent of damage can be reduced by following the actions discussed above. Accuracy in disaster management must be there, without accuracy, the negative fallout of a disaster or any other hazardous situation could haunt us for years. Mobilization of resources, training, communication, people’s health, education campaign, and business community’s cooperation, all can play a vital role in the successful implementation of the emergency plan.
References
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Chang, K. (2018). Exploring the Dynamics of Local Emergency Management Collaboration in the United States—What We Learned from Florida County and City Emergency Managers’ Viewpoints. EurAmerica, 48(1).
Hu, Q., & Kapucu, N. (2016). Information communication technology utilization for effective emergency management networks. Public Management Review, 18(3), 323–348.
Kapucu, N. (2012). Disaster and emergency management systems in urban areas. Cities, 29, S41–S49.
Kapucu, N., & Hu, Q. (2016). Understanding multiplexity of collaborative emergency management networks. The American Review of Public Administration, 46(4), 399–417.
Organization, W. H. (2017). Emergency response framework (ERF).
Phillips, B., Neal, D. M., & Webb, G. (2016). Introduction to emergency management. CRC Press.
