Disaster Considerations and the All Hazards Approach to Emergency Management

In order to adequately prepare and execute disaster response and recovery efforts, emergency managers must know the specific needs of their community. Furthermore, emergency managers must be adept at understanding the effects of a potential disaster on a community, the aspects of the disaster (disaster considerations), and potential incidents this disaster might spawn. In striving to achieve mitigation and response efforts, emergency managers consider their specific community needs and approach disaster response and recovery with these elements in mind. An all hazards approach is often taken to respond to a multitude of disaster events. The standards proposed by the all hazards approach to emergency management set forth the guiding principles for effective, efficient, and appropriate response and recovery operations. The Assignment (1–2 pages) For this Assignment, using the natural disaster and the community you identified for your Final Project, submit a paper on the following: Briefly describe the community you selected. Describe the natural disaster that might occur in this community. Explain the aspects of the disaster that emergency managers need to be aware of when responding to the incident. Describe any subsequent incidents that might be spawned or cascade from the initial incident. Explain the benefits and limitations of the all hazards approach to emergency management with this specific disaster. This Assignment will not be graded at this time. You submit this Assignment to your Instructor for feedback. You are encouraged to integrate the feedback into your Final Project. The Final Project will receive a grade. This paper will be incorporated into your Final Project. For your final project, you may want to research on-line, or even contact the community emergency management office and find out more information that you may be able to get access to: 1. Does the community have an existing hazard risk mitigation plan? Most communities do. 2. Does the community have a or emergency response plan? Most communities do. 3. What critical infrastructure is there in the community? For example, transportation – bridges, roads, railroads; hospitals, schools, businesses, etc. 4. What vulnerable populations live in the community? For example, elderly, children, low income, non-English speakers, etc. 5. Does the community have a plan for debris removal? 6. How does the community request disaster response and recovery support from the state? 7. Does the community have an emergency operations center for police, fire, emergency medical, public works, etc.? How is it manned? 8. What government and non-governmental organizations are part of the community’s disaster response plan?