Class Preparation Guides

Class Preparation Guides

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Class Preparation Guides

The Main Purpose of the Assigned Reading

The main purpose of the emergency management article is to inform on the vulnerability of a community to various hazards. The information is to assist the society to structure strategies that facilitate anticipation and dealing of the hazards through refined preparedness, protection, response, prevention, mitigation, and recovery. The reading identifies suitable methodologies that individuals, groups and organizations can employ to protect themselves from risk. Moreover, the article highlights key concepts and terms that elevate reader comprehension of the topic under discussion. In short, the objective of the article is to equip the reader with information relevant applicable in prevention and solving of emergency scenarios.

Key Concepts

Key ideas in the article include prevention, protection, preparedness, mitigation, recovery, and response. Main theories include the roles of the local emergency leader, tribal leader, state emergency management, federal emergency management, private sector, and voluntary organizations in the control of risks. Key models in the article include the Emergency Operation Plan, national Response Framework, and Emergency Management Functions. Main definitions comprise the integrated emergency management system, principles of emergency management, emergency operation plan and the integrated emergency management.

SEE-1 Process

The key concept is preparedness. The ideology is defined as various deliberate steps taken to ensure operational continuity. The steps implemented encompass critical activities and tasks vital for functional development, protection, progression, sustenance, and flexibility for optimum recovery and response given occurrence of a hazard. A real world example of the preparedness concept is in establishment of government safe houses and bunkers in regions highly susceptible to adverse climatic conditions such as hurricanes and typhoons. The structures protect human life facilitating faster socio-economic recovery, growth, and response through continued productivity. The government ensures continuity of economic performance through safe guarding human life as labor is a vital component in production. The ideology can be further understood in the diagram below.

Two Questions Raised by the Reading

The first question I would like to be discussed in class is whether the emergency management course could be applied in small scale. If applicable, what changes in framework and approach are necessary? The second question to be debated upon is why the emergency management platform does not have a standardized program or institution for hazard control. The article highlights several programs such as NIMS, NRF, and NFPA making comprehension on the most suitable body difficult.

Current Event Reflection

On 7 February 2014, the American Society for Healthcare Engineering and the Association for the Healthcare Environment formulated the Emergency Management Survey aimed at increasing hospital response to natural and man-made catastrophes (Vesely & Hoppszallern, 2014). According to the survey, health facilities over the last five years have incurred huge losses from hurricane Sandy, Joplin, and the Mo tornado. Hospitals vulnerable to these climatic conditions have been temporarily losing electrical power, incurring mass casualties and complete facility destruction. The Emergency management Survey is to prepare hospitals for future adverse situations.

The EMS formulated by the Healthcare bodies relates to emergency management because both apply the same concepts and frameworks in disaster control. The EMS carefully coordinates local authority, public systems, internal processes and support health institutions to enable hospitals to perform optimally during an adverse situation (Vesely & Hoppszallern, 2014). In addition, the survey maps out double or more supply chains of food, water, beddings, wireless communication technologies, fuel and generators for back up application given occurrence of a hazard facilitating operational continuity (Vesely & Hoppszallern, 2014). Backups and sequential planning are all concepts included in emergency management.

Reference

Vesely, Rebecca & Hoppszallern, Suzanna. (2014). Hospitals Learn valuable Lessons in Responding to Natural and Man-made Catastrophes. 2014 Emergency Management Survey. Retrieved from http://www.hhnmag.com/display/HHN-news-article.dhtml?dcrPath=/templatedata/HF_Common/NewsArticle/data/HFM/Magazine/2014/July/special-report-emergency-management-survey