How to Include Diverse, Vulnerable Populations in Emergency Preparedness
When preparing residents for disasters, officials must think not only about the different cultures within their community, but also about the vulnerable populations — the disabled, very young, elderly, homeless and people who speak limited or no English. Emergency managers and public health officials have wrestled with developing relationships with these groups for decades, and it’s still a challenge for many.
Luckily there are resources for officials to use; examples of successful initiatives can assist state and local agencies with their plans, helping them to reach as many people as possible in ways that create positive relationships and changes.
What You Should Know About Emergency Management Degrees
Emergency management is a growing profession and is projected to continue growing at a rate of 20 percent or more, according to O*NET OnLine (created for the U.S. Department of Labor), which rates emergency management specialists as a “bright outlook occupation” in the labor market. That growth is reflected in the increasing number of higher education programs offering degrees or certificates in emergency management.
Like all professions, emergency management has evolved throughout the years to become what it is today — a defined field of work that’s paving a career path for future employees. A look at some of the pre-eminent women working in emergency management roles provides insight into how they got into the field, positive changes they’ve seen and what’s in store for the future.
National Level Exercise 2011: Lessons Learned and a Look Behind the Scenes
In late 1811, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook the New Madrid Seismic Zone, stretching across Southern and Midwestern states. It was followed by two earthquakes in 1812 ranging from magnitude 7.5 to 7.7, six aftershocks ranging from magnitude 5.5 to 6.3 within the first two days and hundreds more aftershocks were felt into 1813. Two centuries later, that scenario was the basis for National Level Exercise (NLE) 2011, one of the largest emergency exercises in U.S. history and the first of its scale to simulate a natural disaster. For five days in May, eight states, four FEMA regions, and thousands of emergency managers and first responders from all disciplines and levels of government responded to a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck near Marked Tree, Ark., and this time had the potential to cause massive damage to modern-day infrastructure.
Are Zombies and Preparedness a Perfect Match?
The popularity of zombies has been rising in mainstream culture thanks to a recent influx of books, TV shows and video games. And agencies that cater to emergency preparedness are jumping on the undead bandwagon by encouraging the public to prepare for the zombie apocalypse. Why? Preparing for a zombie attack requires the same planning as emergencies like natural disasters — from putting together a disaster kit to creating an emergency plan.
Should Emergency Managers Don Multiple Hats?
Nationwide police chiefs and other top officers are being pressed into service as municipal emergency managers. They bear the full responsibility of their police jobs, while simultaneously carrying out all the training, reporting and planning work of the emergency manager’s position. Whatever the upside may be, some observers have grave doubts about the wisdom of putting emergency management responsibilities on the backs of police leadership.
The Impact of IPAWS on Public Alerts and Warnings
Few topics in emergency management have received more attention over the past few years than public alerts and warnings. Across the country, emergency managers wrestle with how to effectively and efficiently advise and mobilize the public in an emergency. But a grand vision for alerting our nation’s citizens during times of crisis — the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) program — is beginning to materialize. Federally mandated by presidential executive order, the IPAWS program is progressing rapidly, developing into a promising tool for local emergency managers.
10 Years After 9/11: How Far Did $635 Billion Spent on Homeland Security Go?
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the nation has spent a reported $635.9 billion on homeland security. But as we pass the 10th anniversary of the attacks and wrestle with dire economic issues, homeland security funds are being constrained. A look into homeland security funding since 9/11 raises almost as many questions as it answers. How is money apportioned? Are we spending enough — and how would we know? Are we, in fact, any safer?
Thinking of a Career in Emergency Management?
As an emergency manager in my mid-20s, the question I get asked most often by my peers when talking about my profession is how I got involved. More specifically they ask how they could get involved and have a job similar to mine. I wish I had a short, concise answer like my friends who are doctors, lawyers or information technology professionals, but I don’t. Few will disagree that emergency management is a tough field to get involved in, and it seems no two career paths are alike.
Time's Running Out for Agencies to Comply with Narrowbanding
In 2004, the FCC set a deadline of Jan. 1, 2013, for public safety agencies to convert their land mobile radio (LMR) functionality to narrowbanding — a method that allows radios to use spectrum more efficiently, freeing up extra capacity for additional licenses. The mandated change will avert agencies from a more bandwidth-hungry approach called widebanding and make available additional spectrum licenses for crowded metropolitan jurisdictions. It has been a costly burden, however, for jurisdictions already satisfied with the capacity they possess and those gravely unprepared to meet the deadline.
The Changing Face of Terror in the U.S.
The term “homeland security” became an indelible part of the English language after 9/11 — but the focus mainly has been overseas and keeping the bad guys out of the country.That’s changed as more homegrown terrorists — ones who are living and working in the country and blending in with local communities — begin to emerge.
