Disaster Preparedness and Management

Disaster Preparedness –

The organization and management of the resources and duties for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of calamities is known as emergency management, sometimes known as emergency response or disaster management (prevention, preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery). The goal is to avert and lessen the negative consequences of any risks, including disasters.

According to the World Health Organization, an emergency is a situation in which normal operations are disrupted and quick action (management) is required to prevent it from turning into a disaster, which is much more difficult to recover from.

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency planning seeks to stop emergencies from happening, but if that is not possible, it starts an effective response plan to lessen their impacts. The creation of emergency plans is a cyclical process that is common to many risk management disciplines, such as business continuity and security risk management, where it is crucial to be ready for both the recognition or identification of hazards as well as their rating or evaluation. ASIS, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the International Association of Emergency Managers are just a few examples of organizations that issue standards and publications on emergency preparedness (IAEM).

Identification of adequately trained staff individuals responsible for decision-making during emergencies should be included in emergency management plans and procedures. Plans for training should specify the type, frequency, and participation of internal personnel as well as contractors and partners in civil protection. Regular efficacy tests should be conducted, and joint emergency plans that have been formally approved by all parties should be implemented when numerous businesses or organizations share a location.

With the participation of the services that will be involved in handling the emergency and the individuals who will be impacted, drills and exercises are frequently undertaken in advance of known threats. To get ready for risks like earthquakes, lockdowns for safety, tornadoes, and fires, drills are held. In the United States, the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service provides emergency access and priority handling for local and long distance calls over the public switched telephone network in order to support federal, state, local, and tribal government personnel, business, and non-governmental organizations during a crisis or emergency.

Prevention

At both the national and international levels, preventive measures are implemented with the goal of offering enduring protection from disasters. Good evacuation plans, environmental planning, and design standards can reduce the danger of fatalities and injuries. Build at least two to five feet above the 100-year flood level, or to the height of a 500-year flood.

Strategy for Mitigating

Disaster mitigation strategies are those that, by preventative actions performed before an emergency or disaster happens, remove or lessen the effects and risks of hazards. Various types of disasters require different preventative or mitigation methods. These preventive measures may involve structural alterations, such as the installation of an earthquake valve to immediately cut off the natural gas supply, seismic property retrofits, and the safeguarding of goods inside a building, in earthquake-prone areas. The latter could involve installing cabinet latches and putting appliances like refrigerators, water heaters, and breakables on the walls. Homes can be constructed on stilts in flood-prone areas.

Installing a generator enables the continuance of electrical service in places subject to extended power outages. Additional examples of personal mitigation measures include building storm basements and fallout shelters. In order to offer nearly complete protection during strong wind events like tornadoes and hurricanes, the safe room is a reinforced structure. Due to the strength of the wind entering the home, if one window or door breaks, the roof is more likely to fly off. The stresses on the roof are reduced by closing all internal doors. Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornadoes put more force on doors, windows, and roofs that are designed for 195 mph (314 km/h) winds. Rolling and accordion shutters for windows and garage doors that are hurricane-rated help lessen damage.

Preparedness

Equipment and procedures that will be used in the event of a disaster are the main focus of preparedness. The tools and processes can be used to lessen vulnerability to disasters, lessen their effects, or respond to emergencies more quickly. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) put forth a straightforward four-stage preparedness concept that follows a circular planning process from mitigation to preparedness to response to recovery and back to mitigation. Other organizations have modified this circular, overlapping paradigm, which is also covered in emergency courses and scholarly articles.

Response

While the search and rescue phase of an emergency response may get things started, it is almost always followed by a focus on meeting the most basic human needs of the impacted people. National or international agencies and organizations may offer this support. When multiple groups are involved in the response and local emergency management agency (LEMA) capability has been exceeded by the demand or compromised by the disaster itself, effective coordination of disaster relief is frequently essential. The National Response Framework is a document published by the US government that details the duties and obligations of representatives of the local, state, federal, and tribal governments. It offers advice on how to incorporate emergency support functions completely or in part to help with the response and recovery process. On a personal level, the answer can take the form of either staying put or leaving.

Recovery

After the immediate threat to human life has passed, the recuperation period begins. To quickly restore normalcy to the damaged area is the primary objective of the recovery phase. It is advised to take the property’s location or building type into account when reconstructing. War, starvation, and major epidemics are the worst case circumstances for home confinement, which can last a year or longer. After that, recuperation will happen at home. Food for these events is typically purchased in bulk along with the necessary equipment for storage and preparation, and it is then consumed as usual. To find out more about our services for emergency security and disaster management, get in touch with us.