Homeland Security

HM500 Crisis and Emergency Management Fundamentals

Unit 4 DQ

Part 1: Topic 1/ Responding to a Disaster

As the director of emergency services for the community located on the South Carolina coast, you have been preparing for a hurricane for the past several days. When the hurricane finally comes ashore, it does so as a category 4. Discuss how you will respond to this disaster. What resources would you call upon locally, at the state level, and at the federal level? Discuss at what point will you call for state and federal aid and under what legal authority would you be able to call for the federal aid to meet your response needs?

Part 2: Topic 1Student #1Response: (Respond to below Student)

Brayton Prater

A category 4 hurricane can cause extreme damage. With sustained winds of 130+ mph winds, a category 4 hurricane can take the roof off of a well-built house. Any hurricane above category 3 should call for an evacuation. Storm shutters will only last so long. 

Storm surge is a factor to consider when evaluating a hurricane and how to respond to it accordingly. However, storm surge is harder to predict and not always related to the category of a hurricane. Storm surge relates to wind speed, rainfall amount, and overall speed of the storm. Always keep in mind that the larger the storm you farther you need to go during evacuation processes. 

When a hurricane makes landfall as a category 4, it most likely was a category 5 before making landfall. As director of emergency services, recognizing that this storm is coming for my community, I would begin evacuations as soon as possible, alert the state government of the preparations I have made and the resources I have available. Upon my coordination with the state government, I would request federal help once determined that the state resources would not be adequate. 

Part 2: Topic 1Student #2Response: (Respond to below Student)

Christian Toelke

Category 4 hurricanes are extremely dangerous storms with wind gusts up to 156 miles per hour. These storms can deal significant damage to homes, trees and power poles leading to power loss and residences left uninhabitable. Category 4 and category 5 hurricanes are considered to be major weather events that can produce dangerous storm surges and floods. 

As an emergency director, I would need to make sure I have a good understanding of the various categories of hurricanes and the dangers they present. Prior to the hurricane making landfall, after careful monitoring of the storm I would begin evacuations 72 hours prior to expected landfall. Prior to landfall, I would review all contracts with vendors to ensure there will be proper resources available if needed. Prior to landfall, I will have local first responders on standby status to be activated at a moment's notice. State assistance would be requested if there is expected to be numerous areas within my community impacted to ensure there are enough personnel available. Federal assistance will be requested if there is reason to believe there will be catastrophic loss of property and life.

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. (2012). Noaa.gov.  https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php

‌

Part 1 Topic 2: The “Big One”

For our discussion, view a scenario of an emergency.

You are the emergency manager responsible for handling this emergency. List the steps you would take to respond to the initial calls being received. How would you assess initial damage and the areas of the city that are in most need? How would you address the problems that are likely to last for multiple days, e.g., a collapsed freeway with trapped citizens? Provide illustrative examples to support your position.

Part 2 Topic 2 Student #1 Response (Respond to Student Below)

Ashley Bird

“These local individuals and agencies assess the incident, secure the scene and maintain order, rescue and treat the injured, contain and suppress fires or hazardous conditions, retrieve the dead, and ultimately, they stabilize the situation” (Haddow et. al, 2021, p. 220). By prioritizing and working with surrounding counties all emergencies can be handled within a timely manner. Personally, I would focus my attention first on the explosion, collapsed bridge, turned over busses, and lastly, theft from the local store. Depending on the location of all of these emergencies I would request nearby counties to help out. This includes police, firefighters, hospitals, and private sector help as required. I would expect all EMTs to be available and for all hospitals to make room for the injured. 

            By utilizing social media, we can try to focus in on the areas with the most damage. Now a days, social media highlights when things go wrong and give praise, or shun, bad behavior. My hope is that local citizens would help out most specifically with the flipped over busses and theft.  Appropriating recovery sectors we can “divide and conquer”. I would expect the police to keep people away from the explosion with the gas like scent and firefighters help people out of the collapsed bridge. 

            I would address emergencies going on for multiple days by letting the public know that we have other counties aiding in the safe recovery of those folks trapped under the freeway and that we are working tirelessly to get everyone out. I think, in emergencies specifically, people just want to continue to be notified. Using social media and having a close partnership with our local news channel can help this.

 

References:

 

Haddow, G.D., Bullock, J.A., & Coppola, D.P. (2021). Introduction to Emergency Management. Butterworth Publications.

less

Part 2 Student #2 Respond: (Respond to the Student Below)

Josh Moskaitis

The main goal here is to get help where it is needed most. To do that, we have to rank calls in order of greatest threat to minimal threat. The over turned bus seems like it would be the most logical greatest threat call but I do not think it is. I believe the gas leak could potentially be worse and here's why. The bus is overturned already, it does not appear to be going anywhere. Yes, there are probably injuries but the bus is most likely stable so a normal fire and EMS response would suffice. The gas leak however had potential to turn into a much larger problem. If there is a broken line, how big is that line? Most neighborhoods are fed by 4" lines, which equates to a lot of gas. Should it light off, we could now have multiple house fires, explosions, injuries not to mention the potential for medical symptoms. Natural gas displaces the air around it, meaning it takes the oxygen away. So if a large main is free flowing, it is eating up a lot of oxygen around the area. So I would address the gas leak first, over turned bus second, car accident third and the looting fourth. 

The bridge being out will definitely take the longest to repair so I would use social media to alert people that it is out and will be out until further notice. I would also alert folks in the gas leak area to shelter in place and for those who can evacuate to evacuate. I would also make sure people knew to stay away from that area until further notice as well.