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Risk-Driven Emergency Management 1

Risk-Driven Emergency Management 6

Name: William Cross Comment by DePalma, Timothy: William, you included no URL’s in your references, but you did in your Module 2 Assignment, which means you know how to follow APA guidelines. Please see my comments in the reference section. I envision an increase in your grade by doing so. I need it by Sunday 23:59 EST. Please use this doc to make your revisions. Who is MWANIKA? (an author under properties) With a few exceptions, you did not adequately address this week’s questions. At times, you seem to confuse the work of FF/Medics with EM’s. Please see my below comments. Rubric: 2.5 – 2.5 – 4.5 – 2.5 – 2.5 = 58%

Class: EMA-405

Institution: Barry University

Date: 4 February 2020

Instructor: DR. Timothy DePalma

Risk Driven

The digital world has become part of our daily life. This has led to an increase in the development of software applications and systems to a big extent. The increasing number of development displays the uncertainties of developers for the risk of failure in the diverse phases of development. As developers create successful software, they choose from different designs, dropping those that are destined to fail, and selecting alternatives with lower risk. When the risk is low, it is very easy to move ahead without difficulties, however, regularly, challenging design issues can arise and developers must handle high-risk designs. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: What does any of this information have to do with the term risk-driven?

The development of software and applications means that developers should forestall the possible risk of failure for diverse stages by utilizing the appropriate techniques and tools. There are several architectural techniques for the purpose of software development. Examples include security analyses, domain modelling, and encapsulation (Ionita et al., 2019). From these examples, a question may arise: which architecture and design should developers utilize? If we would not have deadlines then the perfect answer would be, to use all the techniques. However, that would be impractical since a trademark of engineering is the effective use of resources which includes time. The risk-driven model, therefore, guides software developers to utilize a minimal set of techniques to decrease their most vital risks. It suggests a persistent questioning process: what are my risks? What are the appropriate techniques to lessen them? Is the risk mitigated and can I begin coding? The model can be summarized into the following steps: identification and prioritization of risks, selection and application of techniques, and evaluating risk reduction. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: We’re not talking about software developers. We’re learning about what risk-driven means. Did you read the lecture for this week?

How Emergency Managers Address Risk

One important thing the emergency managers does when addressing risk is to prepare for the risk. Preparedness entails all activities carried on before disaster strikes which improve the readiness of the entity to respond effectively. Preparedness usually reduces the time needed for responding to and recovering from a disaster (Endres et al., 2018). Emergency manager can identify hazards and put in place effective strategies to respond to any risk. The emergency managers can also conduct training to help prepare responders for the actual events. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: This is true, but it does not address the question of how EM’s address risk. There is a whole section on it in the lecture. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: This is, in part, how EM’s address risk. See Risk Communication in the lecture and how it is related to training.

The emergency managers may also develop a response plan during preparation. Response plan usually provides guidance for dealing with an emergency. The plan may include every possible probable emergency, required actions, the available resources, and the procedures to be undertaken. The plan may also include a map displaying evacuation routes and even service conduits. Besides that, emergency managers usually use geospatial tools during preparation. The tools usually show the current distribution of risks and hazards and how they may exist in future under different scenarios. This usually allows the regional and local planners to work with the emergency managers to plan for a more sustainable future through mitigation or avoidance of risk alternatives. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: ? Comment by DePalma, Timothy: Development of an evacuation plan is often recommended.

In case of a disaster, the emergency managers usually carry out response activities. The aim of these activities is to offer emergency help to victims. The activities involve stopping more damage to properties, offering life-sustaining aid, decreasing life-threatening situations, and many more (Cvetković, 2016). For example, the managers can use all the available resources to find people who could have been trapped under debris, in buildings, or even on roofs. The managers may distribute the necessary commodities to the affected residents. They may also provide temporary shelters and power to the affected regions. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: This sounds more like what a FF/Medic would do in response to a disaster. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: USAR, not EM Comment by DePalma, Timothy: EM, yes, but this does not address the risk-driven question.

After the occurrence of a disaster, emergency managers usually conduct recovery activities. These activities are normally intended to return properties and people to at least their pre-tragedy state of well-being. In the short-term, emergency managers may provide temporary roofing, temporary housing, financial assistance, infrastructure repair, and many more. In the long-term, the emergency managers may reconstruct and rebuild social, economic, and physical infrastructure. The managers can use geospatial analysis and information when directing the recovery process. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: “Based upon the specific risks identified and resources… (p. 2)” Comment by DePalma, Timothy: What does this mean? You need an example.

The emergency managers also undertake mitigation activities after a disaster has occurred. These activities are normally intended to prevent disasters from happening and lessening the damages that result from those that happen. The activities involve modifying and identifying hazards, evaluating and decreasing vulnerability to hazards and risks, and spreading potential losses. In simple terms, it is a set of continual activities intended to reduce the effects of future disasters. Managers can implement new strategies and policy changes. The activities can be structural. For instance, the activities may involve changes in the building codes. The activities can also be non-structural. For instance, the managers can use zoning to preclude development in regions that are subjected to risk. The managers usually use geospatial analysis to support cost-benefit analysis by assessing the cost of changes and to determine the savings that arise when risk is mitigated. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: Source? Comment by DePalma, Timothy: Strategies for…? Comment by DePalma, Timothy: Good; you’re on to something.

How the Whole Community Approach Help a Community Prepare for a Disaster

The Whole Community Approach is how community leaders, organizations, emergency managers, the government officials, and the residents can jointly understand and evaluate the needs of their own communities and define the appropriate methods to organize and strengthen their interests, capacities, and assets. There are several types of communities which include communities of interest, circumstances, place, and belief which can exist both virtually and geographically. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: Interests? Comment by DePalma, Timothy: Vague sentence

The Whole Community Approach contribute to a more informed and shared understanding of community needs, capabilities and risks. Understanding the needs and capabilities of a community is essential in enabling and supporting local actions (United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2011, p. #). Based on the shared and informed understanding of the actual needs, risks, and capabilities, the community leaders and the organisation can conduct all the necessary activities before the occurrence of a disaster to improve the readiness of the community to a disaster. A more understanding of the community’s capabilities and needs can also result in the effective use of limited resources that are essential for implementing effective strategies that can help in reducing the impacts of any disaster. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: (year, p. #) Comment by DePalma, Timothy: ?

A Whole Community Approach also contributes to the increase in resources. It is always important to allocate resources, budget, and time for preparing risk. The increase in resources will enhance the preparation activities hence, help in reducing the possibility of a disaster that will affect the community negatively. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: unclear

A Whole Community Approach also contributes to a more resilient community. Resilient communities are communities that solve challenges well under normal circumstances. By matching needs to existing capabilities, communities can enhance their resiliency. Organizations play a major role in establishing resilient communities. According to the United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency (2011), as organisations consider what they require to do in order to survive a tragedy or a disaster, it is fundamental that they also consider what the consumers will require to survive. The ongoing incorporation of the community in preparedness activities contributes to social and economic resiliency in the community. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: Did you mean to say that EM’s need to enhance capabilities to adequately address needs/risks?

References

Cvetković, V. M. (2016). Fear and floods in Serbia: Citizens preparedness for responding to natural disaster. Zbornik Matice srpske za drustvene nauke, (155-156), 303-324. Comment by DePalma, Timothy: Please add URL per APA guidelines and return it to me on course page (just as you uploaded this doc). You must also include URL’s for each of the below references.

Endres, A. B., Schlessinger, L., & Endres, R. (2018). Embracing the Sharing Economy and Preparing for Risk: The CSA Experience. Drake J. Agric. L., 23, 147.

Ionita, D., van der Velden, C., Ikkink, H. J. K., Neven, E., Daneva, M., & Kuipers, M. (2019, June). Towards risk-driven security requirements management in agile software development. In International Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering (pp. 133-144). Springer, Cham.

United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2011). a whole community approach to emergency management: Principles, themes, and pathways for action. US Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency.