Introduction
A workplace emergency threatens workers, customers, or the public; disrupts or shuts down
operations; or causes physical or environmental damage. Emergencies may be natural or man-
made, and may include terrorism, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, winter
weather, chemical spills, disease outbreaks, releases of biological agents, explosions involving
nuclear or radiological sources, and many other hazards. Many types of emergencies can be
anticipated in the mitigation planning process, which can help employers and workers plan for
other unpredictable situations (US Department of Labor, n.d.). Emergency management is very
significant since natural and man-made hazards are becoming unpredictable in the nation and the
community at large. As an emergency manager who has been newly appointed for my agency, I
must be familiar with the four phases of emergency management being mitigation, preparedness,
response, and recovery and what goes in each phase. After threats at the location have been
identified and a mitigation plan has been implemented, the preparedness phase will factor a pre-
response and recovery planning. On an actual disaster, the response and recovery plan aim to
save lives, protect property, and facilitate continuation of operations for the agency.
Response
The response phase in emergency management deals with many things, including immediate
actions to save lives, protect property and the environment and meet basic human needs.
Response takes into consideration the implementation of emergency plans and the resources and
actions to support short- term recovery and it is dependent on the location and the circumstance
surrounding a hazard (Nemeth, 2017, 310). Preplanning the response and the recovery is very
significant for a smooth emergency response. Nemeth (2017) asserts that “In many ways,
response and recovery need to be embedded in any concept of planning and preparedness. These
actions are not divisible but united in purpose and practice.”. Embedding a response and
recovery plan in the pre-emergency plan makes it easy for all the team and stakeholders
responsible for emergency management familiarize their roles and stay connected during actual
emergencies.
The preplanning includes identifying the threats and analyzing them, organizing resources,
planning, training of team and leaders and coordinating with other stakeholders to be familiar
with the response plan by inviting other external emergency responders to tour the facility, learn
about emergencies and proper actions to take for easy coordination during emergencies (US
Department of Labor, n.d.). As the emergency manager, I must keep an updated list of
emergency contact numbers for easy access to the external stakeholders like, fire service, police,
medical services, and disaster relief agencies etc. Posting the emergency numbers at the
workplace for easy access by other workers is very important.
Again, there should be an alarm system in place distinctive for workers to recognize during
emergencies and perform actions identified in the response plan. The alarm system must also
factor visually or hearing-impaired workers and during emergencies, designated team leaders
must ensure workers follow an evacuation route to exit the building or find shelter. During
emergency, I must work with the external emergency response organizations in their jurisdictions
to ensure the organizations are prepared to respond to and safely perform needed rescue
operations (US Department of Labor, n.d.). According to Nemeth (2017,) during emergencies, it
is crucial that a chain of command and leadership be part of any response and recovery program.
Responding to disasters and emergencies demands the coordination of a variety of organizations;
the larger or more complex the incident, the greater the number and variety of organizations that
must respond (FEMA, 2019). Calling on responders to utilize the Incident Command System
(ICS), which steadily encourages competing agencies to work in a unified way and a unity in
command without battles over territory or responsibility and facilitate easy communication will
aid response process (FEMA, 2017).
Because incidents have the potential to change, as an emergency manager, I must coordinate
effectively with the incident commander to identify the necessary resources to meet the
complexity of a threat. (FEMA, 2017) At this point a budget or finance must already be included
in the emergency planning to facilitate easy access to resources. For instance, some response and
rescue operations at steep angles or heights, or in the presence of chemical or other hazards such
as in pits, tanks, etc. may require diverse resources like special engineering and administrative
controls, work practices, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect emergency
responders and recovery workers (US Department of Labor, n.d.). When this happens, as an
emergency manager, I must work with the incident commander and other health and safety
personnel to limit workers exposures to all hazards through a combination of engineering and
administrative controls and safe work practices, supplemented by PPE (Personal Protective
Equipment) and rescue resources. Recued victims will be accounted, assessed, and provided
medical assistance in required.
Recovery
The ability of the agency to accelerate the recovery process falls in line with its efforts in pre-
disaster preparedness and response, including coordinating with whole agency partners,
mitigating risks, incorporating continuity planning, identifying resources, and developing
capacity to effectively manage the recovery process, through collaboration and inclusive
planning processes (FEMA, 2016). Collaboration among other stakeholders provides an
opportunity to integrate mitigation, resilience, and sustainability into the agency’s short- and
long-term recovery goals (FEMA, 2016). Recovery extends beyond simply repairing damaged
structures. The recovery process includes the strengthening and restoration of important assets
resources and system that provide economic stability and vitality to the agency. To support long
term recovery and for the company to be able to continue its operations, I must ensure certain
services that are critical to supporting physical, emotional/mental health and financial well-being
of those affected by the disaster are in place and given to those that need it. Some of the victims
of the disaster will require long term hospitalization and access to mental health and financial
assistance which may require donations from private sector or non-governmental organizations
like Red Cross, Salvation Army etc., and must be factored into the recovery plan (McEntire,
2015).
Biblical Perception
The Bible speaks greatly on matters concerning responds and recovery indirectly in its passages.
When the Bible cautions as to extend a helping hand to one another it does so with no limitation
and this help can be in a form of responding to emergencies by protecting lives and offering
support to speed up recovery to victims. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:27 that "Don't withhold
good from someone who deserves it, when it is in your power to do so." When one can help in
the time of emergency response and save lives it is better the person does so to lessen the effects
of a disaster. Matthew 25:44-45 "then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or
thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?' Then he
will answer, 'I assure you that when you haven't done it for one of the least of these, you haven't
done it for me.'" Recovery process entails more, and people should not just be concerned about
the short-term recovery but consider the long term as well. Continuous support must be given to
victims as the Bible says in Matthew 25: 44-45, victims must be supported because if we don’t,
it’s just like sinning against God.
References
Bibles, Z. (2011). NIV Study Bible. Zondervan.
FEMA. (2019, October 28). Fourth edition October 28, 2019 - FEMA. National Response
Framework. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-
04/NRF_FINALApproved_2011028.pdf
FEMA, (2017. National Incident Management System (3rd ed.). Retrieved from National
Incident Management System
FEMA. (2016). National Disaster Recovery Framework (2nd ed.). FEMA.
https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/frameworks/recovery
McEntire, D. A. (2015). Disaster Response and Recovery: Strategies and Tactics for
Resilience. Germany: Wiley.
Nemeth, C. P. (2017). In Homeland security: An introduction to principles and Practice (3rd ed.).
essay, CRC Press.
US Department of Labor. (n.d.). Emergency Preparedness and Response: Getting Started.
OSHA. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.osha.gov/emergency-
preparedness/getting-started
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