Disaster planning is one of the most critical aspects of emergency management regarding the
security of an asset or geography. Nemeth depicts how risk management should be conducted
through realistic predictive models when preparing for a disaster (2017, 137). Therefore, the
essence of risk management is preparedness, and according to Dr. Fox, preparedness is the
“state of readiness to respond” in the event of a disaster (2021). Even though the concept of
preparation might seem simple, it is the backbone of emergency management. From the onset
of its mission, the DHS envisioned preparing our nation for a disaster. However, if a threat or
disaster cannot be stopped, it can certainly be mitigated with the appropriate measures.
This post will further navigate how an emergency manager conducts risk management at an
agency that has never experienced emergency measures.
To begin the emergency management process, I will first implement an Emergency Protection
Plan (EPP) as a starting point for my boss.
The EP will include five main principles:
Identification of assets, systems, and Networks
Assessment of risks
Prioritize risks
Construction of mitigation strategies
Measure effectiveness
As the new Emergency Manager, the EPP will help me understand the environment and
infrastructure of the agency. Based on that understanding, I will equip myself to employ the
proper mitigation strategies. Therefore, to begin my discussion with my boss, I will brief him that
our critical infrastructures include our building, assets within the building, and our information
technology.
To ensure my agency’s building is secure, I must identify the threats or hazards it can go
through and the risk for each hazard. This will involve two types of risk mitigations analysis:
Asset-based risk analysis
Geographically based risk analysis
An asset-based risk analysis will involve an attack on my agency’s Information Technology
networks. To mitigate and prepare for a cyber-attack, I have proposed to my boss that we will
conduct a Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). FTA is a risk-assessment strategy that surveys the
performance of a complex system in comparison to its subsystems (Zhao, Green, and Mitrani,
2019). I would use FTA to analyze the risk of our agency’s cyberinfrastructure, precisely how its
main security protocols line up with the local ones. If vulnerabilities are found, they will be
discussed with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) (Nemeth,
182). Therefore, this risk assessment will allow me to ensure that the cybersecurity
infrastructure of our agency is intact and deal with any vulnerabilities.
Next would be a geographically-based risk analysis, which will analyze the infrastructure of the
agency’s building and determine if it is safe from any disasters. To better understand the
engineering of the building, I will have the building go through a Monte Carlo (MC) simulation,
which is a computational assessment that measures the ground-motion intensity measures
(GMIMs) of the structure (Akkar and Cheng, 2016). The MC simulation will allow our agency to
examine how robust the infrastructure is against an earthquake or a shock. Based on the
assessments, emergency entities, both personnel private and governmental, will be sought for
advice if any vulnerabilities are found.
As per FEMA’s National Response Framework (NFR), I will communicate my risk analysis with
the local, state, and federal emergency response teams to be prepared in case of an
emergency. Since emergency management is not the job of one agency or entity, safety
protocols should be discussed at all levels to have all hands on deck in case of a catastrophic
disaster.
Once the analysis is conducted and communication with the proper chain of command, my
objective will be to prepare my colleagues and staff at the agency. Once I know the mitigation
strategies, my goal will be to educate the staff and personnel inside the agency. Education and
information will allow everyone inside the critical infrastructure to maneuver accordingly and
follow the chain of the emergency plans instead of panicking. Moreover, exercises for various
scenarios to validate the risk assessments with my followed after education. As part of the
preparation plan, exercising emergency protocols is necessary to be better prepared to build
confidence and maintain composure in case of a threat or emergency.
From the Biblical perspective, Psalm 91 has always stood out to me from a very young age,
especially the first two verses. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the
shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refugee and fortress, My God, in whom I
trust” (Psalm 91:1-2). My mother had me memorize all of Psalm 91 from a very young and in
times of trouble, I would always recall it. Growing up as a Christian in a Muslim majority country,
Pakistan, meant that I always had to be aware of my Christian identity because it could be
potentially jeopardizing. This became a reality in 2002 when my church became a target of a
terrorist attack by two suicide bombers. Even though my mother was severely injured, by God’s
grace, my family was safe. Experiencing that event at a young age was very traumatizing, but
all I could think was to recall Psalm 91. On Sunday of April 17th, 2002, my brother and I were in
Sunday school with the rest of the kids, and suddenly we heard a loud bang from upstairs. We
knew that we were under attack, and the only exit out of the building was through a door that
never opened. It had been stuck and locked for a long time. God showcased His grace, and our
Sunday school teacher managed to open the door and lead us out. I remember she was young
and nervous, but her goal was to get all the kids out and bring them to safety, and she managed
to do that during that catastrophic situation. I can never forget God’s hand in my life, and in
many ways, God allowed me to live another life. It uplifts me to know that regardless of any
emergency protocols, God’s sovereignty is what prevails over a situation.
