HLSC510
Forum 1 (Module 1)
Topic: Emergency Management Doctrine
Mackenzie Donnell
When it comes to what one might considered the most important phase of the emergency
management cycle, all could be considered to be equally important. Seeing how the cycle is a
continuously revolving wheel, each phase directly plays into, and encompasses the entirety of all
four phases. However, the phase in which is to be considered the most valuable would be the
“Response Phase”. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the
response portion encompasses all activities that are taken, both directly and indirectly, to save
lives and reduce damage from the event that has occurred (FEMA, 2020). In other words, the
response could be looked at as the difference between life and death. Though often times,
planning and preparing are considered to be the most critical portions of any action, it is near
impossible to fully be 100% prepared to react towards all possible events. Therefore, the
response and the activities associated with it, tends to persuade many as be the most crucial
phase. For reference, some responsibilities that occur within the response phase are providing
emergency and lifesaving assistance to victims restoring critical infrastructure, and ensuring that
there is an enduring effort of critical services such as first aid and first responders.
In terms of where an emergency manager and his/her staff should be housed within the
local government, ideally it should be in a centralized location near the leadership that have
critical decision making capabilities with respect to the buy-off of planning efforts and
dispatching/requesting. A place that initially comes to mind would be the town hall or mayor’s
office depending on the size of the local area. Additionally, the local government would want at
least one representative at each tiered function and agency that allocates resources towards the
planning process. For instance, having a representative at the police department and fire service
station would play a critical role in synchronizing the unity of effort when it comes to mitigating,
planning, preparing, and responding in the event of an emergency. There are cases where often
times the crisis planning team is not centralized and thus the effort needed for coordination
increases greatly. Furthermore, by having this team in a centralized location with enables and
liaisons at their respective services, when the time comes to activate the Emergency Operations
Center (EOC), all of the entities and stakeholders will be synchronized with the plan of
executions. As described by the World Health Organization, The EOC and Fusion Center play
the critical role of acting as the centralized location for coordination and control during
emergency response activities (WHO, 2020). In a broader stroke of the paint brush, the EOC is
the brain behind the execution of the operation and is quite possibly the most valuable cell during
crisis planning, response, and recovery efforts during a disaster or emergency.
With reference to the bible, the scripture that stuck out most with relations to emergency
management can be found in Matthew 24:44 where it states “you also must be ready, for the Son
of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”(ESV). In the essence of being prepared and
ready, one will always be able to react and respond in an appropriate manner, often times with
little to no warning. This passage reiterates the need to remain vigilant, have a plan, and be ready
to execute that plan at a moment’s notice. At the end of the day, lives will be at stake and the
manner and timeliness of the response will be the deciding factor on success versus failure.
References:
Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2020). Phases of Emergency Management. Retrieved
from: https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=488295
World Health Organization. (2020). Emergency Operation Centers. PAHO/WHO. Retrieved
from: https://www.paho.org/disasters/index.php?Itemid=867&lang=en
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