After having read the text and any additional research you choose, explain what all hazards
mean. Assess how all hazards and terrorism relate or do not relate when viewed from an overall
homeland security/emergency management perspective. Should 1 take precedence over the other
when it comes to disaster management? Why or why not? Be sure to consider the 4 phases of
emergency management when answering this prompt.
Explain what all hazards mean.
The creation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) brought
magnificent changes in the field of emergency management. According to Gregory (2015), the
most important change is witnessed in the field of emergency management as a profession and a
shift in the pattern of how emergency and management policies have transformed. FEMA defines
hazards as events or physical conditions that have the potential to cause fatalities, injuries,
property damage, infrastructure damage, agricultural loss, damage to the environment,
interruption of business, or other types of harm or loss (FEMA 1977). Hazards can be
categorized into natural and man-made, so this definition of hazard connotes all hazards and does
not emphasize just natural, technological, or human-induced (intentional /terrorist events). The
adoption of the all-hazard in emergency management after the 9/11 terrorist attack is a typical
transition and deviation from traditional protocols to a more detailed approach to handling
emergencies.
The all-hazard approach focuses on emergency preparedness and planning and provides a
basic framework for tackling different varieties of emergencies whether man-made or natural
with available resources. Federal agencies are expected to establish in collaboration with state
and local partners a national emergency management system that is comprehensive, risk-based,
and all-hazards in approach (Sylves, 2019 p. 226). This approach forms the core principles of
agencies, federal, local, or state to make mitigation the core foundation of the national
emergency management system and to provide an effective response to and recovery from
disasters (Sylves, 2019 p.226) The approach enhances the emergency managers the means to
muster the versatility required to cope with diverse emergencies (Knox, 2017). The all-hazard
approach plans to provide a basic framework for responding to a variety of disasters because it is
not easy to determine what hazard will befall a particular community since all hazards are not the
same. The approach has worked well given the surge in terrorist attacks in America. According to
Knox (2017), the successful management of terrorist-related incidents is due to the versatility of
the all-hazard approach.
Assess how all hazards and terrorism relate or do not relate when viewed from an overall
homeland security/emergency management perspective.
All hazards and terrorism relate when viewed from the perspective of homeland security
and emergency management. FEMA includes terrorism as a hazard in its definition of hazards
and the agency uses the all-hazard model approach to address or respond to terrorism the same
way it would use the model to address other hazards like hurricanes or tornadoes even though
terrorism and other natural disasters bear some dissimilarities. The all-hazard approach does not
guarantee a solution to respond to all hazards in a community or nation, but it provides a basic
framework for responding to disasters because experts learn from past disasters and developed
mitigation factors by planning and preparing for an easy response to future disasters which
include terrorism. The National Response Guidelines (HSPD-8) that were established in 2003
after the 9/11 terrorist incident was an attempt by the Department of Homeland Security to
develop a national domestic hazard preparedness goal whether terrorist attacks or natural
disasters in coordination with heads of appropriate Federal departments and agencies in
consultation with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments (USDHS, 2005). The National
Response Framework (NRF) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) have
advanced this intergovernmental goal to respond to all hazards (Sylves, 2019, p.226). According
to Waugh (2004), terrorism is not like any natural or other man-made hazards but the notion that
the all-hazard approach cannot be used to tackle hazards like terrorism is because of the
misunderstanding of the model. The response to terrorism and other hazards is even similar
because emergency managers most times require similar resources in response. For instance, Fire
services, medical services, law enforcement, and extracting devices may be required for
responding to a terrorism incident and the same resources may be required for responding to a
natural hazard like other acts of God like a hurricane. Sometimes too a terrorist situation can lead
to other hazards like fire, explosions, power outages, building collapse, etc. which will require
the same basic response (Waugh, 2004).
Should one take precedence over the other when it comes to disaster management? Why or
why not?
In deciding on what takes precedent over the other, attention and priority should be given
to the one with the highest potential and magnitude in causing damages to property and loss of
lives. All hazards including terrorism have the potential of causing damage to property and loss
of lives although the threat of terrorism is less certain than other hazards it does not mean it
doesn’t have the potential of causing major damage to a community. Historically, hurricanes
have done severe damage to lives and property and as a result, priority must be given to all
hazards that have the potential of causing severe damages to live and property. Again, a
community or local can easily plan, prepare, and respond to a hurricane or flood because it can
be tracked but terrorist attacks are not always predictable and certain. Due to this the all-hazard
approach which provides a broader spectrum provides the aid in the emergency management
cycle through the mitigation, planning, preparation, and response process to hazards including
terrorism. It has also helped in reducing the impacts of hazard and building effective programs to
manage them (Waugh, 2004).
The Bible talks about the need to be always ready in Proverbs (24:27) which says, “Prepare your
work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.” The
all-hazard approach is very essential in emergency management since it gives emergency
managers a reactive principle to deal with a diverse range of emergencies.
the overarching impact it may have on an organization.
References
USDHS. (2005). National Preparedness Guidance: Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8:
National Preparedness. Washington, D.C. USDHS.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/assessments/hspd8.htm
FEMA. 1997. Multi-Hazard Identification and Assessment. Washington, D.C. FEMA.
Gregory, P. A. (2015). "Reassessing the Effectiveness of All-Hazards Planning in Emergency
Management." Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse, 7(06). http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/a?
id=1050
Knox, A. G. S. (2017, January 19). The All Hazards Approach and the New Wave of Terrorism.
AMU Edge. https://amuedge.com/the-all-hazards-approach-and-the-new-wave-of-terrorism/
Sylves, R. T. (2019). Disaster Policy and Politics: Emergency Management and Homeland
Security (3rd ed.). CQ Press.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
