The first question to be answered in this week’s discussion board is “Which phase of emergency
management do you find more important and why?” Before that question can be answered, all
four phases of emergency management, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, should
be defined. Richard Sylves (2020) defined all four of these phases in chapter 1, pages 35-37 in
the textbook, Disaster Policy and Politics: Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
Sylves began by defining mitigation. Mitigation involves deciding what to do where a risk to the
health, safety, and welfare of society has been identified and devising a risk reduction program.
Next was preparedness. Preparedness involves developing a response plan and training first
responders to save lives and reduce disaster damage, identifying critical resources, and
developing necessary agreements among responding agencies, both within the jurisdiction and
with other jurisdictions. Following preparedness is response. Response entails providing
emergency aid and assistance, reducing the probability of secondary damage, and minimizing
problems for recovery operations. Finally, Sylves (2020) defined recovery. Recovery involves
providing the immediate support during the early post-disaster period necessary to return vital
life-support systems to at least minimum operational levels and continuing to provide support
until the community returns to normal.
It is difficult to decide between mitigation and preparedness as the most important of the
four phases. But, if one must be chosen, this student would have to choose mitigation. In
mitigation, if one is able to identify possible targets of terrorism or weakness in property and/or
infrastructure in lieu of a natural disaster, then it would be best practice to correct or strengthen
those weaknesses before an incident to occur. The logic being, taking those steps may prevent
the incident from occurring or at least minimizing the damage and/or effect on the community
when it does occur. If an agency or organization is able to take such steps, it could save time,
money, resources, and manpower in the response and recovery phases.
The future of homeland security will depend on the preparedness initiatives at the local
level (Kemp, 2004). There are too many counties and municipalities for it to be reasonable for
Homeland Security to establish preparedness initiatives for them all. It would be just as
unreasonable to have a blanket preparedness initiative for all agencies to follow. Some areas
face natural disasters and threats of terrorism that other areas will never face. It is for these
reasons each agency or region must establish a preparedness initiative catered to their specific
needs.
There are numerous federal programs available to assist local official in the mitigation phase of
their emergency management phase, and many of these programs are provided free of charge, or
for a limited cost, to local government officials (Kemp, 2004). There are so many resources and
grants available to local, county, and state agencies provided by the federal government and
federal agencies. It usually just comes down to being knowledgeable of these programs and
putting in the request for them.
It is sustained action to reduce or eliminate risk to people and property from hazards and
their effects (Sylves, 2020, Ch.1 pg. 35). For mitigation to work and truly be effective, it is
something that must happen continuously. Buildings must be inspected and improved regularly.
Security cameras must be installed, maintained, and upgraded (when necessary). If a new
business or factory comes to a city and brings with it a new threat if it were to succumb to natural
disaster or terrorist attack, then first responders must begin training on how to respond to a threat
they have not been exposed to in the past.
It is this student’s belief that the emergency manager of an agency or region should be
located either at or in close proximity to the largest communications center for that area/region.
When an incident occurs, people will be calling 911, whether for police, fire, or ems. Also, when
sever weather is imminent, they are already monitoring it before it reaches their jurisdiction.
This allows the emergency manager to receive real time updates and also have access to their
own systems. It serves no purpose to have them located any where else.
The emergency operations center being located in or near a communications center,
again, allows for them to have real time updates. This then allows for them to reach out to the
state for any assistance, supplies, and/or resources in a timelier manner. Since it is not feasible to
have all communication centers for all agencies in a county in one location, the emergency
management center should have a terminal dedicated to establish constant communications with
those agencies during an incident.
Since Fusions Centers are only regionally located, they should be available to any and
all agencies in their region. They are a great source of intelligence, especially when it comes to
criminal activity that is mobile. They usually perform phenomenally at taking in and
disseminating information and intelligence from one agency to all the others.
Psalm 46 1/2: God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will
not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall in to the heart of the sea.
References:
Sylves, R. (2020). Disaster Policy and Politics: Emergency Management and Homeland
Security. Third Edition. SAGE Publications.
Kemp, R. (2004). Homeland Security: Best Practices in America. https://journals-sagepub-
com.ezproxy.liberty.edu//doi/pdf/10.1177/1087724X03262411.
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