Michael Cullars
Liberty University
HLSC 530-B01 Homeland Security Capstone
Forum 2 Module 2: Response 2 Week 2
I appreciate and value reading your post John. Haiti encountered many challenges during
the response phase. Although both disasters, the San Bruno earthquake and the 2010 Haiti
earthquake had their unique problems, the key takeaways I view as being important is
prevention/mitigation, preparedness, and communication/interoperability. When conducting risk
assessments and analysis on threats and hazards, it should not be superficial and should extend to
include planning for the worse-case scenario. In Haiti’s case, the lack of adequate resources,
personnel, communication, and training are some factors impacting Haiti’s response and
recovery efforts. For communities and government agencies to enhance the emergency
management process in their localities, requires commitment and team effort. There must also
be a desire to commit resources to invest in the safety and protection of personnel,
infrastructures, and the environment. The tragedy is not only from the results of a catastrophic
event but leaders and other key stakeholders in disaster and crisis management not applying the
lessons learned from previous events to prevent future loss of life, property, and damage to the
environment. As described by Ramsey & Kiltz (2014), lessons learned from previous
emergencies and disasters cannot not be ignored because these lessons prove critical for
enhancing emergency management and homeland security readiness. Thank you sharing John.
References
Ramsay, J. D., & Kiltz, L. A. (2014). Critical issues in homeland security: a casebook. Boulder,
CO: Westview Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.
