HLSC 600 Discussion 1
Development of Emergency Management in the U.S.
According to our textbook, the discipline of emergency did not exist the way we know it
in the United States sixty years ago (Phillips et al, 2016). Volunteer organizations such as the
American National Red Cross and the Salvation Army were the primary organizations that
assisted victims when disasters struck. Despite the US Federal government having disaster
offices, they were spread out and were not staffed by particularly skilled individuals. Over the
years there have been many large-scale disasters that demonstrated why there is a need for strong
organizations and skilled disaster managers. After the 50’s, state and local governments began to
benefit from legislation and funding from the federal government. The Disaster Relief Act in
1974 and Stafford Act in 1988 refined how funds could be better provided to communities in
need. In between, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was created in 1979 as
the primary federal agency for coordinating disaster activities in the US. As new threats emerged,
subsequent presidential administrations helped reshape FEMA and create new agencies such as
the Department of Homeland Security after September 11, 2001. This evolution of emergency
management continues and strides are continuing to be made to improve government response.
Development of Best Practices
In the field of emergency management, I find the development of best practices the most
interesting because there is a tremendous need around the globe. By having a mutual
understanding of emergency management systems, countries can coordinate response efforts that
are both effective and efficient. As we continue to see, “No country is immune from disasters,
and it is likely that joint disaster operations will be increasingly necessary as these events to not
respect national borders” (McEntire, 2009, p. 5). The lives of the innocent are continually
affected by disasters and helping developing nations benefit from the established best practices
ultimately will help save lives.
The Terrorism Threat
I am most interested in the threat of terrorism in the United States and abroad. This is
primarily because I am an airline pilot who was directly affected by the terrorist attacks on
September 11, 2001. Our country suffered a horrible attack that took thousands of lives, and our
lives were all forever changed. Personally, I lost my job for 44 months after these attacks due to
the furloughs at my airline. As soon as I was able to become involved in work with Homeland
Security, I applied. There have been many valuable lessons learned over the years and our
enemies have not lost interest in harming our country.
To work in emergency management is a calling for the servant hearted. As the Bible teaches, “I
have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to
remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
(King James Bible, 1769/2017, Acts 20:35). Those that have that calling are fulfilled in knowing
that their service is indeed a blessing.
References
McEntire, D. A. (2009). Emergency management in the United States: Disasters experienced,
lessons learned, and recommendations for the future. Comparative Emergency
Management: Understanding Disaster Policies, Organizations, and Initiatives from
Around the World.http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/CompEmMgmtBookProject.asp
Federal Emergency Management Agency: Emmitsburg, MD.
Phillips, B. D., Neal, D. M., & Webb, G. R. (2016). Introduction to Emergency Management
(2nd Edition). Taylor & Francis.
https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9781315394688
King James Bible. (2017). King James Bible Online. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org
(Original work published 1769)
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