4 responses to 4 discussions

Response to the following discussions(X4) with approximately 150 words or more each. Include a reference to each response. Be thoughtful and insightful and it must demonstrate critical thinking and analysis. Thank You

 1. When stove piping occurs, information is only passed within a particular organization or within a section of an organization. “In theory, all three sectors [public, private, and volunteer,] should work together to ensure effective preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation” (Phillips, Neal, & Webb, 2012, p. 368). In many cases, information only travels vertically within an organization and communication with outside organizations is limited. After 9/11, the issue of information sharing among agencies was highlighted. Prior to the attacks, several federal agencies had pieces of information about the impending actions but, because they were not sharing this information, they could not have a complete picture (“National Commission, 2004). Not only is it important in respects to national security, it is critical for agencies and organizations to work together to develop the most comprehensive emergency management plans. Each organization has their own specialty and understanding of their role in emergency management. Through effective communication, each organization will have a better understanding of how they can contribute and assist others involved.  

 According to FEMA Administrator Fugate: “There’s no way government can solve the challenges of a disaster with a government centric approach. It takes the whole team” (FEMA, 2015). FEMA has also developed a variety of tools and online training for emergency managers to utilize while attempting to start public-private partnerships within their region. “[W]ithout cooperation, coordination, and communication, no activity conducted during the four phases of a disaster can be completed effectively” (Phillips, Neal, & Webb, 2012, p. 391). It is important that the organizations speak the same language. While experts in a field understand all of the acronyms and jargon, it is necessary to break it down into a language understood by all. This has been highlighted and over the past decade or so, organizations are making an effort to devise a means that allows for organizations and sectors to communicate more effectively. 

FEMA has identified some key dimensions in developing partnerships to include sharing situational awareness, identifying available response and recovery resources, memoranda of agreement or understanding, joint training and exercises, dedicated liaisons, established communication protocols, private sector representation within emergency operation centers, and having fully staffed business emergency operations centers (Phillips, Neal, & Webb, 2012, p. 391). While there is no cookie cutter approach used to establish such inter-agency and inter-sector partnerships, it is the responsibility of those involved to identify what works best for their particular region. It is important for these organizations to properly identify and include all the critical organizations that should be involved in the process. One example of this is the Illinois’ Private Sector Alliance Project (PSAP) established in 2007. Statistically speaking, 85 percent of the nation’s infrastructure is controlled by the private sector. Clearly, the private sector needs to be involved in the emergency management process. The PSAP was established “to meet strategic business objectives for homeland security in Illinois through actively engaging private-public sector information sharing, preparedness, response and partnerships to build a foundation for mutual exchange of information and assistance” (FEMA, 2010). The PSAP model can be adapted to meet the needs of a region or community to establish an effective means for organizations to work together in emergency management efforts.

Emergency managers must look at their region and identify those who may not have the resources or knowledge to conduct their own emergency management planning. “Although large corporations employ disaster planners, many smaller companies do not have the resources or desire to spend money on disaster preparedness” (Phillips, Neal, & Webb, 2012, p. 395). It is the responsibility of emergency managers to seek out the necessary partnerships to develop the ability to work. While it is getting better, many top executives do not see all the benefits of emergency management and may be more worried about the short-term aspects of their business. “Developing partnerships among all sectors, and educating top executives on the importance of all aspects of disaster management must be a top priority now and in the future (Phillips, Neal, & Webb, 2012, p. 395).

2.Stovepiping within the context of an emergency response is “the tendency for organizations and agencies to closely guard information, carry out their own specialized activities in isolation from one another, and resist efforts to encourage cross-agency collaboration” (McEntire, 2007). Agencies naturally tend to communicate best internally since the protocols and lingo are familiar and often a similar mindset and focus exist. One of the problems with this practice is a potential loss of the big picture. Whether preventing or responding to terrorist attacks or natural disasters, the primary goal of emergency response remains the same across agencies: provide aid and minimize damage and suffering. Some agencies may be focused too intently on their small part of a disaster response, such as assembly of temporary shelters. If the shelters are not in an appropriate location or provide for the particular needs of those affected, they are less likely to be utilized. Another agency may have information necessary to ensure the needs of the victims are met, but stovepiping would cause that information to be overlooked. In other cases, agencies may be expending resources in redundant efforts if activities are not adequately communicated. Regarding the Katrina response Menzel points out: “all must be aware of the situation on the ground and share a common operating picture when an incident occurs. Katrina was unforgiving in revealing (1) how uninformed decision makers were about the situation on the ground, especially in New Orleans, and (2) how blind high-ranking federal officials were to the multitude of efforts made by personnel within and among agencies to aid in the rescue and recovery” (Menzel, 2006).

As stated in previous discussions and also in Phillips (2012), communication is one of the key factors in successful emergency response. Challenges will exist during a response, and familiarity with the other players that was established prior to an event through networking and training activities can alleviate some communication issues and utilize rapport to achieve the common goal. Organizations should perform cross discipline training and drills to become familiar with vocabulary and protocols among response organizations as well as their command structure. This will facilitate more clear communication and also a familiarity that encourages more open communication and collaboration.

3. Disaster umbrella organizations are primarily the group that looks over other organizations and helps them with what they need. This is important to have because during a disaster if you don’t know who is in control or who to contact for specific things, then that makes your job that much harder. But with umbrella organizations, it helps with funding, guidance, personnel, and other resource functions (Phillips, 2012, pp 405). It consists of two categories; exogenous and indigenous.

In order for disaster umbrella’s to be successful, it consists of three elements. As stated by Phillips, the organization must have communication skills, coordination skills, and inter-organizational contacts (Phillips, 2012, pp 406). Having these skills, as well as experience can bring in all different opinions, knowledge and people.

Aside from all of the examples in the book, I found that the organization World Vision is part of the umbrella organization. Although it is not for disasters, it shows us what else umbrella organizations can do. The World Vision combines staff efforts with donated foods/clothing to help fight and poverty throughout the world (The, 2017).

In order to be effective, it is required for the organization be committed to being the umbrella organization (Phillips, 2012, 406). Being committed is a huge requirement because you always have to stay on top of new information. You always have to be able to communicate immediately with everyone involved. You also need to have dedicated attention to this to ensure you don’t miss anything important.

4.Umbrella organizations are non-governmental organization who works with governments or by themselves; they provide relief to groups that are affected by disasters. They serve as a direct link to offer assistance and give technical aid to individual in need of help

According to Neal (1983) there are two types of umbrella-type coalitions, indigenous (localized) coalitions emerge after a disaster following the emergence of local, grassroots groups. They are primarily disaster-focused and focus on raising funds to better aid communities while exogenous (outside the community) coalitions form outside of a local disaster and try to contact local groups and organizations to address a particular problem and have a broader agenda.

Examples of umbrella organizations are United Way whose slogan is “…improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good.” Their mission is to improve societies in the long term by building houses that will house families; schools were children from those families can attend and graduates from those schools to become professionals that one day will continue helping the community United Way built.

Another example is National Voluntary Organizations Active In Disaster (NVOAD) whose mission is “an association of organizations that mitigate and alleviate the impact of disasters, provides a forum promoting cooperation, communication, coordination and collaboration; and fosters more effective delivery of services to communities affected by disaster. (NVOAD).

In order for umbrella organization to work in a positive and safely manner, they have to take a couple of things in to consideration. First they have to understand the ethnocentrism and cultural relativism of the region to help. If the affected population believes that an organization is disrespecting their culture, they will not cooperate or worst, they will harm the volunteers.

Second, they will need to know what the people need in order to return to a normal life. That means right food, clothing and equipment.