Preview Extract
11 Disaster RecoverY Managing the Process Learning Objectives Upon reading this chapter, students should be able to: Outline normal operations for their company. Prepare plans to ensure an effective and speedy recovery after a disaster. Support households and businesses after a disaster and assist them through recovery. Create a recovery operations plan (ROP). Chapter Summary In this chapter, students examined how communities function before disaster strikes. Once disaster strikes, recovery takes center stage as many organizations and people come together to rebuild. As shown, recovery involves its own set of planning and implementation. Recovery involves households, businesses, and communities. Working together and understanding the obstacles can aid in the recovery process. It is important to utilize the state and federal governments, hazard insurance, and charities to assist people and groups to get the community back to its normal patterns of social functioning. The American Red Cross, Salvation Army, local churches, and volunteers play a big role to get people back to their normal state. Key Terms Community A specific geographic area that is frequently considered to be a town, city, or county with a government. A community also has stronger psychological ties and social interaction among its members than with outsiders. Competition The effort of two parties striving toward a goal that only one can achieve. In fair competition, the parties use legitimate methods. Conflict The opposition that occurs when one party attempts to directly frustrate the goal achievement of another. Cooperation Activities that result in mutual benefit. Emergency shelter An unplanned location that is intended only to provide protection from ordinary weather conditions of temperature, wind, and rain. Nonconforming uses Structures that do not meet the zoning requirements for their geographic areas. Permanent housing Housing that reestablishes household routines in preferred locations. Preliminary damage assessment Damage assessment that produces counts of destroyed, severely damaged, moderately damaged, and slightly damaged structures. Rapid assessment Damage assessment that identifies the areas affected by the disaster. It also assesses the severity of the physical impacts so you can determine the need for lifesaving activities. Site assessment Damage assessment that is meant to produce detailed estimates of the cost to repair or replace each affected structure. This information is used to support requests for federal assistance to the owners of the damaged property. It includes estimates of losses to residential, commercial, industrial, and public property. Temporary housing Housing that allows victims to reestablish household routines in nonpreferred locations. Temporary shelter Housing that includes food preparation and sleeping facilities that are sought from friends and relatives or are found in hotels, motels or mass care facilities. Unmet needs committee An emergent organization that is designed to serve those whose needs are not being addressed. Victims’ needs assessment An evaluation of the psychological, demographic, and economic impacts of disasters on victims. Lecture Notes Bring student’s experiences into the conversation by asking them what “recovery” means for a community. Does recovery mean that the community is the same that it was before the impact of a disaster? Ask students how the low savings rate of Americans affects the response to disasters and the needs of those displaced by a disaster. Discuss hazard insurance and ask students if they think it is a good program. Ask students if they have ever donated to funds for disaster victims such as the Hurricane Katrina fund or the 9/11 fund. If so, why did they feel the need to donate? Suggestions for Learning Activities Ask a representative from the local branch of the Red Cross to come in and discuss how their donations and number of volunteers spike during a disaster. Hold a questions and answer session with the Red Cross official. Ask a building inspector to come in and discuss reasons as to why a building would need to be demolished rather then repaired. Watch a documentary on Hurricane Katrina. Afterwards, ask students what steps the leaders of New Orleans should have taken immediately after the storm to begin recovery. If your local government has a recovery operations plan (ROP), get a copy of it and share it with the students. Ask the students what, if anything, should be changed. Suggestions for Additional Resources Preparedness for Emergency Response: Guidelines for the Emergency Planning Process, by Michael K. Lindell and Ronald W. Perry, located on the book companion website. Principles for Managing Community Relocation as a Hazard Mitigation Measure, by Ronald Perry and Michael Lindell, located on the book companion website. Shelter Lessons Learned, a PowerPoint presentation, located on the book companion website. 12 EVALUATIONS Improving Performance Learning Objectives Upon reading this chapter, students should be able to: Write an employee performance appraisal. Design ways to improve specific weaknesses of an organization such as a LEMA or LEMC. Compare and contrast reaction criteria, learning criteria, behavior criteria, and results criteria. Design risk communication and training programs based on evaluation of previous programs. Evaluate training programs. Chapter Summary As this chapter discusses, an organization is only as good as its people. For people to improve and grow professionally, they must have constructive feedback on a regular basis. Emergency managers can apply the same principles of feedback to determine if the LEMA and LEMC are performing effectively. As important as emergency management is, emergency managers must understand how important it is to hold people accountable to their jobs. To do this, emergency managers must be able to evaluate their performance. This chapter shows students how to conduct their own performance appraisals and how to prepare drills and exercises to assess the performance of an emergency response organization. Emergency managers should ensure that these evaluations take place on a regular basis. Key Terms Behavior criteria A standard for judging the success of a training program that refers to trainees’ ability to apply new knowledge and skills to their jobs. This includes performance during drills, exercises, and incidents that take place after training is completed. CAR program A state program that describes a self-assessment process for state emergency management agencies. Stands for Capability Assessment for Readiness. Controller The person who provides information from a scenario. Drills are relatively simple, so the same person can serve as the evaluator. Development A function of an appraisal that focuses on improving an employee’s ability to do a job. In this context, performance appraisal can be used to guide decisions about training, reassignment, or termination. Drills A training exercise involving one or few people who must perform a specific task in response to a hypothetical scenario. Entity A public or private sector organization that is responsible for emergency/disaster management or continuity of operations. Evaluator The person who observes the player’s performance and notes any deviations from the EOP or its procedures. Full-scale exercise A training exercise that simulates a community-wide disaster by testing multiple functions at the same time. It also tests the coordination among these functions. The complexity of full-scale exercises requires thorough planning of the scenario. It also requires coordination among the many controllers and evaluators. There also is a need for training the controllers. Functional exercise A training exercise that differs from a drill by involving more people. This makes functional exercises more comprehensive than drills. In addition, the scenario is usually more complex because it involves more tasks and equipment. Internal research A function of an appraisal that lets an emergency manager know what skills his or her employees have. Internal research also lets emergency managers know if they were looking for the right qualities when hiring for the position. Learning criteria A standard for judging the success of a training program that is defined by performance on written tests or performance tests of skills addressed in the training program. Legal protection A function of an appraisal that is achieved when an organization conducts performance appraisals according to generally acceptable procedures. Reaction criteria A standard for judging the success of a training program that consists of trainees’ opinions of the training program. This includes evaluations of the trainers, the facilities and equipment, the material, their enjoyment of the class, and their desire to take another class from the instructor. Results criteria A standard for judging the success of a training program that refers to the consequences of trainees’ performance on the job. Results criteria evaluates whether the training made a difference in the overall performance of the organization. Reward A function of an appraisal that focuses on improving a person’s motivation to do the job. Appraisals should have clear criteria that provide guidance to the employee about what is important to the organization. Table-top exercise A training exercise involving a group of senior personnel who are usually branch or departmental administrators and serve as the directors of their functions. Scenarios for these exercises vary in their complexity. Task A specific activity carried out for a distinct purpose. Taskwork The ability to perform each separate step of the response. Teamwork The ability to schedule tasks and allocate resources among team members to achieve a performance that is efficient, effective, and timely. Lecture Notes Bring student’s experiences into the conversation by asking them what qualities they believe make a good leader and what qualities they want in a boss. Bring student’s experiences into the conversation by asking them what makes them want to contribute to a team and what motivates teamwork. Bring student’s experiences into the conversation by asking them what appraisal methods they think should be implemented in the workplace. Bring student’s experiences into the conversation by asking them what kind of feedback and appraisals help them improve the most. If time permits, conduct a table-top exercise. Suggestions for Learning Activities Ask a human resource manager to come to class and discuss how to foster teamwork. Ask a human resource manager or business professor to come in and discuss the qualities of a good leader. Ask a human resource manager or business professor to come in and discuss the qualities of a well done performance appraisal. Divide students into three groups. Ask one of them to discuss meeting strategies, one to discuss qualities of a good leader, and one to discuss how to promote teamwork. Give each group 20 minutes. After the end of the time, ask a student representative from each group to present the group’s ideas. Conduct a tabletop exercise in class. You can use a natural disaster or a technological disaster. Discuss how various aspects of the disaster should be handled. Suggestions for Additional Resources “The Impacts of Disaster Exercise on Participants,” article by Danny Peterson and Ronald Perry. Located on the book companion website. “Disaster Exercise Outcomes for Professional Emergency Personnel and Citizen Volunteers,” article by Ronald Perry. Located on the book companion website. 13 INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT How Other Countries Manage Their Hazards Learning Objectives Upon reading this chapter, students should be able to: Work with people from other countries to develop an effective response to an emergency. Assess a country’s unique characteristics when developing an emergency management program. Model responses to local emergencies based on case studies from successful responses to disasters in other countries. Chapter Summary Globalization has significant effects on the world. Today, people are much more aware of natural disasters than they ever have in the past. And, countries are able to collaborate more easily to provide assistance. Responding to natural disasters often times brings the world together, as evidenced by the great tsunami in December of 2004. Perhaps the world has more to learn from these disasters than just the disasters’ effects. Key Terms Civil society A society that includes all groups that are independent of the government, including religious groups, civic clubs, political parties, and other groups with specific interests. La Red A network of Latin American social scientists that publishes scholarly work on disasters in the region. Their work highlights the issues of social vulnerability and sustainable development. Pan American Health Organization The regional office of the World Health Organization. It emphasizes retrofitting hospitals and strengthening public health programs. Lecture Notes Bring student’s experiences into the conversation by asking them what international disasters they remember. Ask students what we can learn from other countries and how they conduct emergency management activities. Ask students what responsibilities the United States has, if any, to assist other countries after natural hazards, technological incidents, and terrorist incidents. Why should the United States assist other countries? Does it make a difference if there are many American tourists visiting the area or Americans living in the area? Suggestions for Learning Activities Divide students into two groups. Ask the first group to list the characteristics of the United States that help emergency management. Ask the second group to list the characteristics of the United States that hinder emergency management. After 20-30 minutes, ask a representative from each group to discuss their list. Discuss the Asian continent and what they can do to be better prepared for disasters. There are several documentaries on the Indian Ocean Tsunami. One is Tsunami: The Wave That Shook the World by NOVA. Watch the documentary in class. Suggestions for Additional Resources Website for La Red: www.desenrado.org Website for the Pan American Health Organization: www.paho.org Tsunami: Wave of Destruction by ABC. Tsunami: The Wave That Shook the World by NOVA. 14 PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY Being a Professional Learning Objectives Upon reading this chapter, students should be able to: Evaluate the emergency management profession. Assess ethical issues that emergency managers face. Build the skills of an emergency manager. Evaluate academic opportunities. Evaluate professional development opportunities. Limit personal legal liability.115 Chapter Summary Emergency management is a challenging career that is maturing as a profession. Whereas there were once limited opportunities for growth in the field, there are now abundant opportunities for professional growth. There are education, training, and certification opportunities. There are also professional associations you can belong to that will help you in your career. In this chapter, students also examined the ethical and legal responsibilities that accompany the emergency management profession. Key Terms Certification An assurance that an individual has mastered the knowledge and the methods used to solve specific problems. Emergency manager A person who manages a comprehensive program for hazards and disasters. An emergency manager is responsible for aspects of the program involving mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery. Emergency responders People who directly respond to a disaster. They attack the threat to reduce the potential or actual losses of a disaster. Profession An occupation that requires an advanced education and training. Lecture Notes Discuss the evolution of your own emergency management program at the university and what growth you see coming in the profession. Discuss what certificate programs are available to emergency managers and emergency planners. Discuss what websites you use to follow trends in emergency management. Suggestions for Learning Activities If your institution offers certificate programs or a wide range of options in terms of degrees in emergency management or emergency planning, ask a faculty representative to come in and discuss the programs. Ask the students to write a 1-2 page paper detailing what courses they would like to take and what area, if any, they would like to specialize in as it relates to emergency management and planning. Ask students to take time to find helpful emergency management websites and share their list with the class. Suggestions for Additional Resources Website: http://archone.tamu.edu/hrrc/ , Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center at Texas A&M University. Website: www.fema.gov, website for FEMA. Website: www.dhs.gov, website for DHS. Website: www.iaem.com, website for International Association of Emergency Managers. 15 FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Challenges and Opportunities Learning Objectives Upon reading this chapter, students should be able to: Assess how global challenges will affect the local community. Assess national trends that will affect disasters. Model a plan after the principles of Project Impact to reduce disaster losses. Evaluate ways to better communicate with disaster researchers. Propose ideas on how to better educate all emergency personnel. Chapter Summary Many things are changing in emergency management. As this chapter describes, there are many challenges and opportunities facing emergency managers, both locally and nationally. In addition, it is essential that communication improves as collaboration with other professionals will improve the field of emergency management. There are global challenges that emergency managers will have, and better education and preparation will help you tackle these difficult problem. Key Terms Emergency Alert System A new alert system that replaced the Emergency Broadcast System and provides a greater range of capabilities in the digital age. Megadisaster An extreme event that costs hundreds of lives and millions of dollars in a small city but costs thousands of lives and billions of dollars in a major city. Signal value An indication that a previously unnoticed threat warrants attention. Weather Radio A system that provides tone-activated notification of emergencies throughout most of the United States. Lecture Notes Bring student’s experiences into the conversation by asking them how they believe emergency management ranks as a priority both locally and on a national scale. Ask students for recent examples of megadisasters. Ask students what websites are helpful in mitigating hazards. Ask students for reasons as to why emergency managers should adopt new information technology. Discuss the evolution of your own emergency management program at the university and what growth you see coming in the profession. Discuss what certificate programs are available to emergency managers and emergency planners. Discuss what websites you use to follow trends in emergency management. Suggestions for Learning Activities Ask the IT Director of a LEMA or SEMA to come in and discuss what technology they use and how they use it. Ask a lawyer to come in and discuss what legal liability emergency managers face and what the state statutes are. Divide students into three groups. Ask one of them to discuss how increasing urbanization will affect emergency management efforts. Ask the second group to discuss how the War on Terror affects and will continue to affect emergency management. Ask the third group to discuss how population diversity will affect emergency management. Each group should list their answers. Give each group 20 minutes. After the end of the time, ask a student representative from each group to present the group’s list. Discuss professional opportunities in emergency management with the class and ask them if they have any questions regarding their career goals. Show the students a documentary on a megadisaster. Some are listed below. Suggestions for Additional Resources Website: http://archone.tamu.edu/hrrc/ , Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center at Texas A&M University. Website: www.fema.gov, website for FEMA. Website: www.dhs.gov, website for DHS. Website: www.iaem.com, website for International Association of Emergency Managers. Tsunami: Wave of Destruction by ABC. Tsunami: The Wave That Shook the World by NOVA. National Geographic: Inside Hurricane Katrina. When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts by Spike Lee. Instructor Manual for Introduction to Emergency Management Michael K. Lindell, Carla Prater, Ronald W. Perry 9780471772606
