Executive Summary
The Office of Emergency Management was recently informed that the local police department has never participated in a full-scale emergency management exercise. The costs of an ineffective police force during a disaster are immeasurably high. Not only does the poor preparation of a police force result in the damage and loss of property during a disaster, but it also results in an elevated loss of life (NCD, 2009).
To address the above problem, we propose the following:
1. Evaluation of current emergency training procedures across all emergency response agencies. It is imperative that we conduct a thorough investigation of all emergency training standards and procedures as they currently exist in all branches of emergency response personnel (fire fighters, EMTs, police officers). The Office of Emergency Management must take into account the preparedness of all first responders when developing plans for community training and preparation. If the local police force has not participated in full-scale exercises, it is not unlikely that other departments lack full training as well.
2. Construction of a standardized emergency training guidelines for all forms of emergency management personnel. The Office of Emergency Management should use the information gathered from the evaluation to construct a joint training program that will involve all forms of local emergency response as well local non-profit and for-profit organizations. This training program should begin with discussions and workshops and build to a full-scale emergency exercise (FEMA, 2013).
3. Execution of emergency training program. The joint training program should be carried out promptly after proposal. All relevant parties should participate fully.
4. Evaluation of emergency training program outcomes. Following the completion of the emergency management exercise at the end of the training program, first responders should offer feedback and identify any difficulties that they faced during the operation. The Office of Emergency Management should use this feedback to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the current emergency operating procedure and make any necessary amendments.
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Participation in emergency management training and exercises is essential to the success of emergency response personnel in the event of a real-world disaster (natural or man-made) in the local community. Training and exercise programs will allow the Office of Emergency Management to test the emergency operating procedure currently in place, identifying weaknesses and resource gaps before they become problematic. This program will also create an interagency discourse and improve the understanding of each agency’s roles and responsibilities in a disaster situation, improving the performance of both individuals and agencies under duress (FEMA, 2013). Throughout this program, agency members will have the opportunity to increase their knowledge of the Incident Command System and ensure their department’s compliance with National Incident Management System guidelines.
To begin the evaluation of emergency training procedures in all emergency response agencies immediately, the Office of Emergency Management requires a temporary budget increase of $25,000 as well as the public support of local government officials.
The successful roll-out of the local emergency management training program will mitigate the risks posed by both natural and man-made disasters. Emergency responders will be better prepared to handle any emergent situation and their feedback to the Office of Emergency Management will be invaluable in ensuring that the emergency operating procedure promotes the continued safety and security of the local community when potentially catastrophic situations arise. Short terms costs to the local budget will be offset by the increased capacity to provide life-saving services to citizens during periods of danger and unrest.
