Implementing the Plan, Managing the Response

The fundamental key to a successful response in any situation is effective and timely decision-making. The ability to make appropriate decisions in a timely fashion often determines when an emergency does or does not become a disaster. Disasters often are the result of an emergency situation where there was either no advance planning or inadequate planning, or the implementation of the plan was incomplete or untimely. Yet, even the best plan is not effective if it is not implemented correctly. First responders provide direct assistance regardless of the nature of the event. They respond to acts of nature such as fire, flood, mudslides, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, and hurricanes. They respond to events that may not be criminal in nature or may be a violation of safety or administrative law, such as construction accidents, train derailments, or building explosions due to gas leaks. They also are first on the scene in criminal events including mass shootings, bombings, and poisonings. First responders are there regardless of the motive of the situation. From acts of nature to no criminal intent, to criminal intent and to terrorist intent, first responders answer the call and provide assistance.

Having an emergency plan is only one component of effective emergency management. That plan must be well developed and widely distributed to all the organizations and individuals who have a role in the plan’s implementation. The plan must be exercised in some form and reviewed at least annually to allow for updates in content, distribution, and response. In this assignment, you will outline the steps to successful response to and implementation of a comprehensive emergency response plan.

In your paper,

Identify a specific type of hazard that is prevalent in your area, or use the one you identified for your discussion.
Review the response protocols for three specific entities in the community.
Examples include; law enforcement, fire protection, public works, the multifaith community, hospital, gas/electric supplier, etc.
Analyze the response requirement of your selected entities as compared to their “normal” duties and responses within the community.
Explain the similarities and differences between the response requirements of the agencies selected.
Illustrate how these groups may provide hazard mitigation, and demonstrate adaptation and resilience techniques to reduce hazard vulnerabilities.
Explain how these response requirements to emergency situations may or may not be different if the emergency situation involves terrorism.