Emergency Management in the United States

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Emergency Management in the United States 4-1

Unit Four

Emergency Management

in the United States

Overview

This unit describes emergency management in the United

States. It defines the four phases of emergency management, as

well as other important terms used by emergency managers. In

addition, it describes the contributions of individuals and

community, state, and federal agencies in making emergency

management successful.

Objectives

Upon completion of this unit, you should be able to:

Ü Define the four phases of emergency management and

describe activities associated with each phase

Ü Define basic emergency management terminology

Ü Describe the responsibilities of individuals and agencies

at the community, state, and federal levels

What Are

Disasters?

The most common disasters result from meteorological

(weather-related) and geological events and can affect any area

of the U.S. Their impact can be localized or widespread,

predictable or unpredictable. Damage can range from minimal

to major. Depending on the severity of the incident, they can

have a long-term impact on the infrastructure (roads, bridges,

and utilities) of any location.

Threats involving natural forces include thunderstorm, flood,

tornado, hurricane, winter storm, drought, wildfire, landslide,

earthquake, tsunami (tidal wave), volcano, and dam failure.

Technological (man-made) hazards include hazardous material

releases and spills, acts of terrorism, and nuclear accidents.

Natural hazards are usually, but not always, more predictable

than any other type of hazard. Other threats include animal

health emergencies, such as outbreaks of a Foreign Animal

Disease.

Although we cannot know exactly when or where disasters will

strike, or how severe they will be, we recognize from past

experience which geographical areas are most vulnerable to

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certain types of natural hazards. This knowledge helps us better

prepare for and respond to natural hazards. When you read

through Units 5 – 15 on natural hazards, remember that each

type of hazard has unique characteristics, yet common

elements. These common elements allow you to prepare for

and protect yourself and your animals from disaster.

Four Phases of

Emergency

Management

Emergency managers think of disasters as recurring events

with four phases: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and

Recovery.

The following diagram illustrates the relationship of the four

phases of emergency management.

The significance of the emergency management cycle is that all

communities are in at least one phase of emergency

management at any time.

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Mitigation

This phase includes actions taken to prevent or reduce the

cause, impact, and consequences of disasters. Examples of

hazard mitigation include:

Ü Tying down homes or barns with ground anchors to

withstand wind damage

Ü Digging water channels to redirect water and planting

vegetation to absorb water

Ü Constructing levees or permanent barriers to control

flooding

Ü Reinforcing fencing to prevent animal escapes

Ü Buying insurance policies

Preparedness

This phase includes planning, training, and educational

activities for events that cannot be mitigated. Examples

include:

Ü Developing disaster preparedness plans for what to do,

where to go, or who to call for help in a disaster

Ü Exercising plans through drills, tabletop exercises, and

full-scale exercises

Ü Creating a supply list of items that are useful in a

disaster

Ü Walking around a farm and identifying possible

vulnerabilities to high winds

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Response

The response phase occurs in the immediate aftermath of a

disaster. During the response phase, business and other

operations do not function normally. Personal safety and well-

being in an emergency and the duration of the response phase

depend on the level of preparedness.

Examples of response activities include:

Ü Implementing disaster response plans

Ü Conducting search and rescue missions

Ü Taking actions to protect yourself, your family, your

animals, and others

Ü Addressing public perceptions about food safety

Recovery

During the recovery period, restoration efforts occur

concurrently with regular operations and activities. The

recovery period from a disaster can be prolonged. Examples of

recovery activities include:

Ü Preventing or reducing stress-related illnesses and

excessive financial burdens

Ü Rebuilding damaged structures based on advanced

knowledge obtained from the preceding disaster

Ü Reducing vulnerability to future disasters

Definitions of

Emergency

and Disaster

The terms emergency and disaster often are used

interchangeably. This common use of terms can be confusing.

It is easiest to understand the terms emergency and disaster as

being at two ends of a scale, in which the size of an incident

and the resources to deal with the incident are matched to

varying degrees.

Emergency

At one end of the spectrum, emergencies are usually small-

scale, localized incidents which are resolved quickly using

local resources. However, small-scale emergencies can escalate

into disasters when there has been inadequate planning and

wasteful use of resources.

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Emergency Management in the United States 4-5

Disaster

At the other end of the spectrum, disasters are typically large-

scale and cross geographic, political, and academic boundaries.

Disasters require a level of response and recovery greater than

local communities can provide.

Emergencies and

disasters and the

livestock industry

Emergencies and disasters involving livestock also vary in

degree, depending on the amount and availability of needed

resources. The degree to which an incident results in a disaster

depends on the size of the event and local response and

recovery capabilities. In many cases, levels of preparedness,

response, and recovery capabilities go hand-in-hand.

For example, in the 1998 ice storm in the northeastern U.S., the

most critical agricultural need was for electrical generators.

Dairy farms suffering power outages depended on electricity to

milk their cows.

Farmers who had adequate-sized generators and who knew

how to operate them faced an emergency because they were

only temporarily prevented from milking their cows.

In contrast, farmers without generators, or with generators that

failed due to lack of adequate maintenance or fuel, were faced

with disastrous consequences. They could not milk their cows

and suffered great production losses. Their cows became ill

and, in some cases, died.

Foreign animal

disease

Foreign Animal Disease outbreaks, such as Foot and Mouth

Disease or Classical Swine Fever (Hog Cholera), could have a

negative impact on the national food supply and pose a major

threat to production and international trade. Coordination

among local, state, and federal agencies is key to minimizing

the impact of such diseases.

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Definitions

Used by

Emergency

Managers

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the

agency that promotes disaster mitigation and readiness and

coordinates response and recovery following the declaration of

a major disaster. FEMA defines a disaster as:

“an event that results in large numbers of deaths and

injuries; causes extensive damage or destruction of

facilities that provide and sustain human needs; produces

an overwhelming demand on state and local response

resources and mechanisms; causes a severe long-term

effect on general economic activity; and severely affects

state, local, and private sector capabilities to begin and

sustain response activities.”

Levels of disasters

Emergency managers further classify emergencies and

disasters by size and the type and number of issues that need to

be addressed. This classification involves minor emergencies,

limited and potential emergencies, and major disasters.

Minor emergencies

Ü Examples:

Ø Residential fires

Ø Livestock barn fires

Ø Localized chemical spills

Ø Livestock trailer wrecks

Ø Power outages to animal-related businesses (farms,

veterinary practices)

Ø Storm damage (wind, hail, ice)

Ü Issues:

Ø Temporary accommodation for people and animals

Ø Testing, transport, and certification of animals for

slaughter

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Limited and potential

emergencies

Ü Examples:

Ø Localized flooding

Ø Hurricane warning

Ø Droughts

Ø Presumptive diagnosis of foreign animal disease

Ø Nuclear reactor failure

Ø Tsunami warning

Ü Issues—same as for minor emergencies, plus:

Ø Notice of evacuation of animal owners and animals

Ø Isolation of area

Ø Disaster intelligence (e.g., mapping of a plume

zone)

Major disasters

Ü Examples:

Ø Large-scale flooding

Ø Hurricane

Ø Earthquake

Ø Foreign animal disease outbreak

Ü Issues—same as for limited and potential emergencies,

plus:

Ø Disease control interventions

Ø Evacuation failures of animal owners

Ø Animal rescue attempts

Ø Carcass disposal

Ø Temporary accommodation for owners of animals

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4-8 Emergency Management in the United States

Disaster

declarations

Disasters are declared using established guidelines and

procedures. Because all disasters are local, they are initially

declared at the local level. This declaration is made by the local

Chief Elected Official (CEO) (mayor, city manager,

commissioner). Only when the CEO determines that local

resources capabilities have been or are expected to be exceeded

will the CEO of a community request state assistance. If the

state chooses to respond to a disaster, the Governor of the state

will direct implementation of the state’s emergency plan.

Again, if the Governor determines that the resource capabilities

of the state are exceeded, the Governor can request that the

President declare a major disaster in order to make federal

resources and assistance available to qualified state and local

governments. This ordered sequence is important to ensure

appropriate financial assistance.

Financial

Assistance in

Disasters

Financial assistance is available on a supplemental basis

through an application process. The Governor reviews the local

government’s application, studies the damage estimates and, if

appropriate, declares the area a state disaster. This official

declaration makes state resources available. However, if

damages are so extensive that the combined local and state

resources are not sufficient, the Governor applies to the

President for federal disaster assistance.

If the need for federal assistance funds is justified, the

President issues a major disaster declaration and federal

resources become available. This system ensures that state and

federal limited resources are used wisely and fairly, and the

needs of disaster victims are met.

To see an updated map illustrating the most recent presidential

disaster declarations, as well as useful information about the

types of disasters that result in declarations, go to

http://www.bakerprojects.com/fema/mapmain.

State of

Emergency

Disaster declarations are different than states of emergency. A

state of emergency is declared when public health or the

economic stability of a community is threatened and

extraordinary measures of control may be needed. Examples

include a disease outbreak in people (public health) or animals

(economic stability, food security).

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Making

Emergency

Management

Work

Emergency management works when individuals, the

community, the state, and federal government agencies fulfill

their emergency management responsibilities. Following is a

discussion of each.

Individual roles

Animal owners, including livestock producers, are individually

responsible for animals under their care. In disasters, livestock

producers have three concerns: human safety, livestock safety,

and protection of their property. To protect against threats,

responsible livestock producers prepare themselves by

constructing a safe environment and by acquiring adequate

resources to ensure their safety. Personal preparedness includes

having effective biosecurity measures and early reporting of

suspect Foreign Animal diseases to officials.

The goal of local emergency management programs is for the

public to be as prepared as possible. Prepared livestock

producers need less outside help and can expect fewer losses.

Personal preparedness is the most effective level of

preparedness to minimize losses in disasters.

Throughout this course, you will learn how to develop your

own emergency contingency plans.

Community

agencies’ roles

Community (local) governments make plans and provide

resources to protect their citizens from the hazards that threaten

their communities. Mitigation activities, preparedness plans,

responses to emergencies, and recovery operations are

examples of this effort. Wherever you live within the U.S., a

county or municipal agency is designated as your local

emergency management agency.

The local government level is the most important at which to

integrate emergency management plans because local

governments serve as the link between you and the state and

federal agencies in the emergency management network.

Local law specifies a chain of command in emergencies. It

spells out who reports to whom. The chief executive officer or

jurisdiction manager creates effective emergency services.

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State agencies’

roles

The state emergency management office is responsible for

protecting communities and citizens within the state. The state

office carries out statewide emergency management activities,

helps coordinate emergency management activities involving

more than one community, or assists individual communities

when they need help. If any community lacks the resources

needed to protect itself or to recover from a disaster, the state

may help with money, personnel, or other resources.

Federal agencies’

roles

FEMA

At the federal level of government, FEMA is involved in

mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery activities.

FEMA also helps the states by providing the following

programs:

Ü Training programs and research information on the

latest mitigation measures

Ü Review and coordination of state emergency plans

Ü Financial assistance

Ü Flood insurance to individuals and businesses in

communities that join the National Flood Insurance

Program (NFIP)

Ü Subsidies to state and local offices of emergency

management for maintaining emergency management

programs

Ü Guidance and coordination for plans to warn and

protect the nation in national security emergencies

Ü Coordination of services for disaster response and

recovery activities. In addition, FEMA may provide

supplemental resources when communities and states

do not have sufficient resources to protect or assist their

citizens, restore essential services that can get the local

economy going again, and meet the disaster-related

needs of individuals.

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Emergency Management in the United States 4-11

FEMA is your principal source of federal assistance for

education in disaster management. It provides a variety of

training opportunities, including this course. Many of FEMA’s

courses are taught through your state emergency management

agency. FEMA also provides classroom instruction and

operates the National Emergency Training Center, which offers

higher-level courses in emergency management.

USDA

While FEMA coordinates assistance to businesses and

individuals during disasters, the U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) has various programs and authorities to

provide assistance to livestock producers and farmers after a

major disaster.

Other federal agencies involved in disasters include the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of

Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the Small Business

Administration (SBA). Their roles are discussed in detail in

Unit 17, in the Appendix for Unit 10, and throughout the

course. In addition, the federal government supports the

collection of information in databases such as the National

Weather Service (www.nws.gov) and the United States

Geological Survey (www.usgs.gov), which are important to

disaster management.

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Learning Check

Directions: Determine if the following statements are true or

false based on the material presented in the unit. When you

have finished, check your answers on page 4-15.

1. A farmer purchases a snowmobile to allow him to get

water and feed to his cattle in case of a major winter

storm. This is a preparedness activity.

True or False?

2. A farmer builds a new horse barn with materials designed

to withstand the effects of wind, flying debris, and

pouring rains. This is a mitigation activity.

True or False?

3. A group of farmers plan for a hurricane by dividing up

responsibilities for communication, evacuation, and feed

supplies among themselves. This is a preparedness

activity.

True or False?

4. A farmer invites a local fire inspector to his property to

advise on fire safety and hazardous materials storage.

This is a response activity.

True or False?

5. After a severe summer storm, there is concern that the

water tanks for horses have been contaminated. To

prevent illness, the owners thoroughly clean the tanks

before they let their horses drink from them. This is a

mitigation activity.

True or False?

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Learning Check

6. After an avalanche, several horses and riders are missing.

A search team is dispatched. This is a response activity.

True or False?

7. Months after a flood, farmers begin creating lists of

things they could do to lessen the impact of future

disasters. This is a preparedness activity.

True or False?

8. Several weeks after a flood, there is concern that a well

supplying drinking water to beef cattle has become

contaminated. To minimize the risk to the cows, the

owner tests the water quality weekly for bacterial

contamination. This is a recovery activity.

True or False?

9. Emergencies that are large-scale can always be dealt with

using existing resources.

True or False?

10. Disasters are usually large-scale events in which there are

inadequate resources to meet the needs of the affected

community.

True or False?

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Learning Check

11. Personal preparedness is the most effective level at which

the losses from disasters can be minimized.

True or False?

12. Most natural disasters affect local communities first.

True or False?

13. Disasters are declared starting at the federal, then state,

then local level.

True or False?

14. An important role of FEMA in disasters is coordination

of preparedness and mitigation activities in declared

major disasters.

True or False?

15. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has various

programs and authorities to provide assistance to

livestock producers after a major disaster.

True or False?

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Emergency Management in the United States 4-15

Answers

For every question that you answered incorrectly, review the

page listed next to the answer to find out why your answer was

incorrect.

1. True......................................................................4-3

2. True......................................................................4-3

3. True......................................................................4-3

4. False.....................................................................4-3

5. False.....................................................................4-4

6. True......................................................................4-4

7. False.....................................................................4-4

8. True......................................................................4-4

9. False.....................................................................4-5

10. True......................................................................4-5

11. True......................................................................4-9

12. True......................................................................4-8

13. False.....................................................................4-8

14. False.....................................................................4-10

15. True......................................................................4-11

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Summary

This unit defined the four phases of emergency management

and described activities associated with each phase. It also

distinguished between the terms emergency and disaster,

explained how each one relates to livestock producers, and how

preparedness can reduce losses in disasters. Finally, this unit

described the roles of community, state, and federal agencies

concerning emergency management.