Planning for Emergencies - Essay Example

The causes may be different. However, the aftermath consisting of relief operations put up by governmental and non-governmental organizations are identical. They inevitably comprise the military, medical organizations including hospitals, social concerns, and trained volunteers. In terms of disaster management, there is no state as vulnerable and varied as Washington. Washington is a mountainous state and has a coastline making it vulnerable to avalanches, drought, earthquakes, floods, landslides, storms and wildfires.

These are acts of nature or God. Man made disasters, other than terrorism, can happen due to hazards from abandoned mines, chemical wastes, and on lesser scale problems associated with dam breaches, nuclear mishaps, etc. Washington has large industries and business enterprises. This fact makes Washington quite vulnerable to terrorist attack. Acts of terrorism do not always happen by gun-totting misfits. They can get carried out through infringement of chemical, biological and even radio-active sources on a large scale.

In order to handle disasters of either acts of God or human make, it is necessary to have in place a unique and ready organization equipped with the latest gadgets and trained thoroughly to carry out plans and analysis, and execute all operations from cutting through mangled steel and mortar debris to attending the victims who have either lost their lives or limbs. This is easier said than done because after the disaster has struck there is confusion and disorder. The confusion and disorder arise due to breakdown in the routine communication and transportation systems and people at the helm are grappling with right and wrong information.

It is difficult to deal in situations where rumors are as ripe as reality and news of needy survivors or dead keep coming from all directions.In order to adequately meet all emergencies in the shortest time possible, it is necessary to have one chain of command and hand over all cases and responsibilities to this command. The question arises. Who will take up such responsibility This person must be of high moral stature, experienced, well informed, a team leader and capable of handling situations in high stressful conditions.

He leads a team of trained, dedicated men and women who are conversant in handling emergency situations complete with capability in meeting mental and physical strain including medical care.This team must be capable of providing shelter, care and food to families and individuals affected by the disaster within the affected areas. A part of the team must be thorough in the field of medicine to provide medical care wherever needed. The need of hospitals and other medical centers is paramount in times of disaster.

By the way, it is also important to keep away spectators and others who are there only to get a view of what is going on. The reporting system must adequately address dissemination of truthful information so that unnecessary crowding is avoided.Obviously, the size of the team providing care and