Preparedness and Recovery Activities in Disaster Response - Essay Example

? Preparedness, Response and Recovery Activities and Programs in Disaster Response or Disaster Recovery Table of Contents PROPOSED RESEARCH TITLE 3 RESEARCH QUESTION 3 IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY QUESTION 3 Research Hypothesis 4 First Hypothesis 4 Second hypothesis 5 Variables to Evaluate the Hypotheses 5 Literature Review 6 Analyses of the research question and supporting hypothesis 8 Conclusion 9 References 11 PROPOSED RESEARCH TITLE PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS IN DISASTER RESPONSE OR DISASTER RECOVERY RESEARCH QUESTION What are the main significant measures that the Department of Homeland Security ought to consider in Preparedness, Response and Recovery Activities and Programs in Disaster Response or Disaster? IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY QUESTION The Department of Homeland Security is entitled to enhance the security of American citizens from various types of threats. These threats range from various events of terrorism attacks, natural disaster or other large-scale emergency. Through various agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Homeland Security is responsible to carry out a number of activities in order to make sure that there is reliable security for all citizens. Some of these activities include preparedness or training. The department has the responsibility of making sure that all citizens are ready to carry out the recommended plans in a quick and effective manner in order to respond to a disaster. The department also has the responsibility of ensuring there is an effective response in case of disaster occurrence. Effective response means that the department is obliged to ensure there is enough support to assist with managing a disaster. The other significant issue is that the department is entitled to make sure there are effective recovery programs after disaster occurrence. This means that the department is obliged to find grants, resources and information that can be of significance to the affected citizens. Other programs that the department is entitled to carry out relate to mitigation. This means that the department has the responsibility of making sure that there is a reduction to the loss of life and property after the occurrence of a disaster. The above-mentioned activities are some of which the department has the responsibility of ensuring they are of first priority in disaster management. However, it is evident that homeland security remains eminent (Maliszewski, 2011). Various disaster management problems continue to emerge and therefore there is a significant need to address the issues that the department of Homeland Security should consider in order to ensure there is a total security in case of disaster occurrence. Research Hypothesis First Hypothesis Various disaster management problems continue to emerge and therefore there is a significant need to address the issues that the Department of Homeland Security should consider in order to ensure there is a total security in case of disaster occurrence rather than depend on the only available means to deal with disasters. Therefore, the research paper will discuss various issues that the Department of Homeland Security should give the first priority to while trying to respond, minimize or prevent the occurrence of disasters. This will be the only way that all citizens will be secured from potential disasters and hence they will be able to participate fully in nation building. According to the hypothesis, the paper will try to identify various responsibilities that should be taken apart from the present ones in order to make sure that the issue of disaster occurrence is not a major threat in the country. Second hypothesis Non-governmental organizations have the best chance in dealing with various issues related to disaster threat and occurrence compared to government-based agencies. The government has been playing a crucial role in making sure that the issues related to disasters in the country are addressed accordingly. However, it is evident that the government has not met the target expectations. The country is prone to disaster occurrences and threats. A number of non-governmental organizations have joined in the fight to curb occurrences of disasters and they seem to be performing well compared to government-based agencies. Therefore, the paper will discuss various issues that make these organizations seem to be the best in dealing with the issue of disaster and what can be done in order to boost their operations. Variables to Evaluate the Hypotheses In order to get the provided information concerning the research question and the established hypotheses, the paper will employ both independent and dependent variables. This means that the paper will address both the cause and effect. For example, in the first hypothesis, the present variables are issues that the Department of Homeland Security should consider, and disaster occurrences. In this case, the independent variables are the issues that the Department of Homeland Security should consider. The dependent variables in this first hypothesis are disaster occurrences. The second hypothesis also has both the independent and dependent valuables. In this case, the independent valuables are non-governmental organizations and government based agencies. The dependent valuables are issues related to disaster threat and occurrence. These variables will be of significant importance while addressing the research question and hypothesis. Literature Review As indicated in the above information, the Department of Homeland Security has a crucial role of which it is entitled to enact in order to make sure that all citizens are safe from the occurrence of disasters. Homeland Security (2007) indicated that there is an enormous challenge while dealing with issues related to preparedness for and response to catastrophic and major disasters. This is a clear indication that the department accepts it has not been able to deliver according to the expectations of the public while dealing with issues related to disasters. The significant of this article, Homeland Security (2007), is that it outlines various issues that the department should consider in order to improve its operations when dealing with disasters. One of these issues is that the department should have effective and efficient pre- and post-disaster coordination and cooperation on various levels (Homeland Security, 2007). These levels include those of government, non-governmental organization and private sectors. Moreover, in order for the department to achieve this goal of making sure it is able to address all issues related to disasters, there is a need to enhance public participation (Shames, 2011). Various individuals among the public can contribute to success when dealing with this issue. For example, individuals may help in knowing the evacuation route and having their own plan and supplies (Homeland Security, 2007). The public also should be informed on how to comply with evacuation orders. It is evident that the department has been leaving behind or ignoring individual participation of the public in dealing with disaster issues and hence failing to deliver as to the expectations. The other significant issue that the department should consider in order to deliver the best is to enhance effective leadership (Wise, 2006). This means that there should always be clearly defined leadership roles and responsibilities for every official working with the department. There have been a number of questions related to the leadership style and responsibilities of various officials in the department who fail to deliver the expected results. Homeland Security (2007) indicates that one of the issues that contributed to the department’s failure to deliver the best was a lack of clearly understood roles and responsibilities. Therefore, the issue of leadership should be addressed in order to make sure that only the best and qualified officials are offered the task of running operations in the department. Another issue of significant importance that the department should address is to employ accountability systems. This means that there is a need to have various systems that effectively balance the need for fast and flexible response against the need to prevent waste, fraud and abuse (Garb, Cromley, & Wait, 2007). These accountability systems may help in making sure that only the necessary and recommendable steps are taken when dealing with disaster issues. For example, when a catastrophic disaster occurs, it is evident that a number of quick actions are not implemented because of procedures that require extensive and time-consuming processes (Kalytiak, 2009). These processes tend to delay vital supplies and other assistance. Moreover, there have been issues where the federal government has been vulnerable to fraud and experienced abuse of expedited assistance payments because of poor mechanisms (Garb, Cromley, & Wait, 2007). Therefore, the department has the obligation of making sure there are accountability systems that will enhance effective operations related to disaster threat. Apart from enhancing effectiveness of operations in the Department of Homeland Security, the other significant issue that should be addressed is supporting non-governmental organizations that play a crucial role in dealing with issues related to disasters. An example of NGOs includes various organizations involved with healthcare, construction, data management, and disaster relief among other responsibilities (Adams, 2008). These organizations have proved to have effective contribution in relation to disaster threat issues. This is because the organizations have a strong community ties. For example, the organizations have a strong connection to a variety of vulnerable populations. Hence, their promotion of health care, education and employing training tend to have a significant impact on disaster vulnerability (Adams, 2008). The other significant effect of NGOs is that they are able to influence other volunteers. Moreover, they have the potential for greater awareness. This awareness is of significant advantage in unique situations and, therefore, creates vulnerability. For example, the strong ties of NGOs with members of the pubic enhanced them to be in a position of providing critical services following the Hurricane Katrina disaster in a number of areas that were not immediately reached by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (Jenkins, 2007). Adams (2008) indicates that NGOs had a significant impact in controlling the situation through the provision of various services after the occurrence of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. This means that the NGOs responded to the disaster in an effective and recommendable way. Following the Katrina incidence, it was evident that NGOs played a crucial role in providing the recommended assistance and their efforts were beneficial compared to the effect of government contribution (Birkland, 2009). This makes it clear that non-governmental organizations have the best chance of dealing with disaster issues and they should be fully supported. Analyses of the research question and supporting hypothesis The research question and the two supporting hypothesis were of importance in this paper as they assisted in getting the possible solutions to disaster related issues affecting homeland security. Through the research question, it was possible to identify that there are significant measures that the Department of Homeland Security should give the first priority to in order to deliver according to the expectations when dealing with disaster issues. Addressing these issues will be one of the significant steps that the department will have taken when trying to deal with disaster issues accordingly. In the first hypothesis, the paper manages to address in a detailed way various issues that the department should consider employing in its operations in order to enhance effectiveness. It is clear that the department has been facing various challenges when dealing with disasters. These challenges were evident when the department was addressing issues on the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Therefore, in order for the department to be able to tackle these issues effectively, it has to consider issues addressed in this paper, which support the first hypothesis. In the second hypothesis, the paper addresses the issue of supporting various operations enacted by NGOs. The second hypothesis supports the fact that NGOs play significant roles of which they are beneficial when dealing with disaster issues. These roles tend to be of significant importance even beyond the operations conducted by the Department of Homeland Security. However, even though the hypothesis does not support the fact that the department should stop working hard on its operations, the hypothesis tends to illustrate it would be necessary to provide extra support to most of the NGOs in order to assist them in delivering services to their best ability. Conclusion The above information has provided the required answer of the research questions. This means that the various issues to which the Department of Homeland Security should give the first priority have been established. One of these issues is that the department should consider having effective and efficient pre- and post-disaster coordination and cooperation on various levels. The above information indicates that it is evident the department fails to deliver according to the expectations because there is no effective coordination on various levels. The other established issue that the department should consider is to enhance public participation. It was identified that many individuals amidst the public may have information that would be of significant assistance when dealing with disaster issues, but they are not given a chance to provide this assistance. Therefore, it is the obligation of the department to make sure that it enhances public participation in order to achieve effective results in future when dealing with disaster issues. The other established issue that the department should give the first priority to in order to have effective results is enhancing there is appropriate leadership. It is evident that leadership has a major effect in determining the results that the department gets when dealing with disaster issues. For example, it was identified that lack of proper and effective leadership contributed to the department failing to provide effective outcomes during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Apart from issues that the department should consider employing in its operations, the other significant issue discussed in the paper is about the role that NGOs play in making sure that they control various situations related with disaster occurrences. There is a need to support the operations that the NGOs play in order to make sure that the issues of disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery Activities are no longer a threat to homeland security. References Adams, L. M. (2008). Comprehensive vulnerability management: The road to effective disaster planning with the community. Journal of Theory Construction & Testing, 12(1), 25–27. Birkland, T. A. (2009). Disasters, catastrophes, and policy failure in the homeland security era. Review of Policy Research, 26(4), 423–438. Garb, J. L., Cromley, R. G., & Wait, R. B. (2007). Estimating populations at risk for disaster preparedness and response. Journal of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, 4(1), 1–17. Homeland Security: Observations on DHS and FEMA Efforts to Prepare for and Respond to Major and Catastrophic Disasters and Address Related Recommendations and Legislation: GAO-07-1142T. (2007). GAO reports, 1. Jenkins Jr., W. O. (2007). Homeland security: Observations on DHS and FEMA efforts to prepare for and respond to major and catastrophic disasters and address related recommendations and legislation: GAO-07-835T. GAO Reports, 1. Kalytiak, T. (2009). Homeland Security & Emergency Management: Alaska communities, boroughs infused with federal dollars. Alaska Business Monthly, 25(8), 74–77. Shames, L. (2011). Actions needed to improve response to potential terrorist attacks and natural disasters affecting food and agriculture. GAO Reports, 1. Wise, C. R. (2006). Organizing for homeland security after Katrina: Is adaptive management what's missing? Public Administration Review, 66(3), 302–318. Read More