Devastation, Mitigation, Response, And Recovery

Devastation can strike anywhere, at any given time. This devastation can, and will, affect the masses. It can disrupt, as well as set back the progress of any community. We must accept disaster as an inevitable fate in order to properly combat devastation and increase resiliency. The combined efforts stem from the power of each individual to aid emergency managers. Emergency managers are responsible for the proper planning of emergencies. They use a fundamental approach in their planning methods. The fundamentals include four stages of planning: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Exploring these stages will help us understand the restrictions and adversities that are faced by emergency managers throughout each stage. Mitigation is the first phase in emergency planning. It is used to prevent, or reduce, the damage imposed by disasters. Since risk can never fully be eliminated, the important key to this stage is to reduce risk. Mitigation occurs and exists, even if a disaster is not
Procedures and drills from the preparedness stage will become activated. “Response consists of activities designed to address the short term effects n incident, and reduce loss and suffering”(p29). An emergency manager’s response may vary depending on the type of incident, the scope of the responder’s role, and the size of the event. Some of these responses include: applying resources to the site of an incident, implementing emergency plans and procedures, issuing warnings or advisories, instituting public health measures, providing assistance to people impacted or displaced, and if necessary, declaring a state of emergency. Once disaster strikes, it may be difficult for emergency planners to coordinate all response efforts. They rely on volunteers and first responders. The response phase relies on the cooperation of all involved parties. Once successfully combatted, the recovery phase may