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The MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management
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ResourceMCNY's Emergency and Disaster Management Blog Learning to Be Your Own Best Defense in a Disaster – NYTimes ArticleAugust 5, 2008In the August 5, 2008, edition of The New York Times, Tara Parker-Pope published an interesting and enlightening article titled, “Learning to Be Your Own Best Defense in a Disaster.” The article can be accessed at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/health/05well.html?em In the interests of enhanced preparedness for everyone, Disaster Central encourages its reader to take a moment to read it. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Emergency Preparedness. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Special Powers Legislation, Terrorism, and Emergency ManagementAugust 4, 2008Throughout history, governments have during times of crisis devised and/or enacted special powers legislation as part of their efforts to thwart acts of terrorism, the growth of insurgency movements, and to allow for a more effective response to emergency situations. In some instances, this special powers legislation has taken the form of martial law or curfews in the wake of a hydrological or seismological event, while in others it has resulted in significant changes to national law, protocol, and tradition. In the United States, many on both sides of the political aisle point to the USA PATRIOT ACT as an example of special powers legislation – there are, however, differing views as to its efficacy and Constitutional legitimacy, and each side has its respective strengths and weaknesses. There may also prove future instances where special powers legislation might be needed to enable a more robust response to, and recovery from, a catastrophic event. Emergency managers at all levels of government may want to consider those scenarios under which special powers legislation might be needed, and what form this legislation would take. In addition to curfews, special powers legislation might extend to containment and quarantine regulations and procedures, or to the handling of hundreds of thousands of decedent remains in an expeditious manner. As part of their respective preparedness matrices, Emergency Management planners and policymakers may wish to consider the value and appropriateness of special powers legislation in advance of a catastrophic event. What are your thoughts on the use of special or emergency powers legislation as a strategy and a tactic in the Emergency Management and Homeland Security communities? Should there be limits to special powers legislation, and should all legislation of this type contain “sunset” or “renewal” clauses? Is it possible that special powers legislation successfully prevents acts of terrorism? Disaster Central welcomes your thoughts and insights. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Anti-Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, Emergency Management Planning, Homeland Security. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. McCain or Obama? Obama or McCain?August 3, 2008The 2008 US presidential election cycle is well underway. Not surprisingly, the outcome of this election will have some (possibly major) effect on the Emergency Management and Homeland Security communities in the United States. Whether you’re a supporter of (in alphabetical order) Senator John McCain or Senator Barack Obama, from an EM/HLS viewpoint, who do you think will prove a more effective leader for the EM and HLS fields? Before responding, please consider those issues that impact the EM and HLS fields, including vision, funding, legislation, and loyalty. Please note that Disaster Central’s professional standards prohibit interference in the political process through the providing of direct endorsements. Disasters are non-partisan, and so is Disaster Central. That does not, however, preclude Disaster Central’s readers from sharing their respective opinions of EM and HLS, and their relation to the 2008 US presidential election, in this blog. We welcome your viewpoints. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Emergency Management Planning, Homeland Security. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. MPA Emergency Management and Homeland Security SymposiumJune 26, 2008[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSg2goHm_j4[/youtube] The MPA program in Emergency and Disaster Management at Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) was pleased to welcome Joseph F. Bruno, Commissioner of the New York City Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM), as the keynote speaker for our first annual Emergency Management and Homeland Security Symposium. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Emergency Management Planning, Homeland Security, MCNY EDM Program, Videos. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Why More Men Die in FloodsJune 25, 2008In its June 24, 2008, edition, TIME Magazine published an interesting article by Senior Writer Amanda Ripley titled, “Why More Men Die in Floods.” Disaster Central encourages its readers to read this article as it contains a number of valuable points concerning the relationship between gender and survivability. The article can be accessed at: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1817603,00.html For some time, we’ve recognized a connection between social/economic class and survivability - now there appears to be further evidence to support a connection between gender and survivability. Are men less prepared than women? Or are these statistics due to the fact that many first responders are male, and therefore more likely to die while carrying out their duties? It has been suggested that many emergency management preparedness programs be directed at females as they most often play an integral role in protecting children during emergency situations – does this lead to an unintended gender imbalance in the preparedness and response matrices? Disaster Central invites your comments. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Disaster Preparedness, Evacuation. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Financial IncentivesJune 2, 2008With increasing frequency, communities are turning to the tax code to affect changes in (largely undesirable) social behaviors. Since 2002, for example, New York City has followed a policy of implementing deterrent tax rises in its ongoing efforts to end smoking in the five boroughs. According to figures released by the New York City Mayor’s office, these deterrent tax increases have reduced smoking by some 30% – although it should be noted that there is some variance in these figures. At the same time, the deterrent tax increases have added significant funds to the City’s treasury, with a portion of this revenue earmarked for smoking-cessation programs. Given the success of New York City’s efforts to control social behavior through the selective implementation of the tax code, do you believe a similar model should be applied to enhancing emergency preparedness in New York City? For businesses and other organizations, failure to implement business continuity, preparedness, response, and recovery protocols would result in the imposition of tax surcharges and increases that could then be applied to improving preparedness, response, and recovery levels in those respective firms. In another example, those high-rise buildings that have yet to install communications systems and radio-repeaters would be assessed a sky-high (no pun intended) tax surcharge in order to force them to better protect both their tenants and our first responders and public safety personnel during response and recovery periods. A similar plan could be applied to private homes. After all, just as smoking represents a public health hazard, so does a lack of emergency preparedness in New York City. How far are you willing to go to provide yourself, your family, and friends with safe working and living environments? Do you support this initiative? Do you believe it would improve safety and preparedness in New York City? In terms of public health, New York City has indicated that it has no intention of “simply blowing smoke.” Has the time come to expand this approach to achieving higher levels of emergency preparedness in New York City? Disaster Central welcomes your thoughts on this. Professor Longshore Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Emergency Preparedness. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. 2008 North Atlantic Tropical Cyclone SeasonJune 2, 2008On June 1, the 2008 North Atlantic tropical cyclone season began. While there have, of course, been instances where hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions have formed outside of the June-November season, the bulk of tropical systems in the Atlantic occur within this six month period. Although the seasonal peak for New York and the northeastern United States comes in August and September, now is the time to take a moment to review your preparedness levels as they pertain to tropical cyclone activity. The New York City Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM) provides New Yorkers with useful information on those steps that must (not should) be taken to better protect your family, friends, and property in the event a hurricane or tropical storm “sets its sights” on the Big Apple. Please keep in mind that a mature-stage tropical cyclone can extend several hundred miles across, so even if the eyewall should pass away from your location, you can still be affected by high winds, heavy rains, and high surf conditions. NYC OEM’s excellent website can be accessed using the link on Disaster Central’s menu bar. Remember, preparedness is a decision best made early, so make the decision today to be better prepared tomorrow! Have you ever experienced first hand the effects of a hurricane or tropical storm? If so, please share your experiences with Disaster Central. As the lessons of Emergency Management and Homeland Security are largely experiential in nature, it’s important that readers understand the mechanics and nature of tropical cyclones – and one of the best ways to accomplish this is through a sharing of such experiences. Professor Longshore Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Emergency Preparedness, Natural Disasters. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Welcome, Commissioner Bruno!May 15, 2008The MPA program in Emergency and Disaster Management at Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) is pleased to welcome Joseph F. Bruno, Commissioner of the New York City Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM), as the keynote speaker for our first annual Emergency Management and Homeland Security Symposium, to be held June 18, 2008, at MCNY’s campus in lower Manhattan. In the time that he has served as Commissioner, Mr. Bruno and his team of professionals have worked to effectively educate the people and systems of New York City on how to be better prepared in the face of natural, human, and technological emergencies. Commissioner Bruno’s presentation is part of NYC OEM’s continuing mission to provide New York City with the finest in emergency management. MCNY is excited by this important educational opportunity. Thank you, Commissioner! Please stay tuned to MCNY’s Disaster Central blog for more details (including how to register) on our upcoming symposium. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Emergency Management Planning, Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Cyclone NargisMay 7, 2008Once again we’ve been unhappily reminded of humankind’s relative fragility in the face of nature’s more dramatic workings. Earlier this week, Cyclone Nargis brought Category 4 winds, storm surge conditions, and precipitation counts to the northeastern shores of the Bay of Bengal. Hardest hit was the nation of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, where as of the date of this post, some 41,000 people have been listed as killed, and another 41,000 posted as missing. The latest media reports have warned that any delays in providing humanitarian assistance could see the death toll rise as high as 100,000. As with all events of this magnitude, it’s possible the death toll could rise even further, or even drop, as recovery operations proceed and a more accurate assessment is available. A number of nations and private organizations have pledged relief aid to Myanmar, and Disaster Central urges you to contribute what you can. The New York City Office of Emergency Management’s website contains important information on the most effective ways to contribute. Please see the link to OEM’s website on this blog. Naturally, events like Cyclone Nargis also reaffirm for coastal regions around the globe the need to devise and implement effective early warning systems, improved and enhanced evacuation protocols, more robust and comprehensive public health and mass care practices, stronger shelters, and plans that have a strong operational component. Much has been said about the current political situation in Myanmar, and its possible influence on the preparedness, response, and recovery phases of this event. This is a story we’ve heard before from this region, particularly in the case of the Great Cyclone of November, 1970, (also known as the Bhola Cyclone) which killed upwards of 500,000 people in Bangladesh and fueled further political unrest between East Pakistan (as Bangladesh was then known) and West Pakistan (now simply Pakistan) where the nation’s political and response networks were centered. In time, East Pakistan was granted its independence, and for this reason, the 1970 cyclone is sometimes identified as “the cyclone that gave birth to a nation.” We’ve also heard it applied to our own nation’s political profile and emergency management practices following Hurricane Katrina’s landfall in Louisiana in late-August of 2005. Only time and history can reveal the “truth” of such assessments, but it is well known that governments that are unresponsive to the needs of their citizens in times of peril and fear are governments that don’t last. But as equally the case with many large-magnitude events, there is more to this horror than government inaction and poor emergency management operations. We’re a crowded planet, and it’s in the nature of humankind to build, farm, fish, and to persevere in those parts of the world where natural disasters are likely to occur. For many voluntary and involuntary reasons, humankind farms the flanks of active volcanoes, crowds earthquake fault lines, and builds its “palaces” on sheets of sand. It’s ironic, yes, and even contrary to the wisdom of human experience – but only when an eruption or earthquake occurs. Until that time, humankind is willing to weather the occasional risk in order to achieve a more constant return. This return is almost always economic, and for that reason, its influences and consequences often compliment one another. The less-enfranchised citizenry of a less-enfranchised country have little choice but to live in danger zones because, quite simply, the land is less expensive, available, and due to nature’s frenetic activity, often fertile. After the Second World War, policymakers urged the adoption of an economic globalization model as a preventative measure against another devastating war of magnitude. With its exceptions, this concept appears to have worked – at least for the time being. Perhaps now is the time to consider adopting this model for a global approach to emergency management and security. After all, it does seem inevitable that an ongoing need exists. As the global economy continues to grow (and yes, it will continue to expand), as markets develop and flourish, all the nations of the world will want to protect their respective interests in those areas beset by natural and technological hazards by ensuring enhanced business continuity protocols and practices – both at home and abroad. Although it’s secondary to the communal suffering of the human community, the disaster in Myanmar is also an economic crisis (albeit, smaller in scale), and the world must always act to save lives through saving systems because if these systems fail, more lives will be lost. Hopefully, the world’s nations will continue to actively work together in a non-partisan manner to ensure that when a future earthquake hits, or a cyclone makes landfall, or a terrorist strikes, it won’t be said by future generations that we did nothing as human beings to protect and prepare our own. Professor Longshore Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Natural Disasters. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Congratulations, Mr. or Mrs. President!April 29, 2008Congratulations, you’ve just been elected the next President of the United States (POTUS). Based upon your present knowledge of the emergency management and homeland security disciplines in the nation, what would your top policy or operational priorities be in terms of these fields? What would your second and third priorities be? Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by Disaster Central in Emergency Management Planning, Homeland Security. Comments Off Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as providing insight and commentary on the topics of Disaster Management, Emergency Management and Homeland Security. | |
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