The Elements of Emergency Preparedness

Emergencies may be unexpected, but this is no excuse for lack of preparation. No matter how much people try to avoid or prevent disasters and other emergencies, they always do occur, so it’s best to be prepared.

Emergency preparedness is more than just a state of mind. It is a system –an actual plan- that takes possible contingency into account and creates protocols on how to deal with them. Here are some elements of great emergency preparedness:

1) Communication – emergencies do not pick the people involved. In case of a disaster, any person should be able to contact someone who knows how to deal with it. Chaos can turn a minor emergency into an all-out disaster, so there should always be a chain of command to learn who should be making decisions and who should follow.

The communications system should be clear and easy to understand. People dealing with an emergency should be able to understand the instructions they receive in order to be effective.

2) Multi-agency coordination – another important element in emergency preparedness is learning who deals with what in an emergency. Remember that every emergency doesn’t have just one effect; it has a lot. In order to deal with the aftermath of an emergency effectively, people should be coordinated properly.

3) Maintenance of response units – emergency response units should always be ready to give aid where it is needed. The response units should be trained and then continuously maintained to be at peak performance whenever they are needed. Tools and equipment used by these response units should also be taken care of to ensure their functionality during emergencies.

4) Public alert – in order to contain the emergency, people should be able to alert others about it. In terms of government, this will help protect the public by giving them the chance to evacuate. This will also keep the public from panicking, making emergency management an easier task.

5) Supplies – a vital part of emergency preparedness is finding out where to get different supplies like food, water and medicine when typical resources are cut off. Supplies are often needed urgently, so there must be a contingency for moving the supplies as quickly as possible. Stockpiling is also a good idea if an emergency should totally cut off an area.

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