Disaster Management Evaluation
Introduction
An Emergency Operations Center (EOC) refers to a specifically selected centralized facility where administrators and officers have meetings face-to-face to facilitate the coordination and direction of a jurisdictions general disaster response and recovery endeavors in rendering support to operations in the field (University of Washington, 2020). The EOC operates as a fundamental and central point for the management of positioning personnel and resources for the alleviation, preparedness, response, and recovery from disaster in the field (Dave, 2018). This paper carries out an extensive analysis of the Emergency Operations Center during the tornado outbreak of April 2011.
Preparedness is one of the key elements in the disaster management cycle. Overall, emergency management is the incessant process in which all people, groups, and communities as a whole partake in the management of hazards in an endeavor to evade or mitigate the effect of disasters emanating from the hazards. In the preparedness stage of the cycle, emergency managers are tasked with the responsibility of developing plans of action when the disaster takes place (Dave, 2018).
An effective preparedness measure is an EOC in tandem with a proficient guideline across the region for the management of emergencies. An additional preparedness measure encompassed the development of volunteer response capacity amongst the civilian populace. Taking into consideration that response from volunteers is not at all times as foreseeable and easily planned as a response from professionals and expert personnel, the deployment of volunteers is usually done at the edge of an emergency except if they are a verified and reputable volunteer organization with benchmarks and training (Fagel, 2010).
Type of Disaster, Affected Area, and Vulnerable Populations
On April 27, 2011, a series of tornados devastated the southeastern region of the United States that emanated in Mississippi, overwhelming and causing so much distraught in Georgia and Alabama, and diminishing into Tennessee. The disaster was natural, and it is approximated that the losses experienced were approximately $6 billion in terms of losses that have been insured and total losses amounting to more than $10 billion. Following statistics obtained from Storm Data, the tornado aftermath resulted in the demise of 64 people, injuries to over 1,500 persons, and immediately caused property damage surpassing $2 billion. In general, the Tornado traversed approximately over 130 kilometers, and its rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale was EF-4, which is on the high end (Marshall, Davis, and Runnels, 2012).
Tuscaloosa is regularly hit by hurricanes that
Statistics indicate that in the years between 1952 and 2012, the country experienced 69 tornadoes (Harvard Kennedy School, 2013). The Tornado that took place in April was not solely a one-off occurring event, but instead was a sequence of numerous tornados that reproduced in two different waves. Worsening the natural hazard and threat that is posed by tornados, 16 percent of the citizens living in Alabama reside in manufactured housing, with the majority of the lacking some sort of basement or area to seek out refuge (USFA, 2012).In Alabama, the aftermath of the natural disaster resulted in the demise of 239 people out of a population of 4.7 million, with approximately 2,500 people injured necessitating medical treatment. In total terms of the loss, this series of tornados in April is ranked as being the fifth most fatal Tornado in the history of the United States. The long-standing economic detriment to the state and the region as a whole was massive. For instance, several towns lost virtually all of their commercial businesses (USFA, 2012).
Design and Location of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is a fundamental constituent of an...
…the recovery personnel at the State and Federal level
One of the conclusions made was a need for a more tight-nipped association with recovery assistance groups and staff. It was determined that a proficient representative from the United States Fire Administration (USFA) ought to be deployed particularly and expressly to help with matters about public assistance, fire, and emergency management services. This representative could continue being in association with them through the public assistance recovery process. This would instigate confidence and self-assurance in them, helping in quickening the rate of recovery and guarantee precision and efficacy (USFA, 2012).
4. Lack of Public Works to take part, learn and practice Incident Command System
Taking into consideration that the events rapidly transformed into public works events after the culmination of the response stage, there was a lack of competent public works personnel regarding the participation in Incident Command Systems in addition to taking active roles in leadership (USFA, 2012).
Conclusion
The tornados that hit the nation in April 2011 were exceedingly severe and overwhelming, indicating the significance of preparedness during disaster events. Ranging from individuals remaining informed regarding storms and other natural forms of disasters to institutions laying the footing for more effective operations in the course of emergencies, everyone profits from having proper preparedness. The extensive detriment and tragic loss of lives that were brought about by these tornados provide significant motivation to ensure better preparation at every level when such severe natural hazards strike, which will inevitably occur in the future. Preparation implies enhancing warning systems and also advancing emergency response plans for faster response and recovery when the storms come to pass. Significantly, the effective preparation of such natural hazards through the EOC diminishes unknown factors in the course of emergencies and heightens the prospects of circumstances turning out in a better way (Tornado Recovery…
