Unlike earthquakes, hurricanes offer a small window for immediate, acute emergency preparedness that can help members of the public at least get their families to safety. Hurricane Sandy was no different, but while the media did provide ample warnings that the hurricane was coming and to be prepared, the during and after stages of the event were not handled as well as they could have been in many communities on the Jersey Shore. Frank Timmerman, a homeowner, complains about several issues related more to responsiveness than to preparation. "We had filled up the tank with gas and were ready to evacuate as soon as we were ordered to do so, we had ample water and tinned food supplies, and we had flashlights, batteries, candles, and all that other stuff. We also took as many precautions as we could to secure our house and make sure to minimize property damage. Thankfully we had more than a day to research online what we needed to do. This was our first hurricane," Timmerman said. The media was covering the oncoming storm extensively, said Timmerman, providing up-to-date information about the storm's location and direction of movement. Moreover, the media offered information about how to prepare for the storm and which communities...
It turned out that Timmerman's community was in fact evacuated. When the announcement arrived, Timmerman was prepared and knew which shelter to drive to, but that was all he knew. It was then that Timmerman realized how poor the media coverage was, as there were no official lines of communication established for residents. As Goldberg (2012) points out, Sandy showed how many communities like these need multiple methods of information dissemination, including a dedicated email address, dedicated telephone link that operates like a "reverse 911 system," a website, or Twitter feed. Additionally, Timmerman would have wanted a "block captain" in the community: someone who could go door to door informing people of the details of their evacuation as well as information about how to stay in touch about updates as to when they might be able to return (Goldberg, 2012). As it was, there was nothing. Timmerman and his neighbors were literally and figuratively in the dark about what to do.
disaster? The most important way to prepare for disasters like these is by stockpiling resources and developing adequate resource funding and distribution channels. As Bucci, et al. (2012) point out, the states of New Jersey and New York were fully dependent on FEMA and other federal funds; those two states had absolutely no contingency plans and no state-level disaster relief funds. Moreover, by the time Sandy hit, FEMA resources had
Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy Tropical cyclones can badly destroy settlements and structures along the coast. Recent destructive tropical cyclones such as the 2005 Katrina and the Sandy which happened in 2012 affirm that the destruction caused by a land-falling tropical cyclone is not merely dependent on its categorization on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. The hurricane Sandy of 2012 caused a lot of destruction. Only the hurricane Katrina which happened in
The United States is a large, complex nation and requires a sophisticated and multifaceted response The National Response Framework (2016) is a guide, released by the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) that offer direction in responding to national disasters to state, county, and local agencies as well as to individuals and non-government organizations which strive to assist in disaster relief. Scalability and flexibility is a critical concern of the model.
AAR Sandy AAR for the Course In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the importance of this course becomes clearer than ever. Understanding the institutional supports for and barriers to effective emergency management is critical for all citizens. As Baldwin (2005) points out, healthcare specialists are particularly responsible for arming themselves with knowledge and preparedness. Knowing the principles, types, and forms of health management systems that exist enables healthcare leaders to change or
Hurricane Response Issues The purpose of this essay is to highlight and describe the various details that are inherent within a disaster. This essay will focus on a recent hurricane event that demands the attention of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and includes the necessary actions by the Incident Commander (IC). The current status of the problem is post hurricane and extra medical supplies are needed. Along with this problem lies
Loss of local control in emergency management is a legitimate concern. Yet access to state and federal resources is critical for effective emergency response. The most effective emergency response involves carefully coordinated roles between local, state, and federal agencies. Local agencies are always first responders, and therefore have a great deal of authority and responsibility in emergency management. States may have significant resources and distinct responsibilities to work with local
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