The organization and management of resources and responsibilities for addressing all aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response, and initial recovery steps.
An emergency is a threatening condition that requires urgent action. Effective emergency action can avoid the escalation of an event into a disaster. Emergency management involves plans and institutional arrangements to engage and guide the efforts of government, non-government, voluntary and private agencies in comprehensive and coordinated ways to respond to the entire spectrum of emergency needs.
The expression “disaster management” is sometimes used instead of emergency management.
Necessary Aspects
To be effective, emergency management must be:
Collaborative: Emergency managers create and sustain broad and sincere relationships among individuals and organizations to encourage trust, advocate a team atmosphere, build consensus, and facilitate communication.
Comprehensive: Emergency managers consider and consider all hazards, all phases, all stakeholders, and all impacts relevant to disasters.
Coordinated: Emergency managers synchronize the activities of all relevant stakeholders to achieve a common purpose.
Flexible: Emergency managers use creative and innovative approaches to solving challenges.
Integrated: Emergency managers ensure unity of effort among all levels of government and all elements of a community.
Professional: Emergency managers value a science- and knowledge-based approach based on education, training, experience, ethical practice, public stewardship, and continuous improvement.
Progressive: Emergency managers anticipate future events and take preventive and preparatory measures to build disaster-resistant and disaster-resilient communities.
Risk-driven: Emergency managers use sound risk management principles, such as hazard identification, risk analysis, and impact analysis, in assigning priorities and resources.
