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by Emergency Management Roundtable
Dr. Wayne Blanchard,
of FEMA’s Emergency Management
Higher Education Project, convened a
working group of emergency management
practitioners and academics to
consider principles of emergency management.
This project was prompted
by the realization that while numerous
books, articles and papers referred to
“principles of emergency management”,
nowhere in the vast array of literature
on the subject was there an agreed upon
definition of what these principles were.
The group agreed on eight principles
that will be used to guide the development
of a doctrine of emergency
management.
Definition
Emergency management is the managerial
function charged with creating the
framework within which communities
reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope
with disasters.
Vision
Emergency management seeks to promote
safer, less vulnerable communities
with the capacity to cope with hazards
and disasters.
Mission
Emergency management protects
communities by coordinating and integrating
all activities necessary to build,
sustain, and improve the capability to
mitigate against, prepare for, respond
to, and recover from threatened or actual
natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or
other man-made disasters.
Principles
Emergency management must be:
1. Comprehensive – emergency managers
consider and take into account all
hazards, all phases, all stakeholders and
all impacts relevant to disasters.
2. Progressive – emergency managers
anticipate future disasters and take preventive and preparatory
measures
to build disaster-resistant and disasterresilient
communities.
3. Risk-driven – emergency managers
use sound risk management principles
(hazard identification,
risk analysis, and
impact analysis) in assigning priorities
and resources.
4. Integrated – emergency managers
ensure unity of effort among all levels of
government and all elements of a community.
5. 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.
6. Coordinated – emergency managers
synchronize the activities of all relevant
stakeholders to achieve a common purpose.
7. Flexible – emergency managers use
creative and innovative approaches in
solving disaster challenges.
8. Professional – emergency managers
value a science and knowledge-based
approach based on education, training,
experience, ethical practice, public stewardship
and continuous improvement.
For an expanded description of these
principles visit the Emergency Management
Institute’s website http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/emprinciples.asp
Emergency Management Roundtable
Dr. B. Wayne Blanchard, CEM, Lucien G. Canton,
CEM, CBCP, CPP, Carol L. Cwiak, JD,
Kay C. Goss, CEM, Dr. David A McEntire, Lee
Newsome, CEM, Michael D. Selves, CEM, CPM,
Eric A. Sorchik, Kim Stenson, James E. Turner
III, Dr. William L Waugh, Jr., Dewayne West,
CEM, CCFI
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