Emergency Management

What Is an Emergency?

An emergency is any unplanned event that can cause deaths or significant injuries to employees, customers or the public; or that can shut down your business, disrupt operations, cause physical or environmental damage, or threaten the facility’s financial standing or public image
Obviously, numerous events can be “emergencies,” including: • Fire • Hazardous materials incident • Flood or flash flood • Hurricane • Tornado • Winter storm • Earthquake • Communications failure • Radiological accident • Civil disturbance • Loss of key supplier or customer • Explosion The term “disaster” has been left out of this document because it lends itself to a preconceived notion of a large-scale event, usually a “natural disaster।” In fact, each event must be addressed within the context of the impact it has on the company and the community. What might constitute a nuisance to a large industrial facility could be a “disaster” to a small business.


What Is Emergency Management?

Emergency management is the process of preparing for, mitigating, responding to and recovering from an emergency। Emergency management is a dynamic process. Planning, though critical, is not the only component. Training, conducting drills, testing equipment and coordinating activities with the community are other important functions.

Why Emergency Management as a career?

To be successful, emergency management requires upper management support. The chief executive sets the tone by authorizing planning to take place and directing senior management to get involved. When presenting the “case” for emergency management, avoid dwelling on the negative effects of an emergency (e.g., deaths, fines, criminal prosecution) and emphasize the positive aspects of preparedness. For example: • It helps companies fulfill their moral responsibility to protect employees, the community and the environment. • It facilitates compliance with regulatory requirements of Federal, State and local agencies . • It enhances a company’s ability to recover from financial losses, regulatory fines, loss of market share, damages to equipment or products or business interruption. • It reduces exposure to civil or criminal liability in the event of an incident. • It enhances a company’s image and credibility with employees, customers, suppliers and the community. • It may reduce your insurance premiums.