Disaster Analysis: Emergency Management Offices And Arrangements

Part I describes and analyzes the research of the Disaster Research Center (DRC) on the responses of local emergency management systems in six community disasters. Effectiveness of response was assessed in terms of communication which resulted in correct information collection, a fully functioning EOC, appropriate procurement and distribution of human and material resources, proper task delegation and coordination, a legitimated authority structure, integrated and coordinated relationship with outside private, state and federal organizations, cooperative relationships with mass media groups, and response activities based upon real, not mythical needs. We examined how extensiveness of response was influenced by prior disaster experiences, prior planning, and federal aid. We then derived an eight-fold categorization of emergency management systems: traditional offices, by passed agencies, emergent agencies,established agencies, embedded agencies, by-passed community agencies, emergent community agencies, and established community agencies. After a comparative examination of the likelihood of the existence of different types. we point out the policy implications of the findins for response, planning and structure of local emergency management systems. Part II describes the processes and problems in the computerization of the DRC library and data base and projects DRC’s future work