emergency response crisis management and CERT

Crisis Management Crisis management refers to the process of comprehensive risk assessment and strategic planning. A Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) provides proactive strategies for mitigating risk and managing crises through effective mobilization of human, financial, and technological resources, coordination of different support agencies and allies, and the implementation of recovery and response missions. There is no one central crisis management protocol, for each organization or community will have its own specific risks and resources (“Crisis Management and Emergency Response Plans,” n.d.).

The CERT team works within the parameters of its community contingencies. Emergency Management Emergency management refers to specific plans for responding to specific emergencies. While not all emergencies can be fully planned for, and unexpected situations will arise, CERT teams are trained and equipped to provide emergency management services for preventing fatalities, minimizing injuries, reducing loss and damage to property, reducing the environmental hazards resulting from an emergency, and promoting a quick resolution to the crisis (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, n.d.).

The first step in emergency management is, as with crisis management, risk assessment. Next, CERT leaders can plan and coordinate resources for effective emergency management. Homeland Security CERT plays an integral role in the maintenance of homeland security objectives. Homeland security refers to the protection of national borders, the promotion of community resilience to withstand crises including natural disasters and terrorist attacks, and the prevention or response to other crises such as cyberattacks.

Because so many emergencies are localized, it is critical that local service providers engage with federal agencies that coordinate responses. The Department of Homeland Security (2018) is the presiding federal agency that can provide resources and information to CERT organizations. Business Continuity Business continuity refers to the ability of an organization to return to standard operations as seamlessly as possible following any type of crisis.

Although individual organizations require a “holistic management process” to effectively manage continuity, CERT teams can provide additional support and consultation before, during, and after crises (Krell, 2006, p. 6). For example, CERT provides the means by which to help organizations assess risk and specific threats, develop feasible plans for responding to those threats, and most importantly, come up with the most viable solutions for maintaining continuity via communications with suppliers and clients, ensuring minimal disruption to transportation and supply chains, and minimal overall losses.

Contingency Planning Contingency planning covers a wide range of potential threats or crisis that may arise. A contingency plan will address potential failures to respond to crises, providing alternative solutions. A component of risk management as well as business continuity, contingency planning is usually conducted in conjunction with other CERT tasks including providing the necessary training to stakeholders for mitigating a crisis, and maintaining information systems throughout an emergency.

Management Crisis Planning Management crisis planning refers to the ways crisis planning can and shojld become embedded in the organization’s culture and its formal policies and procedures. For example, an organization may need to develop a culture of safety to prevent disasters and properly train personnel to respond to crises sensibly. CERT plays a major role in management crisis planning by providing training, education, and instruction in detecting and mitigating crises.

Moreover, CERT can help coordinate management’s communications with emergency systems and develop the best contingency plans. Preparedness Preparedness refers to an organization or community’s readiness for responding well to a crisis. Being prepared means several things: from having on hand the right human resources to respond to local crises, to knowing who to call and when. Moreover, being prepared means having the right alert and alarm systems, evacuation plans, and strategies for communication even during system disruption.

Preparedness promotes resilience, which is instrumental for creating safe communities. Mitigation Mitigation refers to harm reduction, and can mean minimizing human casualties or financial damages. CERT helps communities mitigate risks, by creating safer public infrastructure or more effective disaster route and evacuation planning. Likewise, CERT helps mitigate harm by promoting the integration of services like first aid and emergency response, law enforcement, and federal agencies like FEMA or the Department of Homeland Security.

During the process of recovery or maintaining business continuity, CERT also mitigates problems by helping coordinate resources and continuity of services. Response Response requires both strategic planning and the ability to react using creative and critical thinking skills. CERT teams are trained in effective response measures, and also help primary stakeholders become more effective responders too. A response can be coordinated and effective, but it can also be chaotic and lead to the exacerbation of problems.

Effective risk management and contingency plans help organizations and communities to develop better responses to unexpected or predicted problems. Recovery Recovery refers to the active saving of resources: human or otherwise. During and after a disaster, recovery can consist of removing any remaining people from the disaster area, or recovering objects or valuable data once an area has been deemed safe enough. Recovery of data after.