Citation

Crichlow D. Am. City Cty. 1997; 112(6): 8 p..

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Penton Media)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article discusses the importance of emergency management (EM) planning at the city and county level. The characteristics of major emergencies are outlined as follows: disasters are unique events of immense complexity; disasters happen with little warning; disasters can victimize the responders themselves; a mix of natural, technological, and human-behavior factors produce disasters; and, regardless of cause, disasters can pose similar problems and demands. The events leading to the establishment of, and a history of, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Comprehensive Emergency Management (CEM) strategy, are presented. The practical application of CEM's Incident Command System (ICS) is described, and its application to train and highway emergencies is considered. The article also discusses staffing, program development, and team-building. Examples of emergency management operations in Los Angeles, California and Ohio are presented.