Write a 200 word reply to Demarius post, provide an appreciative inquiry response. You will not be marked on your opinion but on your ability to present a valid argument and to manage constructive discussion with your cohort while integrating the material being discussed in the course. When responding to other students please refrain from simply stating great comment/response. Offer your thoughts on what he/she may have added to make the discussion more substantive. Remember to be respectful and focus on only the discussion points and arguments posted. This forum is intended to provide an opportunity to integrate all of the learning objectives into practice.
Demarius,
Who are the vulnerable and why are they vulnerable?
The elderly is the most vulnerable. What makes them the most vulnerable is that they are not likely to have vehicles to be able to evacuate in case of an emergency. Most of the elderly live alone and sometimes have no contact with family. You would have to locate them and arrange for transportation to an evacuation site. In the case that they were not found in time they would have to care for themselves without power, lights, running water, etc. putting their lives in great danger. Most times the elderly have health issues that require the use of an electrical device to assist with their everyday living. In the event of an emergency, this would make the elderly more vulnerable to a health risk if they were not able to use their assisted device.
Are the number of vulnerable people in society in/decreasing and why?
The number of vulnerable people in society will continue to increase. Poverty, age, and underlying health issues make people more vulnerable. This will continue to rise because although the poverty rate here in the United States has decreased over the years, the affect of the Coronavirus has caused a spiked increase in that number due to unemployment. The pandemic also makes those with underlying health issues more susceptible to contracting the virus which would require immediate medical attention. The number of minorities and small children will continue to increase. Many minorities come from poverty-stricken areas and research shows that they are more vulnerable when it comes to an emergency.
How can you assist the vulnerable before/during/after an emergency or disaster?
It is important that we have accountability of citizens that are most vulnerable due to poverty, old or young age or are experiencing life threatening health issues. Only then could we prepare a plan to assist them before, during and after an emergency or disaster. To assist before, we would need to identify their vulnerability. Then we would need to designate buildings nearby those communities as a haven for them. These buildings will have specialized equipment for those with special medical needs. It will also act as a shelter with beds and restrooms inside. During an emergency there needs to be food and water as well as several healthcare workers. We could also use trained volunteers to help as well. After an emergency or disaster, it always crucial that we have a mental health team available for those who may have lost a loved one or has experienced mental trauma due to the emergency or disaster. It is also important to provide recovery assistance for those who may have became lost or just needs recovery effort to get back into their home. It is necessary that we make sure we network with the community and communicate consistently with them to ensure that we are all involved with helping to rebuild and restore the community.
Write a 200 word reply to Mabel post, provide an appreciative inquiry response. You will not be marked on your opinion but on your ability to present a valid argument and to manage constructive discussion with your cohort while integrating the material being discussed in the course. When responding to other students please refrain from simply stating great comment/response. Offer your thoughts on what he/she may have added to make the discussion more substantive. Remember to be respectful and focus on only the discussion points and arguments posted. This forum is intended to provide an opportunity to integrate all of the learning objectives into practice.
Mabel,
Risk Driven Emergency Management
Introduction
As we all know, the function of an Emergency Manager comes with critical responsibilities. One of the significant tasks is to identify the associated Risk to understand the potential impact and, by this, assist in the mitigation approach. One exercise that can be utilized is conducting a sound risk management principle: hazard identification, risk analysis, and impact analysis (Falcone, 2020. Page1). These crucial principles will help understand and identify the vulnerabilities within the community, who are the vulnerable people in the area, and how, as an Emergency Manager, we can assist them. Being aware and having this knowledge will help us in knowing our vulnerabilities, and what could be the potential impact in all the different phases of a disaster.
Identify the vulnerable and why they are vulnerable
The age demographic that is more vulnerable in my area is the elderly citizen who is likely living alone. These citizens may only count with minimal resources to prepare or evacuate during a hazard. They may not possess the physical abilities to undergo all the activities needed to prepare. Furthermore, they may not be too computer savvy in getting into a website to know perhaps what shelter they may go into. Another demographic that are vulnerable are low-income citizens. These citizens very likely do not have the funds allocated for emergencies. And by this not being able to get prepare for a disaster perhaps adequately. Also, they may not have the transportation means in case of an evacuation or the broadband resource available to obtain information on what shelters they can go to keep safe during the disaster. This is something even being seen during our Covid-19 times, as there is part of our population that does not have access to broadband, which prevents the possibility of kids being able to access distance learning.
Our vulnerable number
Florida population has increased every year (worldpopulationreview.com), and with that comes an increase in all types of demographics. Its important to highlight that the numbers cannot only be gauged by the rise in population moving into the state, but by the changes that have and will impact the community. For example, the number of unemployed people during the latest pandemic will change the numbers of vulnerable people. Also, change is constant people that were not part of the elderly demographic ten years ago; they are now part of that demographic now. Also, the cost of living has increased, and with all the housing difficulties and decreasing income that is being faced today, this causes significant changes in the means many families can count on.
Assisting the vulnerable before/during/after an emergency or disaster
I think in every post, I bring up the importance of having citizen awareness. They are ensuring that information disperses to the community on how they mitigate losses during a disaster. The best way to assist the vulnerable before a disaster is by bringing education to the possible hazards and the available methods to help mitigate them. Have a program that could help identify elderly living alone and perhaps have a hotline center to contact them and asked if they need transportation to a shelter. Ensure that all stakeholders understand the needs of the vulnerable population and discuss the available strategies. During a disaster, we can assist them by providing information on the current status of the disaster and ensure the Emergency information is getting to as many people as possible by utilizing all possible ways of communication (TV, Radio, All Social Medias). Also, with a message at the end of each- stating, Please advise any family or friend of this information that you know they may not have access to the latest information. After the emergency is critical, bring information to the community of any assistance being provided. Work with stakeholders for garbage pick-up, working with local churches for food drives and food drive-by.
Conclusion
In Emergency Management, it is imperative to know and understand the community vulnerabilities to gauge the risk and the possible impact we may have. Knowing who is our vulnerable citizens allows us to help them and mitigate loss. We must develop a community preparedness program to make the public aware of the hazard and reduce the risk (Falcone, 2020. Page10). Work with all stakeholders during the mitigation phase to decrease the risk for our vulnerable population. Recognizing the vulnerability, providing awareness, and mitigating loss is the key to helping our vulnerable citizens.
