April 9, 2007 FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Project Report
(1) FEMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HIGHER EDUCATION CONFERENCE, JUNE 4-7, 2007, EMMITSBURG, MD:
Added to the agenda:
Remarks on "Structural Barriers to Implementing the National Incident Management System during the Response to Hurricane Katrina," by Dr.
David Neal, during Breakout Session #3 "On The National Incident Management System," scheduled Thursday, June 7th from 1:00-2:30.
Scheduled Breakout Session #5 on "The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)," by T. David Filson, Pennsylvania State University, Thursday, June 7th, from 1:00-2:30.
(2) SUGGESTIONS FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COLLEGE STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS:
Received the following suggestion, which will be forwarded to the EMI Webmaster for upload to the "Emergency Management Student Research Topics" subsection of "The Practitioner's Corner" section of the EM HiEd Project homepage:
[DISASTER MANAGEMENT at the LOCAL LEVEL and THE ROLE OF the UNIVERSITY:
The University, must move beyond its academic and research programs dealing with Disaster and Emergency Management, to find its way to break down the gap between Risk Science and local application, by doing the "right thing" as a good citizen, applying leadership, credibility, resources, and knowledge to reduce vulnerability among at-risk- populations within their sphere of influence. Accomplishing this requires developing a working partnership to:
* Improve public awareness about potential disaster and risk.
* Promote the strengthening of local (community-based)
collaboration in Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Activities, being more proactive than reactive.
* Helping surrounding communities to improve resilience.
* Support local concerns and initiatives implementing local
systems with a comprehensive vision of Disaster Risk Management emphasizing prevention and mitigation.
* Promote sustainability of human settlements.
University must be an active participant in the creation and implementation of a comprehensive Local Disaster Management Program that addresses all disaster phases. Its multidisciplinary approaches will make knowledge transfer possible enhance communication, and education
through:
* Risk Identification
-Hazard Assessment
-Vulnerability Studies
-Risk Analysis
* Mitigation Policies and Activities
-Structural Mitigation Measures
-Nonstructural Mitigation Measures
* Preparedness
-Emergency Response
-Reconstruction and Rehabilitation.
Collaboration is crucial to enhancing prevention of and preparation for disasters among those that are the very "first actors" before, during, and after a disaster; local people.... the relationship between the community and the university will be a mutual learning experience and a defense against disasters.
Angel Rangel PE, Visiting Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, Fire Protection and Safety Technology, Stillwater, OK; Email:
(3) TERRORISM -- OR "GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR":
Maze, Rick. "No More GWOT, House Committee Decrees." Military Times, April 4, 2007. Accessed at:
http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2007/04/military_gwot_democrats_070403w/
B.Wayne Blanchard, Ph.D., CEM
Higher Education Project Manager
Emergency Management Institute
National Emergency Training Center
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Department of Homeland Security
16825 S. Seton, K-011
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
(301) 447-1262, voice
(301) 447-1598, fax
http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu
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