Disaster Management in the United States and the Professional Setting of Emergency Management

MPA 515 Disaster Policy and Administration--Fall 2008
Dr. Rick Ghere 304 Zehler ph. 229-4220

Reading and Examination Schedule

August 31: Introductory class

September 7: Disaster Management in the United States and the professional Setting of Emergency management Sylves Ch.1 and FEMA, Emergency Manager: An Orientation on the Position Unit 1

September 14: Disaster Management and Theories of Public Management and the Emergency manager’s Role Sylves Ch. 2 and FEMA, Emergency Manager: An Orientation on the Position Unit 2

September 21: Historical Trends in Disaster Management and managing programs Sylves Ch 3 and 76-86 and FEMA, Emergency Manager: An Orientation on the Position Unit 7and Abbott “Law, Emergencies, and the Constitution: A Review of Outside the Law: Emergency and Executive Power” Jl of Hom Sec & EM. 2010

September 28: Intergovernmental Relations in Disaster Policy and the NIMs Process Sylves Ch 6 and FEMA, NIMS Self-Study and Crowe “The Elephant in the JIC: The Fundamental Flaw of Emergency Public Information within the NIMS Framework” Jl of Hom Sec & EM 2010

October 5: Disaster Mitigation FEMA, Emergency Manager: An Orientation on the Position Unit 3 and Hensta&McBean, “Canadian Disaster Management Policy: Moving toward a Paradigm Shift?” Canadian Public Policy, 2005

October 12: Disaster Response/Scientists and Engineers FEMA, Emergency Manager: An Orientation on the Position Unit 4; and Craemer, “Evaluating Racial Disparities in Hurricane Katrina” PAR 2010 and Sylves Ch 5

October 19: Homeland security: bureaucracy and policy Kettl Chs. 1, 2, and 3

October 26: Homeland security: bureaucracy and policy (cont.) Kettl Chs. 4, 5, and 6

November 2: The British Petroleum/Gulf of Mexico (2010) experience selected articles

November 9: Haitian Earthquake Relief and Recovery CNN Specials (videos), CNN AC 360 “Six Months After Quake” (videos) and Florida Division of Emergency Management, Operation Haiti Relief 2010 and Sacchetti, “months after quake, squalor unabated: Haitians suffer, improvise as their government fails to assist” Boston Globe Aug. 9, 2010

November 16: Globalization of Disasters Sylves Ch 8 and Hyogo Framework for Action 2005 - 2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters and McCreight, “Resilience as a Goal and Standard in Emergency Management” Jl of Hom Sec & EM 2010

November 26: Globalization of Disasters (cont.) Twigg & Steiner “Mainstreaming disaster mitigation: challenges to organisational learning In NGOs” and Garnett & Moore “Enhancing Disaster Recovery: Lessons from Exemplary International Disaster Management Practices” Jl of Hom Sec & EM 2010

Course Texts:

Richard Sylves, Disaster Policy and Politics (2008)

Donald Kettl, System Under Stress (2007)

Course Description

Citizens in the U.S. and elsewhere have become increasingly attuned to the importance of emergency management as a critical area of public service—largely due to widespread perceptions that the emergency management system failed in response to this tragedy. From an organizational standpoint, the status of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is much different today (as an office within Homeland Security) than a decade ago as an independent executive agency. Procedures and standards have changed as well, perhaps not for the better.

For the most part, this course will take a hands-on approach focusing upon the roles and responsibilities of emergency managers at the state and local levels, drawing upon instructional materials available on-line from U.S. FEMA. The course will also involve field trips to sites pertinent to emergency responses (hopefully, students can find some flexibility with their late afternoon schedules on certain weeks). Although the major emphasis is on hands-on management, the course will also include discussion of recently published materials that analyze the emergency management response (or lack thereof) to Hurricane Katrina.

Course Goals

1. To provide students a solid understanding of the policy problems inherent in the domestic security and emergency management areas.

2. To provide students a strong practitioner focus on the various roles of the emergency manager (at least at the local level).

3. To clarify the administrative terrain of federal-level emergency management within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and how that impacts emergency management at the state and local level.

4. To provide students opportunities to analyze governmental responses to recent disasters both in the U.S. and other nations.

Course Requirements

Students are expected to (and will be evaluated regarding)...

1. ....demonstrate strong attendance for entire class period.

2. ... demonstrate solid (reading preparation) for each class.

3. ...actively engage in class discussion.

4. ...prepare work consistent with (usual) graduate student standards.

Grading Criteria

Strength of Attendance 60 pts
Strength of In-class Prep./Contrib. 60 pts
Paper (TBA) 60 pts
Midterm Exam 60 pts
Final Exam 60 pts