1. 17/06/2010
Emergency Planning
and Management
Prof. David Alexander
University of Florence
The essence of emergency management:-
management:-
To tackle pressing needs with
maximum efficiency and speed but
with scarce resources and in the
absence of necessary information
BUT this is still a young field that lacks
international consensus on standards, procedures,
and legal and institutional imperatives.
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2. 17/06/2010
Some characteristics of large emergencies
• events that cannot be managed
with normal resources
• 90% of emergencies do not
require special procedures
• 10% require a qualitative change
in management techniques
• the context of risk and vulnerability
can transform an incident into a disaster.
Local incident Local response A
Threshold of local capacity
Small regional
Co-ordinated local response B
incident
Threshold of intermunicipal capacity
Major regional Intermunicipal and
B
incident regional response
Threshold of regional capacity
National Intermunicipal, regional
C
disaster and national response
Threshold of national capacity
International Ditto, with more
C
catastrophe international assistance
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3. 17/06/2010
International:
exchange and support
Nation: policies of
Volontary compatibility, harmonisation
sector: and co-ordination
support and
integration Province, region, state, county:
co-ordination, assistance
Private Municipality or other local
sector: authority: emergency operations
integration
Disaster
Hazard
monitoring &
Disaster forecasting
management
Policies
Major Plans Human &
incident Procedures material
management Protocols resources
Incident
management
Population
(community)
protection
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4. 17/06/2010
Population
(community) Plans,
protection procedures,
protocols
Hazard
forecasting, Major event
monitoring, management
etc.
Human and
material
Incident resources
management
Emergency preparedness
has reached a
crossroads....
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5. 17/06/2010
"Civil Civil
contingencies" protection The
management security
industry
Emergencies
and disasters
"Homeland Business
security" continuity
Complex management
emergencies
Natural Anthropogenic
Techno- Inten-
Natural Social
logical tional
disasters disasters
disasters disasters
Civil
defence
Civil
protection
"Civil
contingencies"
"Homeland
Security"
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6. 17/06/2010
Civil contingencies
Business Civil Civil
continuity protection defence
management
Resilience
The risk environment
Counter terrorism
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7. 17/06/2010
Terrorism is a form of
teleological disaster (i.e., piloted)
• it is potentially infinitely mutable
• designing remedies is a
very expensive process
• the scenarios are highly debatable.
EXAMPLE: the Aum Shinrikyo
attack in the Toyko subway with
the nerve gas Sarin (1995):
• 12 dead
• 4900 people went to
hospital, of whom...
• about 1000 were genuinely injured
• ...about 3900 were suffering from
MIPS - multiple ideopathic physical
symptoms:
symptoms: i.e., hypochondria.
hypochondria.
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8. 17/06/2010
The principal effect
of terrorism on the
general public
could be, not any direct
involvement of people
in an incident, but
the disruption of
normal daily life...
...with huge costs to society.
Armed aggression
on the part of states Natural disasters
Civil defence Civil protection
"Homeland security" "Civil contingencies"
(civil defence) (resilience)
Armed aggression
"Generic" disasters
on the part of
groups of dissidents
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9. 17/06/2010
Emergency management:
an evolutionary approach
Civil defence...............Civil protection
Proxy Participatory
Command and control Collaboration
Vertical chain Task forces
of command Population consulted
Population excluded and included
Law and order Problem solving
Secrecy Openness
Counter-
Counter-terrorism activity
Organisation Stockpiling
• procedures • equipment
• event scenarios • supplies
• emergency plans
Intelligence Training
• collection • plan dissemination
• interpretation • exercises
• warning
Involvement of civil protection
Surveillance Analysis
• automatic (CCTV) • laboratory
• manual (personnel) • forensic
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10. 17/06/2010
Military Civilian
Armed Civil administration
forces Volunteers (civil society)
Emergency services
(army)
[residual role]
Civil defence Civil protection
Command and control Co-ordination
and co-operation
Chain of command Autonomy
Information
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11. 17/06/2010
Shortage of Excess of
information information
Information
critical but
lacking
Impact of disaster Time
But public
perception
of disasters
continues to be
dominated by
myths and
inaccuracies
enthusiastically
propagated by
the mass media.
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12. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 1:
In general terms, disasters
are truly exceptional events.
"Myth" no. 2:
Disasters kill people without respect
to differences of social class.
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13. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 3:
Hiding under desks offers good
protection if there is an earthquake.
"Myth" no. 4:
Trapped people survive for many days
under the rubble of collapsed buildings.
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14. 17/06/2010
alive from under collapsed builings
Percentage of people brought out
100
50
0
0.5 1 3 12 1 2 3 4 5 7 10 15
Hours Days
Survival time
"Myth" no. 5:
Usually, the first assistance in disaster
is supplied by the emergency services.
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15. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 6:
no.
When a disaster occurs there is usually
a shortage of resources and for this
reason the event cannot be managed well.
"Myth" no. 7:
no.
When disasters occur people should
donate used clothes.
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16. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 8:
no.
Businesses, associations and governments
are always generous when disaster occurs.
"Myth" no. 9:
no.
When disaster happens,
people tend to panic.
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17. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 10:
no.
People will flee in large numbers
from a disaster area.
"Myth" no. 11:
no.
After disaster has struck, people
tend to be dazed and apathetic.
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18. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 12:
no.
Disasters commonly give rise to
spontaneous manifestations of antisocial,
behaviour, such as outbreaks of looting.
Instead we have the therapeutic community
"Myth" no. 13:
no.
Unburied dead bodies constitute a
health hazard and will contaminate
water supplies.
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19. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 14:
no.
Spraying bodies, rubble
and survivors with disinfectant
stops the spread of disease.
"Myth" no. 15:
no.
Disease epidemics are a very common
result of the disruption and poor health
caused by major disasters.
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20. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 16:
no.
Field hospitals are useful for
the treatment of the injured.
"Myth" no. 17:
no.
Great quantities and assortments of
medicines should be sent to disaster areas.
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21. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 18:
no.
Anthrax is a white powder.
"Myth" no. 19:
no.
Technology will save the world
from disasters.
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22. 17/06/2010
"Myth" no. 20:
no.
Tsunamis are tidal waves.
"Myth" no. 21:
no.
Earthquake magnitude is always
measured on the Richter scale.
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23. 17/06/2010
always happen to someone else.
Myth no. 22: Major disasters
Silverpit Crater, North Sea basin
Tsunami hazard in Scotland
Volcanic eruption hazard in Germany
Earthquake hazard in Belgium,
the Irish Sea, London, central England
no.
CBRN terrorism hazard anywhere.
anywhere.
Our image of disasters is conditioned
far too much by Hollywood!
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24. 17/06/2010
Obligation Editorial
to inform independence
the public and freedom
Mutual
Emergency antipathy Representatives
and disaster or of the mass
managers collaborative media
relationship?
Public information Sales and
centres; warnings ratings;
and alerts; reputation;
informing the revenue from
relatives of victims advertising
Wisdom: ability to take decisions
on the basis of principles,
principles,
experience and knowledge
Knowledge: understanding of how
things function (or should function)
Information: description of
physical and social situations
Data: basic facts and statistics
COMMUNICATION
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25. 17/06/2010
Old ideas...
• rigid structure
• hierarchy
• military doctrine
• secrecy
• cordon
• command and control
• security
• civil defence.
New ideas...
• planning
• collaboration
• flexible, adaptable management
• limited "span of control"
• information sharing
• IT support
• accredited journalists
• involving the public
• civil protection.
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26. 17/06/2010
Some effects of
the information
and communications
technology revolution
• flattening of the chain of command
• IT support for disaster response
• overload of information delivery systems
• artificiality and isolation
from the reality on the ground
• the emergency manager must study
new ways to inform himself and others.
others.
The Emergency
Planning Process
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27. 17/06/2010
Emergency Emergency
procedures co-ordination
plan
Spontaneous
improvisation
Emergency
environment
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28. 17/06/2010
Policies
Command systems
• operations centres
Plans • task forces
• communications
• chains of command
Procedures
Operations Results
shortage
reduced by
supply efficient
shortage mobilisation
urban SAR
supply
demand demand
time time
Disaster Disaster
In emergency planning
efficiency is measured in terms of
lives saved and damage avoided.
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29. 17/06/2010
Three canons of emergency planning
(1) aid from outside the disaster area
should reinforce, not replace, local
reinforce,
resources
(2) the objectives are to develop a state
of local self-sufficiency and maintain
self-
public order
(3) the most efficient emergency
preparedness is generic,
all-hazards planning.
all- planning.
The challenges of emergency planning
Reduce unmet needs
unmet needs
needs
Rationalise imported assistance
imported assistance
and make it more timely
QUANTITY
Increase local self-sufficiency
local self-help self-
TIME
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30. 17/06/2010
The emergency operations centre is
usually the most appropriate place to
create and maintain the emergency plan
Field command post
• interface between command centre
and site of the impact
• located on the periphery of the
main impact zone
• co-ordinates emergency work on basis
co-
of directions received from the EOC.
EOC.
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31. 17/06/2010
Secondary
staging
Mortuary area
area Medical post
medical post
for personnel
Advance
Minor
injuries
Incident Triage Primary treatment
command
area staging area
post
Ambulance Control post
Rescue
loop loading area
Mass
MASS CASUALTY media
INCIDENT post
Helicopter
ambulance
Inner cordon
Rescuers'
Points of
assembly point
access to
Public
cordoned
assembly area
off areas
Incident
Cordon I
Only
rescuers
Cordon
Only authorised
III for personnel Cordon II
traffic
control Multi-
Multi-agency
operations
Pedestrians only command.
command.
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32. 17/06/2010
Generalised Detailed
Details:
Synthesis:
Plan: data,
abbreviated
structure annexes,
plan
appendices
SUDDEN-IMPACT DISASTER OCCURS
Immediately
THE MAYOR the crisis
- goes to the Emergency Operations Centre begins
- makes contact with the regional authorities
- sends personnel to assembly areas
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION DIRECTORS MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY
- go to the emergency operations room OPERATIONS CENTRE
- in the Town Hall
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION OPERATORS
- go to the emergency operations centre and
follow the orders of the Mayor
MUNICIPAL WORKERS
ASSEMBLY POINTS
- Group A meets in --------- Street in front of Town Hall
AND AREAS
- Group B goes to the principal assembly area
----- Building
VOLUNTEERS OF THE "----- GROUP" ----- Street
- take control of the assembly areas ----- Square
----- Street
THE POPULATION ----- Building
- is led to the public assembly areas ----- Square
THE MUNICIPAL POLICE FORCE
- takes control of key points in the centre of town and
directs the population to the assembly points TOWN CENTRE
- sends situation reports periodically by radio
to the emergency operations centre
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33. 17/06/2010
HEALTH AIRPORT AND
SYSTEM AND TRAFFIC
HOSPITAL EMERGENCY
EMERGENCY PLANS
PLANS
MUTUAL MUNICIPAL REGIONAL AND
NATIONAL
ASSISTANCE EMERGENCY PROVINCIAL
EMERGENCY PLAN
PACTS PLAN EMERGENCY
PLAN
EMERGENCY EMERGENCY
PLANS FOR PLANS FOR
COMMERCIAL MUSEUMS,
AND INDUSTRIAL GALLERIES
FACILITIES AND SITES
Disaster Co-ordinated
Disaster EMS Disaster
in the system
in the medical plans
of medical
centre
centres
Disaster
Disaster
Disaster planning
planning for
in the external for the system
the medical
environment of medical
centre
centres
Disaster
planning for
the external
environment
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34. 17/06/2010
Emergency response
planning Incident
Permanent emergency plan
Contingency planning in
the pre-emergency phase (days)
pre- days)
Operational planning
Short-
Short-term strategic
planning (hours -> days)
(hours days)
Short-
Short-term tactical
planning (hours)
(hours)
Permanent emergency plan
Aftermath
Monitoring Strategic,
prediction tactical & operational
& warning planning
Business continuity plan
Recovery and
reconstruction
planning
Disaster
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35. 17/06/2010
Planning:
Likely event:
use reference
scenario
Improbable event:
use generic
procedures
hypothetical historical Scenario
ingredients analysis methodology
initial reference time
conditions event zero
consequences evaluation of
at time 1 the progress
evolution of the scenario
consequences develop-
develop-
at time 2 ment
evolution of the
consequences scenario
at time n
formal evaluation of the
outcome of the scenario
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36. 17/06/2010
Existence of various states
of hazard and vulnerability
Construction of operational
scenarios of hazard, risk, impact
Processes of constant
adaptation of the plan
and emergency response
Census of
available resources
Plan of action for
emergencies
Preparatory study
Creation and
Stakeholders'
updating Training
opinions
of plan
Revision
Dissemination Information
Exercising Evaluation
Activation Disaster
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37. 17/06/2010
Feedback
and revision
Apparent
chaos Model
Plan
and revision
Testing
Feedback
Evalutation
Disaster
Result
Conclusions
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38. 17/06/2010
• losses in disaster will
FUTUROLOGY continue to increase steeply
• poverty and vulnerability will define
ever more closely the areas of
greatest susceptibility to disasters
• at the world scale, one or more
great events will cause a drastic
reorganisation disaster preparedness
• the catalyst event may be a
volcanic eruption, an earthquake, or
a biological or radioactive incident.
• the job of the emergency manager
will become more and more complex
• emergency planning will have
to tackle new kinds of event
• emergency management will
very slowly become a profession
• the level of international
participation in disasters will rise.
rise.
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39. 17/06/2010
Emergency
Restoration of planning and
basic services organisation
of security
systems
Safety and
security
measures
Emergency Warning and
action and preparations;
damage damage
limitation prevention
measures measures
Sustainable emergency management:-
management:-
• is centred upon the local level
(but is harmonised from above)
above)
• has the support and
involvement of the population
• is based on plans that are fully
disseminated and frequently revised
• is a fundamental, every-day service
every-
for the population and is taken seriously.
seriously.
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40. 17/06/2010
Thank you for your attention!
Prof. David Alexander
D.Alexander@alice.it
www.terrapublishing.net
emergency-planning.blogspot.com
www.slideshare.net/dealexander
D.Alexander@alice.it
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