Emergency preparedness or emergency management is defined as the interdisciplinary field that deals with the tactical organization management that processes to protect the people in the critical time. These plans help the people to be protected from the hazards and risks like the disasters or the catastrophes and also continuation of the organization within their decided goals.
Disasters may occur at any time, so these plans help people to be aware of these and also be protected from these disasters.
Various phases involved in Emergency Preparedness
1.Mitigation which means gaining information and also avoiding any of the unnecessary risks. This normally includes assessment of the possible risks that may happen to ones health or family. One of the most famous steps taken is avoiding buying a property that is in areas prone to disasters such as areas prone to flood or landslides. The people who are engaged in selling the property are responsible to give the complete information to the people who are interested in buying the property. Personal mitigation can be taken care of by building a house which can handle any kind of disaster. This step includes taking structural and non-structural measures to limit any kind of disaster. Structural measures are taken to change the characteristics and structure of a building and its surrounding environment. Nonstructural measures are mainly taken to opt for an insurance coverage scheme that would protect the owners house and their family members.
2. Emergency preparedness focuses on preparing the equipment and also making plans to be used in times of emergency. These may take many forms such as collection of necessary things that may be required at the time of disasters and also selecting the appropriate shelter. The most important step to be taken is planning a well evacuation program. This includes a good disaster supplying kit. These kits may include food, medication, candles, flashlight and money that would help the people to survive in times of disasters.
3.Response phase of an emergency evacuation program includes searching and rescuing of the people but keeping in mind human needs. Usually, this kind of assistance is provided by the government or the concerned organizations that would help the people rescue who are in trouble and need help. Personally, the people may take a shelter somewhere or may choose the best evacuation program available. This may include taking a shelter under something or taking help of any of the automobiles nearby.
4.Recovery phase automatically starts when the people face any kind of unwanted trouble or disaster. These are also provided by the government or the concerned organizations. Training programs are also provided to offer complete knowledge to the people regarding to be safe whenever any kind of disaster or trouble occurs. This knowledge was mostly provided by the military people as not many organizations were volunteering to train the people. But nowadays many organizations are there to provide disaster management knowledge to the people.
Emergency preparedness is the plan and knowledge adopted by the people in trouble.