Emergency Preparedness Organizations: Summary of Articles

FEMA:  This website provides the policies covered by FEMA and how they respond to hazards.  Their mission is to “support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a Nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards” (FEMA Policies, 2015).  It is within the realm of this site to give a list of which areas are covered under their policies.  The Federal Insurance and Mitigation (FIMA), Protection and National Preparedness, Response and Recovery, and the U.S. Fire Administration are covered by FEMA’s policies and doctrine.  Additionally, their “doctrinal and strategic products that guide FEMA” are listed as well and are available for download (FEMA Policies, 2015).  These products include frameworks and strategies for national disasters, their plans of action and intent, and action goals.  

CDC: The CDC website provides a list of articles for national disasters and more specifically the “health and safety concerns for all disasters” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015).  The articles represent what can be done in an emergency situation and afterwards.  Animals & insects, food and water safety, carbon monoxide, illness and injury prevention, safe cleanup, power outages, coping with a disaster or traumatic event, and returning home are the topics provided by the CDC.  Within each public relations topic are many articles to choose from to be prepared in these areas in emergency situations and disasters.  

Public Health Emergency: The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP) allow for protection to individuals who have experienced a loss caused by disease.  Those who work in the health sector and may administer vaccinations are covered under this act.  As well, those who are “involved in the development, manufacture, testing, distribution, administration, and use of such countermeasures” are protected (Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, 2015).  The lists of diseases under this act include Ebola virus, influenza, Smallpox, botulism, and Anthrax.  Countermeasures and amendments are among the list for each type of disease.  The PREP Act makes provision only for liability and “is different from, and not dependent on, other emergency declarations” (Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, 2015).

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). Health and Safety Concerns for All Disasters. emergency.cdc.gov.

FEMA Policies (2015). fema.gov.

Public Health Emergency (2015). Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act. phe.gov.