Multi Agency Emergency Management Response
Abstract
This paper addresses the needs for emergency preparedness
by explaining components of interoperability, communication, and infrastructure
of emergency management multiagency. The author will analyze the relationship
between law enforcement agencies and emergency response interoperability. The
paper will also describe how radio, video, and computers are critical
communication elements to the success of multiagency interoperability. The
author will further identify challenges to communication between federal,
tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and emergency
responders.
Keywords: interoperability, communication, first
responder, emergency management multiagency, infrastructure
Lisa is a straight A student in Mrs. Smith’s English class
in a typical American high school; however, her school has struggled the last
two years to improve state scores and the pressure is on administrators to
continue efforts to improve and keep students enrolled. James, a struggling student,
enters the classroom via an adjacent door and suddenly opens fire, shooting
Mrs. Smith and pointing the gun at several students who are scrambling for
safety and cover of flying bullets. When the aftermath is over, Liz and several
students are left injured, shocked, confused, and crying. Luckily, an SRO
officer has persuaded James to drop his weapon instead of killing himself.
This scenario is an all-to-familiar scene. What does one do
in this situation? Who needs to be involved? There are four stages to emergency
management; preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. For this
scenario, the focus is on preparedness. Emergency preparedness requires steps
one takes to be safe before, during, and after an emergency or a natural
disaster. Whether it be a flood, explosion, earthquake, or mass shooting,
preparedness is critical in how first responders prepare in coming to aid and
assist in these disasters.
Interoperability, Communication, and
Infrastructure
Following incidents such as the above-mentioned scenario,
multiagency preparedness applies to improvements in plans, procedures,
communications, staffing, and other capabilities necessary for improved
incident management. Multiagency entities analyze after-action reports and
lessons learned from major incidents and make recommendations for additional
network communications and new procedures for requesting mutual aid units
(Walsh, 2012).
Multiagency preparedness involves various components;
interoperability, communication and infrastructure. Interoperability is the
capability of emergency responders to perform effortlessly with other systems
or programs without any extraordinary endeavor. When communication systems are
interoperable, police and firefighters responding to the earlier scenario can
talk to each other to synchronize attempts to save lives. This interoperability
allows emergency response personnel the capacity to increase resources in
preparing for major predictable events such as a major league game or
presidential swearing in ceremony, disaster relief and recovery efforts
(Ackerman, 2018).
Without effective means of communication, lives are at risk.
In the scenario, an SRO officer is stationed at the high school. The officer
likely used a radio to communicate to other agencies such as the police or
sheriff’s office, fire, ambulance, and supervisors. Communication is a process
through which one entity sends a message across a channel to another part of an
internal agency or an external agency or organization by coordinating efforts
to accomplish common goals. Communication allows the SRO to relay critical
information for successful crisis and disaster management to exist (Kapucu,
2006).
Thinking about the scenario, the SRO likely trained and prepared
mentally and physically for an incident with this magnitude. Planning for this
type of occurrence illuminate’s reaction processes, equipment needs, evacuation
methods and procedures, and establishing locales for ad-hoc medical shelters.
However, the one element that is vital to the implementation of an effective
emergency response mission is the communication and infrastructure used by
administration and emergency agencies (Walsh, 2012).
Infrastructure is a group of structures, services, and
resources that provide and sustain the basic needs for freedom of movement,
power, water, sewer, and communications. In the U.S., the U.S. Patriot Act
defines critical infrastructure as systems and assets, either real or virtual,
so essential that failure or devastation would have a significant blow on
safety, financial security, and public health and safety. Resource management
during a confrontation is a procedure that necessitates identifying resources
needed, where, when and who will receive and use the resources. Resources
include materials, gear, services, personnel or emergency response teams.
Specialized resources for critical infrastructure are recognized and managed
through joint aid arrangements. Critical infrastructure is not easy to define,
it includes items crucial to life; functions, transportation, and transmissions
that may incorporate social and cultural infrastructures. Terrorism, natural
disasters, riots, and industrial disputes are real threats to infrastructure
(Kitagawa, et. al., 2017).
Success of Multiagency Interoperability
Useful
and economical emergency response requires synchronization, interaction, and
sharing of information among numerous public safety agencies. As news travels
beyond the scope of small-town USA, news crews hear about the unfolding
incident at the high school where Lisa attends and begin setting up equipment
and reporters try and question witnesses.
Multiagency interoperability communication systems involve the capacity
to exchange information among permanent facilities, mobile platforms, and
portable personal devices (Walsh, 2012). Walsh (2012) explains that when
traditional infrastructures fail, radio, cell phones, video, and computers are
effective resources.
Action
messages necessitate media onslaught that utilizes radio, television, and
public warning systems. These systems assemble and broadcast exact information
such as images, audio-visual, and photographs to maintain these capabilities.
Video clips are vital to keep the public educated and gives a general picture
of the size and scale of an unfolding scenario. Information pertaining to the
high school incident can be displayed on wall-mounted computer screens. When a
local media incident escalates to national media coverage, satellite vehicles
require space, facilities and other resources to transfer information.
Correlation Between Law Enforcement &
Interoperability
The ability to communicate with each agency and share
pertinent information is a key relationship component of interoperability. Law
enforcement agencies and public safety agencies work in defined demographic districts
with many intersecting or sharing borders.
For the given scenario, many multiple law enforcement
agencies at various levels of government, fire, rescue, ambulance respond to
emergency incidents. Each unit has its own procedures, rules, and protocols;
however, fire investigators may work with police detectives in order to
determine the origin of fires, overlapping in their responsibilities and record
keeping (Treglia, 2013). Federal, tribal, state, and local agencies coordinate
operations when the complexity of the incident dictates that various agencies
are necessary to assist in full recovery operations (Walsh, 2012).
Challenges to
Communication Between Agencies
It is necessary to identify challenges to communication
between federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies or emergency
responders. Knowing an agency’s radio frequency bands helps determine
capability or common interoperability options with other agencies. All tribal,
state, federal, and local agencies operate on varying frequencies which is
challenging as not all have adopted the standard channel designation.
Smartphone technologies have come a long way since their
introduction. In order to use a phone as a radio for transmitting, the phone
must have FM radio functionality; however, not all smartphone makers activate
the FM receivers. Multi-communication devices require coordination,
communication, and sharing of information among numerous public safety
agencies. These devices must work together without interference.
Conclusion
Multiagency response management involves several agencies
working together and sharing information across varying communication
technologies; radio, video, and computer systems. Interoperability is the
ability of emergency responders to work seamlessly with other systems or
programs without any special effort. Without effective means of communication,
lives are at risk.
Resource management during an incident, involves identifying
what, when, where, and how much of a resource is needed. Mutual-aid agreements
are made between federal, state, tribal, and local agencies to exchange
information. There are many challenges to interoperability with technology
issues, resistance in sharing information, varying radio frequencies and
equipment and interference.
References
Ackerman, R.K. (2018) DHS tackles emergency
communications interoperability. Signal. 72(11), 12-15. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-
com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/docview/2082580159?accountid=35812
Kapucu, N.
(2006). Interagency communication networks during emergencies: Bounday
spanners in multiagency coordination. American Review of Public
Administration. 36(2) 207-225. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0275074005280605
Kitagawa, K.,
Preston, J., & Chadderton C. (2017). Preparing for disaster: A comparative
analysis of education for critical infrastructure collapse. Journal of Risk
Research. 20(11) 1450-1465. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=eefabf29-0a54-4496-838f-55b044c59fd6%40pdc-v-sessmgr02
Treglia, J.
(2013). Three essays on law enforcement and emergency response information
sharing and collaboration: An insider perspective. School of Information
Studies-Dissertations. Syracuse University. Retrieved from https://surface.syr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1083&context=it_etd
Walsh, D. W. (2012).
National incident management system: Principles and practice (2nd ed.).
Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
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