Emergency Management, 2nd Edition

Chapter 10 COORDINATING RESPONSE

A quick and overwhelming response is better than a well‐planned and thought out response.

—Craig FugateFormer Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency

The ultimate test of any strategy or plan is an actual event. Previous chapters have considered what social science studies suggest really occurs in disaster rather than what is commonly believed to happen and have considered methods for establishing the emergency management program and developing strategies and plans for mitigation, response, continuity, and recovery. This chapter looks at some of the issues associated with coordinating operational response.

In coordinating operational response, as opposed to tactical response, it is well to keep in mind that disasters affect communities, not just government agencies. Ultimately, the response must involve the entire community, and coordination must address not only the immediate concerns such as rescue, sheltering, and medical services but must also consider continuity problems and long‐range issues related to mitigation and recovery. Response, in its larger sense, is not just about safeguarding lives, property, and the environment but is ultimately about restoring community viability.

As has been discussed in previous chapters, there are several layers of community response that will be occurring simultaneously. There is the immediate tactical response that happens automatically and deals with the immediate needs of ...