As you study the evolution of emergency management you will come across references to real disaster situations and how emergency management responded to handle such events. Much can be learned about the discipline through such case studies. write a paper on a particular emergency or disaster situation from the list below that has occurred in the United States and describe the “lessons learned”. Using these lessons, I would like you, at the end of the paper, to identify viable ways that key lessons could be implemented so agencies handle future incidents better and do not repeat mistakes made on the identified incident.
1) A review of current literature on the particular emergency or disaster to include citations from your textbook and a minimum of three other publications,
2) An introduction that includes the background of the event,
3) A description of the “lessons learned” from the event ,
4) Your analysis of how such a situation (or the impact of such a situation) can be prevented in the future or how the response to a similar emergency or disaster that occur in the future can be improved upon. This should include how principles learned during the class from your textbook could be applied (such as use of the N.R.F., N.I.M.S., etc.)
5) Identify viable ways of implementing lessons learned solutions on future incidents.
Structure a real argument and tell a real story. A research paper is not merely a collection of internet articles and book citations you dug up and put down on paper, it is the way you weave all of that into a story that convinces the reader that you know what the story is and understand how improvement in future such situations can be made.
Topic Choices:
1) Tuscaloosa, AL tornado – 2011 – This event may be a precursor of things to come, since there is some evidence that “tornado alley” may be shifting east.
2) Hurricane Michael – 2018 – The impact of this powerful storm is still being felt in Florida.
3) California “Camp” Fire 2018 – There is a wealth of information on this tragic incident and wildfires are becoming more numerous and more intense.
4) New Madrid earthquake 1811 – While this event occurred in the 1800’s, there is a big concern that we may be close to having another event in this area. The threat is real enough that response exercises have been held recently to prepare for another earthquake.
5) Mt. St. Helens Volcano eruption – 1980 While somewhat dated, a similar event may happen in the future in the Cascade range of the U.S.
