Political Science

Disasters are occurrences in which one is faced either with a natural calamity, some human caused or technological accident. This occurrence usually results in severe damage, multiple injuries or losses and deaths. Disasters are thus events, which affects not only an individual, but the wider community at large. Thus, to mitigate the losses from disasters it is crucial that communities and states prepare their own emergency managers and develop functional disaster management plans.

Even though prevention from disasters is a better option than mitigating the losses faced from disasters. But still no human can completely put an end to disasters and thus, there is a dire need for disaster management. Disaster management in fact acts like an insurance policy. It helps to recover from the losses of the disaster. In disaster management the emergency managers actually are involved in these major activities mitigation against the losses, preparedness against the disasters, response and reaction plan in case the disaster strikes and finally recovery plan to restore the disaster inflicted community to a better and safer state. (Quarantelli, 1997)

Hence, emergency managers who look after the disaster management plans are in deed helping the entire community by being prepared and trained to face disasters. The emergency managers in times of disasters are acting as a bridge amongst the recovery and response systems in place and the citizens of the community that have been affected by the disaster. These emergency managers may be working backstage during the times when they are preparing and planning against the disasters. These professionals work dedicatedly towards disaster management as they believe emergencies a concern that can hit almost anyone in the community. And thus, when ever a disaster hits a community these emergency managers come forth and execute their plans now working on stage rather than backstage. This is to assure to those being inflicted with the disaster that they being the emergency managers are the ones who are responsible for managing and recovering for the benefit of the community. (Quarantelli, 1997)

And hence, the public should look up to them as professionals working devotedly for their good.
An effective emergency manager is one whom the public can view as someone who is not just passionate about the work but also handles his or her job with professionalism. The public ought to view the successful manager as facilitators and peacekeepers that are helping the community, the agencies, the state and other stakeholders involved in the disaster. (Joseph, 2008) The emergency manager how ever has very limited resources at hand and public should not consider that they have are the one who are controlling everything. The public should see them as people who are in fact coordinating and synergizing the activities of other organizations and people in the community to help react against the disaster.

Thus, the community should see the emergency managers as the individuals who are able to act as intermediaries between institutions and are capable of reconciling the differences between those intermediaries for the benefit of the community at large. And this all is possible because the emergency managers have been trained and prepared to specialize in disaster related matters. They know which state agencies have what role in an emergency situation and what regulations and legislations are in effect during crises situations.

Emergency managers are in real public employees who are obliged to act professionally. They ought to create a balance between the obstacles being faced in fulfilling their role as a public servant with the legal duties which they are entitled to. Hence, public should not expect that an emergency manager aiming for common good of the community will do almost anything to preserve and protect the people being affected by the disaster. (Quarantelli, 1997) The public should know that even though an emergency manager has accepted the responsibility of public trust and is accountable to public but still he or she cannot in way act beyond the jurisdiction that has been defined for the emergency managers job.

The emergency manager thus in cases of disaster should be viewed as a person who working closely with other public service departments like police, fire, public works and  local councils. Effective and essential communication and coordination with these agencies helps the emergency manager being viewed as an expert in disaster management not only by these collaborating departments but also by the public. This helps the emergency manager achieve some credibility amongst public and other institutions with respect to their jobs.

The public hence, here should be given the assurance by this effective coordination by the emergency manager neither him nor any other public service department in time of crisis is working solely for their own self interest. Hence, an emergency manager should ensure that all competitiveness, inter-departmental and organizational differences are kept aside during times of emergency. The public would consider an emergency manager as efficient and skilled if he or she is able to bring all the agencies together and helps bring out the best from them by superior coordination. (Joseph, 2008)
Further, an emergency manager would be viewed as an expert in his or her work by the public if he or she is able to take the media and press hand-in-hand with them. The emergency manager should focus on developing cordial relationships with the media to create a positive picture of themselves and their departments amongst the public. This also can be used to keep the public informed and educated about disaster management activities.(Quarantelli, 1997) Hence, increased visibility from the emergency managers in the public can make the emergency managers effort more productive.

As the public will be in constant touch with the emergency manager through this increased visibility so whenever a warning such that of evacuation is been given to the public. Then the public whose has begun trusting the emergency manager would accept the message being communicated to them and would follow the preventive measures that are being offered to them. Further, as the emergency manager can help reduce the losses to public through coordination with public serve departments this can help the public clearly know that who to look up to and ask for help and aid when been affected by a disaster.

Hence, the emergency manager should ensure through their activities that the public knows that who is responsible for any disaster management plans and who is the one coordinating between the resources at hand. And only then can the public trust them and will cooperate with them in times of crises and disasters.