AMU Emergency Management Opinion Public Safety

Determining the Size & Scope of a Disaster

Last time, I discussed the [link url=”http://edmdigest.com/response/back-to-the-basics-initial-ic/” title=”initial incident commander (IC)”]. One of the largest tasks that the IC must complete at a disaster is to determine the size and scope of the disaster. After completing this task, the IC can hen summon the correct resources and build an organizational structure that will be able to complete the tasks to mitigate the incident.

Planned Events

For a hurricane, snowstorm, or other planned event that has some predictability, knowing how and where to obtain the latest data will give the IC a good head start on determining the extent of the problem.

For a hurricane, the hurricane wind category, in addition to the storm surge, should provide a prediction on the amount and location of the damage. If the event is flooding, typographical maps should be consulted to determine the location and extent of the damage, impassable roads, etc.

No-Notice Events

No-notice events provide more difficulty in determining the location and extent of damage. However, we can use some tools to help us predict the problems we will encounter.

For example, if a tornado comes through an industrial area, we can predict hazardous materials releases. If a tornado goes through a residential area with a school in the day or night, problems are predictable; during the day, we should focus on the school, as night the school may only be inhabited by the janitor. We also know with some predictability the trajectory of the tornado. In the Cincinnati area, the winds come from the southwest and head towards the northeast. This has also been the trajectory of the damage for many of the tornados.

It’s not always an exact science, but is a starting point, at least.

Whether planned or no-notice, ensuring access to tools that have been updated through the preparedness efforts can bring advantages. This will allow for quick understanding of the potential complexity of the event.

Dr. Randall Hanifen serves as a shift commander at a medium-sized suburban fire department in the northern part of the Cincinnati area. Randall is the CEO/principal consultant of an emergency services consulting firm, providing analysis and solutions related to organizational structuring of fire and EMS organizations. He is the chairperson and operations manager for a county technical rescue team. From a state and national perspective, he serves as a taskforce leader for one of FEMA's urban search and rescue teams, which responds to presidential declared disasters. From an academic standpoint, Randall has a bachelor’s degree in fire administration, a master’s degree in executive fire service leadership, and a doctoral degree in business administration with a specialization in homeland security. He is the associate author of “Disaster Planning and Control” (Penwell, 2009), which provides first responders with guidance through all types of disasters.

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