Here's how you can master emergency response protocols and procedures.

1. Do the work. This means research and a lot of it. Learn what others in similar industries/businesses do. Research past events at your own company and at other companies to learn what worked/failed. 2. Talk to the people that matter. This means the folks that will be expected to follow/execute/perform the duties. Find out if they have had experience in emergency events and how those played out - what worked/didn't, and any surprises. Find out what concerns them the most about the types of emergencies they are most likely to encounter. 3. Don't overly rely on ICS. Teaching staff ICS 100-400 may slightly prepare them for a long term event but is a poor substitute for knowing exactly what to do in the first few hours of an incident.

Something I’ve found helpful is to review past incidents identifying the positives and negatives from those involved in order to learn and develop strategies which are then passed onto one’s team. And just as importantly post incident, ensure a debrief takes place and check how people are getting home. The last thing anyone wants is to drive home tired and pre occupied with a major incident they have just been involved in.

Let me start out by saying this: you can never fully master emergency response protocols and procedures. You can get better at it - but if you think you have mastered it you are setting yourself up for failure.

The Emergency Management profession can be diverse based on where you live, unique based on your agencies response specialties, and complex based on your responsibilities. The responsibilities and roles of an EM differ so much from town to town, county to county, and state to state. Then you get into Tribal and Federal EM agencies. Take for example County 1; they have a river and lake, winding roads and poor drainage. Then County 2(who adjoins County 1); they have large suburbs, multiple schools, various businesses and a power plant. Both have the fundamentals of the four phases of EM, but total different responsibilities, roles, and resources. Your lack of preparation, DOES constitute an Emergency! Call EM!

Approche Holistique de la Gestion de l'Urgence Technologies émergentes et Gestion de l'Urgence Psychologie et Gestion de Crise

Effective emergency management begins with meticulous planning. Start by identifying all potential risks and hazards in your environment. Next, craft a detailed Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) tailored to these specific threats. Your EOP should clearly outline everyone's roles and responsibilities, include robust communication strategies, and detail evacuation routes. It’s crucial to regularly review and rehearse your plan to ensure it adapts to new challenges and remains effective. Remember, the success of our response in critical situations hinges on the strength of our preparation. Let's stay vigilant and proactive in our planning to safeguard our community and it is important to plan to mitigate the risks in emergency procedure.

Working in the field. Practically dealing with emergencies, I do not shoot down the importance of book knowledge but a degree does not teach you how to behave in an emergency or how to respond. One has to get down and dirty to learn this.

It will also helps if we ensure that the plans are accessible to everyone. Develop protocols in multiple formats (written, audio, visual) to cater to individuals with disabilities. During the planning process include people with disabilities so as to ensure their needs are met during an emergency.

In addition, engaging stakeholders and the community in the planning process is crucial. This inclusive approach fosters a culture of preparedness, ensuring that everyone understands their role and the overall strategy. Leveraging local knowledge and resources can also enhance the plan’s effectiveness and adaptability, making the community more resilient to unforeseen challenges.

Training, Training & Training is the Key for Emergency Preparedness. To Share "It's better to bleed in training than die in battle". Benefits of training: - Keeps you alert and vigilant - Keep you compost in times of disaster - Keep you equipped with knowledge, skills and strategical thinking. Kaizen : Contineous improvement of oneself

While you should always train regularly, remember to train with a purpose. You are training to keep people safe during a crisis event. Take the training seriously and ensure others give it the respect it deserves. Have the mindset that every training session could save someone’s life.

Moreover, integrating feedback from these exercises is essential for continuous improvement. After each drill, conduct thorough debriefings to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Incorporate this feedback into your training programs and emergency operations plans. This iterative process not only refines your skills but also fosters a culture of learning and adaptability within your organization or community.

El proceso de implantación lleva al terreno lo que contiene el papel, esto nos permite adaptar incorrecciones e implementar nuevas mejoras que podamos identificar. También es una formula para implicar al personal en el dise?o de protocolos y procedimientos para, conseguir finalmente que desarrollen habilidades relacionadas con la actividad. Este proceso de capacitación y formación continua, también permite agilidad en la respuesta y una mayor fortaleza del interviniente como respuesta al estrés que generan situaciones desconocidas. De esta manera, la repetición de procedimientos, permitirá a la persona formar parte de un equipo y con ello de un sistema, con la seguridad, de estar realizando el trabajo adecuado.

In my experience, a Community plan of the Geographical Location was needed to know where everything is and whom to contact in an emergency. As any misinformation to the press or the public can cause an upset and hinder any form of investigation

The most critical information (danger, number of casualties, needs) transmitted must be reformulated by the recipient so that the sender can ensure that the information has been correctly transmitted.

Additionally, leveraging various communication channels can enhance the reach and effectiveness of your messages. Utilize social media, emergency alert systems, and community networks to disseminate information quickly. Training your team in crisis communication skills and conducting regular drills will ensure that everyone can convey critical updates efficiently and calmly, even under pressure. This multifaceted approach helps maintain trust and coordination among all parties involved during an emergency.

FEMA/DHS/CISA provides us with a fantastic library of resources: NIMS, ICS, Planning P, 5 Mission Areas & 32 Core Capabilities, Community Lifelines, 5 Phases Cycle, Critical Infrastructure Sectors, etc, etc... However, these are meant to be scalable and adaptable to the needs of your organization/jurisdiction. It is up to YOU as the emergency management authority to ensure that these tools are being implemented how they best fit for your needs and capabilities.

One thing that I find helpful is to try to ask three questions what is the Conversation about, how do we feel, and who are we, have a discussion and see it from everyone's perspective for everyone to be in Sync and the same wavelength to work to work all together as one.

Moreover, involving all stakeholders in the debriefing process can provide diverse perspectives and insights. Encouraging open and honest feedback fosters a culture of transparency and collective learning. Documenting these findings and implementing changes not only strengthens your emergency management capabilities but also boosts the confidence and preparedness of your team and community for future emergencies.

Any bonus I got I put a little in a book/course fund to keep me on top of EM protocols/procedures. Invest in yourself by keeping up to date on your area of responsibilities.

Be proactive by reading RETEX reports. These reports provide detailed analyses of past incidents, highlighting what worked well and what can be improved. By studying these one can adapt and refine existing protocols, avoid repeated mistakes, and adopt proven practices by experience and lessons learned from other professionals in the field.

Stay informed,you can use it when you want to tell someone to stay updated with news and events. Keep me up to date,let me know of anything new,

Establish a network of managers who have varied experiences in EM - ask them for their 'worst case scenario' - and reverse engineer it with your team.

Few things I found helpful were: 1. Always join capacity of immediate response during evaluation of situation which imply HR, log (kits, WASH items...) 2. To have a pool of professionals from regular team who volunteer to be first responder, team A and B 3. Emphasize on the importance of communicating with communities and other actors to mitigate the frustration and allow humanitarian access in a complex security context

Take 5 minutes a day and just look at your guide cards. Don't study them or try to memorize them because they change. If you take 5 minutes a day going over them you will be surprised how quickly you build that inherent knowledge base to pull from when it's go time.

Protocols are very important, yet the decision makers should maintain sufficient flexibility for adequate adaptation to the real situation in case extreme conditions are met (cf forest fires), rare and unfamiliar events occur (cf 9-11 or nuclear events)