The First Disaster Preparation Step Is An Incident Command System Training Course

By Tara Daniels


The first thing that happens when there is an earthquake, tornado, explosion or other disaster, panic takes hold. During the first few hours of a destructive crisis there is an opportunity to minimize damage and save lives, if the community is prepared. Having the foresight to plan and train and having an Incident Command System Training Course graduate can make a huge difference.

In any community, the taxes paid and rules obeyed are the way the population expresses its understanding of the importance of a governing body. In return for their submission, they hold the government responsible for maintaining safety and security. The best governments have made plans for many contingencies, but plans are only a start, the actual disasters require flexible answers.

Handling emergency situations requires a structured approach, a deliberate analysis of science dealing with catastrophes, developed largely from the actions after historical efforts. What is known is that the time to make preparations is before there are signs of impending damage. The resources and energy required demand a thought process capable of understanding future crises in advance.

History is a great teacher, but only for those willing to learn and accept that catastrophic events can occur anywhere, and the wisest groups make the positive decision to be ready for them. Studying the error from the past reveals much in how to deal with future problems. Problems with communication and coordination can create a nightmare in situations requiring fast effective action to save lives.

No group can be ready for every possible contingency, and yet there is a body of knowledge which can help them prepare or the most likely scenarios. In addition, if the response process is designed to allow for expansion and contraction to accommodate even unforeseen problems, the probability of savings lives and property are greater. Knowing how to get the right kind of assistance and from where is almost as good as having it.

With all of the disasters that have befallen the US, there is much experience to be gained from studying past events. Following what many believe was a flawed response to hurricane Katrina, a nationwide effort to create a better process was implemented. The National Incidence Management System was developed to ensure a standardized way of tackling crisis management.

Experts from a wide range of functions, everything from medical to electrical are provided instruction in how a team would work together in the midst of a serious crisis. Knowing how and where the team would form, what resources are available and where to get that which is not stockpiled are all parts of the information such a team requires. Providing it and the most likely resources they might need is a powerful tool for when a contingency occurs.

No matter how well prepared a group is to respond when man-made or natural contingencies unfurl, the preparation will be inadequate. Every situation will be specific and unique, and so preparation will fall sort of what is needed. But with a with an incident command system training course in his resume, the flexibility to respond accurately and efficiently will reduce the damage and save lives.




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