Are we better off? Emergency management policy implementation since September 11

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 439-453
Author(s):  
Sean Hildebrand, PhD
Keyword(s):  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Federal Policy ◽  
Local Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
September 11 ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Incident Management

As public policy continues its evolution, so do theories about policy implementation. One policy field that changed during the twenty-first century is emergency management and homeland security in the United States. Since the September 11 attacks, the federal government attempted to centralize the way government agencies at the federal, state, and local level prepare for and respond to natural, accidental, and terror-related disasters. However, research in the field is split about the effectiveness of this effort during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. While some feel federal actions taken to prepare for and respond to incidents of natural, accidental, or purposeful intent have been fruitful in preparing the nation for catastrophic events, others say it detracts from the core mission of emergency management. This study considers if the policy changes that occurred during those administrations created a disparity between the policy expectations of the federal government and the actions of local officials in emergency management. The findings show that local emergency management professionals generally reported the implementation of federal policy expectations, and that the odds of doing so increase where respondents report greater “clarity” in the federal policy language. However, differences exist in terms of how local managers view the requirements of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) versus other federal policy demands. This signals that experienced actors may nominally comply with federal policy demands by downplaying those requirements seen as useless in favor of functions that meet jurisdictional needs.

Application of Boyd’s OODA loop to emergency response

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 461-468
Author(s):  
David J. Tanui, DSc, MSc, BEd (Hons)
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Command And Control ◽  
The United States ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Dynamic Task ◽  
Response Phase ◽  
And Control

Emergency management is a dynamic task that requires constant evaluation and research so as to improve processes and systems. Most importantly, the rise in emergencies has led to increased costs of managing them. These cost increases are happening at a time when US government agencies are experiencing budget-cuts. Therefore, a search for solutions to improve emergency management is critical, especially in the emergency response phase. The emergency response phase is particularly important because studies show that due to the confusion and panic caused when a disaster strikes, failures in command and control often lead to delays in action and increased operation costs.This article argues that Boyd’s OODA loop, a command and control concept used by the US military for several years, presents opportunities as an off-the-shelf resource that can be adapted by nonmilitary response organizations at federal, state, local, and agency level. The study is an important contribution to the ongoing discourse on emergency management policy and practice in the United States.

scholarly journals Coerced Confusion? Local Emergency Policy Implementation After September 11

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Hildebrand
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Homeland Security ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Federal Policy ◽  
September 11 ◽  
Incident Management ◽  
Federal Grant ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
State And Local

AbstractThis study examines what motivates local emergency management officials to implement federal emergency management and homeland security policies within their own departments since the September 11 attacks. Pre-existing research claims there is confusion among local governments about potential changes to the role local emergency management services play before, during, and after natural, accidental, or terror related incidents. Meanwhile, additional research claims the federal disaster management policies (The National Response Plan, National Incident Management System, and Incident Command System) lack flexibility in implementation expectations, and there is limited cohesion among the layers of government, actors, and interests involved. This study asserts that something must spur local actors to comply with federal policy demands in their daily operations given how the post-September 11 policies change the field. The study specifically examines the effects of coercion, defined as actions taken by the federal government to force state and local implementers to comply with federal policy demands. Available federal grant dollars for emergency management and homeland security practices could make a dramatic difference to local emergency management operations, forcing these actors to comply with federal policy demands, even if it is in a begrudging fashion that deviates from traditional Comprehensive Emergency Management (CEM) principles.

Local Disasters, Government Actors, and National Policy

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Timothy W. Kneeland
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
National Policy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Local Leadership ◽  
Disaster Policy ◽  
National Trends ◽  
Disaster Aid

This introductory chapter provides an overview of Hurricane Agnes, which swept through New York and Pennsylvania in late June of 1972. National trends influenced the federal and local response to the disaster. Hurricane Agnes struck the United States less than five months before the 1972 presidential election, and Richard Nixon's response to Hurricane Agnes was one variable in that election, which charted the course of American politics for the next three decades. In order to win reelection in 1972, President Nixon enacted the most substantial disaster aid package in history to that time, termed the Agnes Recovery Act, which he was convinced was the key to winning New York and Pennsylvania. The chapter then explains that local leaders played a crucial role in responding to the crisis in their communities and in flood recovery operations and rebuilding. Often neglected in studies of natural disaster policy is the way in which local leadership from government and the private sector interacted with representatives of the federal government to restore order and implement change. The chapter also introduces the Federal Office of Emergency Management (FEMA).

Assessing the Interactions between Native American Tribes and the U.S. Government in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Policy

2017 ◽  
pp. 51-71
Author(s):  
Leigh R. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Homeland Security ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Working Relationships ◽  
Native American Tribes ◽  
Intergovernmental Relationships ◽  
The U.S

The working relationships between Native American tribes, the states, and the federal government have been strained for centuries. These intergovernmental interactions have led to a fragmented system whose attempt to deliver public service is consistently met with opposition. One area where this has become increasingly evident is within homeland security and emergency management policy. This study used a cross sectional survey to gather information about the beliefs tribes held about the various aspects of their working relationships with states and the federal government within the context of homeland security and emergency management. Analysis of the data revealed that the majority of the intergovernmental relationships that existed between tribes and the U.S. government did not possess the characteristics of an effective working relationship. Evidence also suggests that the intergovernmental relationships were actually having a negative impact on the U.S. government's goal to achieve a unified system of homeland security and emergency management on American soil.

Filling the Void: Local Control of Oil Spill Prevention Efforts

1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 (1) ◽  
pp. 383-388
Author(s):  
Fred Felleman ◽  
Sally Ann Lentz
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Pollution Prevention ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Marine Environmental Protection ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Marine Environmental

ABSTRACT This paper examines the implementation of OPA 90 in the context of its mandates to determine if the roles undertaken by federal, state and local entities have been effective in furthering marine environmental protection on the local level and makes recommendations for increasing pollution prevention. The analysis reveals that the federal government—through the work of the Coast Guard—has not been successful in implementing the pollution prevention provisions of OPA. This has resulted in some states exercising their authority under OPA to address issues of local concern as regards shipping and potential oil spills. Where States have stepped in to fill the void; they are often faced with industry and federal government opposition or recalcitrance. OPA's PWS RCAC provides a model for cooperative relationships between government, industry and the public to address local concerns. We conclude that the RCAC model should be extended to other regions of high volume shipping activity and that the GAO should undertake an investigation of the Coast Guard's Marine Environmental Protection and Compliance Programs for the purpose of identifying the obstacles to timely and effective implementation of OPA, and for developing a strategy for overcoming those obstacles.

A framework for consensus, cooperation, and progress: The role of Canada’s Council of the Federation in building a national strategy for emergency management

2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Brock Holowachuk, MA
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
National Strategy ◽  
Cooperative Approach

In July 2004, Canada’s Premiers expressed their priorities for emergency management at a meeting of the Council of the Federation. Provincial/territorial officials developed a set of priorities through a process of discussion and consensus, and these were subsequently endorsed by the Premiers and accepted by the federal government, resulting in the development of a plan of action to address the Premiers’ priorities, along with other matters of mutual concern.This article discusses the process by which a provincial/ territorial consensus was formed, and how this executive direction has led to a plan of action and meaningful improvements to emergency management and public safety in Canada. It demonstrates how a proactive and cooperative approach to emergency management policy can lead to tangible operational improvements.

Emergency management and homeland security: Exploring the relationship

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 483
Author(s):  
Jerome H. Kahan, BA, BS, MSEE
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Homeland Security ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
The United States ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Preparedness Planning ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Public And Private Stakeholders

In the years after the 9/11 tragedy, the United States continues to face risks from all forms of major disasters, from potentially dangerous terrorist attacks to catastrophic acts of nature. Professionals in the fields of emergency management and homeland security have responsibilities for ensuring that all levels of government, urban areas and communities, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and individual citizens are prepared to deal with such hazards though actions that reduce risks to lives and property. Regrettably, the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's ability to deal with disasters is unnecessarily challenged by the absence of a common understanding on how these fields are related in the workforce and educational arenas. Complicating matters further is the fact that neither of these fields has developed agreed definitions. In many ways, homeland security and emergency management have come to represent two different worlds and cultures. These conditions can have a deleterious effect on preparedness planning for public and private stakeholders across the nation when coordinated responses among federal, state, and local activities are essential for dealing with consequential hazards. This article demonstrates that the fields of emergency management and homeland security share many responsibilities but are not identical in scope or skills. It argues that emergency management should be considered a critical subset of the far broader and more strategic field of homeland security. From analytically based conclusions, it recommends five steps that be taken to bring these fields closer together to benefit more from their synergist relationship as well as from their individual contributions.

scholarly journals THE RULE OF DECENTRALIZATION EQUALS TO LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT? GENERAL REMARKS ON LOCAL DEMOCRACY IN THE U.S. AN INTRODUCTION TO NEW EXPLORATIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Maćkowska
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Home Rule ◽  
Local Structures ◽  
Managerial System ◽  
Local Levels ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Made In

This article refers to a problem of democracy at local levels in the United States. Decentralization of public administration in a federal state raises many questions about local-self government and local democracy. Therefore, a brief introduction is hereby presented, including the following aspects: status of local units, home rule charters, and the managerial system at a local level. When necessary, short references to continental solutions are made in order to explain specific American local structures. Historical determinants are also mentioned in order to illustrate that the U.S. system does not pose an ideal and universal democracy, but there are many provisions that should be considered as a pattern. It is especially significant in the aspect of civil society and its role in contemporary democracy.

scholarly journals Regulatory and Policy Analysis of Production, Development and Use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekrem Korkut ◽  
Lara B. Fowler
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Federal Policy ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽  
The United States ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Aviation Fuel ◽  
Civil Aviation ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Clean Fuels ◽  
The U.S

The United States, spurred in part by international developments, is expanding its law and policy to incentivize the use of sustainable aviation fuels. While the U.S. has agreed to participate in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO’s) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), it has only recently adopted federal rules that define greenhouse gas emission reduction standards for certain classes of airplanes (effective January 2021). However, such standards focus on engine efficiency rather than the fuel burned. For sustainable aviation fuels, the U.S. continues to rely on voluntary programs at a federal, state, and regional level. The federal Renewable Fuel Standard program allows producers to opt in. In addition, states have started to allow sustainable aviation fuel producers to “opt in” to their programs; this includes California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, Oregon’s Clean Fuels Program, and Washington’s newly adopted Clean Fuels Program. Other states are also starting to consider such programs. Elsewhere, states like Hawaii are starting to support SAF production in other ways, including through tax mechanisms. In addition, regional and private efforts to adopt and/or promote sustainable aviation fuels are underway. This piecemeal approach—due in part to the lack of cohesive U.S. federal policy—stands in contrast to the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive and Emissions Trading System, and adoption of policies by European countries. Because of aviation’s international nature, tracking what is happening in Europe matters greatly for U.S. carriers. As the U.S. works to meet its international obligations through CORSIA, finding a way forward with sustainable aviation fuel in the United States may depend on a more defined federal policy. Actions taken by both the EU and European countries offers some guidance for actions that could be taken by the U.S. Even in the absence of more defined measures, better tracking of voluntary measures is a critical step.

Unemployment Insurance

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Woodbury
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Unemployment Insurance ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
The United States ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Income Support ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
System P ◽  
Primary Responsibility

Unemployment insurance (UI) provides temporary income support to workers who have lost their jobs and are seeking reemployment. This chapter reviews the origins of the federal-state UI system in the United States and outlines its principles and goals. It also describes the conditions for benefit eligibility, the benefits themselves, and their financing. The UI system is complex and includes many interested parties, including employers, worker advocates, state UI administrators, and the federal government. These parties’ differing views have led to controversies over benefit eligibility, adequacy, and whether the states or federal government should bear primary responsibility for UI. The Great Recession caused most states’ UI trust funds to become insolvent and led to renewed debate over the structure and financing of the system.

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