methodology and emergency planning

On a municipal, state, or federal level, NGO response to emergencies is important. NGOs are voluntary, religious, veteran-based, racial and ethnic nonprofit organizations that offer emergency food supplies, shelter, and other essential support services, according to the National Response Framework (US Department of Homeland Security, 2013, pp. 8-9).

NGOs provide a variety of tasks, including as managing and training volunteers, providing physically accessible shelters for disaster victims, delivering support services for evacuation and rescue missions, and providing emergency supplies like food and clothing (US Department of Homeland Security, 2013, p. 9).

There are some NGO’s such as The American Red Cross which are officially designated as the support to assist the national response capabilities. The congress chattered the American Red Cross to provide relief emergency response to survivors of disasters, help communities in preparing, preventing, and responding to disasters (US Department of Homeland Security, 2013, p. 9). As a result, the Red Cross has acquired a status of “a federal instrument” (US Department of Homeland Security, 2013, p. 9).

The American Red Cross

The NRF is the overall guideline with regards to responses. However, there are three annexes contained in the NRF that are detailed to different responses an also targets different groups; the Emergency Support Annex, the Support Annex, and the Incident Annex. The American Red Cross fall is guided by the Emergency Support Function Annex (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2008, p. 31). In case of a disaster, the duties of the Red Cross in an emergency would be to provide subject matter expertise concerning the regulations, all other issues that are relevant including a plan to care for the general mass, disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Another function of the Red Cross is to make available information on their current mass care activities when required before and in the process of their response operations (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2008, p. 70).

The American Red Cross society, however, works in its own capacity as a humanitarian organization that is independent of the state influence. It provides food, shelter clothing, and basic first aid. Although it works in partnership with the local, state, and tribe governments, in providing these services it fulfills its own humanitarian purpose acting in its own capacity and not on behalf of any government department.

An ideal emergency response plan is complicated and often very challenging.

Successful emergency response plans do possess a suitable central command system, adequate communication and coordination with other agencies whether private or public, appropriate planning before the intervention and finally the good relationship of organization and coordination between the government and the agency responding (Bennett, 2011).

Other Emergency Response Organizations

There are various humanitarian agencies in the USA that come in very handy when dealing with disasters same as the American Red Cross (Disaster Center, 2013). The Adventist Community Services, just like the Red Cross society responds to disasters by distributing clothing, bedding facilities, and foods stuffs in case of catastrophe. The Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response addresses the crisis and helps in the recovery efforts while dealing with the healing needs of the local families that are affected (Disaster Center, 2013). Children Disaster Services usually respond to crises by providing shelters to children in their child care centers. They also train and certify volunteers to respond to children who are traumatized with care and calmness and to assure them of their safety (Disaster Center, 2013).

References

Bennett, B. (2011). Effective Emergency Management. Proffesional Safety, 28-37. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from http://ehs-excellence.com/assets/EffectiveEmergency.pdf

Disaster Center. (2013). Welcome to Disaster Center. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from Disaster Center Website: http://www.disastercenter.com/agency.htm

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2008). Emmergency Support Function Annexes. Washington DC: Federal Emergency Management Agency. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from https://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/nrf-annexes-all.pdf

Ferraro, J., & Henderson, J. (n.d.). Identifying Features of an Effective Emergency Response Plans. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from https://orca.cf.ac.uk/11981/1/JAIC_V50-No1-01-Ferraro-35-48.pdf

US Department of Homeland Security. (2013). National Response Framework. US Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1914-25045-1246/final_national_response_framework_20130501.pdf