Emergency management has changed significantly after 9/11. Major changes to disaster relief had occurred during the 1950s and 60s by including intentional man-made disasters in emergency management in planning. Although there are several instances of terroristic behavior and bombings, these disasters never occurred at the magnitude of the 9/11 attacks. This led to administrators becoming more engaged with the planning process and being more proactive in civil defense systems. Furthermore, following the 9/11 attacks, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was established in attempt to prevent future terrorist attacks and to adequately plan for an emergency situation.
Question Two
The history of the United States is full of catastrophic events which have shaped emergency management today. Prior to the 1950s, the federal government took an ad hoc approach to emergency management. The duties of disaster relief rested primarily on the shoulders of nonprofit organizations (e.g. American Red Cross) with little assistance from the federal government. In …show more content…
This leads up to the establishment of FEMA, which was designed as a mechanism for the federal government to have a more proactive approach and respond as soon as the catastrophic event occurred. The government also recognized the need for intentional disasters to be including in emergency management and civil defense systems. Lastly, Hurricane Katrina and the 9/11 attacks transformed emergency management in the U.S. These events exposed the necessity for adequate planning prior to an event (e.g. evacuation plan) and also illustrated the shortcomings of preexisting organizations and communication between the different levels of government. The U.S. government must continually plan, act, and evaluate emergency management systems to prevent as well as prepare for