Introduction
One of the key careers to consider in connection to 09-11-01 terrorist attack is that of emergency managers. What are the roles of the managers and were they effective then? Are there changes on these roles today since the attack? The common definition of emergency management has a link to an organization of resources that assist in responding to related tragic occurrences such as natural disasters that may affect the public.
9/11 Attack Analysis
The 2001 9/11 terrorist hit at the world trade center in New York sent a message that, there is a need to create aware and strategies of dealing with possible terrorist activities in United States and its concerns. Since 9/11 attacks the responses over preparations expands to cater for potential Nuclear, Chemical, Incendiary and Biological attacks. The last couple of years also expound the need for management programs to take into account critical analysis of approaches of dealing with explosives, chemicals and the ways of handling volatile sites.
The operational security issues are equally questionable since the 9/11 incident. The attack placed a real experience over possibility of other devastating attacks and a better focus for analysis of when such an attack is likely to occur, besides planning for what ought to be done in cases of such attacks.
Traditional Vs Modernized roles of emergency managers
Historically, the role of managing emergencies was silent since relegation of the officials was in terms of casual collateral personnel. The attacks changed the style of appointment and training, and today they is excellent support of local emergency teams on roles that expounds on emergency management locally and at state levels.
Current management planning requires intensive, strategic, and analytical skills, which involve community views, in the aim of finding threat assessments and strategic plans for possible wave of events in future.
Analysis of Current Changes on Management
What is different in current management styles from September 10 before the 9/11 attack? The current state of affairs heightens intensively on alerts. This is not enough strategy over such devastating events. There is need for programs that support continual governance through better and varied styles of emergency operation procedures.
The emergency managers have major key roles to play alongside resources organization such as participating in most government security-related operations. Initially, the managerial roles were concern with coordination of resources and local governance strategies during disasters or emergencies. Today, roles of emergency managers garner innovative responsibilities such as coordinators in homeland security.
They initiate and control the emergency processing centers and are involved in security-related discussions at the jurisdictions fields. According to National Commission of Terrorist Attacks (2010), major fields of analysis and operations, concerning emergency managers today involves Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), where they work in conjunction with the FBI fieldwork officers of state and local governments.
These are measures meant to enhance communication strategies of gathering, coordinating and organizing public responses in crisis, especially situations that may involve various jurisdictions, agencies and inter-governmental procedures such as the 9/11 attack.
Effects of Modernization
The 9/11 attacks saw implementation of Emergency Operation Centres (ECO) in various localities, states and countries to assist in coordination of various activities, especially regarding the unfolding of events during an emergency.
This was a lesson learned by government emergency teams and the business sectors as well. Today, various legislative measures assist in development or enrichment of stringent plans that cover emergency activities. Some of the key areas include training on evacuation procedures, especially from the high-rise premises. The teams are also enlightened on the best response measures.
Practiced emergency evacuation procedures are oriental activities in most firms today. The high-rise buildings such as the twin towers at the world trade center are currently equipped with upgrades of technological resources such as stairwells, emergency lighting systems and redundant command emergency placements to cater for highest emergency capacities.
Consistent with Roberts (2009), the 9/11 attack invoked needs for building managers to plan enlightenment programs in support of the public, especially in safe evacuation procedures. According to emergency reports, over five hundred lives were lost in response to public service for victims (Roberts, 2009).
The emergency strategy guidelines have over the years changed for the better since the terrorist attack. Today emergency officials have different documentation regarding safer logistics, which they teach as security procedures especially to cater for the public reaction.
Lessons Learnt From the 9/11 Attack
The WTC attack was an evolutionary process for the emergency managers. Various reforms, such as implementation of the emergency management team as departments. They have collateral duties in various firms or organizations and have strategic plan to deal with possible future attacks.
According to Roberts (2009), current emergence of “office of ‘Homeland’ security… in the private sector as respective jurisdictions and facilities” is an emergence of new security operations and better working relationship with safety professionals. The emergency teams found out that lines of communication with the emergency teams must be more superior in all firms, to cater for better understanding and faster responses to urgent situations.
Conclusion
The terrorist attack in U.S. and related horrific events such as hurricane attacks forms a basis for reforming the emergency management teams. Today they have strategic measures to cater for natural disasters, crisis management related to weapons of mass destructions and other potential hazards. More planning meetings in support of organizations’ security are evident in current work-related proceedings. The emergency teams have extra roles such as emergency operations and reporting, unlike the earlier sole roles of caretakers.
References
National Commission of Terrorist Attacks. (2010). the 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States. New York, NY: Cosimo Inc. Print.
Roberts, w. (2009). The macroeconomic impacts of the 9/11 attack: evidence from real-time forecasting. New York, NY: Publications of Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Office of Immigration Statistics. Print.