Part 2-The role of emergency management in pandemics

Should emergency managers have a role in disease outbreaks? Are we doing enough the educate public health and hospitals as to what our role should be? The 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic brought with it new discussions and open dialogue as to the exact role of emergency managers in public health crisis.

I recall that several of my colleagues reporting having very candid discussions with epidemiologist, physicians, and microbiologist about this subject. Moreover,  my friends in law enforcement, fire, and EMS also experienced similar conversations in some parts of the country.

Why the candid discussion and dialogue? Are you telling me that these medical professionals do not understand the role of emergency managers and public safety? In my professional opinion these discussions took place because we, the emergency management community, has failed to educate others about what we do.

The public has a fairly good understanding as to the role of emergency management because they have either experienced disasters or heard about FEMA on the news. Unfortunately, the news has not always portrayed emergency managers in a good way.

Consider Hurricane Katrina. If you randomly polled citizens at a convenience store and asked them what they know about emergency management they would likely mention FEMA or DHS somewhere in the conversation.

Emergency management agencies are typically part of pandemic committees but I would offer that many fellow committee members do not have a full understanding of what we do either. Sure, people do understand that we are great with logistics and can deliver generators, coordinate fire apparatus, and assist with housing in disasters but they are often clueless about the other parts of our job.

Moreover, most do not always understand that we can assist with coordination of sheltering, coordination and delivery of medications and related supplies, and help them communicate when other methods fail. Medical professionals do not always consider emergency managers to be on their level because they think of us as blue-collar workers.

Emergency managers show up in marked vehicles, wear pagers, radios, and cell phones all over our belts, and often look like the guy from the fire department. Even if we wear the best Brooks Brothers suit to meetings we are still considered as blue-collar workers. Most emergency management agencies are so busy trying to meet grant deadlines and manage other responsibilities we do not get to hang out at the golf course, cigar shop, or the Kiwanis Club meeting.  This prevents other professionals from learning what we do.

So many discussions and decisions are made outside of the board room. Moreover, there is a huge disconnect between public health agencies, DHS, and other emergency management related disciplines it is no wonder medical professionals have no clue what we do. I will discuss this more in Part 4 of my blog on pandemics. So, what can we do to educate others about emergency management? If we are to be considered as educated professionals on the same level as physicians, engineers, and microbiologist we must do more to educate them on what our role is during pandemics and other emergencies.

We  need the support of our administrators, managers, directors, and our peers.  We must find time to attend community meetings, create public service announcements, raise money with programs such as Shop with the Cop, and jump in the cold water with others during the Polar Bear Plunge. Emergency managers should consider attending professional meetings with other groups, such as physicians, and not just other emergency managers.

We must educate the public and other professionals by getting away from the office and participating in planning sessions, meetings, and related functions. You already do this, right? Yea, I know. You are already attending meetings, managing the MMRS, SNS, or UASI programs.

You have a small staff and just cannot attend every function. The budget has been reduced to nothing. I hear you. I get it. But we can do more. We can take the lead on projects, discuss the education and training needed to become emergency managers, finish college, get advanced degrees, join groups such as IAEM, NENA, and the Kiwanis or Rotary.

Sometimes we just have to do more besides serving as support agencies. Emergency management will never be considered a real profession until we change our thinking, get our heads out of the sand, and take the lead on disasters and public health emergencies.

Sorry about the short posts. I became a grandfather a couple of days ago and I just learned my kids are coming by. Comments always appreciated.