The specific project that an emergency management undergraduate will complete depends on their specific program. Below are some emergency management issues and related potential assignments that these students may be required to complete.
Resource: 20 Top Emergency Management Bachelor’s Degree Programs under $23,000 Average Net 2014
Resource Analysis
During the cold war era, FEMA famously focused over 75 percent of financial and human resources on preparing for potential nuclear wars. In order to qualify for funding, FEMA required that states and cities also concentrate resources on nuclear war preparation. This one-sided approach weakened FEMA’s available response to all other hazards. Currently, there is also a movement to focus on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and terrorism, but critics still maintain that an all-hazards approach to emergency supervision is best.
An appropriate assignment for students would be to document and explore the historical events that support the need for the all-hazards response. For example, during Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the FEMA Director was replaced by military officials who provided excellent operations management. Students could create their own criteria matrix that analyzes current threats and needs. Ideally, this matrix could become a working risk analysis tool to be used by the emergency management community.
Federal Response Infrastructure
The current federal response infrastructure is based on the Federal Response Plan (FRP), which defines the roles and responsibilities of specific government agencies during disasters or emergency situations. This applies to natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, and technological emergencies, such as those involving hazardous or radiological materials. The FRP defines the basic structures and mechanisms that the federal government uses to mobilize personnel and resources.
Students may create a project that explores how personnel and policy makers would respond to a simulated emergency scenario and associated difficulties. Tech savvy students may use a simulated software program to forecast risks and results. Certain political leaders have been calling for the FRP to be revamped with a new official infrastructural response to acts of terrorism. Students could debate the feasibility, necessity and pros and cons of such a proposal.
Preparation
More and more emergency managers and government officials support the idea of emergency mitigation, which refers to proactive, collective actions taken by people to lessen the potential effects of disasters and emergencies. Mitigation is more than a theory because it translates to best practices that emergency personnel and community leaders employ every day. However, this requires valid experience and efficient community partnerships.
One common assignment is for students to write case studies that illustrate the successful best operational practices of exemplary private and government emergency systems. This may be a local fire station or law enforcement agency that discovers effective solutions to common problems. It may also be lawmakers who figure out how to reduce economic risks for businesses during emergencies. Either way, being able to demonstrate how mitigation planning increases local involvement and grassroots support will translate to real-world awareness of new tools and technologies.
Other common projects for undergraduate students might include a study of the science behind natural disasters, a review of public warning systems and an analysis of emerging technology solutions. Whatever the project may be, participating in and completing one, or more, provides emergency management undergraduate opportunities to apply their learnings to real world issues.
Additional Resource: Top 10 Best Online Emergency Management Degree Programs