Principles to Guide Emergency Management Professionals

Dr. Wayne Blanchard, of FEMA’s Emergency Management Higher Education Project, convened a working group of emergency management practitioners and academics to consider principles of emergency management. This project was prompted by the realization that while numerous books, articles and papers referred to “principles of emergency management”, nowhere in the vast array of literature on the subject was there an agreed upon definition of what these principles were. The group agreed on eight principles that will be used to guide the development of a doctrine of emergency management.

Definition
Emergency management is the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters.

Vision
Emergency management seeks to promote safer, less vulnerable communities with the capacity to cope with hazards and disasters.

Mission
Emergency management protects communities by coordinating and integrating all activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the capability to mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from threatened or actual natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters.

Principles
Emergency management must be:

1. Comprehensive – emergency managers consider and take into account all hazards, all phases, all stakeholders and all impacts relevant to disasters.

2. Progressive – emergency managers anticipate future disasters and take preventive and preparatory measures to build disaster-resistant and disasterresilient communities.

3. Risk-driven – emergency managers use sound risk management principles (hazard identification, risk analysis, and impact analysis) in assigning priorities and resources.

4. Integrated – emergency managers ensure unity of effort among all levels of government and all elements of a community.

5. Collaborative – emergency managers create and sustain broad and sincere relationships among individuals and organizations to encourage trust, advocate a team atmosphere, build consensus, and facilitate communication.

6. Coordinated – emergency managers synchronize the activities of all relevant stakeholders to achieve a common purpose.

7. Flexible – emergency managers use creative and innovative approaches in solving disaster challenges.

8. Professional – emergency managers value a science and knowledge-based approach based on education, training, experience, ethical practice, public stewardship and continuous improvement.

For an expanded description of these principles visit the Emergency Management Institute’s website http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/emprinciples.asp

Emergency Management Roundtable
Dr. B. Wayne Blanchard, CEM, Lucien G. Canton, CEM, CBCP, CPP, Carol L. Cwiak, JD, Kay C. Goss, CEM, Dr. David A McEntire, Lee Newsome, CEM, Michael D. Selves, CEM, CPM, Eric A. Sorchik, Kim Stenson, James E. Turner III, Dr. William L Waugh, Jr., Dewayne West, CEM, CCFI