Emergency responder personal preparedness

• Main Author: Kelenske, Chris A.
• Other Authors: Miller, Pat
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/10628

CHDS State/Local === Citizens have an expectation that emergency responders will come to their aid during emergencies. There is the general assumption that these responders and the agencies they work for are prepared for any type of event. With a core element of any disaster response being the capability of the emergency responders, a lack of personal preparedness by emergency response personnel is likely to be highly detrimental and reduces this capability when responders are needed to respond to a catastrophic event. Past incidents and research has indicated that emergency responders may not respond until they ensure their own families safety. Emergency responders do not have the option to assist voluntarily during a disaster-they must respond to ensure citizen safety and security while maintaining order. This research used a nationwide survey of emergency responders to determine why emergency responders are not personally prepared and what factors may influence increasing their personal preparedness level. The result of this research identified three reasons why emergency responders do not personally prepare for disasters and concludes with recommendations that involve five incentives or motivations on how emergency response agencies can increase personal preparedness among their personnel.