Introduction
This report analyzed existing documents related to the preparedness and responsiveness of Massachusetts. First, an extensive documentary base was identified, describing most of the moments associated with various emergencies. One of the central papers is the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, which represents a common framework and is complemented by more specialized annexes. Such a structure allows describing the principles of interaction between various departments and leaving the possibility of adaptation. Simultaneously, despite sufficient detail and many affected areas, there is not enough information for an outside observer in some of them. The absence of recent significant disasters indicates that the departments and the staff have a relatively high degree of readiness. Thanks to this, it can be concluded that the administration is well prepared for various threats. However, the lack of transparency in documentation, the lack of information, and the ignorance of specific scientific points create several threats to the security of Massachusetts.
For this assignment, the entity selected to perform the readiness assessment is the government of Massachusetts. Massachusetts is my home state, and I know from my experience exactly how the state reacts to various emergencies. Therefore, it will allow me to assess the implementation of crisis plans in more detail. Moreover, choosing such a large institution provides me with a massive amount of information for analysis, which is a significant advantage. Finally, studying such an institution will allow me to explore the principles of organizing emergency management in more detail. From my perspective, such information can be essential for a specialist. Therefore, I chose this particular structure as the closest and most interesting to me. This report aims to provide a detailed assessment of the preparedness of the Massachusetts government’s plans from various perspectives.
Current Preparedness Plan
Massachusetts’ central preparedness plan is the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), developed by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). This document includes a common framework for preparing the entire state and its structures for a wide variety of natural and artificial threats. To implement safety measures, the administration creates a particular legislative basis for interaction during an emergency, directs preparatory work, and ensures community unity in these efforts (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). In this context, CEMP is a general framework that determines the course of action and the nature of the structures’ interactions.
This focus of the plan is defined by the scale of the organization for which it is prepared. Since the CEMP must guide action across the state, it cannot provide clear instructions and actions, as it is impossible to unify them. With this in mind, the decision of MEMA to develop a general scheme is logical and justified. To address narrower areas, MEMA has developed a series of task-focused annexes (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). Thus, CEMP is a reasonably general framework, which, given its scope, is only a plus. Simultaneously, this plan is well-detailed and considers all the existing advantages and disadvantages of the state in a single adaptive system.
Stress Management Memo
- TO: Dawn Brantley, Acting Director of Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
- FROM: Preparedness and Responsiveness Expert
- DATE:
- SUBJECT: Stress Management Recommendations and Planning
The respondents’ stress is an integral part of emergencies associated with enormous psychological and physical pressure (Feuer, 2021). Currently, the CEMP does not address this problem in any way, so it becomes necessary to develop means of identifying, managing, mitigating, and responding (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). This memo aims to establish these elements and create a reaction plan for the respondents’ stress.
Identification and Response
The respondents’ stress arises as a crisis reaction and manifests in various symptoms, from burnout to PTSD. The most affected are first-line responders; however, Emergency Operations Centers personnel are also at risk due to decision pressure and overtime. This makes both groups a target population when developing means of identification. In this context, it is necessary to increase self-awareness by disseminating information about the self-identification of stress symptoms. In addition, it is essential to create stress management programs at the organizational level, where people with suspected stress can be redirected.
Management and Mitigation
Respondents’ stress management and mitigation tools are proposed to be divided into two categories: personal and structural. First, it is necessary to disseminate information regarding stress, including general symptoms and those related to a particular profession. To accomplish this task, it is proposed to create flexible public plans. It is also recommended to use existing introspection frameworks such as The Stress Continuum used by the US military (“The stress continuum,” n.d.). Self-assessment of symptoms will allow people to turn to the appropriate structural units for help in time. In this context, it is proposed to create peer support teams on an evidence-based approach such as Psychological First Aid. Such groups can effectively address human needs in post-stress situations and mitigate the effects of interactions with disasters (Feuer, 2021). After the initial assessment and assistance, a person can be redirected to more specialized structures.
Conclusion
A suggested plan for responding to a respondent’s stress consists of the following items. First, within the framework of identifying stress, all emergency workers involved in solving crises should be considered potential victims. Secondly, it is necessary to create programs for self-identification and peer support based on the existing frameworks, The Stress Continuum and Psychological First Aid, which allow timely notice and response. Thirdly, it is required to create a communication chain between emergency departments and medical specialists, ensuring timely personnel redirection for further treatment after primary psychological care.
Public Health Considerations
Public health is one of the most critical articles in preparing for emergencies, as it is directly related to ensuring the safety of people. From this perspective, it is imperative to consider the preparedness of an entity for various outbreaks and pandemics. The most striking example in this context is the current COVID-19 pandemic. A general study of this issue shows that despite a large number of research materials, they have significant gaps (Bambra, 2022). This situation is observed not only in COVID-19 but also in previous Ebola and Zika outbreaks since the world community’s overall response was relatively weak (Khubchandani et al., 2020). In this context, Massachusetts does not stand out much from the general pattern.
On the one hand, the information provided by the official parties shows relatively positive trends in managing COVID-19 (“COVID-19 response,” 2022). However, a broader view of the whole situation reveals many legislature gaps and underqualified responses (Young, 2022). This is also confirmed when looking at the CEMP’s annex on public health, as outbreaks or pandemics are largely ignored in its context (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2018b). Consequently, at this point in the existing preparedness plans, no measures have been identified to respond to the various outbreaks. Thus, it can be concluded that in the current state, the entity is not well prepared in the context of public health. It needs to pay attention to collecting and analyzing data on past hazardous situations.
Assessment of Active Shooters, Terrorists, and Mass Casualty Plans
Preparation for various acts of terror and attacks carried out by man is no less important than protection from natural phenomena. National structures like the FBI can only exercise general oversight, and the state government must develop its countermeasures. The closest to this topic is the Homeland Security Strategy, aimed at uniting the efforts of all law enforcement agencies (Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, 2022). The text of this document details the various threats and risk factors concerning the main objectives of protective agencies.
However, despite a detailed analysis of various external and internal factors, the available documentation does not disclose the procedure for dealing with such situations. For example, the organization reports on the existence and implementation of an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response plan, under which first responders were trained (Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, 2022). Nevertheless, there is no information about what this preparation was and what frameworks will be used to deal with such emergencies. The CEMP refers to the presence of the Mass Casualty Incident Plan as a hazard annex, but this document is more focused on the work of medical organizations (Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services, 2016).
Thus, there is a lack of transparency and publicly available information in the current documentation. However, it can be noted that law enforcement agencies are currently coping with their duties. One of the most recent events of this kind occurred in 2013 during the Boston Marathon, and since then, there have been no more such acts (“Three people killed,” 2022). Therefore, despite the lack of publicity, the state can be considered sufficiently prepared for these emergencies.
Communication Plan
Establishing an effective communications network is an essential part of emergency preparedness. This issue is generally stated in CEMP and is significantly supplemented in special annexes. The first document outlines the general guidelines for emergency communications and lists tools the state can use when needed (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). In this context, it is worth noting that the state administration and emergency structures have a wide range of available resources: from radio systems to social networks (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). In addition, the rules for using the latter are regulated to ensure the most informative messages (“Communication resources,” n.d.). All this allows emergency state structures to use maximum resources to provide the most stable and convenient communication.
The principles of this relationship are primarily set out in one of the annexes, Massachusetts Emergency Support Function 2. This document provides a general framework on which communication should be built and principles for providing support (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2018a). Due to the large-scale coverage of all state structures, MEMA again resorts to creating a generalized adjustable plan. However, it is worth noting that, considering this feature, the information is presented in great detail. Thus, the communication structure of Massachusetts is well prepared for various cataclysms.
Community Preparedness
Successful emergency management requires preparing special structures and society as a whole. Such preparation is necessary for the more successful operation of emergent groups, spontaneous formations that arise from the community in response to an emergency (Fagel, 2013). To improve such activities, the most effective is the Whole Community Approach, which is a means for the collective interaction of people and the state (Fagel, 2013). A review of current documents shows that MEMA follows a similar policy in preparing for emergencies and in the context of recovery after them.
First, an individual framework has been created for this, describing the interaction of emergency structures with volunteers, including emergent groups (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019b). In addition, the state has established several recovery assistance programs, one of which is the Rapid Recovery Plan. The initiative provides funding to rebuild downtowns and get economically important areas back to work as soon as possible (“Rapid recovery plan,” n.d.). Although aimed at business, such a tool can be used by the community to work with the state to rebuild cities.
However, it is worth noting that not all community areas are involved in emergency preparedness. There are no targeted programs concerning the private sector, and MEMA recommends that the community independently contact representatives of emergency agencies to develop personal plans (“Prepare your business,” n.d.). In addition, many documents do not address in detail the need for special populations. Finally, religious organizations are not involved in emergency preparedness in any way, despite their resources. Therefore, while Massachusetts has several functional initiatives to implement the principles of the Whole Community, the administration’s preparedness in this direction cannot be called sufficient.
Abbreviated Exercise Testing Plan
Testing the preparedness of plans is an essential part of practical emergency preparedness because it allows playing out and simulating many difficult moments. Such activities usually coincide with existing methodologies, such as The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) (Fagel, 2013). According to the CEMP, Massachusetts emergency services adhere to these standards when shaping their plans. In addition, activities in this direction are divided into discussion-based and operation-based. The first track includes seminars, simulation games, and workshops, while the second includes various drills and exercises (“Emergency management exercises,” n.d.). However, their detailed description is missing both in the documentation and on the state administration’s website, making it impossible to study them in detail. Thus, the community does not have the opportunity to assess how effective the principles of training specialists are. The only guideline in this context is compliance with the HSEEP principles, which is not enough for a full-fledged analysis.
Suggestions for Post-Disaster Impact Assessment
Along with preparing for emergencies, an equally important point is the assessment of the consequences of such disasters. This direction of preparedness and responsiveness policies is discussed in one of the final paragraphs of CEMP, After Action Reports (AAR). According to MEMA, such reports capture the procedures implemented during an event and suggest improving existing plans (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). In addition, such information can be supplemented by improvement plans, which are documents that propose specific changes for clearly defined structures.
In the context of MEMA, these procedures are handled by the Training and Exercise Unit based on the information collected after the event. It can include a variety of forms of reports and messages, and the AAR can be shared with stakeholders (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). Since CEMP does not indicate the nature of these procedures and the extent to which society is involved in them, it is suggested that other available plans should be used to assist in post-emergency assessments. For example, this way, the state can get additional information from those involved in Rapid Recovery Plan, as they can provide up-to-date data on the destruction of the business sector (“Rapid recovery plan,” n.d.). Similarly, various volunteer organizations can be attracted based on existing agreements reflected in annexes to CEMP. Thus, the main suggestion in this context is more active interaction with the community. At the moment, according to CEMP, the potential for such interaction is extremely limited.
Critical Infrastructures
Critical infrastructure facilities are the primary targets that must be protected from various types of cataclysms and disasters. Such an infrastructure refers to a framework of interconnected networks, the integrity of which is essential for the stability of society (Fagel, 2013). It is worth noting that although such facilities are usually vital for the country, they can also be located in the private sector. Therefore, as part of preparedness assessment, a study of an entity’s relationship with critical infrastructure and the possibility of supporting it is usually carried out.
However, since, in this context, the Massachusetts government is considered an entity, it is impossible to analyze critical structures directly. Moreover, according to CEMP, much of this infrastructure is indeed in the hands of individuals (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). In this regard, cooperation between the state and the community becomes even more important. To maintain this relationship and secure state-wide critical facilities, the state sponsors several programs in various areas (“Infrastructure,” n.d.). Most state-specified programs are overseen by the Mass Development Finance Agency or the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Thus, there is a significant emphasis on financial support by the administration. However, among the preparedness plans, there is not enough information on the direct protection of critical facilities. While MEMA is responsible for this part, how this support and oversight should be provided remains unclear. Therefore, on this point, one can conclude either a lack of legislature transparency or a lack of suitable programs, which could potentially endanger most of the structures of the entire state.
Abbreviated Vulnerability Assessment
In this context, a vulnerability assessment can only be done in a general way due to the scope of the entity under investigation. Fortunately, CEMP contains several tables compiled by MEMA on assessing risks and potential threats to the state (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). According to the general vulnerability assessment framework, the institution’s critical assets must be identified first (Fagel, 2013). In the case of Massachusetts, these include the population of the state, various types of institutions, including government, and responders, as well as the environment and the stability of government operations (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a).
Support and protection of these entities are carried out through the state’s reserves, among which MEMA can be distinguished as a central structure associated with emergencies. Despite a relatively broad list of threats, CEMP identifies enough tools to deal with most of them (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). Furthermore, this document prioritizes existing assets, considering the public and the preservation of the community as the highest priority. However, it is worth noting that some points in the vulnerability assessment are difficult to assess due to the lack of transparency of the available materials. On the other hand, the state administration considers all the existing vulnerabilities and declares its readiness to repel the threat from all directions.
Possibility of Special Considerations
Given the scale of the entity under study, in addition to the usual threats, various special considerations must be evaluated. In the context of Massachusetts, radiological safety issues are relevant due to the presence of a nuclear plant (Fagel, 2013). Most of these special events are described in annexes to CEMP (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). These additions address radiological safety issues and some other exceptional cases, such as the spread of pathogens or crop safety (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019a). Thus, it can be noted that the preparedness for the most dangerous particular factors in Massachusetts is reasonably high.
Final Recommendations
Introduction
As the analysis shows, Massachusetts demonstrates a high level of preparedness for various emergencies. However, this assessment identified some weaknesses in the structure of emergency preparedness. Since they can contribute to the inadequate response, the following recommendations are offered for each section analyzed.
Recommendations
Preparedness Plan
- Increasing transparency of operating principles;
- Direct mention of essential sections in the plan’s text, without reference to annexes.
Stress Management Memo
- Inclusion of the respondent’s stress into general and special, such as public health, preparedness plans;
- Creation of means of timely identification of stress by disseminating information and creating a comfortable environment in departments;
- Formation of means of smoothing the stress of the respondent through introspection and the creation of peer support groups;
- Establishing communication between departments prone to stress and specialists for further stress management.
Public Health
- Collection of data on previous diseases and public health threats;
- Scientific study of this data to form recommendations for preparing for threats;
- Creation of special programs considering these data for preparation and effective response to various outbreaks.
Active Shooter, Terrorist, and Mass Casualty Plan
- Increasing the transparency of services and publishing details of training plans;
- Dissemination of information on training among the population.
Communications Plan
- Improving interaction with the public in emergencies by modifying existing news portals to enhance the ease of searching and interacting with them.
Community Preparedness
- Establish programs for greater engagement with the private sector in emergency preparedness;
- Taking into account the requirements and needs of special groups of the population, such as people with motor, visual, and auditory impairments;
- Involvement of religious organizations in joint activities.
Abbreviated Exercise Testing Plan
- Increasing the transparency of training programs and the principles of preparing specialists for crises.
Suggestions for Post-Impact Assessment
- Expanding engagement with the community, private sector, and business to collect data after various emergencies.
Critical Infrastructures
- Increasing transparency in the protection of critical structures;
- Creation of additional programs not in terms of finances to protect essential objects and assets.
Abbreviated Vulnerability Assessment
- Increasing transparency in the context of addressing vulnerabilities and determining responsible structures.
Possibility of Special Considerations
- More detailed consideration of other exceptional cases besides radiological hazards.
Future Policy Implications
Based on the recommendations outlined above, there are the following ways to develop future policies. First, it is necessary to form an approach to react to the respondent’s stress. Within its framework, disseminating relevant information among respondents and creating a structure to manage and mitigate stress is required. Secondly, it is necessary to draw attention to the issue of insufficient preparedness in the public health sector, which at the moment poorly takes into account the experience of previous outbreaks. Finally, there is a need to increase the transparency of the work of many structures. Currently, in the context of many units, there is no information on the principles of their functioning in emergencies. As a result, it can be concluded that there is a lack of preparedness in this area. Thus, it is required to conduct inspections and determine the degree of readiness of the mentioned sectors for emergency situations.
References
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Young, C. A. (2022). Final report: Massachusetts wasn’t ready for pandemic. WBUR. Web.