Human beings live in a world that is characterized by numerous challenges and disasters. Millions of individuals are confronted with different events that induce crises and problems every year (Crandall, Parnell, & Spillan, 2012). Being aware of the best strategies to address and cope with such disasters is a critical aspect of every society. This knowledge can guide human service professionals, social workers, and crisis managers to implement evidence-based and sustainable intervention strategies. Such crisis intervention measures should always be guided by the nature of the targeted crisis or disaster. Framingham and Teasley (2012) believe strongly that the application of adequate intervention strategies can eventually address the challenges of the affected victims and at the same time meet their needs.
James and Gilliland (2013) identify nine unique strategies that can be used throughout the crisis intervention process. In order to use such inventions effectively, the planners and human service professionals should have core responding and listening skills. Looking at the case of the Hurricane Katrina, it is agreeable that there are some strategies that can be used to deliver positive results. The first one is “provision of adequate support” (James & Gilliland, 2013, p. 81). As the affected clients try to adjust and move on, social workers can provide support and therapy. This strategy is therefore evidence-based and can eventually deliver positive results.
The second applicable strategy is the promotion of expansion. This means that the crisis professional embraces specific activities that can empower the affected client. The individuals can identify new coping strategies and provide adequate psychological support to them (Butts, Acton, & Marcum, 2012). When there is expansion, the victims can be guided to embrace new ideas, seek health care, and identify new strategies to move on with their lives.
Providing support is another useful approach that is applicable to the natural disaster. The social workers focusing on the crisis will ensure the affected individuals do not engage in destructive or unsafe practices. They should be provided with physical and psychological support. What comes out clearly is that the provision of support is a powerful initiative because it seeks to empower the victims and encourage them to move on with their lives (Butts et al., 2012). The crisis workers also identify the right resources and food materials that can make it easier for the individuals to lead normal lives. Shelter and medical support are also applicable to this crisis intervention strategy.
On top of these strategies, the crisis worker focusing on the situations and issues associated with the Hurricane Katrina can go further to promote new coping skills. This move is capable of improving the resilience of the affected victims (Framingham & Teasley, 2012). The goal can be achieved by promoting problem-solving ideas, trying new initiatives, promoting positive relationships, and taking care of the victims’ emotional, psychological, and physical health.
Whenever using these initiatives, it is appropriate for the social and crisis workers to form multidisciplinary teams. This approach will bring together different professionals and experts to support the process. The affected individuals and those who are at risk will be identified much faster (Crandall et al., 2012). Care and support will therefore be designed in such a way that every vulnerable person receives adequate support (Schneider, 2014). It is also necessary for the professionals to identify new initiatives that can result in coping. This is the case because natural disasters such as the Hurricane Katrina are usually associated with complexities such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.
Elements of the Mississippi Crisis Plan Applicable to Alabama and Louisiana
It is agreeable that the unique elements of the Mississippi Crisis Plan are applicable to either Louisiana or Alabama. To begin with, the Mississippi Crisis Plan is detailed and outlines a number of schemes that are undertaken in order to ensure the state is prepared against any disaster (James & Gilliland, 2013). The first outstanding element in the plan is that lives are acknowledged as potential calamities that have the potential to affect the outcomes and experiences of many people. When this element is appreciated, it becomes easier to implement powerful ideas and initiatives that can ensure every disaster is addressed in a professional manner.
The main crisis plan has five unique elements that can be applied to Alabama or Louisiana. The first element is prevention. When the potential disasters capable of causing human crises are clearly known, it becomes easier to implement powerful preventative measures before the calamity strikes. According to the Mississippi Crisis Plan, prevention is achieved through continuous information sharing, forensic analysis, weather study, and disruption (Butts et al., 2012). For the case of natural disasters, urban planners and engineers are required to construct sustainable structures and buildings that can reduce the impacts of such events.
The second element that can be embraced in Louisiana is that of mitigation. Whenever natural disasters occur, it becomes necessary to promote resilience and reduce long-term vulnerability. This goal is achieved through continuous planning and public participation. Action plans are coordinated and managed in a professional manner in an attempt to record positive outcomes (Butts et al., 2012). Threats and potential hazards capable of affecting the region are identified frequently.
Response is taken seriously under the Mississippi Crisis Plan. When disasters strike, specific issues such as transportation, safety of the victims, and management services are considered. These aspects can be embraced in both Louisiana and Alabama in order to address most of the crises encountered. Mass care, rescue, and safety services are available to many victims during the response phase. Medical and health resources are also presented to the affected individuals or communities (World Health Organization, 2015). Situational assessment is also done in order to understand the nature and impacts of the disaster.
The other crucial element that should not be ignored is that of recovery. The Mississippi Crisis Plan focuses on this element in order to ensure life is normalized after the disastrous event. Some of the aspects considered by the plan implementers include health and social services, reconstruction, and economic recovery (Schneider, 2014). Destroyed infrastructure and assets are considered during this stage. Individuals who are at risk receive adequate counseling, medical support, and food materials. Such services explain why Mississippi finds it easier to handle most of the recurring natural disasters.
When these elements are taken seriously and implemented in Louisiana or Alabama, it can be easier to deal with a wide range of disasters such as hurricanes. The right individuals and workers should be hired and empowered in order to apply these elements adequately (World Health Organization, 2015). It can also be appropriate to consider the effectiveness of other aspects and strategies from different sources in order to deal with natural events. By so doing, more lives can be protected and ensure survivors find it easier to continue with their normal lives.
Missing Element for Alabama
Crisis intervention and response systems are critical for states and regions that are associated with a wide range of natural disasters such as Alabama. In 2005, the state recorded a deadliest natural event known as Hurricane Katrina. This was the worst hurricane to be recorded in the nation and led to losses amounting to over $100 billion (World Health Organization, 2015). The number of deaths recorded after the natural disaster was 1,833 (World Health Organization, 2015). In 2007 and 2011, the state experienced deadliest tornados that claimed the lives of hundreds of citizens.
The nature of these disasters explains why the state should come up with one of the best crisis intervention plans in order to safeguard the lives of many people. The Mississippi Crisis Plan outlines adequate elements that make it easier for the state to respond to a wide range of disasters and natural events. These elements can be borrowed by the state in order to deal with some of the common catastrophes known to affect the experiences of many people (Crandall et al., 2012).
However, there are some elements of the Mississippi Crisis Plan that are missing for this state. The first one is the use of effective operational coordination. In Mississippi, different agencies and departments are required to respond to different events or catastrophes. This situation indicates that there are specific departments that respond to fire outbreaks and those that focus on cyber attacks (World Health Organization, 2015).
This kind of operation has proved effective for the state. However, the nature of events and crises experienced in Alabama explain why operational coordination can be embraced in order to promote effectiveness. By so doing, more emergency and social work professionals will come together, identify the right resources, and use their competencies to address different calamities experienced in the state.
Public warning systems are critical whenever planning to respond and address different natural disasters. The Mississippi Crisis Plan many focuses on public information in order to ensure more communities and populations are aware of possible disasters. Alabama should go a step further to implement powerful public warning systems (Crandall et al., 2012). This element will ensure more people are informed and aware of potential disasters before they strike. The gathered information can make it easier for the individuals to implement powerful measures to minimize the impacts of such disasters.
Every family in the state can be encouraged to come up with a disaster intervention plan. This kind of plan is capable of minimizing the implications of typhoons and hurricanes whenever they occur (Crandall et al., 2012). When the element is embraced by family members in Mississippi and Alabama, the agencies required to respond to such disasters will have their roles simplified. The combined efforts of different agencies and stakeholders will make it easier for the states to deal with such disasters. Consequently, the number of casualties recorded after such disasters can be minimized significantly.
This discussion therefore shows clearly that the implementation of evidence-based and sustainable disaster intervention strategies is a powerful safety valve for disasters. It is also appropriate to identify the right personnel, resources, and ideas in order to ensure the interventions can deliver positive results. Drills can also be conducted periodically to test the effectiveness of the disaster management systems or plans (World Health Organization, 2015). By so doing, the state of Alabama will find it easier to deal with some of the disasters that occur in the state frequently.
References
Butts, C., Acton, R., & Marcum, C. (2012). Interorganizational collaboration in the Hurricane Katrina response. Journal of Social Structure, 13(1), 1-36.
Crandall, W., Parnell, J., & Spillan, J. (2012). Crisis management: Leading in the new strategy landscape. New York, NY: Sage.
Framingham, J., & Teasley, M. (2012). Behavioral health response to disasters. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
James, R., & Gilliland, B. (2013). Crisis intervention strategies. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
Schneider, S. (2014). Dealing with disaster: Public management in crisis situations. New York, NY: Routledge.
World Health Organization. (2015). Emergency response framework. Web.