Emergency Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Emergency Management - Essay Example Safety training is a broad course that encompasses knowledge and use of specialized gear, self-defense techniques, environmental hazard studies, site evaluations, rescue operations and staff health and fitness curriculum. The paper delves into each of these topics explaining how each contributes to the improvement of emergency responder’s rescue capabilities and job performance. To what degree does safety training effectively improve emergency responder’s rescue capabilities and job performance? Disasters and emergencies can occur at any time and this requires the emergency responders to be prepared to handle such emergencies. In the United States, emergencies occur on a daily basis and emergency responders are required to answer the calls for help from citizens and take on jobs which have high potential risks. Emergencies can either be single or a series of incidents which cause disruptions in normal activities or threaten human life, property or assets if they are not immediately put under control, stabilized or contained. Emergency responders deal with a range of emergencies from the small scale everyday incidences that affect individuals and families to the large scale disasters which affect nations such as hurricanes, terrorist attacks and earthquakes (La Tourrette, 2003). The response to disasters over the last decade has raised questions regarding the effectiveness and capabilities of emergency responders. The response to emergencies has been found to be wanting. This has raised the need for emergency responders to be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge through safety training for them to be effectively prepared for such emergencies. Emergency responders are usually deployed on the scene of a disaster or emergency to assist in rescue efforts. They may also be deployed to these sites to safeguard property, evacuate the victims from buildings, and provide any form of medical assistance to the victims (La Tourrette, 2003). Emergen cy responders who engage in rescue activities during such incidents include fire fighters, emergency medical personnel, and law enforcement agencies. Fire fighters are usually assigned the role of containing substances which are hazardous, putting out fires as well as the search and rescue of disaster victims. Emergency medical personnel usually assist in the rescue operations by providing medical care to injured victims. Law enforcement agencies, on the other hand, are responsible for maintaining law and order in the scene of the disaster, restriction of access to the disaster scene and the removal of injured and contaminated individuals from the scene of the disaster (Beaton, 2002). For emergency responders to perform their functions safely and effectively, safety training is expected. Safety training programs which are administered play a significant role in enhancing the response to emergencies and disasters. They can be broken down into workplace safety practices, safety practi ces in the line of duty and testing of physical wellness and fitness. The safety training helps emergency responders to understand their individual functions and responsibilities at the scene of the disaster. Accordingly, the different categories of emergency r