Our Previous Samples

Visit the websites for your state  homeland security office. Where in government is this office? What grants and other resources/assistance does it provide to local governments and citizens of the state? Is this office collocated with the Office of Emergency Management, or is it a separate office? What is the experience of the head or lead executive of the office?

What is the goal of emergency management in regards to the terrorism threat? How does the terrorism hazard differ from its natural and technological counterparts? How do states respond to terrorist threats?

Examine the future of emergency management, challenges facing emergency management including the impact of climate change, cybersecurity and all hazards, mitigation and the National Flood Insurance Program, national leadership and institutional change and the recent Russian hack on the United states infrastructures or government offices.

Recovery

Recovery involves decisions and actions relative to rebuilding homes, replacing property, resuming employment, restoring businesses, and permanently repairing and rebuilding infrastructure. This week let's discuss recovery using the following questions as our guide. Remember to write a full paragraph per question and provide constructive feedback to 2 other students. Your feedback must be addressed to particular student(s) to get full credit. 

1. What are the National Response Plan and the National Response Framework?

2. How would you describe recovery.

3. Describe the National Disaster Recovery Framework Initiative.

4. Discuss the following:

    a. Disaster Housing Program

    b. Individuals and Households Program

    c. Disaster Unemployment Assistance

    d. Crisis Counseling

    e. Cora Brown Fund

    f. Special Tax Considerations

5. What are the FEMA's Public Assistance Program?

Explain how water facilities and other utilities can be targets of terrorist acts.  Provide specific examples. Describe and assess the various threats to food and agriculture that concern the task of homeland security.

Select an Emergency Management issues topic/problem to define, describe the scope and consequences of the problem, and assess society’s responses to the problem (including public policies and other less formal responses). Papers should also present a clearly reasoned alternative that is supported by scholarly research.

While the following example can be modified to suit your needs, using this outline as a guide will likely result in a high-quality final paper:

Title
Abstract
What is the topic problem?
Why does this problem qualify as a “emergency management issue”?
What are the individual and social implications of this problem? Discussion of implications should be supported by accurate research data.
What do the experts say about the problem?
What have we, as a society, done about this problem? Again, consider public policies and other, less formal responses.
How is this working?
Describe an alternative.
Discuss why the alternative is, or can be, an effective response to the problem. Remember to consider negative consequences of the alternative response.
Conclude with reflections and thoughts about your chosen social problem. This is a good place to include personal opinions, assuming you wish to share them in a research paper.
 

 
The Research Paper:

Must be 10 to 15 double-spaced pages in length and formatted according to APA style.
Must include a title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted.

Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
Must use at least five scholarly resources.
Must document all sources in APA style
Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style.

Communication            

Communication is very vital in the awareness and the reduction of the impact of hazards on life, health, property, animals, etc. This week we'll discuss the various ways communications assist in awareness and reduction of impact of hazards and the various avenues and techniques used. Choose ANY FIVE QUESTIONS and write a minimum of one full paragraph on each question 300 words or more, and provide constructive feedback to 2 other student telling them what they did well or what they need to improve on.

1. What do you understand by the mission(s) of an effective disaster communication strategy on page 140?

2. Discuss the 5 critical assumptions for a successful communication strategy.

3. What parties must be involved in providing timely and accurate information to decision makers?

4. Do the media have a responsibility to warn the public about disasters? Why?

5. Describe the role can social media play in communicating disasters?

6. How has social media changed the way information is collected and disseminated about a disaster?

7. The book talked about 7 ways to create effective disaster communication - Discuss all 7. Note the keyword is discuss, not list.

Evaluate the role and purpose of the ODNI.  Is this a feasible administrative structure given the many competing government interests?

Assess, in detail, the role of the FBI in the intelligence process.

 How did the disasters of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina each affect the effectiveness of FEMA? How did each effect public perception of the government's ability to provide for the safety and security of its citizens?

Compare and contrast the structure of the DHS at the federal and state levels. Point out the significant differences.

The federal government cannot carry out local and regional requirements of DHS to its large size, which correlates to the level of its effectiveness.   Because of this, state and local governments must implement and adopt homeland policies that are consistent with DHS policy.  State entities must also provide a structural entity for state protections by coordinating the needs of the governor’s office, Homeland Security Director, state emergency management office, other state agencies, local government, private sector, volunteer organizations and federal government.  Sizable portions of government funding are used to provide homeland security protocols and various homeland functions.

Reference:

Nemeth, Charles P. Homeland Security: An Introduction to Principles and Practice 4th edition 2021

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