Final answer:
Crisis management plans and escalation pathways are typically prepared by top-level stakeholders in organizations or governments. The National Security Council in the United States, for instance, created a detailed guide for pandemic preparedness, indicating the involvement of experts in the field. However, when key positions are unfilled and concerns from experts unheeded, readiness to respond to crises is compromised.
Step-by-step explanation:
Who prepares a crisis management plan and escalation pathway? Typically, the responsibility for creating a crisis management plan and an escalation pathway resides with top-level stakeholders within an organization or government, such as the National Security Council (NSC). These stakeholders have the authority to mobilize resources and coordinate efforts among various departments and agencies. For example, the Playbook for Early Response to High-Consequence Emerging Infectious Disease Threats and Biological Incidents was a comprehensive guide developed by the NSC in 2016 that delineated actions to be taken during a significant health security crisis such as a pandemic.
The creation of a crisis management plan involves collaboration among various experts, including epidemiologists, public health officials, security advisors, and medical preparedness experts. As evidenced by historical events like the pandemic preparedness exercise performed by the transition teams of Presidents Obama and Trump, such planning is vital for safeguarding public health and national security. When funding is cut and key positions go unfilled or eliminated - as occurred under the Trump administration in 2018 - it undermines the capability and readiness to effectively manage and respond to a crisis, a concern that experts like Luciana Borio, director of medical and biodefense preparedness at the NSC, echoed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.