Final answer:
The four phases of emergency management are mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, involving reducing hazard risks, planning, emergency response, and community restoration, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The four phases of emergency management are mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. These phases are critical in effectively dealing with disasters and emergencies, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other crises that threaten public safety and infrastructure.
- Mitigation involves taking steps to reduce or eliminate the risk to people and property from hazards and their effects. This can include implementing building codes, floodplain management, and the design and application of structures that can withstand the force of natural hazards.
- Preparedness is about creating plans and procedures for when an emergency occurs, including education and training for emergency responders and the public.
- Response entails the mobilization of the necessary emergency services and first responders in the area affected by the disaster.
- Recovery involves actions taken to return the community to normal or improved conditions following a disaster.
These phases work collaboratively to ensure resilience of the critical national infrastructure and support civil defense and emergency preparedness measures. The importance of these phases became evident in the criticism of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during and after Hurricane Katrina for its failure to effectively coordinate and utilize available rescue infrastructure, which is part of the response phase.