Based on your readings from the text and your own research, do you think the average citizen expects too much from the various levels of government when it comes to disaster management or terrorism related matters? Consider all 4 phases of disaster management. Why do you think citizens are the way you think they are?
I think this question is complex in terms of what an average expects regarding the various levels of government involvement during disaster management or terrorism. I can say that citizens could understand that once a disaster occurs, the government will intervene to assist with aid and medical care. However, we must realize that all instances are not deemed worthy of government intervention and must fit the government’s requirements and criteria. Minor incidents can be handled on the local or state levels without the federal government’s involvement. Furthermore, in our class, we learned the Emergency Management System phases: preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, and prevention. Since these systems are in place, it is essential to use these resources. Collaboration from various agencies is vital, especially after a disaster.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the federal government intervened and sent out relief through stimulus checks and vaccinations. Some people used these resources, and some possibly took advantage of a terrible situation. Louisiana’s citizens may also think differently about the government’s involvement during Hurricane Katrina. For instance, people who experienced Hurricane Katrina believed that the government did not fully intervene in how they responded. They thought the response was slow. Darr et al. mentioned,” The governmental response to Hurricane Katrina was widely criticized for failures at all levels” (Darr et al., 2019, para 14). With that information, the government or the agencies who did respond can change their response plan to serve communities impacted during a disaster. Therefore, feedback is vital so the government can retrieve the data and adjust accordingly. So to answer whether the average citizen expects too much from the government during a disaster or terrorism, I believe yes. I think people think that the government has this unbelievable power to change nature or 100 % protect us from terrorist attacks. I believe this to be similar to the CSI Effect in law enforcement. We can blame that on television shows where it shows the United States defeating any conflict that we are in. Also, it shows where they are rebuilding communities without stress. As you know, that is not the case. Dealing with the aftermath of a disaster or terrorism is stressful for all. We must understand that the government is not the only answer; Jesus Christ is.
Does the government over promise and under deliver?
I think the government sends out a false hope. We all want to feel safe in this country, free of terrorism and other disasters. But I believe the government has the reputation that the United States is free from terrorist attacks. Terrorism is something that we have to defend either from international, domestic, and cyber attacks. The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, showed us that our country is not free from these attacks. The United States has the resources to send a clear message to these terrorists to show them they will not get away with killing innocent American people. We as Christians must pray for our country and ask Jesus Christ to place His hand on it and protect it. 2 Samuel 22:3-4 says,” My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies” (English Standard Bible, 2001/2016). Jesus Christ is our protection; only He can protect us from any disaster. Again, terrorism is something that we will have to defend from now to the end of time. We need to report suspicious behaviors to the proper authority. Standing and watching is not going to help us fight terrorism. We must play our part to assist in keeping our country safe.
Finally, share your thoughts about the course. Did this course cause you to change your mind or opinion about anything related to homeland security? What was it? Why or why not? Maybe something was reinforced—if so, explain. What was the most important thing you learned in this course and why?
I do not think this course changed my mind about homeland security. I believe Homeland Security and Disaster Management Systems can work if applied correctly. I think it is vital for a unified system when a disaster happens so that the impacted areas can receive the resources that they need to sustain. Rebuilding must be a collective effort from all forms of government. Therefore, this course showed me a different perspective and helped me understand Homeland Security. I will use this information in my current position as a supervisor in law enforcement. Last week, I was assigned to write an Operational Plan for a special event. I used the tools I learned in this class to write a detailed plan. My administration thought the Operational Plan was well-written, and the event ended with no significant issues. Homeland Security can work, but it must be correctly applied.
References
Darr, J. P., Cate, S. D., & Moak, D. S. (2019). Who’ll Stop the Rain? Repeated Disasters and Attitudes Toward Government. Social Science Quarterly, 100(7), 2581–2593. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.12633
English Standard Bible. (2016). Crossway Bibles. (Original work published 2001)
Reply 2. Samantha
Do you think the average citizen expects too much from the various levels of government when it comes to disaster management or terrorism-related matters? Why do you think citizens are the way you think they are? Does the government overpromise and underdeliver?
To begin, the role government plays within the realm of homeland security and emergency management is that of one who prepares and protects the citizens within the community. The safety of the community is also said to be the responsibility of the government in times of emergency or critical incidents, along with the response for assistance (Patimes, 2016). Although there is much I believe the government should be responsible for and provide as most citizens do not have the capabilities or resources to do such things, I do believe the average citizen expects too much from the government in times of need. This is not to generalize and say all citizens are being “lazy” or “too dependent,” however, with the assistance of the government in helping the community be able to prepare and sustain themselves in times of disaster, individuals will be more successful in being able to handle their own. Again, in the categories of response and recovery, that oftentimes involves the use of many resources so there should not be an expectation of the individual citizen to be able to handle those on their own.
In reference to the mitigation and preparedness phases, an individual who takes personal responsibility for not only themselves, but their family, friends, and community, is assisting in preparedness within the community. As mentioned by Patimes (2014), the response and recovery phases may have a longer wait for some areas, depending on the incident and the size of the area. With this, it is essential for emergency managers to teach and provide training to citizens that could potentially reduce the loss of life and property. Patimes (2014), also addressed how community engagement with the local and state emergency managers can assist in bridging the gap between first responders and the community, and in turn, during a time of disaster or critical incident, the bond and relationship have strengthened prior and the response from both the government and first responder agencies is stronger, as is the response and efforts from the community.
I believe we, as a nation, have created such an environment where individuals are dependent on everyone else more often than not than to rely on themselves for preparedness, response, recovery, and protection. I would not pinpoint the exact time or scenario that shifted the ideals of this country; however, within the last 40-50 years, many people rely on everyone else for everything they need. The lack of wanting to work or take care of oneself has slowly faded away and the government, in various times of need, has assisted in continuing this behavior. Without bringing politics into this post too much, we have seen, since 2020, the dependence citizens of this nation have on the government has increased significantly. The majority of this came from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Finally, share your thoughts about the course. Did this course cause you to change your mind or opinion about anything related to homeland security? What was it? Why or why not? Maybe something was reinforced—if so, explain. What was the most important thing you learned in this course and why?
This course opened my eyes to the many facets of homeland security and emergency management. In the years with my agency, I have been deployed on two hurricane deployments, responding to an affected area and offering response and recovery efforts. Throughout this course, I have recalled those two deployments and what went into the “behind the scenes” aspects, which really opened my eyes to the amount of work, preparation, and knowledge required to utilize all 4 phases and ensure they are effective and life-saving. I believe the most important thing I learned throughout this course was not necessarily text-related but that a topic I am not too familiar or comfortable with, I can grow to learn and love. The course has been great and very knowledgeable. I will leave with Luke 21:36 says, “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Crossway, 2016).