MOS6801 Final Exam (November 2018)

MOS 6801 Emergency Management

Final Exam

QUESTION 1

Why does it seem that disaster response and recovery mistakes continue to repeat themselves, often in the same locations? Describe how the tragic response to Hurricane Katrina reflected similar failures in the past. What can be done to stop this repetition?

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

QUESTION 2

Pick one of the following key focusing events, and describe the events that led to the disaster, key lessons learned, corrective actions, and any significant impacts to politics, emergency management practices, laws, policy or regulations that occurred as a result: Mississippi Flood of 1927, Great Dust Bowl of 1930’s, Texas City Explosion of 1947, or the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918.

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

QUESTION 3

The textbook discussed one important aspect of major focusing events and the political issues that can affect response and recovery efforts. In major catastrophes, such as Hurricane Katrina or the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, political controversies and agendas may cause independent actions by lawmakers that detract from disaster response and recovery efforts. Discuss the dynamic that causes this phenomenon, and describe what actions can be taken to reduce the likelihood of this occurring or would minimize the impact.

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

QUESTION 4

Describe the formation of DHS. What changes to DHS and FEMA were made following Hurricane Katrina? Why?

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

QUESTION 5

Describe the communications confusion problems that inhibited effective response and recovery from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. What caused these problems and what actions would you recommend to prevent similar communications confusion in future major focusing events.

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

QUESTION 6

Describe the crisis management difficulties in response to the BP Deepwater Horizon. What were the competing directives that could be considered governing for this disaster? What problems did this cause in execution of response and recovery actions? In your view, which directive should have been invoked, and why? Has this competing directive gap been rectified?

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.