Unit 4 Individual Project

Task

You are a captain on a fire department and recently tested applicants for your volunteer force. Twenty of the 35 applicants passed the written and physical agility test. Ten of the remaining 20 satisfactorily completed the oral board interview. All evaluative processes were conducted in the same manner (i.e., written and physical agility tests were exactly the same for all applicants, and the oral board questions were identical for all applicants). A background check on all remaining applicants revealed that one person had an arrest for theft in the last 3 years. The disposition showed that a plea to a lesser offense was entered and the applicant just recently came off of a 6-month probation. This applicant was denied entry into the department as a volunteer.

You received notification that the applicant with the theft charge filed an EEOC complaint against the department citing that he felt he was denied due to his Hispanic background. Your fire chief has asked you to provide a report of your evaluation of this applicant and identify whether there were any possible discriminatory practices.

Assignment Guidelines

• Although you were involved in the testing process, you are unaware of whether any of the allegations made by the applicant are truthful. It is extremely important to address these issues from a serious and professional standpoint.
• Address the following in 600–800 words:
  • How would you respond to this claim?
    • What would be your initial reaction? Why?
  • Briefly summarize what constitutes racial profiling from a legal standpoint, and identify any actions the department may have taken that could have resulted in such a claim.
  • What steps would you take to investigate this claim?
    • Where would you begin the investigation? Why?
    • Who would you be able to interrogate? Department staff? The applicant in question? Other recruit applicants? Explain.
• Based on what you have learned about employment and labor relations laws, do you believe this was a discriminatory incident? Why or why not?
• Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.

Task 2

As a student in emergency management, it is imperative that you not only understand the academic aspects of the field; you must also have the capacity to apply the academic material in a practical manner. You should consistently use local resources such as newspapers, local news reports, Web sites, and other governmental and private-sector communication mediums to ensure that you have a thorough, practical understanding of the hazards facing individual communities.

This understanding will help you better understand and ally the academic material, which in turn will not only make you a more successful student but will also aid in your chosen professional endeavors.

Assignment Guidelines

• Choose a city or county in the United States, and write a 1,000 word essay that fully explains 5 significant hazards (natural or technical) associated with the city or county.
  • Provide a brief description of the chosen city, town, or county.
    • Describe the population, infrastructure, and any previous hazards (if applicable).
  • Select and list your hazards.
    • Describe the causes and effects of each of your selected hazards.
    • What strategies would most effectively mitigate each hazard that you have outlined?
• Ensure that you appropriately cite all sources using APA format and list all sources on a bibliography.