Portland State University The Professional in Emergency Management Syllabus Course Number: PA 410/510 Instructor: Lucien G. Canton Contact Info: lcanton@luciencanton.com Office Hours: As applicable Course Meetings Times: September 14, 15 & November 30, December 1 Course Description What are the key traits of today's Emergency Management professional? What core, foundational knowledge is essential for those called to serve in an emergency management role? This gateway course explores the history, doctrines, and authorities of emergency management as a discipline as well as the role of the emergency manager in the post September 11, 2011 world. It provides the background of this emerging field, a theoretical foundation for emergency management and homeland security issues, a description of the advancement steps from operational practitioner to professional, an understanding of existing recognition programs including certification and credentialing, and the use of empowerment in various governance structures. Learning Objectives Upon completion of this course, students will: Understand and be able to describe the profession of emergency management. Be familiar with the Principles of Emergency Management and theories relevant to emergency management. Be familiar with the history of emergency management in the United States.
Know how, and why, the field of emergency management changed after the events of September 11, 2001. Understand the nature of risk and the subjective nature of crises, disasters, and catastrophes. Be familiar with government regulations and requirements, including the National Incident Management System. Understand governance issues (e.g., where and how emergency management fits in the community, in government, and business; governance and organizational structures; and the process for declaring an emergency). Understand professional development in emergency management, and how to balance education, training, and experience. Have knowledge of emergency management certification (types and processes). Understand the foundations of the process of emergency management planning. Understand concepts of public- private partnerships (e.g., building relationships, mutual aid agreements and compacts). Integration of Overarching Themes Leadership is integral to emergency management. As part of the coursework, students will: Identify success factors characteristic of professional emergency managers, Gain an understanding of techniques for leading in crisis, and Learn several crisis decision- making models. The Whole Community concept will be integrated the course in the context of various government approaches to involving the private sector and providing critical infrastructure protection. This will include comparison with previous initiatives such as Project Impact. Students may integrate concerns regarding the Cascadia Region into the final class project.
Readings Required Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2007, September 11). Emergency Management Priniciples. Retrieved from FEMA Higher Education Program: http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu/emprinciples.asp McEntire, D. (2004, June 8). The Status of Emergency Management Theory: Issues, barriers and recommendations for improved scholarship. Retrieved from FEMA Higher Education Program: http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu/highpapers.asp Quarantelli, E. L. (2000). Emergencies, disasters, and catastrophes are different phenomena. Retrieved from University of Delaware: http://dspace.udel.edu:8080/dspace/handle/19716/674 Quarentelli, E. L. (1997). Research based criteria for evaluating disaster planning and managment. Retrieved from University of Delaware: http://dspace.udel.edu:8080/dspace/handle/19716/136 Stehr, S. D. (2007). The Changing Roles and Responsibilities of the Local Emergency Manager: An Empirical Study. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, 37-55. Waugh, W. L., & Tierney, K. (Eds.). (2007). Emergency Management: Principles and practices for local government. Washington, DC: ICMA Press. Recommended Canton, L. G. (2007). Emergency Management: Concepts and strategies for effective programs. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Chapters 1-3, 7 Drabek, T. E. (1987). The Professional Emergency Manager:Structures and strategies for success. Boulder, CO: University of Colorado Institute of Behavioral Science. Drabek, T. E. (1990). Emergency Management: Strategies for Maintaining Organizational Integrity. New York, NY: Springer- Verlag New York. Rubin, C. B. (Ed.). (2012). Emergency Management: The American experience. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. US Congress. (2007, June). Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended, and Related Authorities as of June 2007. Retrieved from FEMA: https://www.fema.gov/library/viewrecord.do?fromsearch=fromsearch&id=3564 US Government. (2002). 44 Code of Federal Regulations: Emergency management and assistance. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.
Youngs, G. A. (2009). Constructing Theory for Emergency Managers: A Principles- Based Approach. Ideas From an Emerging Field: Teaching Emergency Management in Higher Education (pp. 37-49). Fairfax, VA: Public Entity Risk Institure. Course Expectations Attendance at all class sessions is mandatory. A significant amount of the material will be covered during class sessions. Furthermore, graduate level classes rely upon vibrant and intellectual discussion. If you are absent from class you will miss the opportunity to contribute to this discussion and fail to benefit from the insight of other class participants. If you are going to be absent from class please notify me by e- mail prior to class. Participation in the online learning component (using Desire2Learn) is mandatory. The topics to be covered online, during Weeks 2, 4, 6, an 8 of the term, are listed in the course schedule below. The use of cell phones, Blackberry devices, iphones, and MP3 players are prohibited from the classroom environment. If you have a special circumstance that requires you to monitor a cell phone and/or pager please inform me. The use of notebook computers to facilitate learning is permitted. During class, however, you must refrain from engaging in any non- class related activities. Your attention is to be fully directed toward class activities. All course participants are expected to abide by PSU s policy on academic integrity (http://www.pdx.edu/dos/conductcode). Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will results in a grade of a zero for the work involved. If, in the judgment of the instructor the case warrants it, a course grade may result in an F and/or referral to the University for further action. A course syllabus may be considered as a contract between the professor and the students. This syllabus includes all expectations for performance in the class, including deadlines for assignments. If you have questions about any of these expectations, please ask them sooner rather than later. Any changes in the course requirements or schedule will be communicated in class. If you have a disability and are in need of academic accommodations, please notify me immediately to arrange needed supports. Assignments Core Assignments Students will be assigned positions on a jurisdictional planning team. Each student will be given a controversial topic and must prepare a paper delineating their organization s position on the issue. The position paper will be expected to present a summary of the problem from the perspective of the
assigned organization, the position that the organization is taking on the issue, and a discussion of facts relevant to that position (e.g. alternatives considered, resource impacts, legal restrictions, etc.). The student will then provide an oral summary of the position to the group and defend their position by responding to questions from other members of the team. The team will reconcile the conflicting positions through a facilitated planning meeting. The students will be expected to arrive at a consensus decision that resolves the issue under discussion while not alienating any of the participating organizations. The students will then develop a concept through group discussion for presenting their proposed solution to the local disaster council. The concept should at a minimum address who will be the group spokesperson, who will be present at the presentation, what key information will be provided in the presentation, and what questions are likely to be raised by the council members. Completion of the following FEMA subcourses: IS120 An Introduction to Exercises IS 230 Fundamentals of Emergency Management IS 235 Emergency Planning IS 240 Leadership and Influence IS241 Decision Making and Problem Solving IS 242 Effective Communication IS 244 Managing Volunteers Completion of these subcourses fulfill the FEMA requirements for a certificate of completion of the Professional Development Series. Additional Assignment for Graduate Students Graduate students will prepare an issue paper on one of the following topics: 1) the relationship between Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 2) a comparison of recovery programs pre- and post- Hurricane Katrina, or 3) the causes of success or failure of mitigation programs. This paper must adhere to graduate- level standards of quality (e.g., writing, critical thought).
Grading There will be five methods of evaluation that will determine your course grade: Undergraduate Graduate FEMA subcourses 10% 10% Position paper 20% 20% Presentation/defense of position paper 20% 20% Participate in problem resolution 20% 20% Participate in classroom/online discussions 30% 15% Issue paper N/A 15% Grades will be determined as follows: A =93% A- = 90% B+=87% B = 83% B- = 80 C+=77% C =73% C- = 70% D+=67% D =63% D- = 60% F below60% Date (Week 1, Day 1) Historical context Course Schedule Civil Defense origins History of disaster relief policy Emergency of modern emergency management September 11 th and the rise of Homeland Security Principles of Emergency Management Professional Development Core competencies Ethics
Standards Certification Emergency Management Programs Governance Issues Legal issues Accreditation and assessment Emergency Management Principles Stehr 2007 Waugh & Tierney, Chapters 1-4, 12 Completion of IS 230 recommended Date (Week 1, Day 2) Concept of risk and the nature of disaster Disaster declarations and relief programs Emergency planning concepts Emergency management planning national level NIMS DHS/FEMA planning concepts and guidance Emergency management planning local level Quarantelli 2000 Quarantelli 1997 Waugh & Tierney, Chapters 5, 7-10 Completion of IS 235 recommended
Date (Week 2) Mitigation as the cornerstone of emergency management Waugh & Tierney, Chapter 6 Date (Week 4) Recovery issues Recovery planning Waugh & Tierney, Chapter 11 Date (Week 6) Crisis communications and emerging technologies Waugh & Tierney, Chapter 14 Date (Week 8) Social vulnerability and functional needs planning Waugh & Tierney, Chapter 13
Date (Week 10, Day 1) Political dimensions Planning meeting exercise Waugh & Tierney, Chapter 15 IS 240 IS 242 Date (Week 10, Day 2) Crisis management and leadership Future trends and directions for emergency management McEntire 2004 Waugh & Tierney Chapter 16 IS 241