We deal with many emergencies in our daily life. Almost everyone has seen and dealt with such situations. What will you do if you see a house on fire? How will you react if you see a flash flood coming your way? What will be your first response in case of a traffic accident or a bomb blast? What if any disastrous situation comes up in your community? Undoubtedly, your response will be a raw one. And you can’t fully respond because you have never been trained enough for such a situation.
Table of Contents
What is emergency management?
Emergency management refers to handling, organizing, and managing available resources and responsibilities. It mainly refers to the humanitarian aspect of emergencies. It consists of four different phases. These are;
- Mitigation (These are actions taken to prevent and reduce the potential risk of disaster)
- Preparedness (These are actions taken to reduce the impact of disaster after the failure of mitigation)
- Response (Actions taken immediately after an emergency, such as providing first aid)
- Recovery (It consists of actions taken to assess the damage and rebuilding process)
Providing services in emergency medicine is not an easy task, and it requires a lot of knowledge, skill, and professionalism. It needs proper education like other disciplines. Emergency management students take classes to learn the skills necessary for dealing with such dangerous situations.
Skills needed to be a good emergency management specialist:
1. Proper education:
A person who deals with complex and dangerous emergency cases requires proper education like a bachelor’s and master’s degree and knowledge. A lot of institutions also offer online masters in emergency management. And students register for these classes in high numbers considering the online facility.
An emergency management specialist must have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. He must have the experience to deal in public safety and associated fields. A certification from a recognized firm can add more experience, reliance, and specialty to his abilities and educational capacity.
2. Absorbing the pressure:
A person who works in high-pressure areas and circumstances must have the ability to stay calm. Such situations test the nerves of a human being. A strong temperament is an essential tool to counter risky situations. The ability to absorb the pressure gives you confidence and boosts your morale. Therefore, you must have this key to save the lives and properties of people.
3. Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills:
A good emergency management specialist should be an excellent critical thinker. His mental availability and ability to analyze the situation properly can lead to better results. He should have good judgment ability and evaluation capacity. He also should be a good problem solver. He should be able to draw conclusions based on the available data and act accordingly.
4. Research:
Research is a core requirement of knowledge about the regions prone to disasters. A good emergency management specialist should also be a good researcher. Prior research about the fieldwork can give him a lead in managing disastrous situations. He can also make strategic plans if he has proper research about a specific area. Therefore, research can provide a better understanding of the type and location of the disaster.
5. Ability to lead:
A successful plan, a victorious mission, and a triumphant expedition need a good leader. The ability to lead is natural, but sometimes it comes with experience. A good emergency manager must have the quality to be a good leader. He should guide his team in the time of need. He must not hesitate to undertake the responsibility of leadership if time and situation demand so. He should lead by example and prove himself as a guide.
6. Physical fitness:
Working in disastrous situations such as floods, earthquakes, bombing, accidents, fire, and other natural and artificial disasters needs you to be physically fit and strong. A high level of physical energy is a must for dealing with such unwanted circumstances. You can only offer your help to someone if you are physically fit yourself. Therefore, a good emergency manager must focus on his physical fitness to counter the extremes of cold and heat, reach someone in time, or lift a person or heavier thing.
7. Strategic planning and organizational ability:
No mission can taste success without a proper plan and strategy. You must be an excellent planner. Planning keeps you ready while handling the situations that are on your way. Proper planning also leads to organized work. Plan execution needs plan making, strategic thinking, discussion, and distribution of tasks. Organizing ability is the primary requirement for the successful completion of a plan. Planning community outreach programs and implementing them always lead to better results.
8. Excellent communication capability and teamwork:
A high level of communication between co-workers and teamwork are the core ingredients of successful management of emergencies. He should know his department’s communication skills and other related departments.
No team can win without good teamwork. Everyone must join hands in hands to offer the expected help. A team is like a chain; a single break can be fatal.
9. High motivation level:
No mission can be successful without motivation. Hope brings motivation. Therefore, you must be hopeful about the results of your mission. Providing your motivational energy to your teammates and people in unwanted conditions can bring a wave of positivity and a ray of light. Victims of disasters need hope and motivation, and a good emergency management specialist must offer them these.
10. Flexible nature:
Flexibility in decision-making and making the right decisions in response to changing circumstances are critical to achieving the intended outcomes. Adapting to changing situations must be the core principle of a person working in undesired conditions. He should be able to make quick decisions and modify them if time demands so. Therefore, developing a flexible approach can help you cope with uneasy circumstances.
11. Readiness for sacrifice:
An emergency management worker plays with fire, bombs, water, and extremes of heights. He should be mentally ready to offer his life if needed. He should not hesitate to sacrifice his body and soul. He must be available for any possibility and never back off if the time comes. The readiness to sacrifice for people and the country is all that is necessary at the time of demand.
Conclusion:
People who work in a state of emergency are the only hope for people stuck in disastrous situations. Everyone wants to help, but not everybody can. It needs people of strong will, with in-depth knowledge and polished skills. A good emergency management specialist requires proper guidance, education, and professional efficiency.
Many educational institutes provide physical and online courses and equip an emergency manager with everything he needs to be a good one. An emergency management specialist must possess the following basic skills: good education, research ability, high communicational level, teamwork, leadership abilities, strategic planning, handling stressful situations, and a flexible temperament.