Resources
Within the resource needs analysis we need to specify:
- what resources are needed to address the various potential problems;
- what resources are available to meet those needs;
- where those resources are located;
- what the shortfall is between needed resources and available resources; and
- were shortfall resources can be sourced.
The next logical step in the planning process is to identify and specify the appropriate options for the provision of the required resources. The examples below illustrate different approaches to resource allocation.
Example 1 An example of this is where a large municipal area identified a need for a machine that would fill sand bags in order to protect properties from flood. They had the financial capability and bought the machine. Adjoining municipal areas also identified a need for a similar machine but did not have the same financial capability. The owners of the machine have agreed to hire their machine to the other areas, provided they do not need it themselves. The areas with less financial capability accept the risk that the machine might not be available when they might need it and have incorporated this arrangement in their plans. This was one example of a small local government planning for external operational aid. |
Another example is that of an industrial estate where a number of the companies on the estate have formed a mutual aid group which provides the group’s resources for the benefit of any member company in times of emergency. This makes sense because it keeps the costs down for each member and also, if there is a problem on one site, it could quickly affect the others if it was not fixed.
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Take a moment to think about communities that you may know of who have considered the need for external aid to support their response activities. Can you provide any examples that you know? Once again, jot your answers down on a piece of paper before continuing. These are examples of local area arrangements. Can you now think of some examples of regional arrangements for the provision of external operational aid? |
There are many examples of where the provision of external operational equipment is planned.
This raises another issue. We should not limit ourselves to thinking only of equipment; resources include materials and human resources.
There are examples where regional, national and even international stockpiles of materials such as foam and oil dispersant or other materials have had to be accessed.
Human resources
In terms of human resources accessing national and international expertise is considered to be a normal aspect of the management of a significant event.
But I am forced to wonder how often the calls for the necessary external operational aid have been late and misdirected because they have not been part of the planning process undertaken prior to an event occurring.
Within Australia there is an Australian Disaster Plan (Ausdisplan) which is a general contingency plan to meet state and territory requests for federal physical assistance from any type of disaster.
This plan details how to seek the assistance and the criteria which need to be satisfied before the assistance will be provided. For example:
- assistance is required to save life or property, or to relieve suffering;
- the task is beyond the resources of the affected state and territory, or they cannot be mobilised in time;
- the task cannot be undertaken by commercial means available within the affected state or territory.
In Australia each state and territory has a designated person who has the authority and responsibility to seek federal assistance. The aid would probably not be provided if the request did not come through the designated person.
It is also a very important feature of this established process that the request for external operational aid is couched in terms of the task that is needing to be done, not what resources the requesting person think they might need.
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Why do you think it is important for requests for external operational aid to be couched in terms of the tasks? Jot your thoughts down on a piece of paper before proceeding. |
The person requesting external operational aid will probably not know the resource availability and its limitations. For example, a person might be faced with a problem of feeding some cattle that have been isolated by floods. They might think that they best way of solving their problem is to get a helicopter to pick up the fodder and drop it to the cattle. They ring up and ask for a helicopter. They might be told: Sorry we don’t have a helicopter available.
It might also be possible that they are told: Yes, you can have a helicopter; and it is now on the way. When it arrives you find it is a two seater reconnaissance helicopter; they have not brought any fodder with them and have a very limited capacity to carry additional loads. How would you like to explain your way out of that one?
Alternatively if the person requesting the aid had said: ‘I have 400 cattle needing fodder’, the provider of the aid might have a boat or cargo plane able to deliver the fodder or they are able to suggest another appropriate way by which they will accomplish the task.
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Read Textbook: Carter, Chapter 4, pp. 19-22, Chapters 9 and 13, Chapter 16. Textbook: Disaster mitigation in Asia and the Pacific, p. 36. As you read these references record the important issues which you believe will assist you in the analysis of the management of the external operational aspect of the event which is the basis of your assignment for this subject. To assist you I have provided an activity document in the link below where you can record your issues, thoughts and comments. Don’t forget to save your work when you have completed.
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Following on from the readings and keeping in mind what we have just considered, there are now two tasks for you to complete. In the document provided in the link below I want you to consider your own local community.
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Task 1
Task 2 Your Selected Emergency Event: In the event you are analysing for this subject, identify:
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