Activity 2.9
Read
One of the underlying principles of emergency response was the efficient use of ‘resources’.  To reinforce this point re-read Carter, Disaster management, a disaster manager’s handbook, Chapter 13, paragraphs 5–7, 13 and 16 (pp. 184–190), ‘The need for optimum utilisation of resources’.

Answer the following questions:

1.	Can you think of a situation in relation to your own Risk Assessment/ Hazard Analysis and plan where the adequacy of the resource capability may be reduced or offset by limitations in other resources?  If so, take a few minutes to describe it here. Jot your answers down on a piece of paper.

2.	What in your opinion, is one way in which we can overcome some of these problems identified in the reading?

In order to gain a better understanding of the nature of EOC and the procedures necessary to establish and run them, read the following two extracts. 
Read
Reading 8:	Establishment and maintenance of operations centres.

An example EOC SOP format produced by the New South Wales Police Academy is provided in the next reading as a guide to the production of EOC SOP.
Read
Reading 9:	District emergency operations centre:  Standard operating procedures.

1.	Review this SOP in the light of the 3 phases identified in Reading 8 in question five.  Are all elements present?  If so, do you think they are covered adequately?  If all elements are not present what is missing? 

You should now have a clearer understanding of the requirement for an EOC and the way in which we can format SOP to ensure the efficient operation of the centre.

Check the example SOP contained in Reading 2.4 and the local SOP you obtained earlier.  Are they operations centre SOP?  If so, compare their formats and see how they relate to what we have just covered.  Record your thoughts on a sheet of paper.