Document Type
Master's Culminating Experience
Publication Date
2012
Abstract
Background: Globally, disasters affect over 200 million people annually. Governments at all levels attempt to mitigate the effects of disasters by providing training and resources to responders in the event of a disaster. When the disaster is of sufficient magnitude, those that respond will require additional resources to adequately attend to disaster victims. County emergency managers assist in making needed additional resources available. Department of Defense (DoD) installations are sources where emergency management agency (EMA) directors may request assistance. The purpose of this research is to understand the resources legal authority available to civilian emergency managers of Ohio Counties in a disaster. This study explores the legal authorities that provide emergency managers’ access to assets available at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the DoD.
Methods: Key informant interviews were conducted with six EMA directors of the counties comprising the Dayton-Springfield-Greenville Metropolitan Statistical Area. A thematic analysis was accomplished on the answers obtained from the EMA directors.
Results: There were discrepancies concerning how to engage with agencies through the intrastate mutual aid compact. There was also a lack of knowledge concerning resources available at Wright-Patterson AFB. The EMA directors were not aware of legal authorities that make DoD resources available to civilian emergency management agencies. The interviews identified constraints that cost has on providing a lasting emergency response.
Conclusions: Fostering stronger relationships with the EMAs of the Dayton-Springfield-Greenville Metropolitan Statistical area and Wright-Patterson AFB, can allow for greater protection of the citizens the EMAs are charged with serving.
Repository Citation
Nieves, W. J. (2012). Review of Civil-Military Coordination in Local Disaster Response. Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
