Comments on "Assessing and Managing Environmental Risk: Connecting Local Government Management with Emergency Management"

• Published in: Public administration review Vol. 69; no. 2; pp. 194 - 197
• Main Author: Bonfield, Thomas J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.03.2009; Wiley Subscription Services; American Society for Public Administration
• Subjects: Academic-Practitioner Exchange: Environmental Emergency Management at the Grassroots; Business Administration Education; Business management; City politics; Contingency planning; Disasters; Elected officials; Emergencies; Emergency management; Emergency preparedness; Evacuations & rescues; Feedback (Response); Hurricanes; Information dissemination; Levees & battures; Local Government; National security; Natural Disasters; Planning; Public administration; Public Officials; Public Sector; Resource Management; Risk; Risk assessment; Risk management; Special Needs Students; State Aid; Terrorism; United States > US
• ISSN: 0033-3352; 1540-6210
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6210.2008.01964_1.x

Since September 11, emergency management has become a central responsibility of local government managers. Yet isn't there an inherent inconsistency between the concepts of "management" and "emergency"? Management seeks to control and standardize the response to problems by reducing variations, whereas emergencies represent the acute imposition of rare and unique occurrences. Scott Somers, a city council member in Mesa, Arizona, and James H. Svara Arizona State University discuss this apparent contradiction by considering three aspects of emergency management: anticipating the unpredictable, resource planning for emergencies and hazard mitigation, and determining "acceptable risk." Each is discussed as an example of how top administrators can help elected officials and constituents understand the big issues that affect a community's future, as well as to highlight how this information can help elected officials set goals and develop broad approaches to resource allocation. Two veteran city managers comment on Somers and Svara's thesis, giving PAR readers a thoughtful exchange on this pressing issue facing local government.