# Dr. David McEntire

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#  Coordinating Higher Education Programs in Emergency Management

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## A Perspective from Emergency Administration and Planning (EADP) at the University of North Texas

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#  First Things First . . .

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Picture is depicting a flooded roadway. People being helped from vehicle
and Jaws the shark is attacking from behind.

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Picture shows cockpit of aircraft. Pilot and copilot are looking back at
photographer smiling. Through the windshield a small aircraft is coming
straight for the plane.

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Passengers are invited to view the burnt wreckage another large
airplane.

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# But Seriously . . .

## 

## A brief introduction

## Disclaimer

## Questions and comments are invited

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# Goals of the Presentation

## Provide background information about the EADP program

## Discuss the difficulties confronting emergency management programs (both generic and specific)

## Highlight what EADP has done/is doing to overcome them

## Explore future challenges/opportunities 

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#  History of the Emergency Administration and Planning (EADP) Program

## An outgrowth of North Texas State University's continuing education for the Federal Emergency Management Agency

## Proposed as an academic degree in 1983

## Became fully operational in Summer 1984

## The first to offer a Bachelor of Science in the field according to the Education Commission of the United States

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# History of the EADP Program (cont.)

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## Originally taught from a practitioner's viewpoint

## Developed a strong academic orientation in the mid 1990s

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# EADP Student Base

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## Historically made up of practitioners seeking a career change or additional credentials and qualifications

## Now includes more traditional, pre-career students

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# EADP Graduates

**Contains 9 squares having one each in the individual spaces:**

-   **Local and State Emergency Management Offices**

-   **Foreign Governments**

-   **Business Continuity Companies**

-   **FEMA**

-   **American Red Cross**

-   **Transportation Firms**

-   **Other Federal Agencies (EPA, OFDA)**

-   **International Organizations**

-   **Other**

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# EADP Faculty and Adjunct Instructors

## 

## David McEntire, Ph.D.

## Terry Sullivan, Ph.D. 

## Rich Weber, M.A.

## Jim Legrotte, M.S.

## Rob Holman, M.E.

## Kirk Driver, M.P.A.

## Others

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#  Generic Challenges for Emergency Management Programs

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## Recruiting students

## Acquiring relevant information resources

## Integrating theoretical and applied approaches

## Providing the "big picture"

## Specialization

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# Facilitating Student Recruitment

## Develop a logo

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# Facilitating Student Recruitment

## Develop a logo

## Produce a brochure

## Send out an information kit

## Generate a news letter

## Get exposure on the web

## Educate prospective students

## Offer a new course to recruit students

## Provide social activities

## Acquire scholarship funds 

## Maintain contact with degree advisors

## Improve course content and instruction

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# Acquiring Relevant Information Resources

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## Request FEMA/state/Red Cross training materials and publications

## Acquire FEMA's Higher Education courses

## Obtain documents from local jurisdictions

## Order books related to emergency management 

## Subscribe to scholarly journals

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Cartoon: Emergency Managers on one cliff, disaster researchers on the
opposite cliff. Each is inviting the other to come to his side "you come
here!"

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# Providing a Strong Theoretical Foundation

## 

## Origins of the field (Sociology of disaster)

## Definitions of hazards, disasters, vulnerability, etc. 

## Goals of emergency management

## Four phases of emergency management

## Three sectors of emergency management

## 2 foundations of emergency management

## Popular concepts such as resistance, resilience, sustainable development, etc.

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# The Need for an Applied Approach

## 

## Would you want a doctor to operate on you who had no practical skills?

## Students desire both theory and practical application

## Prospective employers want people who will contribute with minimal training!

## Some practitioners are not getting the training they need

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# Complementing Theory With:

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## Practical knowledge, skills and abilities

## Field trips

## Internships

## Group projects

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# Practical KSAs

## Recognizing important disaster terminology

## Understanding the legal basis of the field

## Assessing hazards and vulnerabilities

## Knowing what a mutual aid agreement is

## Writing and revising plans, developing resource lists

## Creating disaster exercise scenarios

## Involvement in disaster simulations

## Setting up an EOC

## Implementing ICS

## Spotting severe weather

## Using computer technology

## Comprehending recovery (DA, PA, IA, DRC) 

## Public speaking

## Participating in group projects

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# Field Trips

## FEMA Region VI Headquarters

## FEMA National Disaster Application Center

## Local Emergency Operations Centers

## Red Cross Chapters

## National Weather Service Office

## Corporations (Cura, Hulcher Services)

## Other (Airports, Hospitals, etc.)

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# Internships

## Required as part of degree at UNT

## Reinforce theory 

## Develop practical skills

## Provide networking opportunities

## Give real world experience

## Ease transition to a career

## Lead to employment

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# Ideas for Internships

## FEMA

## Local emergency management offices

## Red Cross

## Airline companies/airports

## Hospitals

## Transportation companies

## Operation Lone Star

## Congressional offices

## International relief organizations

## Police and fire departments

## Other

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# Managing Internships

## Seek internship opportunities

## Educate new students on the internship process

## Ensure students are ready for internship

## Select an internship based on student's career objective

## Coordinate the internship

## Educate the internship host

## Follow up as needed

## Meet periodically as a class

## Conduct Evaluations

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# Group Projects

## Assess hazards and vulnerabilities

## Revise emergency operations plans

## Participate in exercises

## Facilitate university preparedness

## Other

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Cartoon: Egyptian workers pulling a very large block of stone while a
person of obvious importance is sitting atop. Caption reads "Believe me,
fellows, everyone from the Pharaoh on down is an equally valued member
of the team."

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# Providing the "BIG PICTURE"

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## Required courses

## Guest lecturers

## Conferences

## Program accreditation

## Advisory Board

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# Required Courses

## Geography or Geology

## Technical Writing

## Introduction to Emergency Management

## Hazard Mitigation

## Emergency Preparedness

## Disaster Response

## Disaster Recovery

## Leadership and Organizational Behavior

## Capstone Course in Emergency Management

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# Guest Lecturers

## The role of FEMA

## Disaster response operations

## Disaster planning

## Warning systems

## Community education

## Emergency management grants

## The insurance industry

## Companies involved in recovery

## Terrorism

## Project Impact

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# Guest Lecturers (cont.)

## Disaster exercises

## Careers in emergency management

## Business continuity planning

## Hazardous materials management

## Wind engineering

## Office of the Inspector General

## Flood plain management

## Red Cross organization and operations

## Hospital risk management

## University disaster preparedness

## Etc.

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# Conferences

## Disaster Day

## Professional Development

## State Conferences

## Professional Associations

## Other

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# Program Accreditation

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## Internal/external reviewer committee

## Academic focus

## Identification of strengths and weaknesses

## Unintended but beneficial consequences

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# Advisory Board

-   **Practitioner orientation**

-   **Selection criteria**

    -   **All hazards, phases, and sectors/levels**

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-   **Annual meetings**

    -   **Review of progress**

    -   **Analysis of degree requirements**

    -   **Discussion of syllabi and course content**

    -   **Recommendations for the future**

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# Specialization

## Elective courses

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# Elective Courses 

## Images of Natural and Technological Disasters in Film and Media

## Hazardous Materials Planning and Management

## Special Populations and Disasters

## Computers in Emergency Management

## International Disasters

## Private Sector Issues

## Terrorism and Emergency Management

## The Federal Government and Disasters

## Flood Plain Management

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# Additional Electives

## Public Administration

## Public Management

## Financial Aspects of Government

## American Intergovernmental Relations

## Public Policy Analysis

## Collective Behavior

## Sociology of Disaster

## Meteorology

## Geographic Information Systems

## Risk Management

## Workplace Health and Safety

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# Specialization (cont.)

## Elective courses

## Minor (required)

## Internship

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#  Future Opportunities for Emergency Management Programs

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## Expand into the private sector

## Focus on the internationalization of the field

## Integrate technological applications into the degree

## Maintain balance between theory and practice

## Increase focus on mitigation and prevention

## Move towards holistic and multi-disciplinary approaches 

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# Future Opportunities for EADP

## Hire additional professors (with diverse areas of expertise)

## Restructure courses?

## Continue to expand course offerings (into hard sciences, engineering, chemistry, medicine, non-profit management, political science, tourism, social work, psychology, etc.)

## Develop student portfolios

## Have CCE manage internships

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# Conclusion

## There are many challenges facing higher education programs in emergency management

## There are many creative ways to overcome these difficulties

## Forums such as this and networking will help us to better educate the future generation of emergency managers

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# Questions or Comments?

## David A. McEntire, Ph.D.

## Emergency Administration and Planning

## Department of Public Administration

## University of North Texas

## P.O. Box 310617

## Denton, Tx 76203-0617

## [[Dmcentir@scs.cmm.unt.edu]{.underline}](mailto:Dmcentir@scs.cmm.unt.edu)

## (940) 565-2996

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**Symbol: Emergency Administration and Planning**

**EADP**

**University of North Texas**