Sunday, July 29, 2012

Where Security Fails Crisis Management Becomes Crucial

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been around since the late1970s, but it has not garnered much public awareness until the 9/11 attacks and even more so since Hurricane Katrina. After these events, crisis management became a focal point for many organizations, both public and private, in order to be better prepared for situations that may occur. For those pursuing a bachelor's degree in security, it is important to understand the basic components of crisis management, which is why many security programs require students to take crisis management courses. These courses provide the necessary understanding of crisis management and its importance in emergency planning.

A bachelor's degree in security suggests the degree holder has a comprehension of tactics and tools which would assist in the asset protection of an organization. Much of that knowledge is likely to be focused on physical protection systems, liabilities, and security's role in the organization. All of these aspects are very important, but another topic covered in detail is that of crisis or incident management.

Early in the course of study of security, the student will learn that it is impossible to offer perfect security. Upon that realization it does not take a great leap to understand that if a threat cannot be stopped, we as security practitioners must do all we can to limit the impact on those were protect. Crisis management education provides a solid foundation on which a security practitioner can build.

Crisis management, sometimes referred to as incident management, is a field of study in which practitioners attempt to stop the emergency situation or at least reduce its negative impact. This mitigation comes via threat assessments, planning, training, incident response, and continuation of operational duties. A crisis may not have a direct correlation to safety, but it almost always involves security, whether in reference to financial, organizational or even, reputational security.

Crisis management courses provide education into the above areas in order to understand how each element flows into the next, and once all the parts are in place an effective crisis management plan is created that can be acted upon. The design of a crisis management plan is to prevent, detect, respond, and control a crisis. The quicker the response is to the crisis, the better the chances greater problems can be averted and a backup plan can be implemented.

The continuum of services is essential to the emotional and financial well-being of an organization. One of the factors of a malicious attack is to promote fear, and even in a natural or accidental incident, fear is a likely emotion. A well planned and executed crisis management plan is able to tackle a problem quickly and effectively, which counters the negative emotions and allows employees to remain focused on the tasks they need to perform. For a person looking for a bachelor's degree in security, it is important they understand the principles and elements of a crisis management plan. As no protection plan can guarantee absolute safety and security, a backup plan also needs to be established. Crisis management courses provide the baseline knowledge in order for someone to not only obtain the information, but also how that information can be put into practical application.


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Dan Sommer works for Henley-Putnam University, a leading educational institution in the field of Strategic Security. For more info on Henley-Putnam University, crisis management courses, bachelor's degree in security, call 888-852-8746 or visit us online at http://www.Henley-Putnam.edu


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