Allison J. Anderson, CEM® posted - Should we consider renaming "emergency management" to "diaster management." GREAT question. Here was my response to Allison's post - below. What are your thoughts?
👨🏫 ------- My Response To Allison's Post --------- 🙈
I’d assume that sticking with “Emergency Management” makes more sense than shifting to “Disaster Management.” Here’s why:
“Emergency Management” covers a broader range of our work. It’s not just about handling the big, overwhelming disasters—it’s also about the smaller emergencies that never escalate because of good planning and quick action.
By changing the term to “Disaster Management,” we risk narrowing the focus to large-scale events, which would ignore all the important work done in prevention, preparedness, and response to smaller emergencies that never hit the disaster threshold.
Plus, not every emergency turns into a disaster. Emergency managers are often the reason situations are controlled, so we should use a term that reflects the full scope of our responsibilities, from the day-to-day to the major crises. “Emergency Management” captures that balance—being ready for everything, not just the worst-case scenarios.
But most importantly, I don't want to have to change my business card or LinkedIn profile, if I am being honest. 🤣
-------- End of My Response -----------
#GreatQuestion #LinkedInLearning #EmergencyManagement #EmergencyManagers
Last week, I had a great conversation about the distinction between "emergency" and "disaster" in our field.
Emergencies are typically addressed by local first responders, with well-established protocols and resources. But when the scale grows, and local capabilities are overwhelmed, it becomes a disaster, requiring a broader, more coordinated response—often where Emergency Managers step in.
This raises an interesting question: Should the field/name of Emergency Management shift to Disaster Management to better reflect our role in large-scale, complex events?
I'd love to hear your thoughts—what do you think about this potential shift in terminology and focus?
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