BSDP-582
Disaster Management & Risk Analysis

The student will, through completion of a set of FEMA disaster Management courses, directed readings, guided discussions, assignments and exercises, gain the ability to understand the current disaster management doctrine and its inherent limitations.

Students successfully completing the course will also be able to participate in the risk assessment process to enhance the health, safety and environmental security of their community, its critical infrastructures and commercial and residential buildings.

Course Number: BSDP-582
Classification: Required
Credits Earned: 3
Term Available: Spring/Summer
Faculty: Mark Kennedy

Course Description:
Students will, through completion of a set of FEMA Disaster Management courses, directed readings, guided discussions, and assignments, gain the ability to understand the current disaster management doctrine and its inherent limitations. Students successfully completing the course will also be able to participate in the risk assessment process to enhance the health, safety and environmental security of their community, its critical infrastructures and commercial and residential buildings.

Using the rubric of risk analysis the course engages its participants to consider the risk that state sponsored, global or domestic terrorist groups may obtain and use biological, chemical or radiological/nuclear weapons against vulnerable civilian populations.

Course Goals:
At the conclusion of the course participants will be conversant with current disaster management doctrine and its inherent limitations such that the participants can be expected to make meaningful contributions to the discipline of disaster management. Participants will gain an understanding of the process of risk assessment/ reduction and will be able to reflect concerns of the bio-security field to others engaged in risk assessment/ reduction activities.

Competencies:
• Develop risk prevention/mitigation programs to minimize the health and safety risks to an NGO disaster assistance team on call for world wide deployment.• Understand the fundamental practices of exemplary leadership and what the public expects of leaders.

• Understand the importance of confronting and changing the status quo.

• Grasp the importance of having a shared vision for your organization.

• Understand the importance of time management.

• Understand the importance of cooperative relationships, team building and empowering others.

• Grasp the importance of conflict resolution.

• Understand the theory of continuous improvement.

• Apply creative problem solving and flexible thinking to unusual challenges within his/her functional responsibilities and evaluate effectiveness of all actions taken.

• Actively participate in the process of developing a biohazard risk mitigation plan.

• Actively participate in the development and presentation of realistic, risk based lectures, training programs and exercises to protect vulnerable civilian populations from a terrorist’s use of nonconventional weapons.

Course Format:
The course makes extensive use of the FEMA IS 200 series of self-instructional courses as well as assigned and directed readings from texts, E-Reserve and selected Internet sites. The course requires participation in guided discussions, and completion of assignments.