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Canyon College

online Managing the Emergency Response course - criminal justice

COURSE SYLLABUS: Managing the Emergency Response
Course Title:
Department:
Instructor:
CCJ520 - Managing the Emergency Response
Criminal Justice Certificate Program
Chris Harding, F.L.E.T.C., B.A., A.S. E-Mail - Vita



Course Scope:

This certificate course is an introductory look into the management of an emergency response. It is a course that will provide a foundation that will assist the practitioner in formulating a solid plan in the orchestration of several emergency assets at once. I have designed this course for a diversified audience made up from active private practitioners, criminal science students, and active emergency/ law enforcement personnel just to name of few. The course is an extraordinary view into the world of disaster and the brave men and women who try to bring chaos to order.

Emergency management essentially focuses resources and information towards a disastrous event and is measured by how efficiently, effectively and seamlessly it coordinates these assets. Human beings throughout history have accomplished this task with arguable success for centuries. It is with the onset of the technological age that we as a society are capable of mitigating the damages resulting from a disaster event.

One element of managing a disaster deals with a pre-plan. This is a flexible plan by which we lay a foundation that we can later build upon. It often incorporates the use of emergency drills that we can test our plan and perfect it. In addition to the test of effectiveness, it also adds an extrinsic factor called stress inoculation. How we as practitioners will perform under stress depends on how well we can cope with stress. We will investigate several specific events and how the plan measured up to the disaster.

This course will track through American history and dissect the emerging levels of a science known as emergency management. We will explore a host of case studies of events and the aftermath that ensues. We will pay special attention to the dilemmas that occur when several entities try to exist and operate simultaneously with limited centralized control and coordination.

We will study a few of the different emergency responders and planners that exist and operate in the pandemonium which occur immediately following a disaster and the function and hierarchy of each.

The text was chosen because it provides a wealth of knowledge as it pertains to professional emergency management. In addition, the information is introduced by creating examples of real predicaments faced by practitioners. This serves to motivate the student into researching deeper into other sources of knowledge.

I intend to provide you with the most current and interesting subject matter that is available to give you the tools to become a proficient security manager and practitioner.

This certificate course is formatted for 90 contact hours of self-paced study. Upon completion of the course, learners will be awarded the Professional Security Manager Certification as well as 6 semester hours of credit from the College. The total cost for the program is $900, which can be broken up into four (4) $225.00 modules.

The course is presented in four (4) modules. Each module is discussed below, including reading assignments and module course work. At the completion of each module, the learner will take a module examination. The examinations will be either multiple choice or essay in format. After successful completion of all four (4) Modules, Topic papers, and the research paper the learner will officially receive the Certification of Managing the Emergency Response. You may study at your own pace, and you may progress through the certification as quickly as your schedule will allow. From the date you have been accepted into the program, you have one (1) year to complete the entire course.

Objectives:

TEXTBOOK - Online Bookstore

George D. Haddow, Jane A. Bullock, Introduction to Emergency Management
Butterworth-Heinemann, 2003 ISBN: 0750676892



Module One

Reading Assignments
  • Chapter One
Historical Context of Emergency Management
  • Chapter Two
Natural and Technological Hazards and Risk Assessment
Assignments:

Module One		 Topic Paper 1: Research and explain fully the evolution of the initial
management of Civil Defense in the 1950’s versus the emphasis in the 1980’s.
Based on your research, do you think the agency was capable of accomplishing its mission?

Topic Paper 2: Research “Safe room” technology that was developed by FEMA and Texas A&M.
Explain what it is and what purpose it serves. Does the data gathered in your investigation support its use?

Complete Module Exam 1

Module Two

Reading
  • Chapter Three
The Disciplines of Emergency Management: Mitigation
Assignments
  • Chapter Four
The Disciplines of Emergency Management: Response
Assignments:

Module Two		 Topic Paper 3: Research six of the widely accepted mitigation tools that practitioners use to reduce risk. Explain each fully and give real life examples of how they are used to mitigate loss.

Topic Paper 4: Research the text’s case study: Oklahoma City. What were the major learning lessons of this event? What factors affected the role of rescuers in this attack? How effective was communication among the first responders. Did the media play a role in the rescue phase?

Complete Module Exam 2
Module Three

Reading Assignments
  • Chapter Five
The Disciplines of Emergency Management: Recovery
  • Chapter Six
The Disciplines of Emergency Management: Preparedness
  • Chapter Seven
The Disciplines of Emergency Management: Communications
Assignments:
Module 3		 Topic Paper 5: Research the financial aid programs available to victims of a disaster that creates a state of emergency. For each, describe how the funds are distributed, what the purpose of each is for, and what restrictions if any exist for their use.

Topic Paper 6: Figure 6-1 represents the preparedness cycle. Research and explain each phase of this cycle. Using this cycle, correlate it to the steps that are being taken to prepare against another terrorist attack. Give an example of how this cycle is being used today.

Complete Module Exam 3
Module Four

Reading Assignments
  • Chapter Eight
International Disaster Management
  • Chapter Nine
Emergency Management and the Terrorist Threat
  • Chapter Ten
The Future of Emergency Management
Assignments

Module 4		 Final A.P.A. Research Paper: Research any topic of your choice as it relates to Emergency Management. This assignment requires you to research and investigate deeply into a limited topic. You will need to expand your research outside of the required text.

Complete Module Exam 4


GETTING STARTED

Please submit a brief biography once enrolled so that I will have a general idea as to your educational and personal background. Once you have your textbook, you may begin your course of study.

Final Research Paper

The Research paper will be submitted prior to taking the final exam. The paper’s body must be at least 5 pages long double spaced and with 1” margins in APA format. The presentation must be college level, high quality work. The topic can be of anything related to emergency management. The paper is designed to create an opportunity for the student to explore other texts and information regarding emergency management. I will be grading your paper both in clarity and how well you are able to convince the reader about your topic. I will deduct points for length disparities and errors. All your assignments are expected to be original high quality work and free from grammatical errors. The research paper has a combined score of 200 points.

MODULE TOPIC PAPERS

Module topic papers are meant to expand your general knowledge in specific areas. You should use at least one other source of knowledge other than the required text to complete these papers. I will need your essays to be original high quality and free from grammatical errors. Each essay should be one to two pages in length. It should be double spaced with 1” margins. You should complete the assignment in Word format and attach the assignment to my email address. (cpharding@canyoncollege.edu) I will be grading your essay both in clarity and how well you are able to convince the reader. I will deduct points for length disparities and errors. Each topic paper will be worth 25 points. There are 6 topic papers which have a combined score of 150 points. Remember to cite your references!

MODULE EXAMS

All module exams are worth 100 points each. There are 4 cumulative exams with a total possible score of 400 points. Examinations will be taken and submitted to the instructor using the online exam system. The link to the exam may be found in the electronic class-room. Prior approval must be obtained to access each exam. Approval to access the appropriate module exam will be provided directly upon your completion of each module. Exams must be taken in the order of the modules, 1, 2, 3, and 4. All exams are of open book format and are timed.

GRADING

Your total score for this course will be calculated using actual points earned/ total possible points (750)

Grade A: 90% or better
Grade B: 80% to 89%
Grade C: 75% to 79%
Grade D: 70% to 74%
Failure: Below 70%

Office Hours

I will be available via e-mail throughout the course. I will make every attempt to give you a timely and informative response. My obligation as an instructor is to make sure that you successfully complete this course and find it useful and enlightening.

Academic Honesty

I take a very strong stance towards academic honesty. Plagiarism and other forms of moral deviance will result in harsh consequences.

PROFESSOR BIOGRAPHY

Christopher Harding currently operates as a sworn Civil Aviation Security Specialist for the Department of Homeland Security. In this position Agent Harding may perform as a team leader for national and international missions. This position functions as a practitioner of air security. In this capacity, he is also assigned to anti-terrorist task forces operating world wide.

Chris Harding began his career as a commissioned officer of the U.S. Army. In addition to his military background, he was also a sworn US Border Patrol Agent stationed along the Mexican and American Border. Mr. Harding has conducted several drug and human cargo smuggling investigations and has operated in local, state, and federal task forces.

He became a Federal Law Enforcement law instructor for the INS/ USBP and has instructed new classes of Federal Agents both at the academy and in the field. He has also been involved as a first responder both in the private sector and the federal government.

He holds the following certifications from the State of New York Fire Academy: Commanding the Initial Response, Arson Investigation, Emergency Scene Manager, and is a certified Emergency Medical Technician in New York and Texas.

Chris Harding’s educational background consists of a FLETC Law Instructor certification from the INS/ USBP Academy and a B.S. degree from the University of New York at Buffalo in Environmental Science with a minor in Nuclear Medicine Technology. He also earned an A.S. in Biological Technology from the University of New York at Morrisville. He is currently seeking an M.A. degree from Canyon College, INC in Criminology. Chris Harding has been involved with instructing online courses since 2000 such as Immigration Law and Procedures, Law Enforcement: Breaking the Technological Barrier and Professional Security Management.

* This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.
This syllabus is original work created by the author. Copyright Christopher P. Harding, 2003.