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Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS:  Contingency Planning/Crisis Management

Course Title:	HLS328 - Contingency Planning/Crisis Management
Department:	Homeland Security
Instructor:	Ed Piper, MS, BA, AA - - Vita
Phone:	410-377-8004

Course Description:

Terrorists’ attacks, power outages, severe storms, fires and other natural disasters have impacted daily business operations for many years. As a result, corporate executives, business owners and government agencies have begun to realize the necessity of contingency planning and business continuation strategies. Insurance companies, attorneys and the Department of Homeland Security are strongly encouraging the development of these plans.

This course will enable learners to gain an understanding of the contingency planning steps involved in mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Policy development program coordination, assessment, plan development, training and evaluation will be emphasized in this course. Actual planning assignments and case studies will be utilized in this dynamic 3-credit course.

Required Texts –   Online Bookstore

Introduction to Emergency Management, by George Haddock and Jane Bullock. Butterworth-Heinemann (Elsevier), 2003. ISBN: 0750676892

Suggested Text: Emergency Response Planning: For Corporate and Municipal Managers, by Paul Erickson. Academic Press (Elsevier), 1999 (1998). ISBN: 012241540X

Course Objectives:

1. Students will gain a detailed understanding of the history and practical application of emergency management.
2. Students will be introduced to the basic concepts of risk assessment.
3. Students will develop a detailed understanding of mitigation.
4. Students will gain a better understanding of response and recovery.
5. Students will develop a better understanding of preparedness and communications.
6. Students will be introduced to the basic concepts of international disaster management and special considerations for a terrorist threat.

Course Requirements:

Successfully complete chapter readings, answer questions and email answers to instructor. 25 points * 1 point for each question.
Gain permission from organization to actually review an emergency plan and submit plan and recommendations for improvement to the instructor. 25 points. Due by week 5. Students will write a 5-page paper on the crisis management lessons learned from the 911 attacks. 50 points Due by week 7

TOTAL FOR COURSE: 100 POINTS

I will determine your final grade based on the total number of points you have accumulated at the end of the semester. I do not award letter grades for each paper or exam. Your grade will be determined as follows:

95-100 points	A
90-94 points	A-
85-89 points	B+
80-84 points	B
75-79 points	B-
70-74 points	C+
65-69 points	C
60-64 points	C-
55-59 points	D
below 55 points	F

STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS/ACTIVITIES:

WEEK 1: Read Chapter One- Emergency Management. Start activities to find an organization that will allow you to review their crisis/contingency management plans. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. How was a civil defense planning of the 1950s similar to our current Homeland security planning?
2. How has preparing for a conventional military nuclear attack better prepared us for an unconventional nuclear attack by terrorists?

WEEK 2: Read chapter Two Emergency Management. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. Interview an emergency management professional in your community, city or state and ascertain their state of readiness for dealing with the natural and technological Hazards described in the chapter.
2. What should the United States do to be better prepared to deal with a Tsunamis?

WEEK 3: Read Chapter Three Emergency Management. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. What are the tools utilized in mitigation?
2. Which tools would be most appropriate for your current area? Why?

WEEK 4: Read Chapter 4 Emergency Management. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. What is an incident command system?
2. What are the lessons learned from the Oklahoma City case study?

WEEK 5: Read Chapter 5 Emergency Management. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. What are the elements of the disaster recovery plan?
2. What are the lessons learned from Hurricane George case study?
   ** EMERGENCY PLAN REVIEW DUE TO INSTRUCTOR!

WEEK 6: Read Chapter 6 Emergency Management. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. What are the benefits of the systems approach?
2. List all of the contingency planning educational and training resources available to the general public. What is available in your area?

WEEK 7: Read Chapter 7 Emergency Management. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. What is the best way to plan for emergency communications prior to a crisis?
2. What are the most important points remember when dealing with the news media?
3. What are to lessons learned from the ANTHRAX crisis case study?
   *911 ATTACK PAPER DUE TO INSTRUCTOR

WEEK 8: Read Chapter 8 Emergency Management. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. Describe the UN disaster management system.
2. What are the lessons learned from the Gujarat India Earthquake case study?

WEEK 9: Read Chapter 9 Emergency Management. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. What are the major changes to emergency management since the 911 attacks?
2. How would you rate the first responders in your area?
3. Interview the first responders in your area and determine if they were awarded a Homeland Security grant.
4. When was the last time and emergency responder drill was conducted in your area for all responding agencies?
5. What are the lessons learned from the Town of Boone case study?

WEEK 10: Read Chapter 10 Emergency Management. Answer following questions and e-mail your answers to the instructor.

1. What are the major organizational changes impacting emergency management?
2. What is the future of emergency management?
3. Is your school, town or community prepared for emergencies? What are your recommendations for improving their readiness?