Course Description

During and after the Katrina disaster, citizens have become attuned to the importance of emergency
management as a critical area of public service—largely due to widespread perceptions that the
emergency management system failed in response to this tragedy. From an organizational standpoint,
the status of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is much different today (as an
office within Homeland Security) than a decade ago as an independent executive agency. Procedures
and standards have changed as well, perhaps not for the better.

For the most part, this course will take a hands-on approach focusing upon the roles and responsibilities
of emergency managers at the state and local levels, drawing upon instructional materials available on-line
from U.S. FEMA. The course will also involve field trips to sites pertinent to emergency responses
(hopefully, students can find some flexibility with their late afternoon schedules on certain weeks). Although
the major emphasis is on hands-on management, the course will also include discussion of recently published
materials that analyze the emergency management response (or lack thereof) to Hurricane Katrina.

Course Goals

1. To provide students a solid understanding of the policy problems inherent in the domestic security and emergency management areas.

2. To provide students a strong practitioner focus on the various roles of the emergency manager (at least at the local level).

3. To clarify the administrative terrain of federal-level emergency management within the U.S. Department of
    Homeland Security and how that impacts emergency management at the state and local level.

4. To provide students opportunities to analyze FEMA performance in response to the 2005 Hurricane Katrina Disaster.