Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Courtney Temple
HCS/320
October 11, 2015
Mrs. Dr. Monique J. Williams
A crisis situation reports indicate that the water supply is contaminated with a life
threatening biological agent in several towns and this department is handling the emergency
crisis with this situation. Our department is handling the communication method of handling this
crisis and informing the public of this threat and the steps they need to take to protect themselves
and their families. Communication in this crisis will be crucial to keep the public calm and to
present the information they will need. The media is a major source that our department is using
to get our message out to the public. However, our office must be careful to prevent the media
from creating a panic.
Our department will be coordinating with the Emergency Operations Center, The State
Emergency Management Center, Department of Health Services, Department of Natural
Resources, state, and local police officials and the volunteer organizations. The uses of these
internal departments will coordinate the information that will be release in this crisis situation.
Updates from state and local police, firefighters, and the National Guard will keep this
department updated on the current developments that is occurring in the affected areas. Our
departments will coordinate all communications so information is correctly given to departments
and news releases to the public. This will control and give this crisis situation the effective
outcome and keep fear at a minimum ("Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs Division of
Emergency Management," 2013).
The state government notification will be to our office when they have requested
emergency assistance from the federal government. Communications with all federal government
specifically FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency and NEMA, National Emergency
Management Association is directed through this office. Our department is coordinating the
efforts of all agencies to administer effectively aid to the public.
Communications between government and state agencies are the key to a successfully
handled crisis situation. Federal governments are not allowed just to step into a state crisis
situation. The state must make an official request to the federal government to receive federal
agencies to intervene and render assistance. In the situation with Hurricane Katrina,
communication between local, state, and federal governments completely broke down which
cause catastrophe to occur in the crisis situation. Guidelines are firmly in place with our water
contamination procedures. Our department will be in direct contact with state officials at every
juncture of this crisis situation. Our crisis plan has taken into consider the possibility of the
breakdown of communication, transportation, supplies, and manpower are at the ready if the