Education

Education on topics related to emergency management is important both for formal first responders (firefighters, police officers, physical or mental health professionals, military, public works or volunteer agency professionals, and government agencies) as well as for citizens. It provides responders with benefits during all phases of emergency management: prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. In addition to formal education, the experience responders receive from incidents offer invaluable lessons, with each one a stepping stone to becoming more aware, better equipped, and more proficient in the field. Citizens incrementally add to that benefit through individual responsibility and education, which leads to better-prepared communities and more efficient use of vital resources. It is a systematic approach that includes a coupling of private and public educational programs resulting in ...