An emergency is a situation that is perceived as having the potential to cause serious harm or danger to the public. Emergencies can be caused by natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes; man-made disasters, such as car accidents and chemical spills; or terrorism.
The impact of an emergency on society can be wide-ranging, depending on the type of emergency and the population affected. In general, emergencies can cause injury, death, property damage, and economic losses. They may also disrupt social services, such as power supply, transportation routes, and communications systems. They may also lead to sociopolitical instability and an increase in criminal activity. Emergency managers are responsible for preparing for emergencies and mitigating potential losses due to emergencies through preparedness planning.
Emergency Management
The primary function of emergency management is the mitigation of the effects of hazards and disasters (collectively termed emergencies) on people, their property, and the infrastructure that supports their communities. An individual community’s ability to respond to a disaster or emergency situation is based upon that community’s level of preparedness or readiness. Most governments have their own departments responsible for emergency planning. There are even Master of Public Safety for people interested in pursuing a career in public safety.
Types of Threats to Public Safety
The world is facing many types of threats to public safety. Terrorist groups are constantly trying to find new ways to harm the public. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent due to climate change, and this can lead to a shortage of resources for people in need.
The different types of threats that we face daily are all very important for us to be aware of. One way that we can protect ourselves is by learning about these threats and how they affect us to take the necessary precautions.
Typical Threats to Public Safety
Crime is the biggest threat to public safety in the form of violent crime, property crime, and drug crime.
Violent Crime
Violent crime includes murder, rape, robbery, and assault. If you or someone close to you is a victim of violent crime, there are several things that you can do to prevent it from happening again:
- Report the crime: If you believe that a crime was committed, report it. Don’t leave it to chance and don’t wait too long.
- Save the evidence: If you can, save all of the evidence that may be available about your case. This will be very important later on when you are trying to prove your case in court.
- Eyewitnesses: Always listen to other eyewitnesses who may have seen something out of place or suspicious.
- Collect evidence: If possible, take a picture of the person(s) suspected as being involved in the crime and take down their information if appropriate, such as name and phone number.
- Be a good witness: If you have been asked to be a witness in a case, be courteous and reliable at all times.
Property Crime
In addition to violent crime, property crime includes theft, vandalism, burglary, and shoplifting. Shoplifting is the most common type of crime committed by unsupervised teens and children. The most effective way to prevent these types of crimes is by keeping your property safe at home or your business.
Drug Crime
Drug crimes are committed to deal with specific needs such as addiction or for profit. The illegal drug market generates an estimated $400 billion in revenue per year, which means that thousands of people are involved somehow in illicit drug activities. To prevent yourself from being involved with these acts, there are many things you can do.
Terrorism
Terrorism constitutes a serious threat to public safety and security in society, especially with the spread of weapons such as lasers and cyber attacks. Most attempts at terrorism are low-technology, with explosives being the most common method.
Environmental Crimes
Environmental crimes include a wide range of activities that damage, destroy, or contaminate the environment. Many environmental crimes are committed to make a profit and are considered white-collar crimes. Environmental crimes that target the public include smuggling, illegal fishing, and trade in endangered species.
Transnational Organized Crime
Transnational organized crime is a global threat that involves criminals operating in different countries. It involves criminal syndicates engaged in serious criminal activity such as weapons trafficking, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. These syndicates become international when they have operations in more than one country at once.
How Organizations Protect Against Threats to Public Safety
Public safety is a major concern for organizations as they need to make sure that their employees, customers, and the general public are safe and secure. This can be difficult to do when there are so many threats out there. Organizations need to develop a plan to protect themselves against these threats, but it can be difficult to know where to start.
This is why the public safety organization should have a plan in place that can help them take the right steps to protect their organization. A plan will allow them to anticipate any threats and reduce the risk so that they can prevent any accidents or other incidents from happening.
An organization needs to put its plans in place as there are many threats out there. These threats can lead to accidents, crimes, and other incidents that may affect your company and its reputation.
Fraud
Fraud is a widespread problem that has been making businesses fall behind. Fraud occurs when there is an attempt to trick people into giving up money, goods, services, or access to something they shouldn’t have. This kind of scheme can be seen in many forms and takes the form of email scams, phishing scams, and identity theft scams. Even if you think that you might not be a target for fraud (or any crime for that matter), it’s best to take precautionary measures so that you won’t get taken advantage of.
Cybercrime
Cybercrime impacts our everyday lives in more ways than most realize. Cybercrime is a growing problem in the digital world. The types of cybercrimes that are occurring are increasing, which makes it vital that businesses and individuals take precautionary measures to protect themselves rather than relying on their own judgment in the event of an emergency.
Individuals and organizations need to have plans in place for any threats against them to prevent any accidents, incidents, and crimes from happening. A plan will help you anticipate what may happen and allow you to take the necessary precautions.
