For governments and municipalities worldwide, one of the most important responsibilities is responding rapidly to any type of emergency – in order to protect the lives and property of residents.
To fulfill this crucial responsibility, authorities must have in place methodological operational plans that cover all aspects and phases of emergency response.
Due to the unexpected and diverse nature of emergencies, the ideal operational plan may vary greatly depending on location and other factors. In all cases, an effective response plan needs to prepare the responsible authorities for a range of possible contingencies.
MER Group has worked with authorities in Israel and other countries to develop versatile and comprehensive emergency response plans. The MER approach for development of operational plans for emergencies is based around three anchors:
- Processes: Risk analysis and operational concept development
- People: Training and exercises for, first responders, HLS forces, government ministries and local authorities
- Technology: Selection and integration of state-of-the-art technological infrastructure that includes proprietary and market-leading solutions for detection and alerts, command & control, and communication interoperability for first responders
Comprehensive Operational Plans
MER, which has a demonstrated track record of improving the communication abilities and interoperability of emergency responders, has also gained expertise in developing comprehensive emergency response plans, which address the pre- and post-incident phases, covering all aspects of emergency management from planning, through preparation, detection, response and recovery.
The years of work with authorities and first responders have provided MER with an in-depth understanding of the small details required at every phase, as well as the ability to see the bigger picture, prepare and plan ahead.
Tailormade to Meet Local Realities
To build true resilience in the face of emergencies, authorities must have operational plans that take into consideration local realities and conditions. The operational plans MER develops with local authorities and first responders are always customized to fit the needs and conditions of that specific country or geographical location.
The MER approach to developing customized operational plans is based on the following seven steps:
- Collect information about every aspect of emergency contingencies and preparedness.
- Analyze and evaluate possible sources of danger, either man-made or natural.
- Develop an operational concept to upgrade and maintain a high level of emergency response.
- Develop a detailed action plan for emergency response, as well as a recovery plan.
- Train and implement the plan at responsible agencies, including exercises and simulation.
- Develop a technology strategy and implement the various systems.
- Integrate the systems to work seamlessly among themselves and with existing infrastructure.
