Written for both paid and volunteer emergency managers, Essentials in Emergency Management examines why preparing a basic emergency plan, or "all hazards" plan, for a city, town, or state improves a community's ability to respond more quickly and effectively in an emergency situation than any attempt to prepare dozens of hazard-specific plans.

Outlining the various roles and responsibilities that emergency managers have in today's world, author Brian Gallant covers many of the issues these managers encounter and provides recommendations and general guidance they can incorporate into any emergency response plan. Readers will learn about the organizational impact and actions needed to counter such natural hazards as floods, wildfires, and weather disasters and such technological hazards as structural fires, hazardous materials releases, water supply contamination, and acts of terrorism.

Essentials in Emergency Management examines the Incident Command System (ICS), the new presidential directive dealing with the National Incident Management Systems (NIMS), and the new emergency management concept called the all-hazards approach—the idea that a community's emergency plan follows the same philosophies and actions no matter what the emergency situation—used by most communities, the states, and the federal government. This new handbook also discusses how to manage volunteers and deal with pets in disaster situations and looks at what the rest of the world is doing with respect to emergency management.

The appendices include helpful reference materials, checklists, and forms.