Public Agencies: Definition, Types & Examples

First and secondary responders to an emergency play a crucial role in ensuring the affected people's well-being. The police, EMS, and firefighters ensure that a condition is stabilized and stabilized before paving the way for the secondary teams to initiate their response. During an emergency, the police maintain law and order within the emergency scene and the whole neighborhood. For instance, traffic can be controlled for easier movement of response vehicles like ambulances rushing critical patients to hospitals through the police. Police also prevent intruders from looting emergency areas while also preventing people from endangering their lives by attempting to launch uncoordinated rescue or emergency response (Harris et al. 2018). For instance, in a collapsed building, the police draw a boundary, restricting the public from interfering with the rescue process. Police also ensure that survivors are given adequate space for free air movement by ensuring crowd control. Firefighters and the EMS have adequate medical training; hence can use their knowledge to attend to the affected people during an emergency. They provide medical assistance while also dealing with trying to rescue any trapped individuals inside the emergency location. 

Secondary responders also play an essential role in disaster management. Through secondary responders, those rescued by the primary responders can be sustained and treated for any complications. For instance, hospitals take the affected individuals, rescued by the firefighters and other first responders. The hospitals also ensure long-term plans for the affected people’s recovery. Hospitals also make contact with the affected people’s relatives, thus ensuring good care. Electric companies ensure a good flow of electricity, including cutting some electricity lines to prevent further damages by a disaster (Harris et al. 2018). Electric companies also restore lost electricity, thus ensuring all the response units can function effectively. Both private and local government agencies also help in the response operations by providing the affected individuals with moral support and links to their families. For instance, religious institutions could offer prayers and encouragement to the affected people. Local government officers cooperate with federal agencies for effective response operations. 

Reference 

Harris, C. McCarthy, K. Liu, E. Klein, K. Swienton, R. Prins, P. & Waltz, T. (2018). Expanding understanding of emergency response roles: An examination of immediate and first responders in the United States. NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5877079/