Introduction
Emergency management is described as the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters through safety and response measures.
The trend has evolved alongside man’s exploratory self with safety measures improved on daily from common items such as pens to massive engineering structures like mega buildings, equipment as they affect mankind.
Despite these, accidents still happen which some say, led to the development of standing order of procedures commonly referred to as SOP’s, and standards to manage such situations in the immediate, short, medium and long term.
The ability to manage this emergency situations ranging from building collapse to fires, insecurity, equipment failure, displacements due to conflicts and natural disasters etc is vital to the architectural beauty of a given place.
Given the fact that emergencies could present in any form, governments across the world at all levels usually deploy strategies to combat them. In Cross River, the government has several agencies to handle different emergencies with the State Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Response Center among others which over the years have undergone major organizational changes.
However, some say emergency is always construed through the security prism. Is this true?
Recently, there has been an increase in fire incidents across the state. Is this expected?
When viewed alongside rising crime rates and number of refugees, how does this impact on the economy?
What does it say about the emergency response architecture and the MDA’s responsible?
How effective has emergency management in Cross River state been?
Also, what is the roles of the citizenry in emergencies?
There are concerns that emergency situations emerging from conflicts and natural disasters are often treated with levity despite their long term impact.
How true is this?
What is the best emergency management strategy?
These and more are the focus of this week’s ‘The Dialogue With Agba Jalingo’ with the topic: “Recent Fires And Emergency Management in Cross River State: How Efficient and Effective?”
Discussing these with us is the Director General, State Emergency Management Agency, Princewill Ayim; the Public Relations Officer of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, ISPON, Olagbegi Tobi Michael as well as the Health Safety and Environment Consultant, Akiba Ekpenyong.
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Listen to the podcast for this episode below.
In this episode, the DG SEMA was on phone from Ogoja while the other two guests were present in the studio, see pictures below.
