For this section we reference a lot of Jacob Taarup_Esbensen’s paper on A Resilience Based Approach to Risk Assessments. The reason for this is, it offers a different look at how to asses risk with a tie in to not just building resilience but engineering it.
Hazards/Threats + Exposure + Vulnerability = RISK
Risk is important to emergency management because knowing a community’s risks means better decision making. If a Nation has a clear view of its risks then it can allocate funds and resources to manage the highest risks. Why spend all your money on flood preparedness if the risk of a wildfire is 10x higher?
Resilience is the ability to monitor for and absorb shocks and disruptions, mange them well, learn from them, and be better in the future.
Resilience in emergency management is like having a good pair of hiking boots. You hope you never have to test them in a mudslide, but when disaster strikes, you’re glad they hold up.
Emergencies (fires, floods, storms) are unpredictable. Resilience means planning, training, and investing in your community so you don’t get swept away when things go sideways.