Weaponizing mutual aid: Can a pandemic or biological attack turn our strongest emergency management tool against us?
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Authors
Greer, Benjamin Thomas
Subjects
mutual aid agreements
Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC)
COVID-19
Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC)
COVID-19
Advisors
Date of Issue
2021
Date
Publisher
JEM
Language
Abstract
A functional mutual aid system allows the effec- tive cost sharing of resources and the swift mitigation of loss of life and property. COVID-19 has illuminated weaknesses in our mutual aid framework. Weaknesses could potentially allow abuse and the misuse of these unifying instruments. By designing our response sys- tem in an insightful and nuanced fashion, we are able to affectively lend aid to those in need. Our mutual aid systems allow us to be forward thinking—it challenges us to anticipate what could happen and how we should respond. This article will articulate challenges COVID-19 has posed in our mutual aid system and will propose potential improvements to better enhance our aid agreements for future pandemics.
Type
Article
Description
The article of record as published may be found at https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.0644
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
10 p.
Citation
Greer, Benjamin Thomas. "Weaponizing mutual aid: Can a pandemic or biological attack turn our strongest emergency management tool against us?." Journal of Emergency Management (Weston, Mass.) 20.7 (2021): 29-38.
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.