A Case Study Assessment of Nebraska Disaster Preparedness at the Local Level

No state, community, or individual are impervious to disasters and their impact; however, planning and preparation can minimize the effect and impact of a disaster. Response to disasters begins at the local level; therefore, disaster preparedness is essential. Local governments are often inadequately prepared for disaster, largely based on infrequent disasters, limited resources, and competing demands. Consequently, local jurisdictions tend to focus their efforts and expenditures on more pressing issues. A key component of disaster preparedness is the local emergency operations plan (LEOP), which requires the use of a combination of federal and state guidance. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine and assess the viability and executability of disaster preparedness programs and plans at the county level for Nebraska in order to identify areas for improvement and best practices. This case study was a single-case study to examine disaster preparedness programs and plans in Nebraska utilizing an embedded unit design with the county being the unit of analysis. The criteria for the purposeful sampling selection were population or hazard extremes, specifically, the largest, smallest, and most age-dependent populations and/or the presence of high-capacity dams or nuclear reactors. In addition, this case study employed document reviews and interviews with Emergency Management Directors as data sources. Of the research target group, 11.11% had LEOPs with approval dates more than five years old, outside both the FEMA recommended three year timeframe and the Nebraska five year direction. Furthermore, an over dependence on the template containing all of the answers resulted in important gaps in coverage for every county LEOP examined. Moreover, several counties used a narrow, medically focused definition of special needs while other counties incorporated functional needs and utilized a more inclusive description. Therefore, numerous recommendations were identified for practical application, the most important of which was increased emphasis on regular reviews and updates to the LEOPs. Additionally, 16 items were identified that would benefit the body of knowledge by further research. Key among these proposed research topics were development of disaster preparedness theory and training and certification of emergency managers. In addition, nine best practices were identified.