2 page memo

Advances in technology, including communication, detection, mapping, and warning systems, can be instrumental in saving lives and reducing damage to property. Unfortunately, these advances can be cost prohibitive. Emergency managers might be called upon to defend a proposal to a city council or to justify why the technology is needed on a grant application to secure funding. 

For this Assignment, you take the role of an emergency manager and send a memo to your state emergency management office promoting an emerging technology not currently used in your area. (Refer to the link to the OWL—Purdue Online Writing Lab website in this week’s resources for guidelines for writing a memo.) 

The Assignment (maximum 2 pages, submit in memo format as a Word document)

• Write a memo to the state emergency manager describing the emerging technology that you propose for your community.

• Explain how you plan to use this emerging technology in your community and why the state should also adopt this technology.

• Describe any challenges or limitations associated with this technology, and explain how to address them

Readings

• Sylves, R. (2015). Disaster policy and politics: Emergency management and homeland security (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: CQ Press.
  • Chapter 5, “The Role of Scientists and Engineers” 
• Canton, L. G. (2007). Emergency management: Concepts and strategies for effective programs. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
  • Chapter 9, “Coordinating Disaster”
• American Red Cross. (2011). Social media in disasters and emergencies. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/about-us/media/subject-matter-experts/social-communications

• Perdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). Sample memo. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/590/04/