Emergency mobilization is the act of preparing for major catastrophic events, which may affect public transportation systems or their service areas, by assembling and organizing resources, including people, equipment, facilities, communications systems, expert technical support, and public information systems and protocols. Mobilization is the process that ensures that the right people will deploy appropriate resources at the correct time. It is central to the public transportation industry’s ability to ensure the provision of service under normal and emergency conditions. Effective mobilization requires a partnership of local, regional, state, and federal agencies. Mobilization capabilities are typically documented in a series of plans, procedures, protocols, training programs, exercise simulations and scenarios, and afteraction reports that contribute to the system’s emergency response and management capabilities. Public transportation operators and systems play vital roles in response to and recovery from emergencies and other unexpected catastrophic events. These systems, and their capabilities to mobilize resources, are profoundly affected by the decisions and directives of others during these activities. To address these effects and ensure the most effective response possible, it is advisable that public transportation providers become more actively involved with their local communities in planning and preparing for emergencies. (Author/publisher)
Abstract