Answer all the five Questions, include in-text in each question and compile every citation on a separate page under your references.

EMAN 630 (Fall 2017)

Final Essay Exam- [Instruction and Questions]

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Please include a cover sheet with the course title, a sub-title of “Final Essay Exam,” and the date of submission.
•  Please don’t repeat or restate the questions.
• Your responses should be clear, complete, succinct and substantive, addressing all of the main themes, elements or sub-questions in each overall question selected.
• Your own critical thinking and analysis should be supported by evidence of research in appropriatesources such as assigned or supplementary sources used in this course, or from other scholarly/authoritative sources found in your own research, with source attribution and in-text citations in your responses in proper APA format for all conclusions, statements of fact, quotations, ideas or other supporting content. 
• This is not a FULL research paper, so please don’t overdo it in terms of direct quotes, reproduced lists or tables, or citations. At the same time, while I want to see what you think about these topics, I’m not looking merely for opinions; rather, well-reasoned arguments or assertions supported by evidence with at least a few citations from authoritative sources. The challenge is to maintain a high proportion of original work, and limit the use of material quoted or paraphrased from the sources you cited.  
• UMUC requires the use of an accepted manual of style for citations, as indicated in the Syllabus. APA is preferred.
• Please include a single overall list of References or Works Cited with full citations at the end of the exam rather than piecemeal after each response.
• I would expect at least one in-text citation corresponding with each full citation in the list of References or Works Cited, and each in-text citation should match up clearly with a full citation in the list of References or Works Cited.
• Make sure to follow a single, correct, consistent citation style for both in-text citations in your responses and full citations in the list of References or Works Cited; don’t “mix-and-match” APA with other styles in the same exam.
• Proofread and edit your replies for organization, coherence, sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Your responses should be in Times New Roman, size 11 or 12 font, and may be either single or double-spaced.
• Please include pagination (i.e., insert sequential page numbers).
• Your completed exam should total approximately 5-10 pages (a minimum of one page or 350-400 words per response—a little more is better than a little less), excluding the cover sheet and list of References or Works Cited.
• Submit the completed exam as a MS Word doc into the Assignment folder dropbox linked under the Week 12 folder of the Course Content area in LEO, no later than 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday noon, November 28, 2017. Earlier submissions will be appreciated. Requests for extensions must be approved in advance. Remember, you will not be submitting this exam in Turnitin, but I will.

QUESTIONS: Answer all the five Questions, include in-text in each question and compile every citation on a separate page under your references.

Note: University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is the required scholarly references by the Professor. I would appreciate if you can use exact required scholarly references. I would not mind to give you my login details in the UMUC library for those references you will need. My login: Username: RBALOGUN1 and Password: Oreoluwa75. Go to www.umuc.edu and go to the bottom to click library and log in to use UMUC electronic references for the paper. Thanks.

 Media Dynamics and Dealing with Media Interests

1.)Find and review videoclips and articles involving press conferences or media releases about either the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012, or the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando in June 2016, or the Las Vegas shootings of October 2017. What is your assessment of those press conferences or media releases in terms of the content and tone of the messages or information, the skills and poise of those being interviewed or serving as spokespersons, the frequency of the crisis communications, and the media involved. What was done well, and what wasn’t? Were there any audiences or media that appeared to be overlooked?

National Communications Systems and Interoperability Issues

2.) In your view, what are the most significant obstacles or challenges hindering the development and implementation of truly reliable and interoperable emergency communications systems among all jurisdictions, disciplines, agencies, and level of governments? What would you recommend in terms of a single, overarching policy or approach to achieve this goal, or at least facilitate significant progress? Do you think any progress has been made in this area since events like the Oklahoma City Bombing of 1995, the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01, or Hurricane Katrina? Why or why not?

Key Communications Issues: EOCs, ICS and Unified Command

3.) Briefly describe the evolution of national emergency alert systems and the organization or main elements of the current IPAWS system. What is your assessment of that system? Is it comprehensive and effective, or should it have evolved in different directions with more or fewer components or elements? Provide examples to support your views.

Exercising/Testing/Validating the Communications Element of the EOP

4.) Describe the approach to drills and exercises designed to test and validate EOPs and crisis communications in an organization or jurisdiction that you are familiar with. Is there a regular, progressive exercise program involving key stakeholders, entities and personnel? Do you know, or have any sense, whether comprehensive after-action reports are developed and improvement planning for the EOP or crisis communications actually occurs, resulting in improvements to the EOP? What are the potential consequences or impacts for failure to engage seriously in drills and exercises? 

Social Media and New Communication Issues

5.)  What do you think are the most significant challenges, but also the potential benefits, of social media in emergency management and crisis communications? Describe an example of an actual disaster or crisis incident in which social media had a major impact, whether good or bad. What is your assessment of how the organization, official or jurisdiction handled, used, or responded to social media in that event?

Your completed exam is due in your Assignment folder by 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday night, November 28, 2017, which marks the official end of the summer semester at UMUC. Any extensions must be approved in advance.

Note: University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is the required scholarly references by the Professor. I would appreciate if you can use exact required scholarly references. I would not mind to give you my login details in the UMUC library for those references you will need. My login: Username: RBALOGUN1 and Password: Oreoluwa75. Go to www.umuc.edu and go to the bottom to click library and log in to use UMUC electronic references for the paper. Thanks.