Lawrence 1 Allison Lawrence Professor Alicia Bolton English 101 November 5, 2013 Annotated Bibliography: Steven Caseys 911,

More Or Less Emergency dispatchers and responders are an essential service provided to those in need during a crisis. From the initial emergency call, to the arrival of firefighters on the scene, there is much debate on what could be done to improve the response time of emergency officials in order to save lives. In Steven Caseys 911, More or Less, a family of four perished in a fire that broke out while they were sleeping. The fire began due to a faulty electrical outlet, but there were multiple factors that lead to the death of four people that night. Although a call to 911 was received within the first minute of the fire, it was 14 minutes later that the fire trucks arrived on the scene. This has left a community with a lot of unanswered questions. For others, there is no doubt as to what needs to change in order to prevent these casualties from occurring in the future. As family, friends, and a neighborhood mourn this preventable loss, we as a nation have a moral responsibility to establish and enforce federal and state protocols in order to minimize the loss of life. Proper disaster preparedness is much more than giving emergency officials the tools they need. To be truly effective at preventing and responding to a disaster, communities need to create emergency protocols and share resources. Establishing a clear plan of how to react during a fire can start within our schools. This would allow children to become comfortable with emergency evacuation plans during a crisis and continue to benefit other generations within a single household. Communities that are willing to take these precautionary steps are only going to benefit from being proactive. It will leave a community more confident and become second nature when and if these practices are needed. My research paper will inform family, friends, and loved ones that while there are improvements that need

Lawrence 2 to be made within our emergency dispatch and responder protocols, it is also the responsibility of a communitys citizens to be as knowledgeable and prepared for the possibility of a fire. My research paper will mirror my bibliography, which is the foundation for my research.

Benson, Philip. Lessons learned from North Carolina public health regional surveillance teams regional exercises. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science 9.1 (2011): 41.web. 17 Oct. 2013. This article, by Philip Benson, evaluates emergency response exercises done on a local, state, regional, and federal level. The purpose is to test response plans, defining roles and responsibilities, and making improvements. By creating a uniform protocol called regionalization, it will allow participating states to take advantage of the resources available. Benson has participated in many studies on a regional level and says, In Massachusetts, regionalization was credited with improved communication across jurisdictions and with regions serving as new platforms for conducting training, drills, and exercises (Benson 41). This article goes on to discuss the benefits and challenges of these regional exercises. Overall, Benson concludes that there is a need to operate emergency preparedness on a nationwide scale, in order to have uniform protocols. This article was written back in 2011 and Philip Benson has been on the forefront in participating with agencies to test these regionalization exercises. He has successfully planned processes that served to build relationships between partners. He has had a major role in planning new communications systems to benefit its users. Benson has also assisted in making states aware of continuing education and exercises to be completed on a monthly basis. He is credible because, he has collected irrefutable evidence to back his theories. This article will be helpful in my research paper because, it shows a proven method that should be practiced across the nation. Since there are many accredited scientists to back Bensons theory, my

Lawrence 3 paper will provide accurate information. Benson also provides opposing views, which will show the audience that both sides were not only discussed but tested. This will ultimately make a more wellrounded paper that is reliable.

Firefighters. Fire Department Response Time. Films Media Group, 1988. Films On Demand. Web. 17 October 2013. <http://storm.hgtc.edu:2048/login?url=http://digital.films.com/portalplaylists.as Px?aid=35038xtid=40756>. In Firefighters, the film discusses the areas in which the firefighters protect, the quick response times, and the emotional reactions of the firefighters involved. Firefighters are called for things as simple as a burnt cookie in the oven to a multi-floor electrical fire. The firefighters in the film protect upper Manhattan and the Bronx, which happens to be the most densely populated region in the country. The average response time to a fire in New York is under 5 minutes. An impressive record in the city notorious for its traffic (Firefighters, Fire Department Response Time). The film goes on to say how strenuous fires are on a firefighters body, even for as little as 20 minutes in a burning building can feel like youve entered a war zone. The segment goes on to say how victims are surprised when theyve left something on the stove, and ran to the store for 5 minutes, only to return to a fire that is out of control. Firefighters risk their lives every day and it certainly takes a special type of person to run into a burning building, as everyone else is running out. This film is a documentary that follows some of the nations most elite firefighters, which automatically proves its credible. Since the film provides first-hand encounters with firefighters and victims, it is proven to be a reliable source. I can use this film in my research paper by quoting real firefighters and victims of fires. This film is crucial in showing the audience that with all the challenges these New York firefighters face, they are still able to reach their victims in record times. This will provide a valid argument in discussing 911,

Lawrence 4 More or Less because, the response time that it took the firefighters in LA to reach the home was three times as long as the New York firefighters. This segment shows errors in protocols and without a doubt, improvements can be made to shorten response times.

Green, Melvyn, and Anne Watson. Building Codes for Existing and Historic Buildings. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011. Ebrary.Web. 17 Oct. 2013. International Code Council members Melvyn Green and Anne Watson wrote the eBook Building Codes for Existing and Historic Buildings. Green and Watson discuss the development of codes and standards on buildings in the United States. They go into depth about the rationale behind these codes and how many are outdated due to federal regulations. These regulations began around 1867 at a local government level because of the influx of immigration. Many people were poor and profit-minded landlords developed minimal housing standards in response to the demand. Unfortunately, health and safety conditions were non-existent, which lead to disease and fires. They go on to discuss how Model Codes make it possible for jurisdictions to benefit from these regulations. A Model Code is a document prepared by a group of experts on the subject at hand that have no legal ties. If adopted, it becomes a law by a jurisdiction. This, in turn, stimulates building by removing legal complexities from the process (Green and Watson 15). Model Codes are beneficial because, it provides professional expertise to our legislation and creates a uniform structure for building codes. This eBook was published 2 years ago, in 2011, therefore is very current and addresses the need to adopt these procedures now. In this source, it goes on to discuss how many European countries adopted Model Codes as long as two decades ago, but the United States has yet to do so. Green and Watson are proven to be very credible as they have gathered research from the most acclaimed individuals of their field. They provide facts and statistics by other countries that have these codes in place and have been working for years. They also provide the downside to adopting these new

Lawrence 5 procedures, but do not outweigh the benefits, which in turn makes them even more credible as a source for my research paper. Since my paper will reflect on a variety of options for improving building standards that can and have led to fires, it only makes sense to have a source that discusses how poor building structures originated. Because of these low qualities buildings, many people have lost their homes, belongings, and loved ones. This source gets to the root of why its important to change these archaic procedures, and they also provide a proven method to go forward with.

Hannan, Dan. Preventing Home Accidents: A Quick & Easy Guide. Alameda: Hunters House Inc., 2012. Print. Dan Hannan is your average family man, who decided to write a book called Preventing Home Accidents: A Quick & Easy Guide, in order to connect to the average American homeowner. He believes that accidents are 100% preventable by following a list of safety measures. He provides a list of safety controls for you to follow, without breaking the bank. In specific, there is a whole chapter dedicated to fire safety. He states, Fires change lives without warning, yet most fires are preventable (Hannan 71). He provides step by step instructions on how to put out a fire, and also how to prevent it from occurring, by following simple guidelines. Dan Hannan is a credible source because he has proven theories to back his ideals. He also has a forward by Bob villa, in the beginning of his book, which backs exactly what Hannan states about home and fire safety. Do to the personal research Hannan has provided, he is a very reliable source. Since my research paper is about a preventable fire that led to multiple deaths, this source is perfect for my research. Not only will it provide helpful tools for the audience on what to do, but this book could potentially save someones life by following very simple steps. I will consider all options on

Lawrence 6 how to fire proof your home, in the hopes of persuading the reader that these procedures are not only cost efficient, but obtainable.

International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. Emergencydispatch.org. Salt Lake City, Utah, 2013.Web. 2013. International Academies of Emergency Dispatch is a school that provides state of the art training for those individuals interested in going forward as a dispatcher. They strive to improve public care and maximizing the efficiency of 911 systems. They provide the tools necessary to achieve these high standards through certifications and accreditations. The school provides a code of ethics, which serve as a guideline for their organization to follow. Their mission statement says, To conduct an on-going review of the current standards of care and practice in EMD, Fire, Police, and other areas of public safety telecommunications and evaluate the tools and mechanisms used to meet or exceed those standards (Emergencydispatch.org). Because they have set such high standards in order to become accredited, they are one of the top rated emergency dispatch schools in the country. This school was founded 35 years ago and was built based on a fundamental principle that all students should strive to achieve. Because of the many awards and recognition the school has received, they make a credible source. Not only does the school provide state of the art facilities, but after their students graduate, they are proven to become successful in their endeavors. I chose this source because in order to become a dispatcher, everyone in that field should be expected to go through the same rigorous training. I plan to show with this source that given the proper training, it is less likely for mistake to be made. Its unclear as to what type of formal training the dispatchers in 911, More or Less received, but with the proper tools, they would have been well equipped to make decisions that could have saved the lives of four family members.

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