Prospectus

How community-based disaster management approaches are effective in enhancing resilience to wildfires and other disasters in Texas Prospectus [Author] American Public University System EDMG 699: Capstone Thesis [Instructor] [Date] Problem Statement The topic entails assessing how community-based disaster management approaches are effective in enhancing resilience to wildfires and other disasters in Texas. Every year, Texas communities face the vulnerabilities of wildfires and other natural calamities. Although wildfires are unavoidable, the loss of natural resources, assets, and life is not. Texas has an increasingly burgeoning populace, an evolving landscape, and more multifaceted disaster-related problems. This underscores the need to prepare communities and coordinate disaster response efforts. I am interested in the topic because an effective community-based disaster risk reduction program should empower vulnerable communities to cope with the risks and augment their local development with the support of existing traditional and administrative authorities. However, there is still a problem in responding to these wildfires, as evidenced by the continued loss of resources, lives, and property of Texas citizens (Moorehead, 2023). One of Texas's most impactful fire years was 2022 because the state experienced significant challenges never encountered in over a decade as it tried to respond to the disaster. In the same year, firefighters responded to at least 12,411 wildfires, with over 650,000 acres of Texas land burned (Moorehead, 2023). Accordingly, firefighters’ efforts are attributed to savings of up to $2.7 billion in values at risk, including 8,202 residences (Moorehead, 2023). Unfortunately, these wildfires are attributed to the destruction of structures and resources in diverse communities across the state. In addition, the loss of four lives cannot be underestimated. There is a problem related to wildfire response because although Texas A&M Forest Service emphasizes the need to collaborate with community stakeholders in educating, building capacity, and ensuring preparedness before the inevitable wildfires, the loss of property, lives, and resources calls for the need to research the effectiveness of the community-based disaster management approaches. Proposed Methodology This analysis will employ a case study approach because it does not require control over behavioral events and focuses on contemporary events. The case study method is practical when answering the ‘how’ and ‘why’ research questions that would be used in the analysis. The how’ and ‘why’ research questions are increasingly explanatory and practical when using a case study method. For example, in seeking to establish how a Texa...