Fannie Mae Accounting Scandal Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fannie Mae Accounting Scandal - Case Study Example In 2004, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) found out that the firm Fannie Mae was violating the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). This practice, as per the government investigation took place from 1998-2004, while in the year 1998, the management over stated revenues and understated the expenses. In accordance with a report that has been recently presented by OFHEO, there was involvement of high level executives that led to the misinterpretation and violation of accounting standards, which was a massive scale 'organized-accounting-robbery' mounting the dollar amount to 11 billion. The director of OFHEO took an immediate note and directed correction, which was turned down by Fannie Mae making an excuse that it could have been an end-user issue as the company is not fully automated. What truly went improper was the fact that loans and mortgage are fairly risky games and there are always chances of customers defaulting, alongside the interest rate risk makes the venture further riskier. For securing their investment and giving better return to stakeholders, Fannie Mae undertook risky ventures and investment for better returns and compensating the main stream line of business. When there were phenomenal profits, the shareholders and executives remain satisfied due to income (dividend yield and capital gains) and bonuses respectively. Violation of GAAP In the recently presented report by OFHEO, after three years of extensive investigations, there was a major accounting flaws in the accounting practices of Fannie Mae noticed and marked. The major ones are highlighted as the violation of the following GAAP standards: 1. SFAS-91: Accounting for Nonrefundable Fees and Costs Associated with Originating or Acquiring Loans and Initial Direct Costs of Leases 2. SFAS-133: Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities As mentioned previously, that there was too much over-estimation of income and underestimated expenses that mainly contributed to increased bottom-line of the financial statements. The excess income was mainly recorded by means of non-refundable fees. Alongside, the future in-flows of cash were adjusted by using hedging and futures counters that introduced lesser risk with fluctuating interest rates, however, these also increased the risk by means of gambling over the same counters with excess money. Official Involvement & Auditors The major player/official involved in this scandal was the Chief Executive of Fannie Mae i.e. Franklin Raines. He always defended the company in good terms by making others responsible by tarnishing the repute of the company. The CFO (Chief Financial Officer) also defended the company in good terms by stating that the financial statements were as per the GAAP requirements. The audit of this firm was KPMG who backed out after sometime. The denial of having the firm involved in such a violation gave a view of KPMG being involved them in the issue but it could have been a case of negligence as well as the auditors drew their hands from this case soon. OFHEO

African American and American Society Essay Example for Free

African American and American Society Essay Is Racism a Permanent feature of American Society? Derrick Bell argues in this issue that the prospects for achieving racial equality in the United States are â€Å"illusory for Blacks. Bell reminds us despite the fact of the progress of blacks in United States; the legacy of slavery has left a portion of the race â€Å"with life-long poverty and soul devastating despair†. Bell believes that race consciousness is so imbedded in whites that it is virtually impossible to rise above it. He also argues that â€Å"few whites are able to identify with blacks as a group† and tend to view blacks through â€Å"comforting racial stereotypes†. Bell feels strongly that critical and proper examination of the history of black-white relations supports his conclusion that racism is a permanent feature of American Society. Bell makes some good point about racism in the American society today. The fact that the psychical part of racism is gone does not mean that racism as permanently left American Society. The fact that racism still â€Å"exist† is does not reflect on blacks’ success any longer. Majority of whites had a head start because their generation of success goes so many years back, were as for blacks success was not allowed at a point in time. Blacks have come a long ways over the years but there is still racial discrimination that â€Å"affects† the black population. Dinesh D’Souza does not agree with Bell, he believes that racism is not a permanent Strain of fabric in the American Society. D’Souza distinguishes between racial discrimination that is â€Å"irrational, motivated by bigotry† and which is â€Å"rational from the point of view of the discriminator. † D’Souza admits that such discrimination may be harmful to individual blacks but he rejects any casual linkage between the lagging indicators of blacks’ overall progress with racial discrimination. He believes race is a diminishing force within American society, D’Souza argues that factors other than racial discrimination are the sources of lagging process toward the American Dream. D’Souza reasoning for blacks not achieving more in America is because blacks fail to observe and embrace certain cultural norms of the dominant American Society. He implies that those who are successful exhibit cultural values that promote success. He states blacks need to place a much greater emphasis on overcoming cultural barriers rather than continuing to assert that race is being held by a persistent racism that afflicts America. Black’s generation has come a long way in American Society. Racism shouldn’t be the excuse for the failure in African American success when in 1919- current we have African American first. Slavery started around 1808 and ended in 1865 due to Lincoln Emancipation Proclamation. Racism was still in effect because the fact that blacks had rights was new. Still in all there were blacks who succeed shortly after that time. Madame C. J. Walker was the first African American female who was a self-made millionaire. In 1893 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams was the first black to perform open heart surgery. In 1908 Jack Johnson was the First African-American world heavyweight Champion. In 1993 Toni Morrison was the first African-American to win the Nobel Prize for literature. In 2009 Barack Obama was the first black president of the United States, with the support of some whites. Racism still is â€Å"permanent† due to history but it is not an excuse for Blacks not becoming successful. Derrick bell major argument is that blacks are faced at the bottom of the well. Bell exclaims despite undeniable progress for many, no African American is insulated from incidents of racial discrimination. He states because of our color we are threaten through our lives, careers. Dinesh D’Souza states racism undoubtedly exists, but it no longer has the power to thwart blacks or any other group in achieving their economic, political, and social aspirations. The arguments relates to the overall theme because yes, racism still occurs but it should not pun Blacks from achieving their aspiration. Bell major point is as a Black he experiences the racism. Blacks can work in a white community and experience racism because whites fear the superiority of blacks. D’Souza points out in his argument that racism is the least bit worries blacks should have, when there are black on black crime occurring. Racism should not be such an excuse for â€Å"underclass† blacks not achieving their goals. D’Souza points out the facts where African Americans now live in a country where black man, Colin Powell, who three decades ago could not be served in restaurants, is now a Joint chief staff. Also a white man who supported the nomination of Clarence Thomas, a black man married to a white, for the Supreme Court. D’Souza question is if white racism controls the density of blacks today, how one segment of black community has prospered so much over the past generation. Some unsupported claims in bells argument was he says, â€Å"Modern discrimination is, moreover, not practiced indiscriminately. † Bell implies whites idolize black athletes and entertainers but refuse to hire and work with blacks. Bell also states whites who number individuals blacks among their closest friends approve, or do not oppose, practices that bar selling or renting homes or apartments in their neighborhood to blacks they do not know. Then in his argument he also states that most hotels and restaurants, who offer black patrons courteous treatment, uniformly reject black job applicants. Bell defense for this was â€Å"When did you last see black waiter in a really good restaurant†. These are unsupported claims because this may be true but there are no proven facts that racist is the cause of these arguments. In D’Souza arguments there were not any unsupported claims really found. D’Souza stated his arguments and had accurate information to support his defense. D’Souza makes great points and has a lot of validity in his arguments. He states if blacks are going to reform their community, they have a right to expect that they will be treated equally under law. Hypothetically speaking D’Souza implies if blacks were refused hire on every baseball team in America, blacks would suffer most because they would be denied the chance to play professional baseball. Fans would also suffer because the quality of games would diminish. He says â€Å"But what if a few team-say the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers- refused to hire blacks? † African Americans has a group would hardly suffer at all, because they would offer there service to other teams. D’Souza saying the Yankees and the Dodgers would suffer a great deal, because they would be deprived of the chance to hire talented blacks’ players. Eventually the competitive pressure would force those teams to either hire blacks or suffer losses in games and revue. Then he makes another valid point he referenced from Gary Becker pointed out, in free market, selective discrimination imposes the heaviest cost on the discriminator where it should be. Some whites will undoubtedly discriminate against blacks but with deal with them because of the law and taste for profit. *Dinesh D’Souza is an Indian American conservative political commentator, public intellectual and current president of the King’s College in New York City. He graduated from Dartmouth College, where he graduated with a B. A. in English. D’Souza also published a book in 2007 called The Enemy at home: the cultural left and its responsibility for 9/11. In his argument D’Souza used government documents, books, articles and oral very frequently. D’Souza would state his opinion and have facts and documents to support his defense. No, the reading did not significantly add to my knowledge because these are issues that has been discussed for many years. In the article I did learn some new ways of thinking of Racism. This article did broaden my thoughts with the factual evidence the authors used to support their defense. I would recommend this article to be read to those who do not have a clear understanding of the term racism. The subject that was focus on in this case study is racism a permanent feature of American Society? The case study focused on political, social and economic issues. Bell argued blacks will never gain full equality in American and D’Souza argued that blacks have equality and racism is not important issue blacks should be worried about in today society.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Inventory Management Systems

Advantages and Disadvantages of Inventory Management Systems INVENTORY The term inventory derives from the French word inventaire and the Latin word inventariom which simply means a list of things which are found. The term inventory includes materials which are in raw form, or are in process, in the finished packaging, spares and the others which are stocked in order to meet all the unexpected demands or distribution in the future. This term usually refers to the stock at hand at a particular period of time of all those materials which are in raw form, those goods which are in progress of manufacture, all the finished products, merchandise purchased products for resale of those products, tangible products which can be seen, touched, measured or are countable. In a connection with the financial statements and records of accounting, the reference may be to the amount assigned to the stock or the pile of goods owned by an enterprise at a particular period of time. Inventory controls transit and handling. The raw materials may be transported thousands of ki lometers before they are converted into an end product. At the same time, materials which are in transit, may take a period of several days or months. During this process of transit, materials carry someone’s inventory. These Inventories serve to isolate the supplier, the producer and the consumer. Inventories permit the acquirement of raw materials in economic lot sizes as well as processing of these raw materials into finished goods in the most economical quantities. Raw material inventories distinguish the supplier of raw materials from the user of these raw materials. Finished goods inventories distinguish the user of the final goods from the producer of the goods. Inventories are held to facilitate product display and service to customers, batching in production in order to take advantage of longer production runs and provide flexibility in production scheduling. There are four types of inventories: Production inventories MRO inventories In process inventories Finished goods inventories Objectives of inventory management To ensure a continuous supply of raw materials and supplies to facilitate unhandled production. To maintain required quantity of finished goods for smooth sales operation and efficient customer service. It permits the acquirement of raw materials in economic lot sizes as well as processing of these raw materials into finished goods is the most economical quantity known as economic lot size. It reduces the dependencies of one another and enables the organizations to schedule their operations without getting dependent on each other. It helps to reduce those costs which have been occurred during the material handling. It helps to utilize people and materials reasonably. It controls display of the products and services provided to the corresponding customers. INVENTORY SYSTEM An inventory system facilitates the organizational structure and the operating policies for maintaining and controlling materials to be inventoried. This system is responsible for ordering and receipt of materials, timing the order placement and keeping record of what has been ordered, how much ordered and from whom the order placement has been done. There are two models of inventory system:- The fixed order quantity system The fixed order periodic system FIXED ORDER QUANTITY SYSTEM The fixed order quantity system is also known as the Q system. In this system, whenever the stock on hand reaches the reorder point, a fixed quantity of materials is ordered. The fixed quantity of material ordered each time is actually the economic order quantity. Whenever a new consignment arrives, the total stock is maintained within the maximum and the minimum limits. The fixed order quantity method is a method that facilitates for a predetermined amount of a given material to be ordered at a particular period of time. This method helps to limit reorder mistakes, conserve space for the storage of the finished goods, and block those unnecessary expenditures that would tie up funds that could be better utilized elsewhere. The fixed order quantity may be bridged to an automatic reorder point where a particular quantity of a good is ordered when stock at hand reaches a level which is already determined.   Advantages: Each material can be procured in the most economical quantity. Purchasing and inventory control people automatically gives their attention to those items which are required only when are needed. Positive control can easily be handled to maintain the inventory investment at the desired level only by calculating the predetermined maximum and minimum values. Disadvantages: Sometimes, the orders are placed at the irregular time periods which may not be convenient to the producers or the suppliers of the materials. The items cannot be grouped and ordered at a time since the reorder points occur irregularly. If there is a case when the order placement time is very high, there would be two to three orders pending with the supplier each time and there is likelihood that he may supply all orders at a time. EOQ may give an order quantity which is much lower than the supplier minimum and there is always a probability that the order placement level for a material has been reached but not noticed in which case a stock out may occur. The system assumes stable usage and definite lead time. When these change significantly, a new order quantity and a new order point should be fixed, which is quite cumbersome. FIXED ORDER PERIOD SYSTEM In this system, the stock position of each material of a product is checked at regular intervals of time period. When the stock level of a given product is not sufficient to sustain the operation of production until the next scheduled tested, an order is placed destroying the supply. The frequency of reviews varies from organization to organization. It also varies among products within the same organization, depending upon the importance of the product, predetermined production schedules, market conditions and so forth. The order quantities vary for different materials. Every order quantity in their method is obtained by the following formula. Advantages: The ordering and inventory costs are low. The ordering cost is considerably reduced though follow up work for each delivery may be necessary. The suppliers will also offer attractive discounts as sales are guaranteed. The system works well for those products which exhibit an irregular or seasonal usage and whose purchases must be planned in advance on the basis of sales estimates. Dis advantages: The periodic testing system tends to peak the purchasing work around the review dates. The system demands the establishment of rather inflexible order quantities in the interest of administrative efficiency. It compels a periodic review of all items; this itself makes the system somewhat inefficient. Distinction between Q system and P system Point of difference Q system P system Initiation of order Stock on hand reaches to reorder point Based on fixed review period and not stock level Period of order Any time when stock level reaches to reorder point Only after the predetermined period Record keeping Continuously each time a withdrawal or addition is made Only at the review period Order quantity Constant the same quantity ordered each time Quantity of order varies each time order is placed Size of inventory less than the P system Larger than the Q system Time to maintain Higher due to perpetual record keeping Less than due to only at the review period Examples Fixed order quantity system A painter can order 200 gallons or more for $4.75 per gallon, with all other factors in the computation remaining the same. He must compare the total costs of taking this approach to the total costs under the EOQ. Using the total cost formula, the painter would find TC = PD + HQ/2 + SD/Q = (5 Ãâ€" 3,500) + (3 Ãâ€" 187)/2 + (15 Ãâ€" 3,500)/187 = $18,061 for the EOQ. Ordering the higher quantity and receiving the price discount would yield a total cost of (4.75 Ãâ€" 3,500) + (3 Ãâ€" 200)/2 + (15 Ãâ€" 3,500)/200 = $17,187. In other words, the painter can save $875 per year by taking advantage of the price break and making 17.5 orders per year of 200 units each. Fixed order period system Daily demand for a product is 10 units with a standard deviation of 3 units. The review period is 30 days, and lead time is 14 days. At the moment of the review time, there are 150 units in inventory. For a 98% service level, how many units should be ordered? Solution = 10 units = 3 units T= 30 days L= 14 days z= 2.05 units.

George Orwell :: essays research papers

Eng. 12 Essay #3 Revision Save Face Or Do What’s Right? In the essay "Shooting an elephant" George Orwell describes an incident he had while working as an Imperial Police officer in Burma. An elephant had gone out of control and was loose in a town. He was forced to make a decision on whether to follow the will of the local people, or to save the elephant's life. Orwell knew it was wrong to kill the elephant. He had not wanted to from the beginning. He had brought a gun just in case he might need it. When he finally came to the elephant, who was peacefully eating outside of the town it no longer posed a threat. But, a large group of people had formed behind him, and they were now expecting him to kill the elephant, giving them a show and some food. The people who had abused him the entire time he had been in Burma now found him worth some interest. If he didn't kill the elephant, he would be disappointing all of the people. He considered it his job at that point to impress the people. So he killed the elephant for the people, hoping to gain respect from them. In my personal experience, I was once faced with a situation like Orwells. I was put in a situation where I had the choice of saving face or doing what was right, unlike Orwell I chose to do what was right. This passed week it happened, A couple of friends were going to Philadelphia to go to a overnight club. They were going to stay there for three days, which meant I would have missed three days of school and work. My friends were pressuring me to go, fortunately for me I don’t care what people say or think about me. They called me names. They said I was chicken, nothing serious, but it hurts when your own friends call you names. When they were leaving they called me one last time. They kept pressuring me to go. Like In "

Edgar Allan Poe – Theme of Death

Picture this. The father of modern crime and detective stories, known as Edgar Allan Poe, is sitting down about to write a beautiful piece of writing and BAM! He whisks away into a story of love, death, and just plain out horror; either characters are losing someone near and dear to their hearts or they are plotting to kill. Edgar Allan Poe, at a very young age, lost both of his parents, and later on in life, lost his wife to tuberculosis, so in one way or another, these stories reflect off of his personal experiences. A major theme in Poe’s writings is death.The theme of death is seen throughout the works of Annabel Lee, the Cask of Amontillado, the Raven, and the Black Cat. In the poem Annabel Lee, death is the dominant theme. Poe has experienced the death of his one and only true love. â€Å"And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride, in her sepulcher there by the sea,† shows how Poe is going through the loss of his love in a more strange way by â€Å"lying down† by the side of Annabel Lee’s lifeless corpse, inside her tomb. You also know that the theme is death because he mentions how angels and demons could never truly separate them.â€Å"But our love it was stronger by far†¦ and neither the angels in Heaven above nor the demons down under the sea can ever dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee,† expresses the more grieving and less obsessive side of Poe. Although his darling has been taken from him and death physically separated them, they are still â€Å"together† for their love was more than love and their souls had become one. Death is an important theme in The Cask of Amontillado. The entire plot is fixated around the revenge Montressor must take against Fortuanto.â€Å"-He did not perceive that my smile was now at the thought of his immolation,† is pretty much self-explanatory; Montressor smiles at the thought of Fortunat o’s destruction†¦ His death. Once Fortuanto agreed to go down to Montressor’s catacombs, his fate drastically changed. â€Å"-He stepped unsteadily forward, while I followed immediately at his heels. † Right here, Fortuanto’s fate completely changed for shortly after this, Montessor had chained him to granite and began to â€Å"throw links about his waist;† this is where he was going to die. Once Fortuanto was officially dead, Montressor’s revenge had been fulfilled.â€Å"For half a century no mortal has disturbed them. In pace requiescat! † Fortunato’s corpse is now amongst other dead family members belonging to Montressor, and although Montressor was the cause of Fortunato’s death, he still says â€Å"may he rest in peace. † Montressor didn’t really mean it because if he did feel any remorse towards Fortuanto, he wouldn’t have killed him in the first place. Death is definitely an important the me for this short story. The Raven analyzes the theme of death. In the poem, the narrator is seeking hope and wisdom after the death of Lenore.â€Å"Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there†¦ But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, and the only word spoken was the whispered word, Lenore? This I whispered, and an echo murmured back Lenore? Merely this and nothing more,† describes how the narrator believed he heard the name of his love, but then his hope fades as nothing more is said. The narrator had to face that his love was no longer there with him because she was dead. â€Å"Nevermore† is the only response the raven gives to the helpless narrator, and it makes him increasingly agitated because he is starting to believe that his love is never coming back.Through this, the raven, a sign of despair, helps him realize that he will â€Å"nevermore† see Lenore. Death is explored in the Black Cat. Death was experienced when the n arrator’s intoxicated actions went too far. â€Å"I withdrew my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain. † This shows just one consequence of the narrator’s horrifying mind set, and after he had killed his wife, he stated, â€Å"this hideous murder accomplished, I set myself forthwith, and with entire deliberation, to the task of concealing the body.†The narrator isn’t so worried that he just killed his wife in a drunken stage; he is more worried about where to hide the carcass of his once beloved wife. Although not feeling much remorse for his wife, the narrator feels guilt after he abused what used to be his most favorite pet. â€Å"-I experienced a sentiment half of horror, half of remorse, for the crime of which I had been guilty. † This expresses how the narrator, although a murdered, actually feels sorry; after he harmed the black cat, known as Pluto, he actually felt true remorse.The narrator may have felt sorry, but he did n’t give up his story until the cries of the cat did for him. â€Å"- Then I was answered by a voice from within the tomb! – by a cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of a child, and then quickly swelling into one long, loud, and continuous scream – a howl – a wailing shriek, half of horror and half of triumph†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The narrator’s crime was then exposed by the in-human screams. Once heard by the police, they tore down the wall that was covering the tomb of his once beloved wife.Not only did the narrator wall up his wife, but he also â€Å"walled the monster up within the tomb! † One could say the black cat got its revenge and the narrator would forever pay in guilt. Death has been seen throughout the stories of Annabel Lee, the Cask of Amontillado, the Raven, and the Black Cat. The theme of death is not limited to these stories; death is a major theme in all of Poe’s works. Poe's life-long struggle with depressi on and alcoholism worsened after the death of his own loved one, and could have possibly caused his own death. Poe will forever be remembered as the father of crime and detective stories.

Disaster in Franklin County Essay

The Role of Health Personnel and the Public Health Nurse Public health personnel and public health nurses have many responsibilities in a disaster that are essential to a successful outcome for the community. Their primarily focus is on the safety and health of the public. The health personnel will assess the community’s available resources by providing the necessary assistance and identifying their specific needs related to the disaster. The health care personnel also have the role of educating the community and addressing any physical or psychosocial needs the community might have (Disaster in Franklin County: A Public Health Simulation, 2006). The health personnel will collaborate with the local health department to assemble resources that are required during a disaster and coordinate with community services to ensure the public’s basic needs are met. These services involve social services, volunteers and rescue workers (Disaster in Franklin County: A Public Health Simulation, 2006). The health personnel issue health advisories and allocate resources to match the needs of the disaster. This could include providing transportation to remove people from their homes during a flood. It is also essential that the health personnel communicates effectively with the public and media to provide updated information on how to obtain help, how to obtain basic necessities, potential health hazards and to reassure the people of Franklin that they are safe (Disaster in Franklin County: A Public Health Simulation, 2006). The public nurse’s role during a disaster involves helping patients in the emergency shelter for first-aid skills and administering medication. However more emphasis is being placed on population-based public health and disaster preparedness. Public health nurses have gained an increased knowledge about the community’s baseline health status, demographics, environment and exciting resources. Public health nurses now have an awareness of vulnerable populations in the community, who may be at risk in times of disasters. This includes the elderly, disabled, mental illness and non-speaking English residents (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Synder 2006). The public health nurse will conduct door to door interviews. This is performed to complete a community assessment to determine who requires medical attention, who has any special needs, such as essential medications and medical equipment (oxygen, nebulizer, and dialysis) and if the community has sanitary food and water. The nurse must also provide imperative education to help keep the public safe, such as providing information about the local crisis call centers for additional care and support and local shelter. The nurse can refer them to proper resources such as social workers, counselors and shelters (Disaster in Franklin County: A Public Health Simulation, 2006). Chain of command The chain of command that was used in the Franklin County simulation includes the Incident Commander, Operations Section Chief, Medical/Health branch director, Public Health Groups, Public Health Nursing Supervisor and the Public Health Nurse. The Incident Commander is the decision- making final authority. The Operations Section Chief has the  responsibility for managing all operations, supervising organizations in accordance with the incident action plan and directs its execution. The Operation Section Chief also directs the preparation of operational plan, requests resources, makes expedient changes to the action plan when necessary and reports such to the incident commander (Wikipedia, 2013). The Medical/Health branch director will direct, supervise and evaluate work activities of medical and nursing. Public Health Groups will monitor health status and identify health problems, by investing health problems and health hazards in the community. They will evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility and quality of personal and population-based health services. Public Health Groups also develop policies and plans and enforce laws and regulations to protect the health and safety of the community. The Public Health Nursing supervisor is responsible for providing direction and assistance to the Public Health Nurse and evaluating their work (Wikipedia, 2013). The Public health nurse communicates directly to the County Public Health Director who is Zachary Burke. Zachary Burke works under the Operation Section Chief who is Rebecca Brower. Rebecca Brower directly speaks to Chris Newhouse, who is the EOC Commander. The Public Health Nurse will also collaborate with other specialists such as epidemiologists, biostatisticians, environmentalists, social workers and such during a disaster (Disaster in Franklin County a Public Health Simulation, 2006). The Community Nurse has many available resources to the Franklin community when he or she encounters a problem that is not within her scope of practice. A social worker can help individuals who are experiencing problems associated with housing, unemployment and finances. A social worker can also  refer individuals suffering from emotional distress to a counselor. An environmental Health Specialist can help maintain a safe environment by identifying potential environmental problems such as a gas leak or chemical spill. They can help educate the community on safety hazards and find solutions to eliminate any threat to the public by monitoring any possible dangers or environmental threats to the community (Disaster in Franklin County a Public Health Simulation, 2006). The American Red Cross can provide many resources that can help ease the community’s suffering caused by a disaster. The American Red Cross offers a great deal of emergency assistance such as shelters, cleaning supplies, comfort kits, first aid, food, clothing home repairs, household items, medical supplies, emergency transportation and etc. The American Red Cross can also provide referrals to the government and other agencies providing disaster assistance. Another resource that could benefit the community is the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This organization provides disaster assistance to individuals or families whose property has been damaged or destroyed and whose losses are not covered by insurance. Actions by the Public Health Nurse The first residence that the nurse performed a door to door interview was a man named Matt Westlund. Matt Westlund begins to tell the Public Health Nurse that his basement is flooded and the shelf in his shed had collapsed which caused all types of chemicals to spill. Mr. Westlund is seeking help on how to clean this chemical mess up. The public Health nurse responsibility is to seek help from an Environmental Health Specialist (EHS). The EHS will assess and determine the most appropriate way to clean up the house held hazards waste. The nurse must insist that Mr. Westlund does not attempt to clean up this mess and to wait until the Environmental Health Specialist arrives. The Public Health Nurse must provide Mr. Westlund  with information regarding how to clean a flood up (Disaster in Franklin County a Public Health Simulation, 2006). The second resident is women named Susan Fuhr. Susan is extremely frustrated and annoyed. This household is currently lacking the basic supplies such as electricity, diapers, water and baby formula. The Public Health nurse can give Mrs. Fuhr the option for her family to stay at a shelter for a few days where there are hot meals, electricity and plenty other supplies. If Mrs. Fuhr refuses to go to the shelter she can then refer them to social services. A social worker can help provide the Fuhr family with the proper resources to help Mrs. Fuhr take care of her newborn baby and the Public Health Nurse can provide them with one week of supplies (Disaster in Franklin County a Public Health Simulation, 2006). Rosario Alvarez is a Spanish speaking woman who was unable to answer the nurse’s questions because of a language barrier. Mrs. Alvarez requires Spanish materials on safe food, water and a generator. At this time there is no urgent matter that needs to be addressed. The  Public Health Nurse can arrange for a translator to make a visit with this family within a week to address safety regarding food, water and the generator (Disaster in Franklin County a Public Health Simulation, 2006). Jason Fugate has a history of hypertension and currently ran out of blood pressure medications. The Public Health Nurse’s priority is to find out Mr. Fugate’s medical history and to take his blood pressure. If his systolic blood pressure is greater than 150mmHg, Mr. Fugate will be advised to leave his home and go to the shelter where his antihypertensive medication can be administered. Since Mr. Fugate blood pressure is 112/73, I would arrange his medication to arrive by the next day (Disaster in Franklin County a Public Health Simulation, 2006). It is important that Mr. Fugate is informed on his  options and allows him to make his own decision. Mr. Fugate must be educated on the signs and symptoms of hypertension and when to seek medical attention. The public nurse must also make sure that he has the basic essentials such as clean water, food, electricity and a working phone line in case of an emergency. It is important that the nurse will follow up with all residents to make sure their issues were addressed. Addressing the community’s fears After the disaster, the community nurse must be willing to provide physical and emotional comfort to all the residents of Franklin County. The residents will suffer from anxiety, fear, sorrow and post-traumatic stress disorder. The community will be mourning the loss of their  loved ones and the loss of their valuables such as their homes and treasured items such as pictures. It is important that the community nurse offers guidance and support to these families by offering resources and making referrals specific to each family’s needs. The key to any recovery from a disaster is providing the community with the appropriate resources to help them rebuild their life. The basic resources include food, shelter and safety. Other important resources are family and friends. The community nurse can educate the community members on how to cope, use others for support and how to get further help if needed. It is essential that the community nurse reassures them that they are safe and in good hands. The community nurse must allow them to verbalize their concerns, opinions, and needs to help them with the healing process. The nurse must be calm, compassionate, and confident in order to help this community move forward and feel safe. Nursing personnel preparedness The first priority of the nursing personnel is to understand what his or her role is during an emergency crisis. They must be competent with their nursing skills and have the appropriate knowledge regarding an emergency response plan. The nurse must be educated on disaster preparedness and protocols to be able to respond adequately to a large disaster (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Synder 2006). The Nursing personnel must also be aware of their community disaster plan and the warning signs associated with natural disasters in that specific area. It is important that they learn the local and state resources, so that they can make referrals to people when a disaster strikes. It is extremely important that the nurse is able to problem solve, critically think, and be able to work independently under stressful situations with very little resources and equipment (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Synder 2006). The nursing personnel must understand the chain of command, the lines of authority, and communication during an emergency. They must be familiar with the potential health conditions that could develop during and after a disaster. Nurses must take an active role in participating in a disaster training program and emergency drills. They must be aware of standard personal protective equipment and when it is required. An extensive knowledge of infection control and barrier precautions will help the nurse prevent the spread of infection (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Synder 2006). The nurse should first form a task force that includes a civil defense officer, private relief organizational representative, city/county officials, political leaders and media representatives. Together, the task force should involve the American Red Cross who has the expertise in guiding and developing the disaster plan. The disaster plan should include supplies, equipment, transportation, shelter, human resources, government officials, emergency and disaster specialists, weather specialists, recovery, evacuation plan and supportive care (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Synder 2006). Nursing personnel must also be able to implement the four phases of the emergency management when a disaster occurs. This includes preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. Nurses need to use nursing judgment to make decisions such as, where resources will be used and triaging patients to the appropriate level of care. The nursing personnel could be prepared to help in responding to large scale emergencies by taking Incident Command System (ICS) certification courses. These are provided by the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The ICS provides education to nursing personnel regarding emergency preparedness, incident management, and emergency response during a disaster. This is an excellent opportunity for the nursing personnel to gain knowledge and skills needed to serve their community efficiently and effectively during a natural or man-made disaster (Emergency Management Institute, 2013). Nurses can also benefit from taking the Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC), offered by the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) branch of the FEMA. This course provides emergency related scenarios that help test the nurse’s knowledge, awareness, flexibility, leadership, decision-making, and interpersonal skills under extreme pressure in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) environment. After completion of the IEMC training for emergency preparedness, nurses will be able to apply their new skills, abilities and knowledge when a disaster strikes. This will also allow nurses to respond effectively under stressful situations (Emergency Management Institute, 2013). Another program that can benefit nursing personnel is the National Fire Academy (NFA). This course provides education and training in hazardous materials, emergency response to terrorism, arson prevention, detection, community risk reduction, fire prevention and protection (Emergency Management Institute, 2013). In addition, the National Disaster Management System also developed an organization, which is called the National Nurse Response Team (NRRT). This was established to provide additional resources during a disaster. This program is made up of a team of volunteer nurses that help during an emergency. Nurses within this program are certified and must stay current with training in order to provide help during a disaster. The training includes bioterrorism, biologic warfare, and disaster response (Public Health Emergency, 2009). Nurses that are not interested in becoming certified for disaster preparedness should then consider continuing education units (CEU) disaster relief training. This will at least provide a nurse with the basic knowledge to help serve their community if an emergency situation does occur. References Berman, A., Kozier, B., Erb, G., & Synder, S., J. Fundamentals of Nursing Concepts, Process and Practice. (2006). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Disaster in Franklin County 12 Disaster in Franklin County a Public Health Simulation. 2006. Retrieved from: https:// cpheo1.sph.umn.edu/fcs/index.asp Emergency Management Institute. 2013. Retrieved from: http://training.fema.gov/IS/NIMS.aspx Public Health Emergency. 2009. Retrieved from: https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/responders/ ndms/teams/Pages/nnrt.aspx Wikipedia. (2013). Incident Command System. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Incident_Command_System