Which of the following is NOT one of the four phases of emergency management?

The correct answer, which identifies an aspect that is not one of the four recognized phases of emergency management, is "Planning." The four established phases are Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.

Mitigation involves efforts to reduce the impact of disasters, such as implementing building codes or land-use planning. Preparedness focuses on planning and training prior to a disaster to ensure effective response actions. Recovery pertains to the processes and actions taken after a disaster to restore and improve the affected communities.

While planning is indeed a critical component within emergency management, it does not stand alone as a distinct phase. Instead, planning is embedded within the other phases, particularly in Preparedness. This distinction emphasizes the structured approach of emergency management rather than the general concept of planning, which can apply in various contexts beyond just emergency management.