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Hello Lucien,
Welcome to the March edition of Emergency Management Solutions.
Last month I asked for any suggestions or ideas for possible inclusion in the next edition of my book currently in progress. This month I have another request. If you have an after-action report or summary of your activities during the COVID pandemic that you would be willing to share, please send it on. I'm trying to get an idea of how different agencies addressed the problem and any help would be greatly appreciated.
In this month's featured articles, Erik Bernstein discusses the importance of a communications strategy in dealing with a crisis. Tim Riecker writes about the disconnect between exercises and implementing corrective action to improve our emergency plans. In the same vein, my own article considers why the use of artificial intelligence to develop emergency plans may not result in a better plan.
Be well!
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Canton on Emergency Management
By Lucien G. Canton, CEM
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Do You Really Want a Robot to Write Your Emergency Plan?
In one of the discussion groups I follow, someone asked about the possibility of using artificial intelligence to write emergency plans. After my initial reaction of, “Are you serious?” I realized it is a reasonable question to ask, given all the hype surrounding AI. Emergency managers are always seeking ways to improve and are quick to embrace new technologies. So, are we missing a bet here?
Let me raise two caveats. The first is that I am by no means an expert in artificial intelligence. My thoughts on the matter are more philosophical than technical. The second caveat is that the field is incredibly dynamic and changing almost daily, both in terms of technology and in terms of legal and economic factors. Whatever I write today could be out of date by the time you read this article.
Part of the problem with AI is the name itself. Despite conjuring science fiction images of the end of society at the hands of intelligent robots, AI is not intelligent, it is imitative. It can acquire vast amounts of data very quickly, recognize patterns and predict associations based on those patterns. This adapts well to things like speech recognition and language translation. However, I get a bit skeptical when its proponents claim AI is capable of decision-making. There is a big difference between the decision-making capacity required for sorting boxes in a warehouse and that for deciding the assignment of resources in a crisis. Since those decisions are based on the input data, I am reminded of the old programmer’s warning, “Garbage in, garbage out.”
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© 2024 - Lucien G. Canton
Lucien Canton is a management consultant specializing in helping managers lead better in a crisis. He is the former Director of Emergency Services for San Francisco and the author of the best-selling Emergency Management: Concepts and Strategies for Effective Programs used as a textbook in many higher education courses.
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The Contrarian Emergency Manager
By Timothy "Tim" Riecker
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Stop Exercising Bad Plans
We know that the purpose of most exercises in emergency management (ref HSEEP) and related fields is to validate plans. That concept, though, is built on a fragile premise: that the plans are good.
Over the years, the more plans I see from various jurisdictions, the more disappointed I am practically to the extent of losing near-total faith in our profession’s ability to develop quality plans. Most emergency plans out there are crap. Garbage. Not worth the effort that has been put into them. Typically, they don’t have enough detail. Not that they need to have procedure-level detail (but those procedures should be found somewhere), but they are often written so high level that they are merely conceptual or policy-esque.
The premise that exercises are intended to validate plans would indicate a belief that the plans themselves serve as quality standards of practice for the organization(s) they are built for. The sad truth is that they are not. So, what are our exercises proving?
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© 2024 - Timothy Riecker, CEDP
Used with Permission
Tim Riecker is a founding member, partner and principal consultant with Emergency Preparedness Solutions, LLC, a private consulting firm serving government, businesses, and not for profit organizations in various aspects of emergency and disaster preparedness.
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Bernstein Crisis Management
by Erik Bernstein
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Strategic Approach is Critical to Communications Success
Communicating with Intent
In an information-rich world, the strategic orchestration of communications — from routine public relations, to critical discussions between leaders and stakeholders, to high-stakes crisis management — stands as a cornerstone in maintaining control of your own story, upholding reputation and empowering your team to meet organizational goals while steering clear of potential disruptions.
The Bedrock
At its core, communicating strategically involves the deliberate crafting and dissemination of messages to fulfill specific organizational objectives. It’s an art and science, blending what you convey, the channels you choose, the technology you leverage, the timing, and the audience you’re trying to reach to influence perceptions, behaviors, and outcomes favorably.
Amplifying PR and Stakeholder Dialogues
In the realm of public relations, strategic communications are key to sculpting and preserving a favorable public image. A meticulously devised PR strategy not only showcases an organization’s strengths and achievements, but also navigates through potential pitfalls with foresight and finesse. Consistency in messaging fortifies the brand’s identity, and earns trust and loyalty from key audiences, a tremendously valuable currency in today’s market.
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© 2024 - Erik Bernstein
Used with permission
Erik Bernstein is President of Bernstein Crisis Management, a specialized firm dedicated to providing holistic strategies for managing crisis situations.
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One of the Worst Man-Made Disasters in History
Residents of the valley of Vajont in Italy had reservations about a new hydroelectric dam--especially when cracks began to appear in the nearby mountain. Their worst fears were soon to be confirmed.
On 9 October 1963, during initial filling, a landslide caused a mega tsunami in the lake in which 50,000,000 m3 (1.8×109 cu ft.) of water overtopped the dam in a wave of 250 m (820 ft.), which brought massive flooding and destruction to the Piave Valley below, leading to the destruction of several villages and towns, causing an estimated 1,900 to 2,500 deaths. The dam remained almost intact and two-thirds of the water was retained behind it.
This event occurred after the National Electricity Board (ENEL) and the Italian government concealed reports and dismissed evidence that Monte Toc, on the southern side of the basin, was geologically unstable. They had disregarded numerous warnings, signs of danger, and negative appraisals. Underestimating the size of the landslide, ENEL's attempt to safely control the landslide by lowering the lake's level came when disaster was almost imminent.
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FEMA’s National Integration Center Releases Updated NIMS Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Skillsets for National Engagement.
FEMA’s National Integration Center (NIC) is releasing updated NIMS Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Skillsets for national engagement.
The NIC has updated the NIMS EOC Skillsets that were originally published in 2018 in coordination with external stakeholders and subject matter experts. Comments on these updates will be accepted until March 28, 2024.
CALL FOR PAPERS
Call for Weather Ready Research Proposals – WILDFIRE READY DUE JUNE 3, 2024
The Natural Hazards Center—with support from the National Science Foundation and the NOAA Weather Program Office, and in partnership with the National Severe Storms Laboratory and the National Weather Service —is issuing a series of funding calls for social, behavioral, and economic sciences to advance the understanding of how to most effectively prepare for and communicate about extreme weather, water, and climate events. This new initiative is designed to promote knowledge while also building a diverse cadre of weather ready researchers. Funds will support awards in the amount of $1,000 to $7,500 each. All proposals must be led by a researcher in the social, behavioral, or economic sciences. Collaborators from other disciplines are welcome. Early career scholars, students, advanced researchers, and practitioners interested in conducting Weather Ready research are encouraged to apply. Proposals are being accepted on a rolling basis through June 3, 2024. More information can be found at https://hazards.colorado.edu/research/weather-ready-research/index
Call for Quick Response Research – SUBMIT NOW
With the support of the National Science Foundation, the Natural Hazards Center Quick Response Research Award Program provides funds and training for eligible researchers to collect data in the aftermath of extreme events to document disaster before memories fade and physical evidence is erased. The Natural Hazards Center is currently accepting proposals for a Special Call for Health Outcomes and Climate-Related Disaster Research. Funds will support awards in the amount of $10,000 to $50,00 each. Proposals for this special call will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Apply now! More information can be found at https://hazards.colorado.edu/research/quick-response
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Professional Development Opportunities
The IAEM-USA Virtual Conference
April 18-19, 2024
The conference provides more than two days of learning opportunities with day one content including a mix of speaker sessions and IAEM caucus updates. Day two content includes multiple training sessions on a wide variety of topics. The 2024 IAEM Plugged In On-demand provides you with the ability to review all speaker and training content at your own pace. More than 20 speakers provide presentations on fresh, new materials, which will be presented in a live interactive session on April 18-19, 2024. Session recordings will be available to you through April 18, 2025.
26th Annual Emergency Management Higher Education Symposium
June 3-5, 2024
National Emergency Training Center Campus, Emmitsburg, Maryland
The theme of this year's symposium, "Pioneering Ideas and Practices in Emergency Management Higher Education: Building More Resilient Communities," is a focal point for an event that celebrates the 30th anniversary of FEMA's Higher Education Program.
49th Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop
July 14-17, 2024
Since 1975, the Natural Hazards Center has hosted the Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop in Colorado. Today the Workshop brings together federal, state, and local mitigation and emergency management officials and planning professionals; representatives of nonprofit, private sector, and humanitarian organizations; hazards and disaster researchers; and others dedicated to alleviating the impacts of disasters.
IAEM Annual Conference and EMEX
November 15-21, 2024
Colorado Springs, CO
The goal of the IAEM Annual Conference is to improve your knowledge, competency level and collaborative skills. IAEM accomplishes this by attracting relevant high-profile speakers to address current topics and practical solutions. Convening in tandem to this annual event, EMEX, IAEM’s Emergency Management & Homeland Security Expo, draws a myriad of exhibitors who are the top suppliers to the fields of disaster preparedness and homeland security.
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Disciplines, Disasters and Emergency Management: The Convergence and Divergence of Concepts, Issues and Trends from the Research Literature
by David A. McEntire (Editor)
Disasters such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Indian Ocean Tsunami, and Hurricane Katrina illustrate the salience and complexity of disasters. Both scholars and practitioners therefore agree that we must take a more proactive and holistic approach to emergency management, which should logically be derived from a sound understanding of the academic literature and the most pressing concerns facing professionals in the field today. Disciplines, Disasters and Emergency Management reviews what is known about catastrophic events from the standpoint of various academic areas of study. The introductory chapter by the editor, David A. McEntire, discusses the importance of and difficulties associated with multi- and interdisciplinary research on disasters and emergency management. Well-known scholars such as Drabek, Gibbs, Pine, Scanlon, Sylves, Waugh, Zakour and others then join efforts with budding students who have recently been exposed to the disaster management profession. Their review of our current level of knowledge represents 23 disciplines including geography, engineering, sociology, gerontology, public administration, international relations, law, environmental management, criminal justice, and information science, etc. The concluding chapter summarizes the contributions of various disciplines, identifies potential research opportunities, and describes ways to address future disaster problems. Besides comparing the similarities and differences among the findings from diverse fields of study, Disciplines, Disasters and Emergency Management suggests that scholars may increase their comprehension of disasters by focusing attention on the unique concept of vulnerability. Recommendations for disaster reduction also make this a useful book for professionals in emergency management. Whether you are a seasoned expert in disaster research or a novice in emergency management, this book will help you acquire cutting-edge knowledge about disasters and emergency management.
About the Author
Dr. David A. McEntire is a professor teaching Emergency Management, Homeland Security and National Security courses in the Emergency Services and Criminal Justice Departments at Utah Valley University.
He is the author or editor of several books including Disaster Response and Recovery (Wiley), Introduction to Homeland Security (Wiley)and Comparative Emergency Management (FEMA). He has published more than 115 articles and his research has appeared in multiple encyclopedias and professional journals. His articles in Disaster Prevention and Management received Highly Commended and Outstanding Paper awards.
In 2010, Dr. McEntire was recognized as the Dr. B. Wayne Blanchard Award Recipient for Academic Excellence in Emergency Management Higher Education. He was given the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award (provided by School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida) at the 2018 FEMA Higher Education Conference. He is also recognized as a Senior Fellow for the Higher Education Academy – an international, non-profit organization that promotes teaching excellence.
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Emergency Management: Concepts and Strategies for Effective Programs
Second Edition
by Lucien G. Canton
This book looks at the larger context within which emergency management response occurs, and stresses the development of a program to address a wide range of issues. Not limited to traditional emergency response to natural disasters, it addresses a conceptual model capable of integrating multiple disciplines and dealing with unexpected emergencies.
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Looking for a speaker for your conference? I offer keynotes, seminars, workshops, and webinars, either in person or virtually. You can find more details and sample videos on my website. | | | |
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©Lucien G. Canton 2024. All rights reserved.
You may reprint and excerpt this newsletter provided that you include my copyright, the source,
the author, and "reprinted with permission."
ISSN: 2334-590X
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