by Eric Holdeman: Emergency management in the blogosphere
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NASA provided a view of the Moore Tornado from space just before it formed. It is technologies like this one that will help emergency managers better to understand, respond to and plan for future events.
While we get all wrapped up in putting in grant requests for the 2013 Federal Grants we also need to invest time into understanding the physical and social science around disasters. More technical knowledge will help us in directing our efforts and even our grant writing.
I picked this up from a NHMA email and also their website.
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Disaster experiences have different impacts on people and organizations. Some take the disaster in stride and depending on the hazard, try to mitigate for it in rebuilding and others don't want the additional expense that might be incurred by adding protective elements to their reconstruction--given it was property damage that was the impact.
In the case of Mercy Hospital in Joplin, MO they were in the news for two reasons. One, it was the two year anniversary of the Joplin Tornado and then this anniversary coincided with the recent Moore, OK tornado. I'm encouraged by the fact that they chose the path of mitigation to protect their facility from future storms.
See the NPR story Designed with Tornadoes in Mind If only every person and organization that experienced a loss believed that it can happen again and made the choice to mitigate!
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It was two years ago yesterday that another tornado tore apart a town, buildings and lives. The disaster is not an end, many times it is the beginning of new efforts at coming together and lessons in resiliency.
See Lessons from Joplin and superimpose their experiences on Moore, Oklahoma. Two cities now with a common bond.
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When we have events like the tornado that hit Moore, OK we talk about what can be done to better protect people. While this blog post Tornado Safe Room Plans is now two years old, the information is as current today as it was then. It has only taken an F5 killer tornado to bring the topic up again.
People only need to have the vision to see that an investment in their homes, businesses and schools can save lives.
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Homeland Security Outlook hosts two maritime security conferences, one East and the other West.
The Maritime Security 2013 West Conference is being held 19-21 August in Long Beach, California. It will bring together public and private stakeholders from all levels to discuss, learn and collaborate on strategies and technology use in mitigating security threats posed to the maritime domain.
The panel sessions and presentations are designed to give all participants the actionable knowledge on how to better secure their maritime areas of responsibility by highlighting available resources and best practices. Each topic will be comprehensively addressed with the critical perspectives of those who have implemented successful strategies and cutting-edge technologies in their maritime security operations.
Maritime Security 2013 West will also host an exhibition of 30 companies that have highly relevant solutions and past performances in securing the maritime domain.
The sequestration has put a cramp in many events due the limited ability of Federal personnel to travel. There was supposed to be a FBI Headquarter's sponsored Maritime Critical Infrastructure event in Seattle later this Fall. It was cancelled due to budget issues. This Maritime Security West Conference is one of the few places I know that is still having an event away from the D.C. area.
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I have started doing a series of television interviews with people who work in the emergency management and disaster disciplines. These people may come from the public or private sectors. Watch for more interviews coming in the near future.
See the show below with the Director, King County Office of Emergency Management.
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Overall, I think we have, as a profession, crossed the great divide in what emergency managers think about social media. Almost everyone now recognizes that it is not a fad, it may have value, people are using it widely in disasters and perhaps we should be engaged somehow as an agency.
To understand the scope of the sea-change that is happening before our very eyes read every word on this infograph Social Media the New Face of Disaster Response They list a bunch of web links at the bottom that provide the references to where they got the information to put it together.
So what is our response? We may have achieved awareness about social media's impact yet people are still afraid to engage. Objections include:
- I don't have a smart phone (if you have a BlackBerry--I agree, you don't)
- I don't use social media
- Who will do this work?
- We don't have the staff to take care of this
- If we start using it the public will have an expectation we can't meet
- What about the legal issues?
- Buy your own personal smart phone--they are now inexpensive
- Start using social media so you understand the medium or retire and let someone who is take your place.
- You will do the work! Remember when we didn't have the Internet and email. Try not doing your job today and not use this technology. The "nature of work" is changing. Social media is not just a Public Information Officer (PIO) function. It has huge operational implications!
- Ah, have you heard of volunteers? There are plenty of social media activists who would be willing to be part of your team. New blood!
- Read the infograph--the public already has the expectation that you are using it.
- Other communities are using it. Find out how they have gotten over the lawyer hump.
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I enjoy a good discussion and debate on what is the appropriate path for a community to take. Readers of this blog know I'm always very interested in maximizing the benefits of technology to advance our emergency management's capabilities to protect our communities.
One of those technologies now has to do with surveillance cameras and Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV) which are sometimes called drones, which gives them a negative connotation.
Because of my May 1, 2013 Op-ed in the Seattle Times on the benefits of these new technologies I've been invited to speak at a Public Surveillance Continuing Legal Education (CLE) event in Seattle. I look forward to the discussions we'll have.
I strongly believe that people have the right to privacy. Government should not be spying into bedrooms or intruding into their private lives--when they are doing nothing but living their ordinary lives. Criminals and terrorists should not enjoy those same freedoms. We should use every bit of technology available to hopefully prevent, but when that is not possible, identify and then bring to justice culprits who violate the law and harm others.
I see public surveillance like the modern medical profession. Today and in the near future we will be able to do things never before thought possible. The ethics of using the medical technology will be the true challenge we will have to face as individuals and as a society.
And, as I've said before, it all boils down to trust. We live in a low trust environment and that taints governments actions in a very negative way. The solution to that is to act in a trustworthy manner--that means all of us.
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School shootings and workplace violence probably led to the creation the concept of Bulletproof Whiteboards These can't be very cheap.
When I first read of the concept I was thinking of the roll-around type of whiteboard that is maybe 4X8 feet. That type of board could be wheeled in place at the entrance to the room as another level of protection in blocking entrance and keeping the shooter from shooting into the classroom.
As for the handheld type of board pictured--the clipboard is a little small! Perhaps better than nothing, but...
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I have only attended one of these World Conferences on Disaster Management about five years ago. They are always held in Toronto.
When I look at their agenda for the one coming up June 23-26 it really looks good. It is a combination of emergency management and business continuity. They attract attendees from around the world and that adds another dimension to their event. If you can ever attend one of these it will get you out of your United States of FEMA mindset and broaden your horizons a little bit.
The last thing I noticed is that their social media outreach is using every tool in the inventory that is available these days.
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