Disaster Control/Continnuity of Operations

[Bill Warnock]

What we have seen in the Gulf Coast in the way of disaster control and continnuity of operations should have damn well never happened. The last time, albeit 15 years ago, I saw the New Orleans Continnuity of Operations Plan, with too many appendicies to count, there were numerous assumptions that one thing or another would be in place or mutual aid agreements would suffice.
All of us have written security plans with an Assumptions Section, praying the use of the plan would never come to fruition. Fruition has come and has found some organizations wanting, most especially the various governments, federal, state and local.
We should all learn from this experience. Doubtless we as professionals will never see actual "After action reports."
Peace, prayers and purpose,
Bill Warnock

[N. A. Corbier]

What we have seen in the Gulf Coast in the way of disaster control and continnuity of operations should have damn well never happened. The last time, albeit 15 years ago, I saw the New Orleans Continnuity of Operations Plan, with too many appendicies to count, there were numerous assumptions that one thing or another would be in place or mutual aid agreements would suffice.
All of us have written security plans with an Assumptions Section, praying the use of the plan would never come to fruition. Fruition has come and has found some organizations wanting, most especially the various governments, federal, state and local.
We should all learn from this experience. Doubtless we as professionals will never see actual "After action reports."
Peace, prayers and purpose,
Bill Warnock

Have you seen the CNN.com article, "Disconnect between FEMA and NO?" I'm calling it Disconnect between FEMA and REALITY. It was rather amazing the way the soundbytes played out.

Right now, on a sister board, there are a bunch of police officers who either are, or wish, they could go down there and start killing looters. I would hate to take any contract in that area, for the next year, due to the volitility of the situation. But, I expect that quietly, the NOPD is going to be augmented by Wackenhut Government Services police or something along those lines.

[Mr. Security]

What we have seen in the Gulf Coast........

Will happen again somewhere else. Society is intricately intertwined. When a disaster like that occurs, first responders are quickly overwhelmed. Hospitals run as lean as possible to keep expenses at a minimum. Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of needing medical care at the ER on a Saturday evening knows how backed up it can get.

Imagine if the so-called "bird-flu" mutates and a pandemic occurs. Many people considered essential personnel might be unable to report to work due to illness. Since we are dependant on LE for law and order, trucking for food supplies, etc., such disasters have a cascading effect, much like the power grid failure in 2003.

Unfortunately, whether it's a man-made or natural disaster, history usually repeats itself.

[Bill Warnock]

We are at this stage of the game a little more prepared than we were in 1918 with the Spanish Flu, which oddly enough started in Kansas.
We now seem to have bureaucratic infighting as to which agency wants to take the lead. We're now looking at spot shortages of the regular flu vaccine. You are correct in your analysis as to the response of first responders and hospitals. Can you imagine what the terrorist element could do with this?
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[N. A. Corbier]

We are at this stage of the game a little more prepared than we were in 1918 with the Spanish Flu, which oddly enough started in Kansas.
We now seem to have bureaucratic infighting as to which agency wants to take the lead. We're now looking at spot shortages of the regular flu vaccine. You are correct in your analysis as to the response of first responders and hospitals. Can you imagine what the terrorist element could do with this?
Enjoy the day,
Bill

I guarantee you Al-Quida already has, and multiple cells are already looking into weaponzing this virus. Thankfully, its a little harder than getting your hands on a dead bird to weaponize a bio/chem weapon.

But, make no mistake, they're looking into it. And if it presents itself, they'll deploy it. Maybe not in CONUS, but somewhere. And it'll be against American interests.