Emergency Management Solutions Newsletter

 

Helping Managers Lead Better in Crisis

January 2013

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In This Issue
Paper Plans and Fantasy Documents
Surviving an active shooter event
Professional Development
Life Balance
From the Bookshelf
Speaker's Corner

Paper Plans and Fantasy Documents

Are we over-thinking planning?

Over the years I've reviewed countless emergency operations plans from multiple levels of government and within the private sector. Most of the time, I'm asked to assess these plans for compliance with Federal or state guidance. It's rare that I'm asked to comment on whether the plan will work. That's probably a good thing as most of the plans I see are rubbish.

 

In his seminal book Disaster Response: Principles of Preparation and Coordination, Eric Auf der Heide devotes an entire chapter to what he calls the "Paper Plan Syndrome", the tendency to believe that because one has a written plan, one is prepared. Lee Clarke notes in his book Mission Improbable: Using Fantasy Documents to Tame Disaster that many plans are symbols that organizations use to signal that they are in control of danger, whether they are or not.

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE

 

Surviving an active shooter event


RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. Surviving an Active Shooter Event
RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. Surviving an Active Shooter Event

With the concern over school shootings and workplace violence promoting a lot of bad ideas, this video by Ready Houston offers practical advice on protecting yourself from an active shooter. Ready Houston is a project funded under a Homeland Security grant.

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Greetings!  

Welcome to the January issue of Emergency Management Solutions

 

The new year is already bringing some pleasant surprises. Among them was an invitation to join the blogging team at  Emergency Management magazine. I'll be publishing a (hopefully!) weekly blog called Managing Crisis. Check it out!

 

For those of you who have been faithful readers of my blog, Canton on Emergency Management, don't despair - I'll be keeping it and the content will be different from what you'll see in Managing Crisis.

 

If you are having trouble viewing my featured article, try clicking on the link at the top of the page. Alternatively, you can always find my articles in the white paper section of my blog site,  Canton on Emergency Management. 

 Regards,
 
Lucien Canton

Professional Development 

 

"That's not true!"

"Of course it is. I read it on the Internet. They can't put anything on the Internet unless it's true."

"Where did you hear that?"

"I read it on the Internet."

 

You may have seen the commercial with this bit of dialog. The young lady, convinced of the Internet's veracity, then goes off with an obvious loser masquerading as a French model whom she met on the Internet. Are you doing the same?

 

One of the biggest problems we face is rumor control. People get hold of a "fact" that creates a perception that becomes sufficiently real to drive politicians to take inappropriate action. Sometimes those facts are real but taken out of context; sometimes they are based on flawed research and "studies".

 

As professionals, we shouldn't be part of the problem. We should be objective and we should bolster arguments with facts. We should not accept things at face value but should strive seek for the truth and to be the voice of reason. We won't always be well received but it comes with the job.

 

So give some thought the resources you need to fact check issues. Check the facts before acting or offering advice. Don't go off with that fake Frenchman!

Life Balance  

 

 I may be showing my age a bit but there used to be a character in Al Capp's L'il Abner comic strip called Joe Btfsplk. Joe was a nice guy but he always had a small black cloud hovering over his head. This was because he was the world's worst jinx and brought disaster on anyone around him.

 

We all know a Joe Btfsplk. They're the one always complaining or always with a reason why something can't be done. They may be well-intentioned but the end result is that they keep you from getting things done by sapping your energy.

 

The people with whom we surround ourselves have a great deal to do with our success or failure in life. There's nothing wrong with being loyal to a friend but recognize when that friend is being less than helpful. Seek the company of people who challenge and stimulate you, not those who hold you back. You'll be surprised at how your productivity increases.

 
From the Bookshelf  

 

The Barbary Plague: The Black Death in Victorian San Francisco
by Marilyn Chase

With the many advances in modern science it's easy to forget that it was just over a hundred years ago that the plague bacillus was discovered and that before 1900, plague was not present in the United States. This book shows how plague came to San Francisco and the efforts by two public health officials to stem the outbreak. 

It's a fascinating story that shows how cultural differences and bigotry can hamper effective public health efforts. Plague was viewed as the "Chinese disease" and local officials did not take the problem seriously until it was too late. The residents of Chinatown thought the eradication efforts were anti-Chinese harassment. 

The book is also the story of how one dedicated person can make a difference. It is a case study in how to gain public support for an unpopular position and the importance of building coalitions.

   

 Looking for more books? Check out An Emergency Manager's Reading List
Speaker's Corner 

Looking for a Speaker?

 

Need a speaker for your next conference? I offer keynotes, seminars and workshops. You can find more details on my website or on my SpeakerMix page.  
Lucien Canton Seminar Excerpts
Lucien Canton Seminar Excerpts
 If you've heard me speak...

 

...I'd greatly appreciate it if you would take a minute to give me feedback on SpeakerMix. Just go to the site and click on the "Write A Review" button. 

 

Many thanks!

Speaking Engagements  

 

April 2: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit San Francisco CA 
 
April 23: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit Philadelphia PA 
 
May 1: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit New York NY 
 
May 7: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit Seattle WA 
 
June 18: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit Chicago IL 
 
June 20: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit Dallas TX 
 
Aug 6: TBA Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit New Orleans LA 
 
September 24: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit Atlanta GA 
 
September 26: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit Boston MA
 
October 3: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit Los Angeles CA
 
October 9: Crisis in Leadership or Leadership in Crisis? Emergency Management Magazine All Hazards Summit Denver CO
 
 

�Lucien G. Canton January 2013