Last month FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and American Red Cross President Gail McGovern signed a Memorandum of Agreement between the two organizations. The MOA provides a framework for the planning and conduct of feeding and sheltering of survivors in the event of a disaster.
In addition to the American Red Cross, Craig wisely invited representatives from other faith based and voluntary agencies involved in disasters to the signing ceremony. Craig charged them all to come up with a new national mass care strategy. Craig didn't consult with me about whether we needed a new national mass care strategy, but if he had, I would have said yes.
A strategy lays out a plan or method for achieving a specific goal or result. In my mind, I can think of no more important national mass care goal that being able to feed and shelter the survivors of a catastrophic event. I say this because I can think of a number of very plausible disasters (a number of which are in my home state of Florida) where the nation would have a difficult time feeding and sheltering the citizens impacted by the disaster.
The problem is not with the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Southern Baptist Convention or any of the other faith based or voluntary agencies that get involved with mass care during a disaster. These organizations are supported by the donations of the American people and these donations are able to sustain a disaster feeding and sheltering capability that works in most disasters.
But what about those disasters where the national resources of the faith based and voluntary community are brought to bear on a single catastrophic disaster, and those resources aren't enough? What happens then?
The resources of the state and federal governments would have to augment the resources of the voluntary community. Unfortunately, because we don't have to do that very often, we aren't very good at it. Figuring out what is needed, ordering it, and then getting it to the right place at the right time is not easy. I had to do just that in 2004 during Hurricanes Charley, Francis, Ivan and Jeanne, and I can vouch for the difficulty of the task.
Even though no one had ever trained me how to coordinate mass care at the state level, I had four hurricanes in six weeks to figure out how to do it. I did a lot better on the fourth hurricane than I did on the first one.
A new national mass care strategy needs to focus on increasing mass care capability at the state level. To do this we must train state mass care coordinators to perform their role in a catastrophic event. This role involves performing an important series of steps should a big event strike their state: define the scale of the disaster, estimate the state mass care requirements for that size disaster, determine the mass care resources that the voluntary agencies are able to provide, and request the resources needed to meet any shortfalls from other states or the federal government.
Right now, few state mass care coordinators exist that can perform that role. FEMA is preparing a course to teach state mass care coordinators how to perform these tasks. The course will be completed by the end of this year and presented to select state mass care coordinators at the beginning of next year.
A new national mass care strategy must include as a goal the training of state mass care coordinators in all the FEMA Regions. Once they are trained, we need to plan and conduct exercises that allow these coordinators to practice their new skills in realistic situations.
If this is done, they won't have to learn their jobs on the fly in the midst of their first big disaster, like I did. Furthermore, they will be trained and ready to deploy to assist other states when an big event occurs. The state of Florida, for one, will sure be able to use them.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Comparing "The Hurt Locker" to "The Green Zone"
I finally saw the movie "The Green Zone" (TGZ) on DVD a few weeks ago and could not help but compare and contrast the film with "The Hurt Locker," (THL) which I watched in the theater when it was released last year. I don't write many movie reviews, but the "The Hurt Locker" had such an effect on me that I wrote a review, which you can read here.
THL was nominated for nine Oscars and won six, including Best Picture and Best Director. The movie was well done and well acted but, as I stated in my review, was not an accurate representation of what it was like to be in Iraq. I'm not just talking about minor details. There were major errors in the representation of the soldiers and the war and this ruined the movie for me.
TGZ didn't get any Oscars and didn't make enough money to cover the expensive production costs of recreating the Iraq war in 2003. Yet, that expensive recreation made the movie for me. If you want to know what it looked like, down to the most minor detail, in the Green Zone during the first year of the war, then you should watch this movie.
The Green Zone was a collection of Saddam's palatial buildings along the Tigris River in downtown Baghdad. Inside these buildings were the headquarters of the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Combined, Joint Task Force 7, the political and military nerve centers of the Coalition's efforts in Iraq. The perimeter of the Green Zone was fortified with blast walls, barbed wire, sandbags, Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting vehicles and sweating, irritable and nervous American soldiers.
The rest of Baghdad (and Iraq, for that matter) was the Red Zone, known in previous wars by such names as Indian Country and No Man's Land. Personally, I breathed a sigh of relief whenever I passed the checkpoint and entered this oasis in a surrounding desert of violence. Below is a picture of me, Bede Strong and a CPA employee who's name I don't recall in the Green Zone in front of a giant bust of Saddam Hussein. This bust was one of several that were removed from atop the central Palace in the Green Zone. This picture was taken December 7, 2003 (my daughter Lindsey's birthday).
Paul Greengrass, the Director of TGZ, also directed two of the Bourne movies, as well as "Flight 93." As a fan of all those movies, and of Matt Damon, who played a Chief Warrant Officer in TGZ, I was expecting a thrilling action-adventure flick. I wasn't disappointed. Reviewers said that all the wonderful things (acting, script, cast, direction) that go into making a good movie weren't as good in TGZ as in THL.
But the Green Zone carried me back to Iraq. The Hurt Locker didn't.
THL was nominated for nine Oscars and won six, including Best Picture and Best Director. The movie was well done and well acted but, as I stated in my review, was not an accurate representation of what it was like to be in Iraq. I'm not just talking about minor details. There were major errors in the representation of the soldiers and the war and this ruined the movie for me.
TGZ didn't get any Oscars and didn't make enough money to cover the expensive production costs of recreating the Iraq war in 2003. Yet, that expensive recreation made the movie for me. If you want to know what it looked like, down to the most minor detail, in the Green Zone during the first year of the war, then you should watch this movie.
The Green Zone was a collection of Saddam's palatial buildings along the Tigris River in downtown Baghdad. Inside these buildings were the headquarters of the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Combined, Joint Task Force 7, the political and military nerve centers of the Coalition's efforts in Iraq. The perimeter of the Green Zone was fortified with blast walls, barbed wire, sandbags, Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting vehicles and sweating, irritable and nervous American soldiers.
The rest of Baghdad (and Iraq, for that matter) was the Red Zone, known in previous wars by such names as Indian Country and No Man's Land. Personally, I breathed a sigh of relief whenever I passed the checkpoint and entered this oasis in a surrounding desert of violence. Below is a picture of me, Bede Strong and a CPA employee who's name I don't recall in the Green Zone in front of a giant bust of Saddam Hussein. This bust was one of several that were removed from atop the central Palace in the Green Zone. This picture was taken December 7, 2003 (my daughter Lindsey's birthday).
Paul Greengrass, the Director of TGZ, also directed two of the Bourne movies, as well as "Flight 93." As a fan of all those movies, and of Matt Damon, who played a Chief Warrant Officer in TGZ, I was expecting a thrilling action-adventure flick. I wasn't disappointed. Reviewers said that all the wonderful things (acting, script, cast, direction) that go into making a good movie weren't as good in TGZ as in THL.
But the Green Zone carried me back to Iraq. The Hurt Locker didn't.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Situation Report for Mississippi for 9/12/05
Florida Area Command
Stennis Space Center, Ms.
Human Services Report #9
1900 9/12/05
Current Situation
The Human Services Branch inspected every shelter in the affected area to insure that every victim was sleeping on a cot, had a blanket and was receiving hot meals. The inspection identified 18 shelters with 1,801 persons. In the upcoming days, shelters will close and consolidate as the counties move to free up school buildings and get the children back into classrooms.
An eyeball inspection of Harrison and Hancock counties in the last two days reveals an abundant supply of water and ready to eat meals. The Counties are asking for additional MRE’s but are being urged to redistribute within the county. The ARC and TSA are being instructed to distribute the MRE’s in their warehouses using their mobile feeding operations.
The Salvation Army has 6 kitchens and 40 canteens in the coastal counties. Reports from the field are that they have been performing well. TSA fed over 26,000 meals on the 11th.
The ARC needs to improve the ability to supply the shelters and kitchens in the area. This is not from a lack of will or effort. More effective and trained leadership on the ground is needed to channel the tremendous efforts of the volunteers. We are providing to the ARC our kitchen and shelter support assessments so that they can take appropriate actions.
Mark Rohr, a Fairfax County, Va. Battalion Fire Chief has arrived to assume the Human Services Branch Chief duties. The transition and handover is under way and should be completed by noon on Sep 14.
Unmet needs
None.
Future Operations
• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.
• Work with ARC to assist in achieving better support to kitchens and shelters.
• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive.
• Prepare to end response and transition to Recovery.
• Prepare for and implement demobilization of Florida human resources by Friday, September 16.
Stennis Space Center, Ms.
Human Services Report #9
1900 9/12/05
Current Situation
The Human Services Branch inspected every shelter in the affected area to insure that every victim was sleeping on a cot, had a blanket and was receiving hot meals. The inspection identified 18 shelters with 1,801 persons. In the upcoming days, shelters will close and consolidate as the counties move to free up school buildings and get the children back into classrooms.
An eyeball inspection of Harrison and Hancock counties in the last two days reveals an abundant supply of water and ready to eat meals. The Counties are asking for additional MRE’s but are being urged to redistribute within the county. The ARC and TSA are being instructed to distribute the MRE’s in their warehouses using their mobile feeding operations.
The Salvation Army has 6 kitchens and 40 canteens in the coastal counties. Reports from the field are that they have been performing well. TSA fed over 26,000 meals on the 11th.
The ARC needs to improve the ability to supply the shelters and kitchens in the area. This is not from a lack of will or effort. More effective and trained leadership on the ground is needed to channel the tremendous efforts of the volunteers. We are providing to the ARC our kitchen and shelter support assessments so that they can take appropriate actions.
Mark Rohr, a Fairfax County, Va. Battalion Fire Chief has arrived to assume the Human Services Branch Chief duties. The transition and handover is under way and should be completed by noon on Sep 14.
Unmet needs
None.
Future Operations
• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.
• Work with ARC to assist in achieving better support to kitchens and shelters.
• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive.
• Prepare to end response and transition to Recovery.
• Prepare for and implement demobilization of Florida human resources by Friday, September 16.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Situation Report for Mississippi for 9/11/05
Human Services Report #9
1900 9/12/05
Current Situation
• The Human Services Branch inspected every shelter in the affected area to insure that every victim was sleeping on a cot, had a blanket and was receiving hot meals.
• An eyeball inspection of Harrison and Hancock counties in the last two days reveals an abundant supply of water and ready to eat meals. The Counties are asking for additional MRE’s but are being urged to redistribute within the county. The ARC and TSA are being instructed to distribute the MRE’s in their warehouses.
• The Salvation Army has 6 kitchens and 25 canteens in the coastal counties. Reports from the field are that they have been performing well. The ARC is not doing a good job of supplying the shelters and kitchens in the area. This is not from a lack of will or effort. More effective and trained leadership on the ground is needed to channel the tremendous efforts of the volunteers
Unmet needs
• None
Future Operations
• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.
• Work with ARC to assist in achieving better support to kitchens and shelters.
• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive.
• Prepare to end response and transition to Recovery.
• Prepare for and implement demobilization of Florida human resources by Friday, September 16.
1900 9/12/05
Current Situation
• The Human Services Branch inspected every shelter in the affected area to insure that every victim was sleeping on a cot, had a blanket and was receiving hot meals.
• An eyeball inspection of Harrison and Hancock counties in the last two days reveals an abundant supply of water and ready to eat meals. The Counties are asking for additional MRE’s but are being urged to redistribute within the county. The ARC and TSA are being instructed to distribute the MRE’s in their warehouses.
• The Salvation Army has 6 kitchens and 25 canteens in the coastal counties. Reports from the field are that they have been performing well. The ARC is not doing a good job of supplying the shelters and kitchens in the area. This is not from a lack of will or effort. More effective and trained leadership on the ground is needed to channel the tremendous efforts of the volunteers
Unmet needs
• None
Future Operations
• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.
• Work with ARC to assist in achieving better support to kitchens and shelters.
• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive.
• Prepare to end response and transition to Recovery.
• Prepare for and implement demobilization of Florida human resources by Friday, September 16.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Situation Report for Mississippi for 9/10/05
Human Services Report #7
1900 9/10/05
Current Situation
• The situation is Southern Mississippi continues to improve as the arrival of electricity and more FEMA Blue shirts has had a noticeable affect on the morale of the citizenry.
• The Red Cross reports that there are still 1,641 victims in 20 shelters in the six southern counties of Miss. The ARC reported serving 31,000 meals in the area.
• Discovered and assisted, along with ESF 8, a small Vietnamese community in Jackson County that, for cultural reasons, was hesitant to come forward and seek assistance.
• Facilitated arrival of 17 trucks from New York to new donation warehouse at Stennis Airport.
• Increasing reports of widespread abandoned/lost animals. An animal control team from Hillsborough County arrived in Hancock County after working in Jackson and Harrison Counties.
• Reports of food shortages by ARC and TSA kitchens.
• Beginning the process of demobilization of human resources from Florida
Unmet needs
• USDA commodities are not arriving as rapidly as needed.
• There is no ESF-17 representative and there are significant animal issues, including rodents, which must be dealt with.
• The scarcity of trucks is affecting the ability to move critical resources into the area.
Future Operations
• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.
• Continue assessment of small coastal communities
• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive
• Improve quality of life in the shelters
• Prepare for and implement demobilization of Florida human resources
1900 9/10/05
Current Situation
• The situation is Southern Mississippi continues to improve as the arrival of electricity and more FEMA Blue shirts has had a noticeable affect on the morale of the citizenry.
• The Red Cross reports that there are still 1,641 victims in 20 shelters in the six southern counties of Miss. The ARC reported serving 31,000 meals in the area.
• Discovered and assisted, along with ESF 8, a small Vietnamese community in Jackson County that, for cultural reasons, was hesitant to come forward and seek assistance.
• Facilitated arrival of 17 trucks from New York to new donation warehouse at Stennis Airport.
• Increasing reports of widespread abandoned/lost animals. An animal control team from Hillsborough County arrived in Hancock County after working in Jackson and Harrison Counties.
• Reports of food shortages by ARC and TSA kitchens.
• Beginning the process of demobilization of human resources from Florida
Unmet needs
• USDA commodities are not arriving as rapidly as needed.
• There is no ESF-17 representative and there are significant animal issues, including rodents, which must be dealt with.
• The scarcity of trucks is affecting the ability to move critical resources into the area.
Future Operations
• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.
• Continue assessment of small coastal communities
• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive
• Improve quality of life in the shelters
• Prepare for and implement demobilization of Florida human resources
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Situation Report from Mississippi for 9/9/05
Human Services Report #6
1900 9/9/05
Current Situation
• The corner has been turned in southern Mississippi, as response has peaked and is now on the downhill side as Recovery begins to move into high gear.
• Field Teams report significant improvements in electricity and diminished activity at the POD sites. This is further confirmed by the long lines of trucks parked everywhere here at Stennis. There are 238 water trucks and 170 ice trucks sitting at Stennis.
• The Red Cross and Salvation Army has arrived in force and now have a significant presence in the area. The Salvation Army reports 12 canteens in Jackson, 13 in Harrison and 2 in Hancock (with more on the way). The Red Cross has augmented the ERV’s in the area with over 40 panel vans.
• The Red Cross has a warehouse in Gulfport and the Salvation Army a warehouse in Biloxi. Resources such as cots, blankets, bath kits, bleach, lime and USDA commodities are moving from Stennis to these warehouses for distribution by ARC and TSA mobile feeding vehicles.
• New mobile kitchens have arrived and Stennis is providing logistical support to these kitchens.
• The city of Pearlington, in Hancock County, received their first hot meals since the storm from the ARC and TSA.
Unmet needs
• Six loads of USDA commodities arrived and were pushed forward to TSA and the ARC. Mississippi Dept. of Education responded promptly to an emergency plea and is providing three loads directly to the ARC and TSA warehouses today.
• There is no ESF-17 representative and there are significant animal issues, including rodents, that must be dealt with.
• The scarcity of trucks is affecting the ability to move critical resources into the area. The delay in receiving USDA commodities is due to the shortage of trucks. The Dumpster vendor reports that they will not be able to move in their assets due to the trucking shortage. The trucks needed to move these resources are sitting on Stennis with unneeded water and ice.
Future Operations
• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.
• Deploy human resources to Pearlington to establish local government
• Continue assessment of small coastal communities
• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive
• Improve quality of life in the shelters
1900 9/9/05
Current Situation
• The corner has been turned in southern Mississippi, as response has peaked and is now on the downhill side as Recovery begins to move into high gear.
• Field Teams report significant improvements in electricity and diminished activity at the POD sites. This is further confirmed by the long lines of trucks parked everywhere here at Stennis. There are 238 water trucks and 170 ice trucks sitting at Stennis.
• The Red Cross and Salvation Army has arrived in force and now have a significant presence in the area. The Salvation Army reports 12 canteens in Jackson, 13 in Harrison and 2 in Hancock (with more on the way). The Red Cross has augmented the ERV’s in the area with over 40 panel vans.
• The Red Cross has a warehouse in Gulfport and the Salvation Army a warehouse in Biloxi. Resources such as cots, blankets, bath kits, bleach, lime and USDA commodities are moving from Stennis to these warehouses for distribution by ARC and TSA mobile feeding vehicles.
• New mobile kitchens have arrived and Stennis is providing logistical support to these kitchens.
• The city of Pearlington, in Hancock County, received their first hot meals since the storm from the ARC and TSA.
Unmet needs
• Six loads of USDA commodities arrived and were pushed forward to TSA and the ARC. Mississippi Dept. of Education responded promptly to an emergency plea and is providing three loads directly to the ARC and TSA warehouses today.
• There is no ESF-17 representative and there are significant animal issues, including rodents, that must be dealt with.
• The scarcity of trucks is affecting the ability to move critical resources into the area. The delay in receiving USDA commodities is due to the shortage of trucks. The Dumpster vendor reports that they will not be able to move in their assets due to the trucking shortage. The trucks needed to move these resources are sitting on Stennis with unneeded water and ice.
Future Operations
• Continue assistance to small community of Pearlington in Hancock.
• Deploy human resources to Pearlington to establish local government
• Continue assessment of small coastal communities
• Deploy USDA commodities to kitchens as they arrive
• Improve quality of life in the shelters
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