Status Updates From American Dunkirk: The Water...

The training process and the planning process are intimately intertwined. Planning Shiism be conceived of as training, since it is in the planning process that future participants in disaster operations will become familiar with one another’s resources, capabilities, and even very existence.

Types of interdependence

1. Pooled: Work alongside in parallel

2. Sequential: One groups needs from another to function

3. Reciprocal: Back and forth dependency between organisations

There is no reason at all to think that some predetermined direction can encompass all emergent needs in a disaster context. Instead, having divers organisations and community institutions tackle disaster needs is the way to go.

The Mariners of 9/11 grafted their familiar uncontrolled environment in a way that allowed them to keep up familiar habits of thinking and interacting.

Incident Command System (ICS)

Two types:

1. Hierarchical

This is concerning as it bureaucratises and open system.

2. Network management

Particular concept of disaster management:

One sees plans as tools, not scripts; one that is respectful of new and unexpected resources; one tilted more towards effectiveness than efficiency; and one that liberates the improvisational and creative powers of an affected population to make meaning and solve problems, supported and assisted by external resources and advice.