Post on 15-Dec-2015
Timothy W. Sevison
Agenda What is White Space ICS and NIMS
System Failures Emergency versus
Disaster and Incident Complexity
ICS White Space Issues
Management and Leadership of the White Space
Objectives Discuss the
complexities involved in the management of emergencies and disasters and recognition of the significance of the white space in our typical ICS organizational model
Tasks and decisions fall outside of the organizational chart
Policies, statutes and authorities are unclear or ill defined
Strategy is unclear Areas where hand-offs and cross-
functional activities occur
ICS is a hierarchical bureaucratic system that is intended to prevent the traditionally slow response of bureaucracies by having scalable pre-scripted roles and responsibilities
NIMS expands on the concepts of ICS and is a uniformed set of processes and procedures to be used at all levels of government during large-scale disasters
Hurricane Andrew Murrah Federal Building Bombing 9-11 Hurricane Katrina Deep Water Horizon
EMERGENCY (SIMPLE) DISASTER (COMPLEX)
Predictable Situational Awareness is
achievable Known incident
parameters Involves relatively small
number of interacting elements and resources
Effectiveness of tactics readily apparent
Unpredictable Situational Awareness is
difficult or unachievable Unknown or difficult to
define parameters Involves large number of
interacting elements and resources
Effectiveness of solutions difficult to determine
Experience Local familiarity Predictability Direct cause and effect Repetition
Disasters by definition are complex events The ICS organization will continually
evolve (emerge) as it becomes a more complex system
Focus on form over function Activity Trap 9-11 Logistics Katrina NOC information Katrina USCG-FEMA (FCO-PFO) issue
Focus on Objective (MBO) versus Outcome Apollo 13 Cave Collapse
Failure to recognize queue based (experienced) decision making Evaluation of effectiveness of heuristic decision (trial
and error) not timely Planning for last disaster as opposed to next disaster Known knowns, Known unknowns, Unknown unknowns
Recognize Complexity Increase cross-functional interaction Allow, embrace and support spontaneous
organization Decision points versus Decisive Points
Solutions not imposed, rather opportunities recognized and exploited
Promote ideas and non-linear thinking Tiger Teams (Apollo 13)
Look for what works as opposed to what is “supposed” to be done
Solicit innovative and creative approaches Increase horizontal organizational
interaction Challenge assumptions and personal bias
Our plan was perfect except the storm began sooner than expected
Ownership, turf, etc..
Krill, S. (2010) Emergency Management Higher Education Conference presentation
Snowden, D. & Boone, M. (2007) A Leaders Framework for Decision Making. Harvard Business Review. November 2007
U.S. Government (2006) hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared. Chapter 27. http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/creports/pdf/sr109-322/ch27.pdf
Koehler, G. (1995). What Disaster Management Can Learn from Chaos Theory. http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/96/05/over_12.html
Maletz, M. & Nohria, N. (2001). Managing the Whitespace. HBS Working Knowledge. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2064.html
Franco, Z. & et al (2009). Evaluating the Impact of Improvisation on the Incident Command System. http://www.terrorismpsychology.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/iscram2009_final.pdf
Ray, D., & Elder, D. (2007). Managing Horizontal Accountability. http://www.teaming-up.com/pdfs/mha.pdf