As a nation we are generally very good at responding to disasters. We also are good at analyzing what went wrong and coming up with potential solutions to prevent a recurrence of the issue(s). See this piece that highlights the required fixes for the Strategic National Stockpile:
"The Strategic Stockpile Failed; Experts Propose New Approach to Emergency Preparedness"
What we are not good at are two things:
- Following through on the recommendations that are made to correct the situation; and
- Sustaining the effort over time.
History is replete with unfinished efforts and others that started well, established new protocols and received funding, but the effort died on the vine, typically because priorities changed and funding dried up!
I fully expect we will have a robust national stockpile within the next 12-18 months. Will we have the same capability five years from now — who knows? Ten years from now — likely not!
Claire Rubin shared the link above.
Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.
