1. Identifying and assessing risks;
2. Estimating capability requirements;
3. Building or sustaining capabilities;
4. Developing and implementing plans to deliver those capabilities;
5. Validating and monitoring progress made towards achieving the National Preparedness Goal;
6. Reviewing and updating efforts to promote continuous improvement
In the conclusion of the document it is mentioned that the collaborative environment must be supported by working in cooperation with international partners like Canada and Mexico. All of which got me thinking about what must they be thinking up North in Canada, Eh!
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These Americans are an interesting bunch to watch. Every time they call and want to meet it is to share some document, concept or system that they have developed. Even though we share a common language it seems as though their end goal is to confuse us with changes in terminology.
We can appreciate that change is inevitable if you expect to make progress, but why is the change that comes predictable with the change in administrations? If all disasters are local should not the focus be on equipping the majority of emergency managers who operate at the local level with the very basics that are needed to help them succeed. Even our larger programs could not keep up with the seemingly whipsaw approach of new ways of describing how to become better prepared for disasters.
Now they don't even have disaster preparedness as a core tenant, today it is called the "Preparedness System" with Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response and Recovery as their elements. It seemed much simpler to call disaster preparedness the things you do when you plan, train and exercise before a disaster.
We do like the whole community approach to disasters. That is logical and we need to do more to integrate the efforts of our public, private and nonprofit sectors together. This type of thinking is easier to integrate into our approach to preparing our communities.
Let's remind ourselves to be polite when they come to visit. We need to smile, nod our heads, ask questions about their new line of thinking and thank them for sharing such wonderful concepts with us. I'm sure there is something there we can adopt and integrate into our own planning and operational concepts.
Lastly, if there is anything we have learned from our experiences with the United States is that in four to eight years there will be another group wanting to come to meet and share their new ideas.
