This is a 23 page document that I took the time to read from cover to cover since we are going to be hearing a lot more about Whole Community in the coming years (the Obama and Fugate era). We already know that it will be replaced with another new concept when the next Presidential Administration takes over in either one year or five years. It is what we do!
Here are some thoughts on the document "in no particular order" (sounds like the X Factor):
- This is the first document that I've read from FEMA that has directly mentioned climate change. At least it is beginning to come onto their radar screen. It was exactlythree years ago when I asked the question about climate change in a phone call between FEMA and bloggers and I got a "blank stare" response.
- I heard a local briefing that said a major emphasis on the Whole Community concept was to address the growing population of people with disabilities living in communities. This popped out on page 1 of the document.
- Whole Community is described as being, "...a philosophical approach on how to think abut conducting emergency management."
- Much of the document is focused on working with organizations in the community. There are a couple of references to "citizens" or the "general public" but I think they missed the mark by not making more of a case for direct engagement with the public.
- A key aspect of Whole Community is empowering others to lead. This accents emergency management's role as facilitators which I think is appropriate. We do not have to try and control everything that is positive that is going on in the community. Let those horses run!
- Some strategic themes include:
-Recognize community capabilities and needs
-Foster relationships with community leaders
-Build and maintain partnerships
-Empower local action
-Leverage and strengthen social infrastructure, networks, and assets
- When engaging in Whole Community our interactions might not be directly related to emergency management activities. There is a good example (page 7) of how there can be indirect benefits to our engagement in other areas of the life in the community.
- "Trust is a recurring theme that underpins healthy and strong communities."
- Transparency is needed--and it is not something government is good at doing. We always first want to look good, then be transparent.
- In the Pathways section several items stood out:
-Strive to hire a diverse staff
-A mention of Citizen Corps -- which seems to be a place to build on, but yet today is poorly funded and may not get any funding in 2012.
-They say find local heroes. I prefer the term champions who will carry the Whole Community flag.
Two final items:
There is a brief mention of social media in the document. It's mention was weak at best and the paper does not give social media its due in how to engage with your community in order have two-way communication.
I don't really believe in cookie cutter national programs. There is "finally" a nod to the fact that there needs to be broad concepts that are adapted to local situations. That was brought out at the end of the document in the next to the last paragraph. Metrics are also mentioned there too!
Overall I love the concept! Too bad the Federal funding is drying up. We could have used some of that to make for better community engagement.
