Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
BOX 9.5 THE CEO'S DISASTER SURVIVAL KIT
Political Issues
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Recognize accountability. Check provisions for public officials:
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Space at the EOC
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Periodic updates
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Staff updates on politically sensitive issues, such as life and property
losses and service interruptions
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Establish and evaluate policy decisions frequently.
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Confer with other selected officials when problems arise.
◾
Use elected officials to request assistance from public and private
organizations.
Panel five of the Checklist includes some of the political issues you should con-
sider. A description of these issues is provided below and on the next page.
Recognize accountability—
Ultimately, the public will hold elected offi-
cials responsible for perceived response and recovery failures. Therefore, the
response strategy must be carefully analyzed, without interfering with opera-
tional tactics. Recognize that accountability is a continuing issue and keep
your senior staff and those at higher governmental levels informed of the
ongoing situation.
Check provisions for public officials
Ensure that public officials have
space at the EOC. Also be sure that they receive periodic updates and that
senior staff are kept up to date on politically sensitive issues.
Establish and evaluate policy decisions frequently—
Identify and consider
the political aspects of declaring an emergency and other policy decisions.
Confer with other elected officials when problems arise—
Get advice in
anticipation of or as problems arise. A good rule of thumb here is that a good
time to seek counsel from city council members or their equivalent is when
things start to fall apart. By having these officials assigned in one place, these
consultations can be undertaken promptly.
Consider also contacting any peer or advisor who has handled a similar
incident for their advice and guidance.
Use elected officials to request assistance from public and private orga-
nizations—
Often, a key to cutting through red tape and obtaining a quick
response from other public and private resources is to contact the authority
that controls the resource directly. This is a particularly appropriate role for
public officials if normal channels are not responsive enough. Political con-
nections can often expedite a special request.
