THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING
Gov CIO Outlook Weekly Brief
Be first to read the latest tech news, Industry Leader's Insights, and CIO interviews of medium and large enterprises exclusively from Gov CIO Outlook
David Donnelly CEM, GA-ACEM, CPM, Emergency Management Officer, City of SavannahA quarter of the way into the 21st century, disasters continue to become increasingly complex. Governments deal with chronic stressors such as crime, poverty, and homelessness. Public safety responds to daily emergencies such as fires, accidents, and chemical spills. Emergency Managers focus on the acute shocks of hurricanes, earthquakes, and flooding. All of us utilize technology to support our responses to these incidents, which dictates that we have systems in place with appropriate cybersecurity to meet the needs of our customers.
These complexities reflect the change drivers that FEMA identified in their Strategic Foresight Initiative in the mid-2000s. The explosive growth of technological innovation and dependency, fluctuating budgets, coupled with globalization, failing critical infrastructure, and the changing role of the individual, all contribute to the current operating environment our communities are experiencing.
Emergency management uses technology for developing situational awareness by monitoring weather through online radar, stream gauges, and other systems. We use it for communications day-to-day and during emergencies through calls, emails, texts, and chats. Functions as mundane as records management, asset tracking, and keeping inventory also use technology-based tools. GIS technicians create maps within the blink of an eye during a crisis. Society has moved the 24-hour news cycle onto the Internet through apps and streaming services and created social media in which the public often becomes the first reporter on the scene.
However, technology is expensive to acquire, maintain, and switch when needs dictate or end of life is reached. Training time and system proficiency during crises are critical considerations. We must also think about what technology does to the work environment. Should we be emailing a colleague for information when a call might be more productive? A balance needs to be struck between utilizing the tool and being overly reliant on it. Additionally, nefarious actors would take advantage of disasters by attacking the very systems we use to respond.
“Technology does have a role to play in community preparedness. However, it is not all about technology. Governments need to adopt agile structures that can flex to meet challenges while ensuring the person closest to the problem can resolve it.”
During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal had to combat nimble enemies on rapidly changing battlefields. The enemy was not as well-resourced, yet stayed one step ahead by using technology to communicate, mobilize, and evade head-to-head battle. From this experience, General McChrystal developed the 'Team of Teams' concept with four basic elements: a common goal, trust, distributed intelligence, and empowered execution. The days of hierarchical organizations have passed, and now organizations must become leaner and more agile to deal with opponents who are just as swift and lean.
Similarly, during disasters, local governments must deal quickly with rapidly developing issues at multiple locations. In fall 2024, Savannah was hit by two tropical cyclones: Debbie and Helene. These were completely different storms—Debbie was a flooding event, and Helene was our first major wind event in several decades.
The flooding from Debbie cut off several neighborhoods, necessitating rescues. Additionally, the city brought food, water, and pet supplies to residents. Helene caused power outages that lasted a week, and several city facilities opened for residents to charge devices and get food and information.
Departments providing front line services were now operating dawn to dusk in the field without time to check in at the EOC. A crisis text group was created for senior staff to keep in touch and resolve issues. Some requests were being met so fast that there was no time to route them through the EOC. Unknowingly, we were implementing the 'Team of Teams' elements as we went.
Technology does have a role to play in community preparedness. However, it is not all about technology. Governments need to adopt agile structures that can flex to meet challenges while ensuring the person closest to the problem can resolve it. This necessitates policy and program changes, adopting stronger building codes and standards, and integrating citizens—whether as individuals or groups—to meet needs on an ad hoc basis.
Technology must be developed to support adaptive communities. How can artificial intelligence (AI) be utilized to address chronic stressors as well as disasters? AI is already being integrated into weather forecasts and hurricane modeling. Some jurisdictions are implementing drones as first responders to assist in gathering situational awareness on fires and in law enforcement pursuits. Currently, human pilots must launch drones, but when will AI dispatch and fly the drone on its mission? Can these drones be adapted for post-storm damage assessments, comparing maps before the disaster to the new reality? Can an AI-empowered damage assessment app be developed for homeowners to send video and reports to their insurance company, the state, or FEMA to speed recovery? Can AI-powered land use planning help with decisions before and after catastrophic incidents to build future resilience?
The answers are only limited by our imaginations.
Read Also
