Posted: February 22nd, 2015

Involving Key Players in the NIMS Decision Making Process

Paper, Order, or Assignment Requirements

identify research and discuss two (2) weakness and/or other issues involving key players in the NIMS decision making process. Key players means the decision makers. Address/discuss negative problems or failure areas in the decision making process that involve elected vice career “key players”.

Include a minimum of two (2) academic/scholarly quality references that are from peer reviewed or professional journals in your discussion in the initial DB thread/post. Do not simply list some of the AARs that I have previously listed.

You may wish to review some of the popular media coverage of natural disaster events such as Katrina 2005 or even the impact that weather had on the Tampa 2012 Hurricane Isaac Republican Convention delay, or the Charlotte 2012 Democratic convention weather delay issue, to note weaknesses that occur in the political decision making process.

include at least (2) of the web references located where you found creditable information on the assigned topic as that information pertains specifically to your LOCAL community’s plans/situation/circumstances. This is in addition to the two (2) academic/scholarly references that address the exercise or any aspect of those references and regardless of the assignments general topic.
•In all areas focus your discussion and efforts on the LOCAL and NIMS aspects not the national/international aspects. However a balance between local/national issues will be required depending on available references.
Content readings discusses specifics of the concept of putting the entire NIMS system together. The text discusses the use of NIMS Exercises as a significant tool to improve the program. The role of “key players” in the exercise plan process be it responding to a terrorist incident or responding to a natural event is discussed.
identify and discuss two (2) issues that in your opinion either are or could become significant problems or failure areas in the decision making process that involve “key players”. Specifically address the problems associated with the fact that many “key players” or key decision makers are elected officials with little or no specific expertise in NIMS vice career government managers or career emergency management personnel who should be fully versed in NIMS. These elected officials for the most part are very intelligent people and extremely keen to the political or public relations aspects of any significant event. However they are not always technically well versed in the mechanics of the planning or response problem, or all of the elements that must be considered to make “timely” or “quality” decisions. Especially when placed in a highly stressful environment. Thus they often tend to respond with “politically oriented” short term decision approach responding to events that may require wise long term solutions. Perhaps the old saying about robbing Peter to pay Paul is appropriate. Many folks have said that one of the most difficult things to remember about when dealing with politicians is that by the nature of the beast they cannot plan ahead and thus cannot think beyond the next election cycle. One presumes that is simply because they may not be reelected. What issues do you believe would be adversely affected by this infusion of the political aspect of problem solving? Consider aspects such as having a written, well defined, pre-planned, and frequently tested response plan. Or consider the option of placing the decision process in the hands of senior emergency personnel, such that when an emergency situation arrives it requires only a minimum discussion of the options and/or decisions by the “key players”?

At the senior federal level there are a number of activities involved in testing the Continuity of Operations issues. While these activities normally involve the actual elected “key players” they are however usually related to significant acts of war not smaller scale terrorist or natural disaster events. The state/local testing process depends on a wide range of factors with the results ranging from very good to very poor. If possible include references that you locate involving the decision process of local officials from the area or state in which you reside, especially if you location information where they are/were the key players of the NIMS process. Again focus on factual issues not opinion issues. Again, locate local reference material that is of an official, academic and or scholarly quality. I realize that type of reference material concerning the responses of local officials in a NIMS exercise maybe in extremely short supply. Accordingly you may need to address a local official’s response in either an actual natural event or terrorist incident. If unable to locate information concerning local officials you may address state or federal level officials. Use official policies, professional journals, or other quality references as your primary sources. Use local media coverage or similar less desirable sources as supporting evidence only if discussions in official or scholarly works are in short supply. Please do the best that you can concerning the quality of reference issue. Attempt to use dot gov, dot edu, web sites which tend to provide more of an official review over dot org or dot com web sites which tend to provide more bias reviews.