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The MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management
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ResourcesMCNY BlogsMCNY's Emergency and Disaster Management Blog The Little RevolutionJune 11th, 2009 I’m frequently asked how to define “Homeland Security”. While there are several definitions one can apply to this term, I believe that, quite simply, Homeland Security is the doctrinal, organizational, and operational discipline by which the security and prosperity of the people of the United States of America is maintained against all viable threats and hazards, both foreign and domestic. That means Homeland Security is tasked with preserving the quality of our American lives from those individuals and organizations (both internally and externally) who would legitimately bring us harm. At this time, one of the most potentially serious internal threats to the security of our homeland is occurring right here in New York State. According to media reports, it all started rather innocuously on June 8; a few members of the New York State Senate “defected” from the power majority to the power minority, thereby shifting the balance of power within the state senate from one political party to another. In an effort to prevent this shift in the balance of power, the former power majority has undertaken a number of responses, each of which has only resulted in weakening the already-tenuous political credibility of the entire legislative body. These include locking the Senate chamber, turning off the lighting, and essentially repeating what occurred in June of 1789, when France’s Estates-General, finding themselves locked out of their meeting chamber at the Palace of Versailles by order of King Louis XVI, gathered at a nearby indoor tennis court and swore an oath that they would never separated, and that they would not be dissuaded from providing France with a government that was at all times accountable to its people. For the purposes of the Homeland Security discipline, it was the reaction of the French people to the Oath of the Tennis Court which is of most interest to us. It so happens that what they wanted even more than bread and another circus was a government that was at all times accountable to them. Their reasoning was that by having an accountable government, they were virtually assured as much bread and as many circuses as any civilization could properly handle. So they denounced the King. They stopped going to work. They rioted. They stopped paying their taxes, and took robust steps to prevent the monarchist government from collecting them. They stopped buying French government debt. They captured the Bastille. They abolished feudalism and the privileges of the aristocracy. They executed the King, the Queen, and even a Joker or two. They eventually slid into a period of civil war and political terror - known as the Reign of Terror – in which tens of thousands of people perished. They took what steps they believed – rightly or wrongly – to preserve their right to obtain future rights under a new and hopefully enlightened form of liberal democratic government…a government that was at all times accountable to its people. While two centuries and half a world separate us from revolutionary France, the true lessons of history are always with us. They are as omnipotent as air, and yet far more substantial. They tell us that regardless of which political party is “in power” in the New York State Senate, the fact remains that at this time that legislative body is not discharging its Constitutional responsibilities to the people of New York State. Indeed, photographs and accounts published by New York media outlets show a darkened, empty, shuttered and locked chamber whose shadowy decorative splendor does little to convey the greatness of the work of the people that should be undertaken there. At a time when important issues related to the state’s budget, civil rights and operational efficiency are in need of direct and immediate attention, the people of New York State have no apparent choice but to confront the disillusioning spectacle of a state legislature that for whatever reasons, cannot apparently handle its Constitutionally-mandated duties and responsibilities. For some observers, this may not amount to much of a reason for concern. They are of the belief that New York State’s legislature has always been “dysfunctional”, and will attempt to mask their own carelessness or deny their embarrassment by simply laughing it off. King Louis XVI tried a similar strategy at several points during the collapse of his government, but was ultimately unable to bring himself to make the necessary reforms in time enough to prevent the onset of revolution - and his own eventual downfall. Part of his problem rested with his character; another was that he did not have a Disaster Central to respectfully warn him that the internal security of the French homeland was now in serious jeopardy because whatever political legitimacy, whatever faith or confidence his people had in his leadership, was rapidly disappearing. And, what’s more, it was disappearing into a fog of seemingly insurmountable economic and social challenges, including a spiraling public debt coupled with a diminishment of what little social services there were. Like present day New York State, France was facing a posse of problems, ranging from inefficient taxation to enormous disparities in economic and social capital. These placed an untenable strain on the credibility of Louis’ government – and hence, the security and stability of the French homeland. For the King and his ministers, for the nobles and their privileges, for the clergy and their privileges, and for the people and their sufferings, ancient regime France had become a veritable incident pit, a homeland security disaster that was many years and many political excuses in the making. The net effect was, of course, that for a time France was left without a stable, functioning government. And with this political vacuum came a violent, terror-ridden state – the type of homeland that no homeland security practitioner of the modern age would want or tolerate. Likewise, owing to the recent activities in Albany, New York State has been left without a stable, functioning central government. As the Constitution of the State of New York specifies that the state legislature be composed of an Assembly and Senate, one cannot function without the other – and that means, pure and simple, that the people of New York do not at this time have a stable, functioning government. They are being denied the rights that are guaranteed to them, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, under the United States Constitution. This should be of concern to all those who are truly responsible for the security and prosperity of the United States, and who want to prevent the further erosion of national confidence in our governmental systems. As it now stands, there are three basic (but not necessarily exclusive) outcomes to this scenario. The first, and most appetizing, is that the New York State legislature immediately returns to work for the people of New York. The second is that the federal government, prompted by its Constitutional obligations, will intervene to guarantee that the business of New York State – the people’s business – is conducted. And the third (in the absence of the former two) is that we slide into a Little Revolution, a widening upheaval of American society that history tells us is a virtual inevitability in a liberal democracy without stable, impartial, honest, and diligent government at the local, state and federal levels…without mature government that is truly accountable to its people. In his 1837 history of the French Revolution, Thomas Carlyle wrote of the old regime: “It is amazing how long a rotted apple will hold together if it is not handled too roughly.” All the members of the New York State Senate, regardless of party affiliation, would do very well to remember that at this time in our history. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by David Longshore in Homeland Security, Government. 3 Comments » David Longshore is the former Director of MCNY’s Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program. Special Powers Legislation, Terrorism, and Emergency ManagementAugust 4th, 2008 Throughout history, governments have during times of crisis devised and/or enacted special powers legislation as part of their efforts to thwart acts of terrorism, the growth of insurgency movements, and to allow for a more effective response to emergency situations. In some instances, this special powers legislation has taken the form of martial law or curfews in the wake of a hydrological or seismological event, while in others it has resulted in significant changes to national law, protocol, and tradition. In the United States, many on both sides of the political aisle point to the USA PATRIOT ACT as an example of special powers legislation - there are, however, differing views as to its efficacy and Constitutional legitimacy, and each side has its respective strengths and weaknesses. There may also prove future instances where special powers legislation might be needed to enable a more robust response to, and recovery from, a catastrophic event. Emergency managers at all levels of government may want to consider those scenarios under which special powers legislation might be needed, and what form this legislation would take. In addition to curfews, special powers legislation might extend to containment and quarantine regulations and procedures, or to the handling of hundreds of thousands of decedent remains in an expeditious manner. As part of their respective preparedness matrices, Emergency Management planners and policymakers may wish to consider the value and appropriateness of special powers legislation in advance of a catastrophic event. What are your thoughts on the use of special or emergency powers legislation as a strategy and a tactic in the Emergency Management and Homeland Security communities? Should there be limits to special powers legislation, and should all legislation of this type contain “sunset” or “renewal” clauses? Is it possible that special powers legislation successfully prevents acts of terrorism? Disaster Central welcomes your thoughts and insights. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by David Longshore in Anti-Terrorism, Homeland Security, Emergency Management Planning, Counter-Terrorism. Post a Comment » David Longshore is the former Director of MCNY’s Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program. McCain or Obama? Obama or McCain?August 3rd, 2008 The 2008 US presidential election cycle is well underway. Not surprisingly, the outcome of this election will have some (possibly major) effect on the Emergency Management and Homeland Security communities in the United States. Whether you’re a supporter of (in alphabetical order) Senator John McCain or Senator Barack Obama, from an EM/HLS viewpoint, who do you think will prove a more effective leader for the EM and HLS fields? Before responding, please consider those issues that impact the EM and HLS fields, including vision, funding, legislation, and loyalty. Please note that Disaster Central’s professional standards prohibit interference in the political process through the providing of direct endorsements. Disasters are non-partisan, and so is Disaster Central. That does not, however, preclude Disaster Central’s readers from sharing their respective opinions of EM and HLS, and their relation to the 2008 US presidential election, in this blog. We welcome your viewpoints. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by David Longshore in Homeland Security, Emergency Management Planning. Post a Comment » David Longshore is the former Director of MCNY’s Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program. MPA Emergency Management and Homeland Security SymposiumJune 26th, 2008
The MPA program in Emergency and Disaster Management at Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) was pleased to welcome Joseph F. Bruno, Commissioner of the New York City Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM), as the keynote speaker for our first annual Emergency Management and Homeland Security Symposium. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by David Longshore in Homeland Security, Emergency Management Planning, MCNY EDM Program, Videos. Post a Comment » David Longshore is the former Director of MCNY’s Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program. Welcome, Commissioner BrunoMay 15th, 2008 The MPA program in Emergency and Disaster Management at Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) is pleased to welcome Joseph F. Bruno, Commissioner of the New York City Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM), as the keynote speaker for our first annual Emergency Management and Homeland Security Symposium, to be held June 18, 2008, at MCNY’s campus in lower Manhattan. In the time that he has served as Commissioner, Mr. Bruno and his team of professionals have worked to effectively educate the people and systems of New York City on how to be better prepared in the face of natural, human, and technological emergencies. Commissioner Bruno’s presentation is part of NYC OEM’s continuing mission to provide New York City with the finest in emergency management. MCNY is excited by this important educational opportunity. Thank you, Commissioner! Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by David Longshore in Homeland Security, Emergency Management Planning, Emergency Preparedness. 1 Comment » David Longshore is the former Director of MCNY’s Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program. Congratulations, Mr. or Mrs. President!April 29th, 2008 Congratulations, you’ve just been elected the next President of the United States (POTUS). Based upon your present knowledge of the emergency management and homeland security disciplines in the nation, what would your top policy or operational priorities be in terms of these fields? What would your second and third priorities be? Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by David Longshore in Homeland Security, Emergency Management Planning. 6 Comments » David Longshore is the former Director of MCNY’s Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program. The Titanic CrisisApril 17th, 2008 I’d like to thank those of you who were able to attend our April 16 presentation, “The Titanic Crisis”, held at MCNY to commemorate the 96th anniversary of the Titanic disaster. While it’s true that emergency management and homeland security specialists draw upon the experiential sciences in devising preparedness, response, and recovery protocols, it’s equally true that there’s a metaphysical approach to both fields - an approach that thus far is only (forgive the pun) the tip of the iceberg. As part of the presentation, I posited a “mythical” approach to the Titanic’s symbolic role in shaping many of the concepts emergency managers and homeland security professionals use today. Despite embodying some of the finest and most innovative technology of its day, the Titanic didn’t prove to be unsinkable, or even “virtually unsinkable”, and the ship’s demise was as shocking a technological failure as it was a human event that claimed the lives of over 1,500 men, women, and children. The seeming inevitability of the Titanic’s sinking (due, in large part, to the “incident pit” in which the ship found itself) leads us to wonder if there were factors (some actual and tangible, some symbolic) that influenced the final outcome, but remain specifically unknown to us today. This understanding formed the metaphysical thread that I used to link our interpretation of the Titanic disaster as a technological failure, and perhaps a failure of a larger and more amorphous magnitude. Some may contend that this failure is societal or cultural in nature, while others may apply a more philosophical or even religious patina to the events of April 14-15, 1912. To my mind, the ship’s builders and operators traded the metaphysical good sense of objectives for that technological hubris often mistaken as capability. It’s well known that technology is good only when designed and applied with wisdom. I use the word “wisdom” guardedly because many aspects of emergency management and homeland security “wisdom” remain undefined and ill-used. Nearly seven years after the events of September 11, 2001, and just five years after the formation of the United States Department of Homeland Security, we’re still in the process of wresting from our experience, our knowledge, and our desires the metaphysical underpinnings of the emergency management and homeland security disciplines. Like the Titanic’s builders and operators, we perhaps limit our concepts and practices to what has been defined by past experience, or suits our more immediate objectives, such as commerce or political power. The Titanic wasn’t built to prove or disprove the wisdom or reality of an “unsinkable ship.” It was built to generate a profit by carrying passengers and cargo across the North Atlantic Ocean. And while the vessel was publicized as being “virtually sinkable”, this was a mere marketing tool, a reassuring nod to the seagoing public that the ship’s creators knew from past experience that crossing the Atlantic was always a dangerous business. Here we see the concept of risk turned into appeal, and that appeal (it was hoped) transformed into increased passenger patronage and profits. I’m reminded of an aeronautical engineer who once remarked that they could build an aircraft that would never crash, but it would never fly, either. Along a similar vein, had the Titanic truly been constructed (as they believed it had) to be unsinkable, it probably wouldn’t have floated - which it did…for a while. But it’s within this paradox, this often tangential tension between reality and symbolism…between preparedness and fantasy…that the metaphysical aspects of emergency management and homeland security exist. There’s a body of knowledge regarding these two fields that influences our plans and actions, but is of yet unknown to us. It can be said that we’ll know more after the next disaster occurs, and from an experiential viewpoint, the point is a valid one. Of the two fields, emergency management is presently geared more toward recovery than either preparedness or response; and when it does engage the anticipatory approach, it’s in order to determine the parameters of a particular type of recovery. And while homeland security’s mission is characterized by a more “anticipatory” approach than is emergency management, its doctrinal (and conceptual) foundations remain unfinished. Even nearly a century after its loss, the Titanic continues to provide intellectual fodder for the EM and HLS communities. This source material, paid for that night by the sheer terror experienced by 2,200 people, inspires us to learn its many bitter lessons - one of which is that there’s a lot less to technology (or capabilities) than one might think, and much more to “attitude” or objectives than one may know. Professor Longshore Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by David Longshore in Homeland Security, Evacuation, MCNY EDM Program. Post a Comment » David Longshore is the former Director of MCNY’s Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program. WelcomeMarch 20th, 2008 I’m Professor David Longshore, director of the MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security at Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY), and I cordially welcome you to our Emergency Management and Homeland Security blog, Disaster Central. It’s a catchy name, I know, but particularly so because of the vital subject matter it covers. Right now at Disaster Central, we’re discussing numerous general topics relating to Emergency Management and Homeland Security, such as:
Within each of these topics, Disaster Central features themed discussions that draw upon historical, operational, cultural, economic, philosophical, technological, political, and other sources and examples to create an on-line forum for the advancement of knowledge, insights, and wisdom relating to the Emergency Management and Homeland Security disciplines. Disaster Central also posts topics relating to past emergency management and homeland security events, including historic natural, human-made, and technological disasters. In these posts, participants can discuss the circumstances behind some of history’s catastrophes, both large and small, as well as the often-harsh lessons learned. Disaster Central is also a resource for information relating to MCNY’s MPA program in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and on how you can apply for admission to this selective program. While one of the cardinal rules in politics is never make it personal, and never take it personally, Disaster Central respectfully requests that participants avoid engaging in personal attacks, threats, inflammatory language, and other unprofessional behaviors that can hinder an intelligent and relevant discourse on emergency management and homeland security topics. This includes the use of profanity. Thank you in advance for your professional cooperation, and welcome to Disaster Central, MCNY’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security blog. Email this · Subscribe to this Feed · Bookmark This! Posted by David Longshore in Natural Disasters, Anti-Terrorism, Homeland Security, Emergency Management Planning, Counter-Terrorism, Maritime Domain Protection, Intelligence and Information-Sharing, Airline Security, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Public Sector Continuity, Exercise Design, Human Services, Evacuation, Sheltering, Emergency Preparedness. 6 Comments » David Longshore is the former Director of MCNY’s Emergency and Disaster Management MPA Program.
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