Winter Storms and Emergency Management

[Former Member]

Winter storms cause significant disruption, and the recent snowstorm series across the mid-atlantic was an example of not only regional, but national disruption of business and routine, even affecting tourism business in South Florida.

Social Networking tools are increasingly part of both government and community methods to communicate and share information.  From Park Police blogs addressing their patrol rescue missions, to DC Government using twitter to ensure snowplow coverage, and mobile phone alerts for closings and emergency status updates.

But we also need Government to allocate its critical resources - people and equipment, to the priority areas.  Priorities as determined - ie to get the road clear to reach to downed trees, to remove the trees, to restore power.   DC Govt is working virtually to accomplish this.

The challenge for goverment, especially with limited budgets and resources, is to identify how its resources are being used, and also to leverage workforce scheduling and employment of a combination of DC government Federal Govt, volunteer, and contracted resources.   A key document recently released that identifies interdependencies and the need for collaboration is the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review.