Regional Administrator's Message
Art Cleaves, Region I
It was well noted that during Hurricane Katrina, many breakdowns in coordination occurred at the local, state and federal levels which seriously hampered response and recovery operations. Following the events of that overwhelming storm, Congress carried out exhaustive investigations to insure that systems were put in place to avoid any future shortcomings. One of the major findings was that key relationships did not exist prior to the event. In other words, key individuals were meeting for the first time, leading to even more confusion.
A common phrase heard in emergency management is "the middle of a disaster is certainly not a good time to be exchanging business cards." This phrase emphasizes the need to have established relationships with your partners long before an event occurs. I like to take this notion a step further. Not only do we have to have strong and honed relationships with our emergency partners, we also have to understand each others' roles and responsibilities throughout any and all events. After all, knowing how others will react during an emergency is critical.
I am proud to say that the New England Region I states are exceptional in this area. The state directors and the emergency management staffs remain strong in their relationships across the region, soundly understanding the roles and responsibilities of others. This is evident in the daily and monthly activities that occur throughout the emergency management agencies, including activities with the Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) division. The ease and fluidity of actions during these exercises is proof that the directors understand the innate values of good relationships with others and they recognize, in detail, the roles and responsibilities of others. The New England state directors work closely in exercises with partners such as the ESFs, cross-border agencies, and other state organizations.
The New England state emergency management organizations have held close relationships over the years due in part to the strong activity schedule maintained by NESEC (Northeast States Emergency Consortium). Ed Fratto, the executive director of NESEC, has been a driving force behind sustaining a cohesive group of state directors focused in improving emergency management - another factor that simply works for New England.
As busy as the state EMAs are this year, they are collectively moving to another level by involving the private sector initiative in their relationship building activities. Recognizing that all organizations have roles and responsibilities is a strength that is apparent in the New England region. There is a strong level of "interdependency" in Region I, as state, local and federal agencies maintain their roles and responsibilities in times of crisis, while helping those in need in many different ways. Having others to depend on during these times relieves the chaos that would otherwise ensue.
The state EMAs, NESEC and organizations throughout Region I continue to uphold a strong and unified emergency management organization throughout New England. I am pleased to work with such a focused and prepared network of people.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 23-Apr-2008 14:30:39 EDT