Assignment:
Case Study
From June 23-27, 2002, the New Orleans Times-Picayune published a five-part series on what could happen if a major hurricane were to strike the city. This five-part series can be accessed at https://www.nola.com/washingaway/index.html
The above report provides an eerie account of what could happen to New Orleans. There was even a full-scale exercise (Hurricane Pam) involving all levels of government, which took into consideration a major storm striking the city. Of course, as you will see, much of what was predicted in this report, as well as the Hurricane Pam Exercise in New Orleans involving all levels of government, actually came to fruition when Hurricane Katrina struck the area. How could this be? We knew ahead of time that New Orleans was extremely vulnerable, were provided with considerable details with respect to the consequences of a major storm, yet we failed to respond to the challenge. As a result, many people died or were severely impacted by the storm, and New Orleans remains largely devastated to this day.
Assignment
Compare the case study above with what actually happened in New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina. What were the similarities and differences? As a public safety professional, please address the following important considerations:
The technology and plans in place prior to the storm event How the technology and plans were utilized before, during, and after the event Who were the decision-makers: how did they communicate and collaborate with various stakeholders? The quality of decisions made by all levels of government and the private sector in light of various systems and data available The consequences of those decisions, both short and long-term, to both government and the private sector Lessons learned, including what worked and didn't work, why, and recommendations to avoid the same problems from occurring in the future The Final Exam component of this course will consist of a minimum 1500 word paper (excluding title page, table of contents, appendices, reference page, etc.), prepared according to APA style. Your paper should include a minimum of 5 citations from any of the chapters from the assigned text or any of the weekly learning units, as well as a minimum of 3 citations from other outside sources.