Framework for Strategic Disaster Management: Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina
Kulwinder S. Banipal · SSRN Electronic Journal · 2005
The large-scale devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina exposes the weakness both in the design and in the execution of strategic disaster management guidelines. The cost of damage caused by Katrina is estimated at more than $150 billion dollars. The inability to conduct business alone is causing an estimated loss of $500 million each day. Insurance companies stand to loose billions of dollars. Working as part of disaster recovery team for one of the largest telecom operator, I had the opportunity of working closely with the federal agencies, political offices and non-profit agencies engaged in the disaster recovery efforts. Based on the experience of working inside the command center, I have analyzed some of the shortcomings in the existing strategies for disaster management. In this paper, I discuss the role and importance of communication networks, information systems, supply chain management and operational management in the design of effective management strategies to deal with the disaster and its aftermath. The paper also discusses the design of reliable voice and data communication networks that can withstand the impact of disaster. Such systems have the capacity to support additional users and provide an inter-operative structure between numerous agencies. I propose the design and implementation of information system strategies to accurately predict the location, type and scale of loss and which will increase the efficiency of rescue and recovery operations. The implementation of such strategies has the potential to limit the extent of damage and result in a much faster recovery process.