Recovery is Complex: A case study from the Rim Fire
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Asiana crash footage raises questions
Newly released footage from a dash-mounted camera shows that firefighters at the scene of last year's Asiana airlines crash at San Francisco International Airport were aware of the position of the victim who was later killed by being run over by two fire trucks. The film and the attendant media coverage offer some interesting lessons […]
A Christmas Story
Of the many stories told about Christmas, one that has always had a special meaning for me is the unofficial truce of 1914 during World War I. December 1914 was just a few short months after the start of the war and the Germans and the Allies had fought themselves to a stalemate. This was […]
Leading in Crisis: The 4 traps of decision making
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Sustainable water: San Francisco on the right track
What do a City Attorney, an evironmental specialist, and an emergency manager have to do with the San Francisco Water Department? It was, admittedly, a very unusual partnership but we all shared a common interest: deep wells. One of the main concerns I had as Director of Emergency Services for San Francisco was water. San […]
Robin Hood and conflict resolution
One of my favorite heroes growing up was Robin Hood. I was nurtured on the TV show starring Richard Greene (yeah, showing my age) and later enjoyed reading the stories about Robin and his Merry Men, particularly those in my "Best in Children's Books" that had some really neat artwork. And when I saw Errol […]
In a crisis maintaining an operational focus is key to success
At the recent annual conference for the International Association of Emergency Managers I was fortunate to hear presentations by a number of the major academics supporting our profession. One thing that struck me was the similar views expressed by Dr. Dennis Miletti, a sociologist, and Dr. Brian Fagan, a historian specializing historical climate change. Both […]
Hospital death continues to teach crisis management lessons
San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi Photo: SF Chronicle As many of my readers know, I generally do not follow stories, preferring to draw lessons from events rather than to report them. However, the story of the missing patient found dead at San Francisco General Hospital several weeks ago continues to evolve and to offer […]
The Upside of Disasters: Rethinking the Loma Prieta earthquake
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