CASE STUDY:

Dear, County Emergency Manager.

Since our last conversation, Crisis-Prone County has experienced a near catastrophe. As a result, the county commissioners have decided that it is time to review the county's ability to respond to emergencies and to ascertain whether there is a need for a program beyond what is provided by the county.

The task of developing a briefing for the commissioners has been assigned to me. This is an opportunity to give them their first introduction to integrated emergency management, but, as a junior analyst in the organization, I will need to rely on the expertise of my more knowledgeable colleagues to develop an outline that sufficiently explains an integrated approach to emergency management.

The event that brought this need to the attention of the commissioners demonstrates both the nature and the urgency of our situation. As you know, our county has a population of 650,000 people and is situated primarily in urban and suburban communities. A variety of transportation systems crisscross the county, presenting a considerable resource and challenge. Substantial rail traffic passes through the county on a daily basisincluding commercial freight traffic that runs adjacent to the AMTRAK passenger lines.

A week ago, a freight train carrying an explosive material derailed at a major rail crossing/intersection, just as a passenger train was passing on an adjacent track. Six of the 30 cars of the freight train derailed and were precariously perchedin such a way that any measurable jostling could have caused one or all of them to fall completely off the track, and perhaps even rupture and explode. At this time, the cause of the derailment is still under investigation.

The passengers from the AMTRAK train were evacuated (after some confusion) to a nearby auditorium, where they waited for several hours before AMTRAK could make alternative plans for them.

Meanwhile, five police officers and other public officials converged on the scene. Soon they were joined by officials from the freight and passenger lines. The group of "experts" grew substantially as time passed, and a heated debate erupted as to what steps should be taken, by whom, and when. Issues of authority and liability were raised and discussedbut never resolved. The entire discussion was observed and recorded by several reporters from newspapers, radio, and television. When the discussion concluded, it had been decided that the police chief and fire chief jointly would oversee operations to ensure the safety of life and property in the area surrounding the derailment.

In summary, the problem was resolved without loss of life or serious damage to property. However, media coverage of the event caused a public outcry the likes of which the county has not seen for years. Public scrutiny and demands for accountability have increased markedly. The commissioners are outraged at the methods demonstrated during the event and have demanded a full inquiry and explanation of the entire episode.

So, we come to my taskpreparing the initial outline of the briefing for the commissioners. While I certainly do not have any direct or significant influence on the final outcome, I am convinced that good work on this project will contribute to a more constructive approach. Any advice you can provide will be helpful. While this is all new to me, I recognize the crucial nature of integrated emergency management and want very much to cover at least the fundamentals in my submission.

I look forward to your response. Sincerely Yours.

Questions: As the County Emergency Manager moves through the mail and addresses all of the aspects listed.

• What is the central problem presented?
• What are your solutions?
• Are there alternative solutions?
• What are the strategies for implementation?
• What was the greatest lesson learned?