Gulf of Mexico Crisis: Time for a Change in Command TUESDAY, 01 JUNE 2010 11:40 STEPHEN JIMENEZ, M.S.
*Opinion.* In all organizations there are those with what I will call impeccable peacetime (non-crisis) qualifications whether they serve in the military, civil government or in corporations. Yet, in every major crisis or series of crises these types of politically correct individuals are usually to blame for preparedness or response failures, or for the crises themselves. And the blame is frequently falsely placed on the processes or plans that are in place instead of individuals. This lack of accountability has occurred in the current crisis. When, the President is coming under fire from senior members of his own political base such as James Carville, a Senior Democratic Political Strategist, who is on the ground in the Gulf and other elected officials throughout the region there is a major problem. Recently, Carville made several comments that sum up part of the problem. These include: “*The Obama administration's response to the BP oil spill <http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/tapper-oil-crisis-white-house-10732040>has been "lackadaisical," and that rather than place the blame on the previous administration, it should've done more to deal with BP and "inept bureaucrats…*" May 26th, 2010, ABC News, Good Morning America. *"This is literally a war we're in” *and "There are foreign substances invading our coastline." May 31st, 2010, ABC News, Good Morning America. *"Man, you got to get down here and take control of this, put somebody in charge of this thing and get this moving. We're about to die down here."* May 26th, 2010, ABC News, Good Morning America. *“President needs to get the Attorney General to launch a criminal investigation into this thing.” *May 26th, 2010, ABC News, Good Morning America. Further, throughout the Gulf of Mexico local emergency managers and elected officials are crying out that the command and control system, information sharing and time from requests being submitted to their getting action out of BP and the federal government are broken. It is broken because of substandard individuals, who either did not take this crisis seriously enough, nor could not think strategically with regard to the impacts, where this catastrophic disaster was heading, and actions need ahead of the requirements. The United States Government has had well over a month to clearly take charge, coordinate and begin to get it under control. It has not, even, after the President‘s recent visit to the Gulf. The time is now for the President of the United States to act like a President, just like Abraham Lincoln did during the American Civil War, and he needs to conduct a swift and decisive a change of command that starts at the top with executives within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and moves throughout many middle level and other senior officials within DHS and the civil interagency community, and includes private contractors. The American people and elected officials are tired of the federal government’s lack of competency. We have heard that the government has not been in charge, and then in charge all along. We have even had the White House Press Secretary Gibbs supposedly going around and scolding others for asking too many questions during the worst catastrophic environmental disaster in U.S. history in a Republic! We have had political pundits and former political appointees like former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a retired general, make poorly throughout statements, lacking technical or operational merit about the possible need for the military to take over like in Hurricane Andrew that further confuse the American people and companies. Many in the media, including many in Washington D.C., people like Colin Powell and quite a few civil servants do not get it, nor have the technical knowledge to understand with regard to who is in charge, our laws, plans, policies and procedures for such disasters, nor any disaster. This is why I previously wrote earlier in this crisis about the need for a coordinated communications strategy to convey who is doing what, with whom and where etc. This has not occurred. And, with all respect to Colin Powell, the U.S. Department of Defense has been involved in this disaster through what is called Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) conducting a variety of missions, and all Governor’s have the ability to call upon their National Guard under state authority or to ask for the call up of such assets under Federal authorities, and much more. Further, in Hurricane Andrew, many of the military called up could not perform the technical functions, nor had knowledge of the nation’s laws, regulations, plans, other organizations as the civilian professionals did. Hence, there was basically only a perception that the military was more effective overall. Many, military units, could only perform menial tasks such as debris removal as they were not trained for these types of missions, while the civilian professionals continued to do what they were doing before the military was called in to take over. The United States Government at the national level has more than adequate plans, capabilities, funding and the ability to reach out within the government, academia and the private sector for anything it needs. The U.S. Government is in control, regardless of BP and other companies gross civil and/or possible criminal negligence, as defined in various laws, federal regulations and under The National Oil and Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) that is found under 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 300, and the Emergency Support Function (ESF) #10 Oil and Hazardous Materials Response Annex to the National Response Framework (NRF). This is a Spill of National Significance (SONS), not a tanker truck overturned on a highway or an oil tanker with a slow leak and finite amount of oil on board. The problem is with personnel and leadership just like occurred during Hurricane Katrina and almost twenty years ago during Hurricane Andrew and poor communications. Under the NCP it clearly states the structures, who is in command, national response priorities, and other issues with oil removals throughout Part 300 of 40 CFR. An example is: “300.135(a) Authorizes the predesignated On-Scene Coordinator to direct all federal, state, and private response activities at the scene or a discharge or release.” “300.135(d) Establishes the unified command structure for managing responses to discharges through coordinated personnel and resources of the federal government, the state government, and the responsible party.” “300.322 Authorizes the OSC to determine whether the release poses a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States based on several factors, including the size and character of the discharge and its proximity to human populations and sensitive environments. In such cases, the OSC is authorized to direct all federal, state, or private response and recovery actions. The OSC may enlist the support of other federal agencies or special teams.” Under existing national priorities for ESF #10 under the National Response Framework and also under 40 CFR 300.317(b) NCP it states “Stabilizing the situation to preclude the event from worsening is the next priority.” The government failed and this oil spill reached selected coastal areas. The United States government pays tens of thousands of civil servants, many salaries and benefits better than the private sector and hires contractors to know these laws, regulations, policies, plans, and much more to include how to execute operations during all types of routine or catastrophic disasters. And, the President appointed numerous individuals who supposedly not only know this but have experience, and what the nation has received is a failed response, poor communications with the public and other levels of government, and excuses. The U.S. national system works with a Lead Federal Agency in charge with other Federal Departments and Agencies providing support within their own areas of expertise and statutory authority. Unfortunately, it is clear we have weak political appointees in addition to unaccountable civil servants and contractors, who lack historical knowledge from other disasters-regardless of the type-that are relevant for all disasters, lack technical knowledge, cannot make timely decisions, and this operation at the federal level is failing due to an inability to conduct effective interagency (federal level), intergovernmental (federal to state to local) and poor external affairs planning, coordination and operations from national headquarters down to the field in a seamless and timely manner. There were two major operations in this catastrophe with sub-operations ongoing that have to be performed: - Seal the well. - Contain and dispose of the released oil. Public Safety in government literature is stated as being "paramount." Not one major task has been completed over a month later and the disaster has increased in scope. Unfortunately, the problem here is that the U.S. Government and BP basically allowed this oil to reach the U.S. coastline. Think about it. This would be like a foreign naval strike force approaching the U.S. coast with an intent to strike the U.S., and they sat back in an indecisive manner, conducted limited poorly coordinated operations, and allowed them to strike and land on our shores. Carville, is right, this is like a war. Unfortunately, many in the Obama administration and some in the civil service do not get it. I would hope in a war the President would fire generals who were losing before the war was lost…. The time is now for the President to do the same thing and to move out of their positions, terminate, demote or re-assign political appointees, civil servants and contractors with reprimands in their Official Personnel Files (OPF) that have either failed as leaders, been grossly negligent, or failed otherwise. This includes termination of contracts for non-performance with companies failing in their contracts to provide quality personnel to support the federal government. America is appalled. The struggling businesses and citizens in the Gulf of Mexico region need results now, and are suffering financially and some will suffer health consequences if this disaster is not controlled quickly. Abraham Lincoln fired many a general, until, he found someone named Grant who would give the Union victory. The President needs to stop political campaigning and start governing, as another member of his party advised him before the crisis, that includes being a leader in this crisis. Leaders delegate authority, but not responsibility. They lead by example. And, they hire and fire individuals based upon results. This Memorial Day weekend the President should have been exclusively in the Gulf Region, and should have conducted a change in command. And, BP’s Board of Directors should be doing the same thing starting with that companies CEO and working down the chain of command throughout middle management in the field to include anyone who did not prepare this company for catastrophic disasters and were dismissive of the fact such events can and do occur. It is always a matter of when and not if. *Stephen Jimenez is a Senior Independent Political, Emergency Management and Security Consultant. He possess more than twenty years of successful professional consulting and civil service experience to include in senior staff and leadership on homeland security, emergency management, defense related policy development, international affairs, analysis, planning, operations, training and exercises. This includes service during dozens of major national disasters and special events, technical support for foreign governments following international disasters and civil-military antiterrorism and other operations in Iraq.* *He is a recipient of three awards including FEMA’s highest award the Director’s Award for service immediately following the 9-11-01 terrorist attacks and the Purple Heart.* -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
