When I was studying for my Project Management Professional certification several years ago, part of the content included disaster planning. I reviewed a case study of a project manager who planned a large IT project in Florida.
During the project’s implementation, a hurricane hit the state. The project manager was proud of his preparation and recovery plans, saying he was able to get the project back on track within a few weeks. Much to my initial shock, the class leader said she would have fired the project manager. Knowing Florida is prone to seasonal hurricanes, why would the manager start an important project in the middle of the most dangerous time of year? Despite his recovery plans, he forgot the most fundamental issue; watch the calendar. Know the risks of weather on project planning.
There are many tragic stories around LA’s recent fires. Thousands of homeowners, renters, and small business owners have lost their homes and livelihoods. Schools and churches have been destroyed. Historic structures are lost for all time. The environmental damage from burned-out cars and businesses will take years to mitigate. And the list goes on. Government officials have called the Palisades Fire, just one of four major conflagrations, the worst natural disaster in LA County history.
But, like the Florida IT project, LA’s disaster was exacerbated by human mistakes and poor timing. While nobody can control the weather, high winds are no stranger to Southern California. It is also no secret the City has failed to maintain and improve its infrastructure, including its water systems. Budget cuts have affected public safety staffing and response. A large portion of the City’s homelessness budget is paid by the General Fund, the same source that pays for police and fire services.
One of the most frustrating stories to come out of the disaster is Mayor Bass’ absence during the first critical hours of the fire. Despite a forecast showing unusually high winds, Mayor Bass chose to follow through on her plans to travel to Ghana on a diplomatic mission.
Just like the unfortunate project manager in Florida, she paid little heed to impending disaster. Her absence was bad enough, but she has steadfastly refused to address the issue since. As she boarded a plane to return to LA, she stared stone-faced at a reporter asking her what she had to say to LA’s residents. Granted, the reporter works for Sky News, a right-wing news outlet, but politicians don’t get to pick and choose who they respond to, especially in the time of a major crisis.
The question would have been equally valid had it come from a Huffington Post reporter. Despite a spirited defense by fellow elected officials, public criticism of Bass’ actions before and after the fire is intensifying. Ironically, for more than a day, President Biden spent more time in LA than our mayor.
Read the rest of this piece at Westside Current.
Tim Campbell worked for more than 40 years in urban development with experience in scores of countries and hundreds of cities in Latin America, South and East Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa. His areas of expertise include city learning, innovation, smart cities, strategic urban planning, city development strategies, decentralization, urban policy, and social and poverty impact of urban development. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from U. C. Berkeley (1966), a Masters in City and Regional Planning from U.C. Berkeley (1970), and a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Planning from M.I.T. (1980).
Photo: courtesy Westside Current.
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