True Tales of a Major Evacuation Effort

In one of my early posts, I described solutions for evacuation management that were developed through first-hand experience in New Orleans. My team and I were instrumental in the development of the post-Katrina City Assisted Evacuation Plan. The one that was put to the test , and passed, in the face of Hurricane Gustav, three years after Katrina.

But, “passed” is a relative statement.

We designed and implemented a system of systems, through which people and pets could be processed, tracked and then reunited, using relatively simple technologies. At the time we put all this together, we were “required” by the Louisiana Department of Social Services to use a database solution from a “favorite vendor”. This solution (I won’t name it cause I’d rather save my legal defense fund for something better), only worked due to the application of brute force, put on by my team – some of the sharpest technologists in the country. We made the point then that this solution would never work under real pressure.

Over the next couple of years, based on what we learned, I drove the development of a much more robust and reliable alternative to the cobbled solution we were forced to use in 2006. We presented a live, operating demo of this solution to numerous senior leaders in New Orleans, the local UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative), the head of Emergency Medical Service for the State of Florida and others. We presented the solution and it’s significance in The Netherlands and again in France to audiences of international disaster management experts. I published the solution in a leading periodical, RFID Product News. (also on this blog). What happened? Bupkus.

In February of 2008, the Louisiana DSS issued Solicitation Number 2223171, Invitation to Bid (ITB) for the Purchase of Evacuee Tracking System. In Attachment I of that document, under the heading of Software Specifications, was the following statement: “DSS wishes to acquire EWA Phoenix or equivalent…”
This is the same system that we struggled with in developing the CAEP in 2006! Hmmm…
Next, they also state that the “budget” for this system was $75k. You can’t wipe your…well, let’s just say that any system worth it’s salt would cost substantially more than that. Especially one with all of the significance of an Evacuee Tracking Solution.

It’s lives, people!

We did respond with our solution. Our bid was just over $1 million. A very reasonable price for a very comprehensive system – THAT WOULD ACTUALLY WORK!

Zoom to New Orleans, Union Passenger Terminal, August 29th, 2008. The Gustav evacuation is in progress. What you read in the paper was, in effect, good news – NOLA got the folks out. My own team was there, actually carrying people onto the busses. Col. Jerry Sneed and the entire New Orleans Office of Emergency Preparedness did what can only be called a stellar job in making sure that the citizens who were counting on them were evacuated as promised. I cannot say enough good about that krewe.

What you DID NOT read in the papers was that the “tracking system” was a complete failure. So much so that the Governor demanded that the process be stopped. People were NOT tracked. Nor were their pets. There were no manifests of the AMTRAK trains leaving the city. In fact, AMTRAK actually refused to leave with evacuees, but were ultimately ordered to do so by government officials. Once they did leave the station, they once again were halted, because the Governor of Mississippi would not allow the trains to cross the state line WITHOUT A MANIFEST! That one had to be resolved at the highest levels of government, too. They probably had other things on their mind at the time…

After the storm, Governor Jindal was very critical of the DSS response. In fact the DSS Director “resigned”. BUT THERE WAS STILL NO MENTION OF THE EVACUATION TRACKING SCREW-UP!

Frankly, this whole thing pisses me off. At this juncture, it doesn’t matter that the system we forged from the fires of reality was chosen or not (well, it sorta does…). What is most important, though, is that a solid, functional system be implemented before it’s needed yet again. Sour grapes? Maybe a few. Anger over the blatant disregard of the work of serious, concerned, dedicated professionals?

You bet your sweet derriere!