I have never settled for "Just Enough"

I guess it is in the way I was raised, but I have never been a fan of doing just enough to get by. I have always been a person who takes pride in doing more than what is expected and one who can never just rest on my laurels while others around me pick up the slack.  This is a value that has been demonstrated in my career as an electrician, my 10 years in public office and in my schoolwork now at American Military University. This is a value that I am confident will always be a part of what I do.

From the day I first took office as Mayor, I did more than what was expected.  When our city was hit by 16” of snow I put on my carharts, safety vest and hard hat and was out clearing snow off of storm drains.  When a citizen who was driving by commented “I never expected to see the Mayor out doing that” my response was simply “well, maybe you should”. I was playing on the auto insurance commercial, but it was true to my style and values. I never put myself on a pedestal and I never asked anyone to do anything I was not willing to do myself.  It was common to see me picking up trash, doing maintenance at the park or volunteering with our community organizations on a project.  This value is also what first got me involved in emergency management.

As Mayor it would have been easier to just let others deal with emergency management.  I could have just sat in my office and let staff deal with writing an emergency plan or dealing with the impacts of the five Presidentially Declared Disasters (PDD’s) that occurred while I was in office, but instead of passing off the responsibility to someone else, I took on the challenge myself.  I took time off from my paying job (the job of Mayor pays $8000 per year salary, I can make that every month as an electrician.) and spent a total of eighteen weeks at EMI, CDP and TEEX (one week at a time spread out over 4 ½ years) gaining the knowledge, skills and ability to develop a qualified comprehensive emergency management plan as well as our multi-year training and exercise plan. It did not cost local taxpayers as much money as it would have either. In spite of the fact that this training and all related cost were legitimate expenses, I went out and raised money from local businesses to offset cost to local taxpayers.  These donations as well as all expenses are all well documented in the City of Pacific ledger.  In exchange for my taking this training, our taxpayers not only got a complete Emergency Management plan but we were able to stay in house in writing, conducting and evaluating our preparedness with three disaster exercises.  To hire a consultant to do all of this would have cost our city at least $25,000.  The total unreimbursed cost to our taxpayers was less than $1000.  Additionally, as a result of what we accomplished, we qualified for EMPG grants (Emergency Management Preparedness Grants) totaling over $28,000. This money was used to expand upon work already done and to provide for citizen training programs that were conducted.  In the 2011 campaign for Mayor, my opponents made a lot of fuss over my training but I will leave it up to history to say if it was of value to our local taxpayers.  What my political opponents claimed was corruption was actually someone caring enough about our city to do a little more than expected.  I am confident that history will prove this, what I fear what might happen if a disaster hits our city now as the current Mayor has done his best to dismantle everything that we accomplished.  He has fired most of the trained staff and has no idea of what the plan even contains.

In the 2011 campaign my opponents kept stressing that I used taxpayer’s money to set myself up for a new career.  If that was the case I would not have thousands of dollars in student loans now. Yes the classes I took fed a new found passion for emergency management and the skills I gained will be used in my future career, but only because I am backing them up by pursuing a degree in emergency management now.  I will admit that as a result of classes I took while I was Mayor, I have a better understanding of what I am learning now at AMU, but those classes by themselves were not what was going to earn me a new job.  It is the belief in hard work and doing things outside of myself that will earn me that new career.

I have no regrets for what has happened over this past few years.  Although I hated to lose the election, especially as a result of a campaign of lies and twisted truths, it gave me back the time to focus on my schooling.  If I had won, I most likely would not have started my classes at AMU yet, or at least would not be taking a full load of classes (I still have to work full time as well).  I doubt I would have had the time to put the extra effort into my classes that has placed my on the Dean’s list for academic excellence (I have held a 3.95 GPA since May 2012).  Either way it has allowed me to speed up my plans to transition into this new career.

I know what history will eventually say about my service as Mayor.  I know that the already disproven claims of corruption will fade from memory as more people learn the truth and recognize what I accomplished.  They will see that by doing things in a unique way we were able to keep taxes low, demonstrate fiscal responsibility and most of all establish an attitude where everyone did more than just what was expected; but that is all in the past.  What I am excited about is what history is going to say about the future. I know that I will make a positive mark on the field of emergency management/ homeland security.  I know that because I will never be one to just sit back and do just enough to get by.  I guess it is just the way I was raised.

I will not appologize for supporting workers

I am not Anti-Business, I am pro worker.

It is sad that a few narrow minded people have complained about my Facebook Posts concerning my support of the striking Teamsters 117 members at United Natural Foods Incorporated (UNFI).  All I am going to say is I will never apologize for standing up for a working person, nor will I be intimidated by you saying you are going to unfriend me.  I am proud of the fact that because of my moderate views and the fact I look pragmatically at issues I have many friends who are, let’s say, more conservative than many.  I am proud of the fact that I have always tried to look at issues from all sides and yes, when a business is right on an issue I support them as well.  Labor is not going to always be right.

I am not going to go into the battle between UNFI and Teamsters 117.  All I am going to say is ALL workers deserve to be treated with respect unless they prove they do not deserve it.  Standing up for your rights to withhold labor as the UNFI workers did does not give you the right to attempt to permanently replace anyone.  I have no doubt how the Unfair Labor Practice charges will turn out in this case and UNFI will lose even more than they have already by not being willing to follow the law.

I recognize that not all of my Facebook Friends or even all of the people who read this blog are pro-union.  Unions will not always be right and I have seen situations where the union demands were not reasonable for the times or the situation.  I do not expect everyone to share my opinion on issues; I even support your right to have opinions opposite of mine.  As such I do ask that you respect my right to believe as I do.  I am proud of being a member of labor and I am proud that I am willing to stand with someone who is only asking to be treated fairly and with respect. That is why I spent a few hours Christmas Morning on the line (to allow UNFI employees time to spend with their families) and why I have been down walking the line 5 times over this past two weeks. 

I am proud to stand up for what I believe in and if that causes you to unfriend me then that is not my problem but yours. I recognize that businesses must do what they think necessary to stay in business and I respect that; but I also believe that you will find that if you work to build a partnership based on mutual respect with your workers you will find it much more effective.

The following was an Assignment for my Homeland Security Organizations Class.  I am proud to say I received a 100% for this Critique and some very nice comments from my instructor.

 

A CRITIQUE OF JOURNAL ARTICLE

“PATHOGEN’S FOR KNUCKLEHEADS”:

INVISIBLE AND INFECTIOUS

 

 

Richard G. Hildreth

HLSS 301 Homeland Security Organization

Professor Michael Thornal – Instructor

December 18, 2012

 

As Christina Flowers stated in her article “Pathogen’s for Knuckleheads” Invisible and Infectious ¹, “the Nation’s collective ignorance of Pathogen 101 basics can no longer be acceptable.”  Many gaps exist in our nation’s ability to recognize, respond to and mitigate against a natural or terrorist caused biological incident. The gaps in training of our first responders and of policy leaders about pathogens and the bio terrorism threat could lead to confusion, slow response and unnecessary loss of life.

Many articles in the November 2012 edition of DomPrep Journal (Domestic Preparedness Journal) addressed the current level of Bio-preparedness in the United States and where we need to improve.  Christina M Flowers, MPH (Master of Public Health) describes how little training and information is available to our responders and the gaps in our national preparedness this issue creates. Her intent of this article is not to point fingers at first responders or an unwillingness to learn but to point out this complex topic is very frustrating to prepare for and deal with.

First responders in the United States are often well versed and trained in dealing with incidents involving Chemical, Radiological and Nuclear weapons.  Awareness Level Trainings often include information on IED’s (Improvised Explosive Devices), WMD’s (Weapons of Mass Destruction) and TIC’s (Toxic Industrial Chemicals); the author contends that training should also include information on pathogens, recognition of Bio-Terrorism and the unique response and  communication challenges that bio-terrorism events create. The threat from pathogens is complicated by the fact it is invisible to the human eye, has the ability to modify itself; adapting to both the host (patient or victim) and response attempts (becoming drug resistant). Additionally, because of the time required for incubation periods, responders are often not aware of the threat for days after the outbreak or release of potentially dangerous substances has occurred.  By the time the threat is recognized it is more difficult to properly isolate the victims or control its spread. This is why it is so critical that Public Health Officials and the CDC (Center for Disease Control) be integrated into local emergency planning, training and exercises.

In her description of what a pathogen is, the author defines the word as “an infectious agent that results in and causes disease. “ Its roots are from the Greek words “gen” which means “giving birth to” and “pathos” which means “suffering”. Pathogens are often living organisms themselves or at least derived from organic processes. Because of this, pathogens often have well defined habitats and life cycles that can tip off responders if they know what to look for.  Although the natural defense of the human immune system does limit infection of some traditional pathogens, less typical pathogens might require specialized antibiotics such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin) or streptomycin.  The author notes that some biological toxins such as Ricin, developed from castor beans, currently have no known antitoxins.

The article then goes on to discuss the different processes used to transmit infectious pathogens. Pathogens can be transmitted by contamination of food or water (ingestion), airborne droplets (inhalation) or trans-dermally (absorption).  As we learned with viruses such as AIDS (Acute Immune Deficiency Syndrome) some are transmitted by bodily fluids such as blood or saliva.  Some pathogens such as Staph naturally occur in the host body but become dangerous when something happens to upset the natural balance.  The variety of methods of transmission only makes the subject of pathogens more complex.

Bioterrorism has been used or attempted many times throughout history. The author points out that corpses infected with the plague were catapulted over the walls by the Tartars in their siege of Crimea.  One of the most well-known instances of a bioterrorism attack inside the United States was a 1984 attack by followers of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. In this attack these followers sprayed salmonella on the salad bars of Dalles, Oregon area restaurants. The intent was to sicken area voters so they could take control of local elections.  Another example of an attack inside the US was the 2001 Anthrax laced letters that were mailed to Members of Congress and members of the press.  The author points out that many of these pathogens are easily obtained on the open market and as living organisms can be easily replicated or grown by terrorist.

Ms. Flowers then defines the differences between the three categories of pathogens defined by the CDC. “Category A” agents such as anthrax, smallpox, plague and botulism pose a significant risk to national security because of their ease of transmission and how rapidly an outbreak could spread creating a large number of casualties. “Category B” pathogens including salmonella and ricin are still easy to spread; however they result in more moderate illness and a reduced death rate than Category A agents.  “Category C” are emergent diseases that as of yet have not been classified as A or B.

There are many challenges in identification or recognition of a Bio-Terrorism attack. In addition to the complexities of technologies required to accurately identify specific pathogens, the incubation time required between exposure to a pathogen and visible signs of disease delay response. This is where an understanding of public health monitoring is needed. Unexpected spikes in flu like symptoms, high fever, rash and gastrointestinal illness are closely watched and evaluated by epidemiologists. In the event of an outbreak these spikes might be the earliest warning that an attack has happened.  Unfortunately, it is often days or weeks after the attack was actually made and the terrorist have long since left the area.

After identification of a pathogen has been made there are several methods for response.  Although specific response plans might be different depending on the type of pathogen, the first task is to limit the spread of disease. This might include quarantine for a pathogen that can easily spread person to person or social distancing measures such as closing of schools, daycares and public gathering locations. Responders need to be not only aware of what PPE’s (Personal Protective Equipment) is needed but also what the limitations of those PPE’s are.

The final challenge the author describes is public communication.  In the event of a potentially deadly pathogen, it is critical that responders provide the public with accurate and reliable information.  These communications need to be simple, straightforward and include specific instructions as to what to watch for and where to find additional information.  These communications need to be repeated on a regular basis and be structured so they inform the public with the seriousness of the incident without creating undue alarm of fear.  Effective communications will not only help in mitigating fears and restoring confidence; they may also benefit by providing responders with additional information that might assist in tracking or investigating an incident.

Although I find the topic and thesis of this article of critical importance, I am not sure the author really showed a complete or scholarly review of information or presented her findings in a unique way.  I agree that our first responders need better training on awareness and response to biological pathogens; however I found the article rushed, disjointed and lacking in originality.  I have also identified areas that were not addressed.  I feel that adding these issues would add to the value of this article.

One of the most obvious points I feel was overlooked is how we can address this issue.  I have long been a supporter of cross training between responder disciplines and would have liked to see comments on both existing programs available and training programs that should be developed for the future.  Louisiana State University operates the National Center of Biomedical Research and Training (NCBRT) ² which is an existing DHS training partner providing awareness and responder level training to emergency responders.  Training is available online and field delivered classrooms and is 100% funded by the Department of Homeland Security. This is an effective way for local government agencies to build the capacity needed and address some of the gaps presented in the author’s thesis.

I also believe there should be more distinction between the challenges of facing a naturally occurring outbreak and one caused or aggravated by an act of terrorism.  Although many of the preventative and response measures might be similar; in the response to a terrorist event evidence preservation and law enforcement also play a role.

 I know that many health departments and healthcare facilities have well developed planning guides for various pathogens and threats.  The author could have at least referred the reader to guides or plans that represent best practices.  One example that I have found is an exceptionally well written and complete plan that would have supported the thesis by addressing the gaps is the 2002 California Hospital Bioterrorism Response Guide ³. Although it was designed for the Healthcare industry it visually describes the extent of the threat and provides best practice response tactics for Bioterrorism as a whole and for individual pathogens. 

A final area that I felt should have been at least broached was the legal and policy impacts of Quarantine and Social Distancing Measures.  Although  responders themselves might not need to understand these impacts, it does provide them information they might need to pass on in order to gain policy support for training.  As a practitioner the more information that the author can provide me to use in convincing my superiors of the need and value of training the more value it has for me.

 

As a whole, I did not find that the article was poorly written, it just didn’t include new information that was of value to me as a practitioner. I know that the author might have been constrained by a word limit; however elimination of some more irrelevant information (at least as to supporting her thesis) and inclusion of the information that I referred to would have, in my opinion, made it a much stronger article.  I agree that the gaps the author identified in our responder’s ability to respond to Bio-events are valid concerns.  I know some communities and individual responders have worked to close this gap themselves, but they seem to be the exception and not the rule. The author missed a great opportunity to reach out to emergency management/ homeland security professionals and promote what I feel is an important point.

 

1-     Flowers, Christina M. "Pathogens for Knuckleheads: Invisible and Infectious."
Domestic Preparedness Journal 6, no. 11 (November 2010).

 

2-     National Center of Biomedical Research and Training. http://www.ncbrt.lsu.edu/.

 

3-     Department of Health Services. California Hospital Bioterrorism Response Guide.
N.p.: California Department of Health Services, 2002.
Can be found at http://www.emsa.ca.gov/disaster/files/ca_hosp_guide.pdf

The Emperor Has No Clothes

The Emperor Has No Clothes

 

Like the Emperor in the famous Danish Fairy Tale by Hans Christian Anderson, Pacific Mayor Cy Sun must surround himself with people who tell him that he is doing what only a very few wise men can see is right.  It’s time for the citizens of Pacific to stand up and let him know that the Emperor Has No Clothes.

I originally gave Mayor Sun the benefit of the doubt and believed that once he took office he would discover that all of the lies he was encouraged to spread during the election were false and that he would apologize to the voters for misleading them.  The problem is, if you only surround yourself with people who either share the same delusions or are manipulating your delusions for their benefit, you will never recognize the truth.  You will figuratively walk around in the nude believing you are wearing clothes made of the finest material. You not only are unable to see your delusions, but you are unable to see the impact you are having on the city you claim to care about.

I love this great city of Pacific.  It pains me to see the struggles it’s going through currently and I do fear it might be in its death throes. It pains me to see us go from a city that was well respected regionally, was able to fight for and win very competitive transportation funding to fix its roads and was recognized nationally for its efforts to protect its citizens to a city that is ready to fold.  Even those people who have always stated that “elections have their consequences” would be amazed at how dramatically Mayor Sun has destroyed this community. The City’s Insurance Company made it very clear; there will be no insurance as long as Cy Sun remains in office.  Without his immediate resignation the city will not have coverage as of January 1.

Some people that are behind Cy Sun have claimed our city is better off disincorporated.

Those people may find they shot themselves in the foot as losing our city will most likely result in higher property taxes, a reduction in services and no representation.  You will not see less government with disincorporation; you will only see the loss of local control and of leaders who live right in our community and put our citizens first.

It is amazing how much our city has lost in less than a year.  Millions of dollars that we had secured in 2011 for widening Stewart Road, sidewalks on Milwaukee Blvd. and other projects seem to have disappeared because of Mayor Sun’s lack of leadership.  Some great staff members that put our citizens first and helped us efficiently move our city forward have now left and have gone to work for other entities.  When Mayor Sun took over we were a city that not only had a balanced budget but was able to build more than $500,000 in reserves at the same time other governments were still drastically cutting personnel.  We followed a philosophy of sound fiscal management that built budgets around very conservative revenue estimates and constantly looked for ways to provide better service for less money. We now are a city that has fewer services but has to increase taxes to present a balanced budget; that does not sound like fiscal sanity to me.  Most of all we have gone from a city that was respected for what we had accomplished or what we were doing, to one that is a laughing stock not only regionally but across this nation.  You can no longer blame the City Council or others for the crisis our city is in.  The Insurance Company made it very clear that this is on your shoulders. Mr. Mayor YOU HAVE NO CLOTHES. It is time for you to resign.

Calling All Video Gamers

Calling all Video Gamers

By Rich Hildreth

 

With the release of Call to Duty – Black Ops II today I started thinking about what an Emergency Management video game might look like. I realize it might not be as exciting as shooting terrorist and shooting down enemy drones; however as a tool to educate people in what it takes to be an emergency manager it might prove valuable.

Our game would start out with the player gaining a situational awareness of the resources and vulnerabilities of their jurisdiction.  Multiple landscapes could be included so players could choose between hurricane risk, earthquakes, tornados, floods or any other type of disaster.  Different types of landscapes could also be used for different levels of the game. Once the player gains situational awareness they then could establish their emergency operations plan by use of a drop down menu.

Actual play would of course be the approach of a storm or the onset of a disaster.  What decisions would you need to make and what consequences might occur as a result.  As an example with the approach of a Cat 4 Hurricane that is 36 hours out from a resort town you might consider mandatory evacuations.  You could have businesses argue with you that they will lose money and threaten to sue and have your public works people voicing concern over the ability to provide services after the storm.  Variables could be tossed in such as questions over where the storm might make landfall or the availability of safe locations for shelters. If you choose to order evacuations you could have clogged roads, gas shortages and break ins of vacant homes pop up, if you choose to only make evacuations advisory you might have people trapped in homes when the storm hits. As professionals we know that in any disaster there will never be clear concise answers, we can only make choices based on the best information we have at the time.

Figuring you survive the storm as a player the next phase could be how you respond. Based on the resources you previously identified, how do you deploy them for effective response and recovery?  You could have resource request coming in and have to scramble to find ways to fill them.  You could have power outages where you planned to set up a shelter or a staging area that is now inaccessible.  There are plenty of realistic variables that could be tossed in.  You could have politicians and citizens both making demands that you direct resources in one area when you know they are better used in another. You can have the media covering the house on the beach where the residents threw a hurricane party and are now trapped in a partially collapsed home and surrounded by water and debris, while ignoring the efforts to find shelter locations and supplies to take care of those people who did evacuate.  I know as professionals you recognize these variables are realistic, but wouldn’t it be fun to see how gamers might react?

At the end of each level you could have participants put together an after action conference and refine their emergency plans accordingly.  They could compete for mitigation projects and the building of additional capacity and resources.  You could have players and elected leaders debating why they should fund emergency management programs instead of building a park.  Players could have to convince their bosses why it is important for them to gain training in Incident Command or why attending an emergency management conference is important. I recognize this might not seem to be the most exciting part of the game, but as professionals, we know the impact this portion can have on the next disaster.

I do not have the skills to create a video game like this, but I think it would be interesting.  Most people do not recognize that emergency management is not just the response to a disaster.  As Call of Duty and other games have become so realistic and interactive that people swear it is just like real war; maybe the same thing can be done with disaster. It might not be as glamorous however I feel it is just as important for people to gain a sense of realism of what pressures impact disasters.  Maybe then people will be a little more proactive in being prepared themselves.

 

Elected Leaders Need Training - Their Citizens Deserve it

In the wake of Hurricane / Super storm Sandy, I know that some of the comments I hear being made by small town mayors and other elected officials blasting the FEMA response are being made out of frustration.  I have experienced firsthand the citizens and community you serve and truly care about suffering from the devastation of a disaster. However I must again remind these officials and all elected officials in our nation how the system works; All Disasters are Local.

Disasters are a true test of the leadership and preparedness of an elected official.  Especially in a small community or in a community that lacks dedicated emergency management personnel (separate from Police and Fire), citizens deserve elected leaders who take the time and do what is necessary to gain the skills, awareness and knowledge that might be needed when a disaster strikes.  Many of those officials are not aware that programs exist where they can gain this insight for little or no cost.  I hope that this article can inspire some of those officials to take advantage of these great programs and do what they were elected to do, protect their communities.

DHS/ FEMA operates a series of training programs that are open to and are of benefit to elected and other policy leaders.  Among these is the Integrated Emergency Management Program (IEMC) that is available at the Emergency Management Institute located in Emmitsburg Maryland.  In the IEMC classroom, participants not only learn about the emergency management process, but they also have the opportunity to apply what they learn in realistic disaster scenarios and functional exercises.  Participants assume a similar role to what they play in real life and learn new skills and concepts needed in all phases of emergencies.  The best part is these classes are free.

Applications are now being accepted for 2013 classes at http://training.fema.gov/EMICourses/ .  FEMA covers the cost of training, transportation from the airport, housing on the campus of the National Emergency Training Center (where EMI is housed) and reimburses the cost of transportation to the DC area.  The only cost to the participant is the time to take the class (typically 1 week) and the cost of the food ticket (typically around $100).

I encourage you to look at this and other programs that are available and encourage your elected leaders to take advantage of these programs.  The skills they gain might just make the difference during the next disaster.  The life they save might be someone you care about.

Richard Hildreth

Former Mayor, City of Pacific Washington

richhildreth@aol.com

And there are still people who are fooled

The following is a Facebook E-mail I received today.  This is why I have to keep posting corrections to the lies that Cy Sun and others have spread (and are still spreading).  I will not include this person’s name, however there are still a lot of people who have not figured out they were lied to in last year’s election.

“I see you're suing the city for half a million dollars. Why sink our city further? You already got a second career off of our money.”

Over the past few days people have called me a money grubber, just dog piling on the mayor and that I am out to destroy the city.  I personally wish I did not have to take this step and have done so only as a last resort.  As the Mayor continues to lie to the citizens in spite of the facts presented and his unfettered access to those facts he has continued his accusations and stated some new ones.  The US Supreme Court might allow candidates to say whatever they want to get elected, but he is no longer a candidate, nor am I an elected official.  The intent of my lawsuit is not the money but is to clear my name and let our citizens know the truth.

I responded to this latest with two responses. The first:

I could care less about the Money; I want Mayor Sun to quit claiming corruption and tell the citizens the truth. His lies have already cost me at least one job just from the questions.

 

And the second:

Also, you should know that #1, I am in the same career I have been the past 25 years (Electrician). 2nd you should check the facts of how my training was paid for (most cost not reimbursed by FEMA was covered by local business). I ate the lost wages for time I was away at these training's, and as a result of my efforts our city had a State Approved Emergency Management Plan and was receiving a little over $12,500 per year (for 4 years) to help build up preparedness in our city. Even if the taxpayers had funded 100% of the cost it was still far cheaper than highering a consultant to write our plan would have been and less than what we received as a result of our plan in EMPG grants.

Just thought you might want to have your facts strait.

Have a nice day

Rich

 

I don’t care to go back and blame anyone for my losing the election.  As we have now seen, elections have consequences and Pacific’s citizens are now seeing the impacts.  It is unfortunate that so many people fell for the lies of Mayor Sun’s campaign and the Anybodybutrich campaign put on by a disgruntled businessman, but that is life.  Hopefully people will now do a little research before voting and recognize when they are being lied to.  They facts are out there for anyone to see.  They are in this blog, the State Auditor’s Office (and website), The Public Disclosure Commission and Pacific City Records. If you do not want to believe me you can go look at the facts yourself.