Getting Down to Business: An Action Plan for Public-Private Disaster Response Coordination. The Report of the Business Response Task Force

摘要

For a quarter century, Business Executives for National Security (BENS) has served as the principal channel through which senior executives can help build a more secure America. As a national, nonpartisan, non-profit organization, BENS has focused on adapting successful models and practices from the private sector to strengthen the nation's security. Coming four years after the September 11, 2001, attacks, the hurricanes of 2005 dramatized the frailties of our nation's disaster response system. As the disasters unfolded, BENS was contacted by numerous business executives seeking help in navigating the bureaucratic obstacles impeding them from providing private-sector goods and services to those in need. BENS tried to help, but, lacking established relationships with public-sector responders in the Gulf, successful outcomes were largely elusive. As the official reports concerning the disasters of the previous summer began to emerge in early 2006, much was said about improving government responses and even about reaching out to business to help. But while these reports were long on rhetoric and generalities, they were disappointingly short on specific plans of action. So BENS decided to get down to business. In June 2006, BENS chartered a Task Force see Appendix A) comprised of senior U.S. business leaders closely tied to disaster response functions: telecommunications, retail and wholesale supply chains, utilities, manufacturing, real estate, financial services, management consulting and other key industries. The goal, said Task Force Chairman Duane Ackerman, was 'to ensure that as recovery occurs at the local level, the efficient application of private-sector capabilities and resources) are preserved as the disaster escalates and local, state and federal officials are all at the scene together.' The aim of the Task Force was to build up what U.S. Comptroller General David M. Walker, during his March 2006 testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security a.