Emergency management officials are asking Americans to “Resolve to be Ready” in 2009. Fortunately, the city of Denver and the state of Colorado have a head start on this effort, thanks to the extensive 18-month effort that went into preparing for the Democratic National Convention last August.
Following the DNC, officials praised the multi-agency coordination that was at the foundation of the DNC security plan. The work of local, state and federal partners in Denver was unprecedented, and it is already considered a model for future domestic security challenges.
Although there was not a major security incident during the convention, the effort was not wasted. By working together, Colorado’s emergency responders at all levels are now better prepared to respond to future events, whether natural disasters or man-made threats.
The lessons learned across government and the private sector to make the DNC safe can also be applied to other risks we face. Already, FEMA is sharing lessons learned with other federal, state and local partners.
The DNC also left Denver an important legacy. Post-convention, area law enforcement, fire service and emergency management agencies are better equipped and trained to respond to a catastrophic event.
The city upgraded its Emergency Operations Center and created a multi-agency Joint Information Center to serve as a single source of information for media and the public.
More important, partners in the public and private sector had an opportunity to work together to plan and exercise for a variety of potential threats – with a lot riding on the outcome.
The city of Denver in particular must be commended for the job it did to get ready for the DNC. For any plan to work, it must not only have local support, but also local political commitment and leadership.
A critical element in planning is the understanding that different communities face different risks, and that communities know best which approaches will work for them.
A planning model that does not provide for adaptability to localities is as useless as a preparedness program that does not recognize both the differences and similarities between earthquakes, hurricanes and man-made disasters.
For the DNC, the U.S. Secret Service, as the lead federal agency, worked closely with the city of Denver to put together an effective plan.
While there were other significant contributions from many agencies and components of the federal government, and support from many surrounding communities and neighboring states, there can be little doubt that the success of this effort was due in large part to the strong role played by the city of Denver, the state of Colorado and communities throughout the state.
As a former first responder with more than 35 years experience in the fire and emergency services, I can appreciate how important it is to trust the wisdom of those who know a place best.
Among the legacies of the 2008 Democratic National Convention is the renewed vision that the effort to make our nation safer from disasters of all kind begins, and ends, at the local level.
Garry Briese is the former Regional Administrator of FEMA Region VIII, which includes the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. He was the senior FEMA representative in Colorado during the DNC. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
