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Introduction
The recent disasters caused by Hurricanes Katrina andRita have again raised the need for project managers to apply their
Competences for disaster recovery from the devastation and human suffering in five Southern States —Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Some States were more affected by the hurricanes than others,
but all suffered loss of life and property. As individuals, our hearts go out to those suffering from the
hurricanes and those who have lost loved ones. As project managers, we need to think about how we could possibly
speed the recovery to some normalcy of life for the victims.
Unlike most projects, recovery projects do not have a lot of time for planning. The problem is created in a
matter of a few days whereas the solutions may take years to restore homes, business, schools, and infrastructure.
Project managers might use a form of triage — sorting through and prioritizing the problems — to see what needs
fixing first. Relieving human suffering would rank high in the recovery operations. Providing the basic necessities
to sustain life, aid the ill, and prevent the spread of disease might be the top criterion for recovery.
Infrastructure, such as roads and communication facilities, might be second priority. Project managers would be
challenged in many ways to sort through "what gets fixed first."
Once the priorities are established and some planning accomplished, gathering the resources to perform the
tasks may be a challenge where the number people skills needed and skills available differ. Materials and supplies
might also be either the wrong type or an overabundance or shortfall. Chaotic situations will challenge all project
participants to be creative in when and how things get fixed. Surely, the tasks will be driven by a need more than
a clock — individuals may be working as many as 20 hours a day in certain circumstances.
The Competences required for project managers in disaster recovery are the same as those needed in routine
projects — it is the urgency of certain work and the priority with which it is accomplished that differs.
The criteria for projects indisaster recovery may not follow a standard for any industry or business.
Best regards,
Lew
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