fugate: hope is not a plan
This comes from Craig Fugate’s LinkedIn profile.
There isn’t anything that Craig writes below that I disagree with. In particular, number 7, which addresses risk. In Texas, do you think that they will:
Actually build a siren warning system for river systems in the state?
Prevent people from re-building in the flood zone?
Both of the above are doubtful. While Texans may be resilient to disasters, that does not mean that they think this was a 100 year flood and thus, it is safe live next to the waters that they have enjoyed for many years.
Craig Fugate's Deadly Seven Sins of Emergency Management
Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, drawing from decades of disaster experience, identified critical flaws in how emergency management is often practiced. These "Deadly Seven Sins" serve as warnings against complacency, bureaucracy, and shortsighted planning.
1. We plan for what we are capable of responding to. Instead of preparing for catastrophic events, we often design plans around what systems can currently deliver. This guarantees failure when the event exceeds those limits.
2. We plan for our communities by placing the "too hard to do" in an annex. People with access and functional needs, children, the elderly, and pets are frequently sidelined into planning annexes—rather than being part of core planning. This marginalizes those who are often the most vulnerable.
3. We exercise to success. Too many drills are scripted to "go right." Real preparedness means stress-testing systems, embracing uncertainty, and discovering failure points.
4. We think our emergency response system can scale up from emergency to disaster. Emergency response systems don't automatically scale to meet catastrophic needs. Disasters break the system—they don’t just stress it.
5. We build our emergency management team around government, leaving out volunteer organizations, the private sector, and the public. A government-centric approach ignores the real capabilities of the Whole Community. Effective emergency management integrates all sectors.
6. We treat the public as a liability. Communities are seen as problems to manage, not partners in response. This mindset underestimates the resilience, resourcefulness, and critical role of the public.
7. We price risk too low to change behavior, and as a result, we continue to grow risk. Risk is underestimated in markets, policies, and development decisions. Without true pricing of risk, society continues to build vulnerability into the system.
Takeaway: Avoiding these seven sins requires bold thinking, uncomfortable conversations, and a commitment to inclusive, realistic, and scalable preparedness. As Fugate often says: "Hope is not a plan."
