master of disaster 2

7/27/2019 Master of Disaster 2

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FROM THE JUNE 2013 ISSUE

Master of DisasterEarthquakes and hurricanes will always wreak havoc, but risk management

expert Robert Bea says the greatest tragedies result from hubris and greed.By Linda Marsa | Thursday, May 23, 2013

RELATED TAGS: NATURAL DISASTERS

US Coast Guard

Bea goes back in time to explain how we might haveavoided notable catastrophes of the past.

Deepwater Horizon, 2010

The Deepwater Horizon oil-drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 crewmen and

igniting a fire that could not be extinguished. Two days later the rig sank, leaving the well gushing

in the seabed. It ultimately leaked 210 million gallons of oil in the largest offshore spill in U.S.

history.

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What was ignored? BP, the industry and federal regulators understood the potential for an

uncontrolled blowout in Deepwater drilling, but they failed to heed warnings about the structural

weaknesses in the cement casings that protect the well pipes. Plus, the blowout preventer hadnt

been working properly for several days.

What would have improved the outcome? Delivering the required degree of safety consistently

and ensuring that protocols were followed. Understanding that wells pumping 162,000 barrels of

oil a day are under much higher pressure, and therefore are much more dangerous, than wells

delivering 500 barrels a day. Building stronger protective structures to withstand these intense

pressures could have prevented the disaster.

Midwest Floods, 2008

Months of rainstorms led to heavy flooding in seven Midwestern states, including Illinois,

Minnesota, Indiana and Missouri, resulting in 24 deaths and more than $6 billion in damage.

What was ignored? The lessons from floods in 1993. The increasing fragility of the aging levee

system, and more people building in low-lying areas susceptible to flooding.

What would have improved the outcome? Giving the water the room it needed to flood and not

build in those areas. Building and maintaining high-quality flood protection systems in the areas

that could have been protected.

Columbia Disaster, 2003

The space shuttle disintegrated upon re-entry into the Earths atmosphere due to missing heat

shield tiles, killing all seven astronauts on board.

What was ignored? The mantra better, faster, cheaper drove the management decision to

bring the bird back, even though the U.S. Air Force had photographs showing the leading edge of

the Columbia was missing heat shield tiles, which were damaged during the launch. Problems with

heat shield tiles during earlier missions hadnt been adequately addressed, and NASA ignoredengineers requests to ground the mission until these problems were solved.

What would have improved the outcome? Fixing heat shield tile problems uncovered during

earlier missions. Develop a backup plan for fixing the shuttle in space if it is damaged and ensuring

the crews safety. They were lucky with previous missions that had missing tiles, but they took a

chance, and their luck ran out.




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Exxon Valdez Crash, 1989

TheExxon Valdezoil tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound, spilling an estimated 11 million

gallons of crude oil along Alaskan shores. Numerous factors complicated cleanup, including the

size of the spill, the remote location and a lack of readily available equipment and effective

chemical dispersants to dissolve the thick oil.

What was ignored? The dangers of Bligh Reef, where the ship hit the rocks. Taking shortcuts to

save time to get the oil to Southern California refineries. Not traveling in regulated shipping lanes.

What would have improved the outcome? Better communication between vessel captains and

traffic control centers to avoid treacherous conditions. True pollution control to improve visibility,

and better preparation for cleanup.

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Linda Jablonowski

I understand your frustration. After hurricane Andrew, people rebuilt. After hurricane Camille

and Opal, people rebuilt. After Katrina? Take a guess. If we did not have disaster

assistance, would people rebuild? If houses could not be insured that were built in harms

way,would they be rebuilt? I think that because we think with our hearts, we encourage

stupidity. We allow the insurance companies to fraud us, and then we scream "foul"! We

destroy our wetlands, and then can't make a connection to flooding. I really don't understand

either. What would it take for people to wake up?

Janet Gunter

Professor Bea is a brilliant man who has the guts to tell the truth of a dire situation that

continues to present us with a multitude of irresponsible risk exposures. The Harbor area of

LA is currently being exposed to an extremely vulnerable threat that could easily decimate

both ports of LA and Long Beach. A massive Liquid Petroleum Gas facility sits in the rupture

zone of an earthquake fault with a mag. of 7.3. The facility was introduced without the

benefit of a comprehensive risk analysis. The litany of exemptions afforded the facility over

40 years ago is too extensive to list here. Meanwhile the stored energy is greater than 50

atomic bombs, now housed and serviced by an antiquated infrastructure with homes and

schools within 1,000 ft. When does rationality and responsibility kick in?? As Bea so

poignantly illustrates.....ONLY "after" the disaster. This site may well serve as the "next"

example of the arrogance and indolence that our society embraces at the sacrifice of the

innocent.

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