Gannett Fleming, William Foos, Windsor, CO, USA
+1-303-390-3977 | http://gannettfleming.com | [email protected]
Bill has more than 35 years of experience providing consulting services on security and safety-related issues for clients.
He brings 18 years of Critical Infrastructure related experience and expertise most notably in public safety, security, and emergency management. Bill’s expertise involves technical aspects of security principles for physical protection systems.
His experience also includes performing and conducting audits of threat, security, vulnerability, risk, and public safety assessment programs; developing mitigation strategies; preparing emergency response plans and continuity of operations plans; developing and leading incident response and rapid recovery planning exercises; and conducting security audits.
Bill served as the Chair of the United States Society of Dams’ Committee on Public Safety, Security, and Emergency Management for Dams from 2015 to 2021, and is currently the US delegate of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) Committee on Public Safety and Emergency Management on Dams. Most notable projects include a.)
Developer and instructor of Dam Assessment Matrix for Security Vulnerability Risk (DAMSVR) b.) Security Risk Assessment of the Panama Canal, and c.)
Project lead for the after-action study of the California Department of Water Resources activated Emergency Action Plan of the February 2017 Oroville Dam Spillway incident.
COMMENTS:
The most recent trend in critical infrastructure management has been an increased focus on resiliency. There are multiple definitions of resiliency but most of them refer to the ability to adapt to changing conditions and prepare for, withstand, and rapidly recover from disruptions.
This concept encompasses a broad domain of hazards, threats, or incidents including natural disasters, pandemics, industrial accidents, cyber incidents, acts of terrorism, and criminal activity. The increasing severity of climate-related natural disasters and the number of dam failures over recent years demonstrate that resilient dams not only require a sound dam safety program but also complementary programs addressing crisis management, security, and public safety through an integrated framework.
The various aspects and principles associated with crisis management, public safety, and security along with engineering dam safety can help achieve a level of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities to achieve the desired resiliency objectives for the asset owner and the community.
Traditional dam safety programs are being expanded to take a more holistic approach that incorporates crisis management, public safety, and security as part of a dam and community safety framework.
Awareness of what resiliency entails provides a clear understanding of how each of these areas (dam and community safety, security, public safety, and crisis management), contribute to a holistic approach.
The resiliency of a dam and its community’s safety program can be achieved through deliberate planning that includes prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. These elements can and should be applied to all communities that need to prepare for and recover from any disaster.