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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Crisis and Emergency Management Newsletter Website |
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February
2008
Volume 14 -
Number 1 |
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Terrorism
Risk in the D.M.V.
By: Tomas Bracero Everyone is vulnerable to risk. This is a fact and
something that can not be avoided, so mitigation steps are taken to minimize
risk, as well as minimize the damage and disruption an event can cause. Terrorism
risk is very real in the District, Maryland and Virginia (DMV). With the
center of the government as well as many National Symbols in the District
area, the DMV remains a target for terrorism. The Madrid subway and London
Tube bombings demonstrate how vulnerable the transportation infrastructure
can be. Public mass transportation is a prime target because the infrastructure
is designed for maximum passenger flow with no disruptions. For example,
Metro runs close to capacity during rush hour times to move over +700k people
every weekday. An attack on a system run to capacity and unable to
cope with extraneous circumstances would cripple a vital part of D.C.’s transportation
infrastructure as well as produce massive causalities. Area law enforcement
agencies are attempting to mitigate this risk by stepping up patrols and
announcements encouraging riders to be vigilant in reporting “suspicious”
behavior or unattended packages. I have notified Metro personnel of unattended
packages before and each time I received a negative response (as if I was
inconveniencing them).
The Metro system has difficulties maintaining its current operating state with aging infrastructure and equipment. During torrential rains in Summer 2006, subway service was disrupted and in some places suspended because of flooding. This act of God illustrated another deficiency in the D.C. area preparedness; the public. That day in June, I was on a Yellow line train stuck at L’Enfant plaza. Metro personnel were not informed and thus information to the public was incorrect or simply non-existent. When I stepped outside to catch a bus over the suspended subway lines, the lines stretched long. People begin pushing and shoving to catch overcrowded buses, most people ended up walking in the rain alongside traffic. While I was on the bus, everyone was complaining about the situation. I frankly stated (out loud) that while inconvenient, we’re all lucky to at least be on a moving air-conditioned bus and had this happened in New York, the situation would not be exasperated to this extent. Being a native of New York City, I have been in a Subway during a power failure and while it was inconvenient, the majority of the people sucked it up and walked. I have noticed this type of “complaining” many times whenever Metro is late or during a service disruption. While they are inconveniences, in my opinion it illustrates that D.C. area residents are not robust in handling disruptions to the norm. The threat of terrorism can be more subtle then an act of God. Traffic is already a disaster in the D.C. Metro area, so imagine a driver with mal-intent highjack’s a dump truck full of dirt and dumps it on 495 during rush hour. That in tandem with another event would make evacuation and movement of emergency personal very difficult during a simultaneous cataclysmic event. These are problems which I believe there is no single solution. The solution to mitigating terrorism risk even further lies with a multifaceted approach that must include the public domain. I believe that terrorism risk can greatly advanced with the incorporation of the public with more detailed planning. This would involve educating the general public about comprehensive contingency plans and coordination of not only regional enforcement authorities but also private industry including power and telecommunication companies. With a vigilant and informed public, D.C. Metro area residents can be a robust population capable of bearing the most extreme situations. |