Auckland unplugged : coping with critical infrastructure failure / Lindy Newlove, Eric Stern, and Lina Svedin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Newlove, Lindy, 1967-

Contributor:

Stern, Eric K.

Svedin, Lina M.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Emergency management--New Zealand--Auckland.

Emergency management.

Electric power failures--New Zealand--Auckland.

Electric power failures.

Electric power distribution--New Zealand--Auckland--Evaluation.

Electric power distribution.

Evaluation.

New Zealand--Auckland.

Physical Description:

xii, 206 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : Lexington Books, [2003]

Summary:

Virtually all of the socio-technical systems that maintain public order, quality of life, and commerce depend on a reliable electric supply, and critical infrastructure failures such as blackouts have profound implications for citizens and for those who g

Contents:

1.1 The Auckland Blackout 1

1.2 Studying Infrastructural Failures: A Crisis Management Approach 3

1.3 Urban Crisis Management 6

1.3.1 Urban Planning 6

1.3.2 City Management 6

1.3.3 Urban Cultural Geography and Sociology 6

1.3.4 Crisis Management in Urban Areas 7

1.4 Contextual Process Analysis 10

1.5 Thematic Analysis 14

1.6 Outline of the Study 19

2 Public Sector Reform, Electricity Policy, and Crisis Preparedness in New Zealand 21

2.1 A Country in Transition 21

2.2 Public Sector Reform 22

2.3 Electricity Reform 24

2.4 Local Government Reform 30

2.5 Civil Defense and Disaster Planning 33

2.6 The Auckland Region and its Infrastructure Policy: Key Actors 41

2.6.1 Electricity Provision in Auckland: the Creation of Mercury Energy 43

2.6.2 The Lifelines Project 46

3 The Power Outage Crisis: Key Events and Critical Decisions 51

3.1 The Crisis in Brief 51

3.2 Critical Decisions and Opportunities 55

3.2.1 The First Cable Fails 55

3.2.2 The Second Cable Fails 56

3.2.3 The Third Cable Fails 60

3.2.4 The Unthinkable Happens 62

3.2.5 Acute Operational Changes 64

3.2.6 Developing a Crisis Response Strategy 72

3.2.7 To Declare or Not to Declare ... 76

3.2.8 Media Pressure 81

3.2.9 Shortage of Reserve Power and Expertise 84

3.2.10 Who Gets Power? 88

3.2.11 We Can't Work under These Conditions! 92

3.2.12 Inquiring Minds Want to Know 94

3.2.13 The Cable Tests Keep Failing 96

3.2.14 The Lights Are on But Nobody's Home 98

4 Urban Crisis Management in Auckland: Thematic Analysis 107

4.1 Crisis Development 107

4.2 Problem Framing 110

4.3 Leadership and Group Dynamics 113

4.4 Organizational Cooperation and Conflict 117

4.5 Crisis Communication and Mass Media 120

4.6 Intelligence Gathering and Information Processing 126

4.7 Stress Management 128

4.8 Symbolic Politics versus Technical-Managerial Logic 132

4.9 Experts and Decision Makers 134

4.10 Crisis Management in an Urban Setting 138

4.11 Sequencing and Synchronicity 143

4.12 Learning 145

5 Lessons for Crisis Managers 159

5.1 Expect the Unexpected 159

5.2 Face the Worst Case Scenario 160

5.3 Take Care of Yourself and Your People 161

5.4 Governments Can Be Victims; Victims Can Be Crisis Copers 161

5.5 Take "Political" Responsibility Sensibly 163

5.6 Don't Lose Sight of the Long-Term Picture 164

5.7 Balance Symbolic and Operational Concerns 164

5.8 Beware of Credibility Traps 166

5.9 Make Sure Your Message is Getting Out 167

5.10 Try to Work with the Media 168.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-199) and index.

ISBN:

0739104861

OCLC:

51297197