OASIS Emergency Management TC

  • 1.  CAP-IPAWS Profile Specification Issues: Inclusion of FEMARequirements doc in Appendix

    Posted 02-16-2009 14:57 
    Hi Everyone,

I had hoped to see arguments from both sides of the issue of 
including the FEMA IPAWS CAP Profile Requirements document in 
Appendix B of the CAP IPAWS Profile submitted to the TC last week 
before I explain my position, but I also need to call attention to 
some other parts of the document that I said I would as an ACTION in 
our last CAP Profiles SC meeting, and I want to cover the main issue 
in contention first. So I will be sending another message after this.

I must also say that I took this work on as a subcontractor to OASIS 
in order to facilitate the process, and ONLY to facilitate the 
process. I have not been given any instructions on how the profile 
should be constructed nor has any request been received on any issue 
of substance from FEMA IPAWS PMO representatives except in the open 
meetings of the SC. The request to include this material was made 
openly and I supported it because I think the TC needs to decide the 
issue.

One reason I wanted to see an argument in favor of including this 
material is that I don't have a strong opinion in favor or opposed.

As an implementer, I would prefer to have some of the material in the 
specification for ready reference without the necessity of 
downloading another document for that purpose. However, I don't think 
that is a strong enough argument on its own for inclusion.

As a participant in the writing of the specification, I would prefer 
that it be left out because I think it contains far too much material 
that is not especially germane to the profile, such as the last 
section on EAS Technical Specifications aimed at manufacturers of EAS 
devices.

So, I will be content to follow the wishes of the TC in this.

One last thought: we usually operate on the basis that when there are 
issues, the advocates must make their own arguments openly. If a 
position is not represented and there has been sufficient advance 
notice concerning a meeting to resolve this issue, the position 
represented is the only one considered, and prevails on that basis, 
so silence implies consent.

Cheers,
Rex


-- 
Rex Brooks
President, CEO
Starbourne Communications Design
GeoAddress: 1361-A Addison
Berkeley, CA 94702
Tel: 510-898-0670


  • 2.  Re: [emergency] CAP-IPAWS Profile Specification Issues

    Posted 02-17-2009 18:51 
    Friends -

In the course of today's Emergency Management TC meeting a DHS representative expressed the opinion that OASIS is under a contractual obligations to expedite the processing of the IPAWS profile over and above the OASIS TC Process.  As we've been unable to obtain a copy of that contract, and considering that the numerous OASIS staff who were taking an active part in our meeting didn't appear to contradict that claim, I guess we have to assume that it's true.

Therefore I'm forced, reluctantly, to the conclusion that this process is seriously compromised by conflicts of interest.  I have asked that my name be removed from the list of editors of the IPAWS draft and I will be considering whether renewing my agency's OASIS membership would be in the best interests of the people of Contra Costa County.

- Art


Art Botterell, Manager
Community Warning System
Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
50 Glacier Drive
Martinez, California 94553
(925) 313-9603
fax (925) 646-1120


  • 3.  RE: [emergency] CAP-IPAWS Profile Specification Issues

    Posted 02-17-2009 19:01 
    Art,

I am so sorry that I was unable to attend today's meeting. I am hoping
that time will allow so that I can again be actively involved in EM
standards development in the very near future. 

If you can forgive my having to observe this issue unfold from some
distance, I would like clarification on exactly how a consortium of
volunteers can be obligated contractually to any entity.

Any insights you or anyone else can provide is appreciated.

Patti

Patti Iles Aymond, PhD 
Senior Scientist, Research & Development 
Innovative Emergency Management, Inc. (IEM)
Managing Risk in a Complex World

8550 United Plaza Blvd.   Suite 501 
Baton Rouge, LA 70809 
(225) 526-8844 (phone) 
(225) 952-8122 (fax) 


    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                        
                                                        Original Message


  • 4.  RE: [emergency] CAP-IPAWS Profile Specification Issues

    Posted 02-17-2009 19:18 
    That's a great question, Patti.  Obviously I was shocked to hear that claim made so bluntly.  However, since neither OASIS staff nor DHS representatives in the TC have seen their way clear to share that contract, and since the TC decided not to wait to see it via a FOIA request, I can't really answer it.

The complications, of course, are that the majority of TC members are themselves under DHS contracts and can't reasonably be expected to oppose their employer's vigorously expressed policy (in short, they're not necessarily "volunteers" in the sense you and I might use the term)... and that OASIS staff began today to take an active role in TC deliberations, not just answering procedural questions, but also expressing some fairly substantive opinions, which given their (alleged) contractual obligation again calls the notion of "a consortium of volunteers" into question, at least in my eyes.

- Art

>>> "Aymond, Patti"


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