Qualitative validation of emergency response procedures

Emergency managers have come to recognize that there is a quintessential style of emergency response procedure development that must be guarded against. This style allows the definition of objectives to be decided upon apart from the problems posed by their implementation, and then permits the brushing aside of such obstacles as mere tactical problems to be dealt with once goals have been clarified. If permitted to pervade emergency management policy-making, this ``can do`` spirit will grow steadily more confused and complex each step of the way. Instead of plowing bravely ahead in the confident belief that a formidable array of talent and resources will overcome any obstacle, intuitive managers periodically pause and take inventory of accumulated liabilities and difficulties associated with their emergency response procedures. This work suggests use of the extreme value analysis principle in conjunction with time/loss analysis as the inventory tool to gauge the effectiveness of procedures in the response phase, or amelioration process, of an incident.