The Hill News

The devastating tornados that flattened entire cities throughout the southern states earlier this year claimed hundreds of lives and caused up to $5 billion in damages.  A number of lessons can be learned from this disaster and subsequent relief efforts, but among the most important are ensuring that future disaster recovery efforts happen as efficiently and effectively as possible. Research and experience show that these goals can be accomplished through strategic planning and project and program management.

Recently, I testified on behalf of the Project Management Institute (PMI) before the Senate Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery and Intergovernmental Affairs on the benefits of effective program management and our extensive research in program management and disaster recovery. 

Disaster relief efforts, with all their inherent risks and urgency, benefit immensely from PMI’s project management standards. Training project and program ma! nagers to facilitate and streamline responses allows a disaster recovery team to stay organized and focused, and to implement solutions a community needs after being struck by a disaster as quickly and efficiently as possible.

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