Mr Jackson, [Commisioner SE LA Flood Protection Authority] in respo0onse to T-P article


Excuse me for taking the liberty to communicate directly. As a Katrina survivor and retired Boeing Systems Engineer, I have followed the aftermath of Katrina with deep personal and professional curiosity and interest. Thank you for your comments quoted by Ms Grissett in the 8/14 Times-Picayune in which you observed that "their [the Corps'] guidelines still treat individual projects instead of as part of a system." I, along with the IPET report, believe the absence for sound, proven systems engineering practices was a root cause of catastrophic man-made consequences of Katrina

With the latest fragmentation of independent peer reviews scoped to selected projects rather than to systems as a whole I, see the Corps as explicitly repudiating the formidable work and courage of the IPET which held that the Flood Protection System was a "system in name only." The IPET went on to recommend that future flood protection solutions be crafted, operated and maintained as systems over their life cycle.

As you may or may not be aware, independent peer reviews are a critical element in achieving world class systems engineering outcomes as endorse by the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). Chief among these mission-critical outcomes is integrity and resilience neither of which characterd our pre-Katrina flood prevention mechanisms and will not characterize the Corps' current efforts. Integrity, like safety, doesn't just happen. At Boeing, systems engineering generally accounted for 15% of the budget of safety-critical program (air frames, etc.)

I am delighted to see you take such an active part in advance the use of systems concepts and practices in flood protection efforts. For more information on this I would invite your attention to the emerging practice of resilience systems engineering which is explicitly focused on the low probability/high consequence risks that characterized the Katina experience and now, the Deepwater Horizon event. I am an active member on INCOSE Resilient Systems Working Group and The Infrastrure Security Partnership (TISP) which is also sponsoring the development of guides to achieving resilience. Collectively these groups are moving forward to realize the Dutch vision of "safety first through a systems approach"

Our wetlands are an integral part of our flood protection "system." Somebody needs the mission to integrate our understanding of their changed capacity into the total risks faced by flood stakeholders. It appears that neither the Corps or the state's CPRA have stepped up.

If there is anything I can do to assist you in your efforts to promote a systems approach please feel free to call on me because my family's safety depends on the right solution.

Respectfully, K.C. King

5919 Pratt Drive, NOLA 70122

(504) 232-6110