A hybrid model for learning from failures: The Hurricane Katrina disaster

The proposed framework incorporates and integrates Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Reliability Block Diagram (RBD) analysis and the Risk Priority Number (RPN) concept, together with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) which is used as a simulation model for decision support. It is shown how the proposed integrated framework can contribute to our understanding of failures and enhances the ability to extract lessons from failures or disasters. Such lessons are then mapped into specific decisions for prevention, and resource allocations, to help avoid a repeat disaster.