On Critical Infrastructure Interdependency

Developing effective protection, mitigation, and recovery measures for critical infrastructure (CI) systems is paramount in the wake of increasing natural and manmade hazards, risks, and threats. Influencing protection, rescue, and recovery measures are interplays (i.e., interdependencies) among infrastructure systems. Understanding interdependencies plays an essential role in minimizing and reducing cascading failures among complex interdependent infrastructure systems. This paper asserts that deployment of protection, mitigation, and recovery solutions can have little effect on infrastructure management if infrastructure operators and policymakers have partial understanding of infrastructure interdependencies. Using narrative research, authors illustrate that effective coordination and response for protection, mitigation, and recovery requires understanding complex interdependencies among infrastructures. Themes commonly associated with CI protection are examined from an interdependency perspective. Using the healthcare sector as an example, authors discuss potential complexities and interdependencies in sustaining public health. This paper concludes with a need for methodological approaches capable of holistically analyzing infrastructure systems