Organisational features and their effect on the perceived performance of emergency management organisations

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roshan Bhakta Bhandari ◽  
Christine Owen ◽  
Benjamin Brooks
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emergency Operations ◽  
Management Personnel ◽  
Response Capacity ◽  
Response Performance

Purpose – This study reports on a survey of experienced emergency management personnel in Australia and New Zealand to identify the influence of organisational features in perceived emergency management performance. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of organisational features in emergency response performance and to discuss how this knowledge can be used to enhance the response capacity of emergency services organisations. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of the literature, a conceptual theoretical model for organisational performance is first developed based on four organisational features found to be previously important in emergency management organisation. These are, adaptability, leadership, stability (mission and direction) and stakeholder communication. An organisational survey was distributed to all 25 fire and emergency services agencies in Australia and New Zealand which included indicators of these elements. Responses were received from experienced emergency management personnel from fire and emergency services agencies. The sample was stratified into the three main organisational types, namely, established, expanding and extending organisations. Findings – The findings reveal that the predictive significance of organisational features in emergency response performance vary among established, expanding and extending organisations. The predictive significance of stability, adaptability and leadership for perceived success is strong in all organisational types. It is interesting to note that the predictive significance of communication with external stakeholders is low in all organisation types. This indicates the preference of emergency services agencies to look internally within their own operations than externally to build relationships with different specialism. Originality/value – The theoretical model in this study makes a first attempt to understand the role of organisational features in emergency response performance of organisations in Australia and New Zealand. This work contributes to theorizing emergency operations by highlighting how organisations need to manage two orientations simultaneously: their own internal as well as external orientations, together with their processes for managing both mission and direction and the need for change and flexibility.

An exploratory study of factors influencing emergency response performance

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 559-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique L. French ◽  
Ying Fan ◽  
Gary L. Stading
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Organizational Characteristics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Emergency Managers ◽  
Response Performance ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to develop a conceptual model for future theory building and provides guidance to emergency managers by identifying important organizational factors influencing emergency response performance. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual framework is developed linking organizational characteristics and incident types to emergency response performance, focusing on the “prepare” and “respond” stages in emergency management. Archival data are used to test the framework, using ANOVA to analyze 12,057 incidents over a nine-year period. Findings – The results indicate that organizational characteristics impact emergency response performance through Knowledge of Location. Several organizational factors impact Knowledge of Location, which then serves, with incident type, as a significant indicator for emergency response performance. Research limitations/implications – Researchers are constrained by the data collected in the database used for the study; however, the use of this commonly collected data to operationalize our variables for model testing facilitates analysis of other emergency management organizations for validation. Future model extension is possible by identifying other important variables. Practical implications – The analysis emphasizes the importance of area familiarization training in improving emergency response as well as the impact of organizational structure changes on response. Emergency managers should ensure clear lines of authority and communication during times of change. Originality/value – This is one of the few studies to use empirical data from a large-scale, real-world database to study emergency response performance. In contrast to previous modeling-based research, this study emphasizes organizational characteristics with an empirical perspective.

Assessing the benefits of organized voluntary emergency services

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Bachner ◽  
Sebastian Seebauer ◽  
Clemens Pfurtscheller ◽  
Anja Brucker
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Emergency Service ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emergency Managers ◽  
Public Resources ◽  
Analyze Case ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal the benefits of organized voluntary emergency services (OVES) in the case of flood events, since such information is mostly not available, but needed to analyze the total effects of disasters and respective responses. Moreover, the efficient allocation of scarce public resources for emergency and risk management should be based on empirical data. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a qualitative framework describing the benefits of OVES, the authors develop different tools for monetizing tangible as well as intangible benefits and apply them for case studies in Austria. Findings – The benefits of volunteer efforts for emergency management cannot be monetized easily, since they are often of intangible character. Nevertheless, we show that the benefits of OVES could be substantial. Research limitations/implications – As the authors analyze case studies, the results cannot be directly transferred to other regions, but illustrate the empirical dimension of the benefits of OVES. Further research should be undertaken to assess the benefits of avoided losses by OVES using single-object data. Practical implications – Since many emergency service institutions are involved during/after natural hazards, data availability and exchange should be improved. Objective decisions for investment in emergency services should be based on data of recent hazard events and case studies. Originality/value – The paper develops a toolbox to evaluate the benefits of OVES and is thus highly valuable for emergency managers, which are responsible for deploying volunteers and non-volunteers in emergency management.

Decision‐making training in local government emergency management

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Sinclair ◽  
Emma E.H. Doyle ◽  
David M. Johnston ◽  
Douglas Paton
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emergency Operations ◽  
Emergency Managers ◽  
Decision Making Styles ◽  
Management Decision Making ◽  
Survey Approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to contribute information and recommendations that could better equip emergency managers to prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters, with a focus on improving their decision‐making capabilities during response.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire‐based survey approach was used in this research and 48 different local government organisations participated. These results were examined in conjunction with contemporary emergency management decision‐making literature. A combination of closed and open ended questions was used, enabling qualitative and quantitative analysis.FindingsResults suggest that while there is information available about decision making, not all emergency managers are aware of the existence of this information or understand its relevance to emergency management. It is likely that those who did have a comprehensive understanding of decision making had gained this knowledge through non‐emergency management‐related courses. In total, 71 percent of participants said they would be interested in receiving more support regarding training and practice for decision making in Emergency Operations Centres.Originality/valueA wide body of research has investigated decision‐making styles. However, this paper shows that in the local government emergency management sector there is little awareness of the understanding of the different decision‐making approaches. In addition, for those organisations surveyed, there is a great desire for further training and practice in decision making. It is thus vital that this need is addressed, to further improve the future response of these organisations to emergencies.

scholarly journals The SERIES model: development of a practitioner focused emergency response evaluation system

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-337
Author(s):  
David Holdsworth ◽  
Adam Zagorecki
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Inductive Reasoning ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
System Evaluation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
System Data

PurposeEffective Emergency Response Management (ERM) system evaluation is vital to the process of continual improvement within emergency response organizations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate if an entire ERM system can be captured and encoded within a standardized framework.Design/methodology/approachEmploying an exploratory approach the authors apply a mixed methods case study design and inductive reasoning to analyse documentary evidence provided during the inquest into the London Bombings 2005. The authors use content analysis to investigate the nature of ERM system data availability and apply principals of Network Theory to iteratively develop a framework within which data can be encoded.FindingsThe authors find that complex ERM system data can be captured and stored within a standardized framework. The authors present a conceptual framework and multi-stage mixed methods process, the Standardized Emergency Response Incident Evaluation System (SERIES) model, to support data collection, storage and interpretation. The findings demonstrate that ERM system evaluation can benefit from the adoption of a standardized mixed-methods approach employing data transformation and triangulation. The authors also demonstrate the potential of the proposed standardized model, by integrating qualitative and quantitative data, to support interpretation and reporting through the use of appropriate data visualization.Originality/valueThe SERIES model provides a practical tool and procedural guidelines to capture and share vital ERM system data and information across all emergency services. It also presents an opportunity to develop a large comprehensive multi-incident dataset to support academic inquiry and partnership between academics and practitioners.

New Zealand ShakeOut exercise: lessons learned by schools

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 550-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karlene S. Tipler ◽  
Ruth A. Tarrant ◽  
David M. Johnston ◽  
Keith F. Tuffin
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Based ◽  
Emergency Events ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify lessons learned by schools from their involvement in the 2012 New Zealand ShakeOut nationwide earthquake drill. Design/methodology/approach – The results from a survey conducted with 514 schools were collated to identify the emergency preparedness lessons learned by schools through their participation in the ShakeOut exercise. Findings – Key findings indicated that: schools were likely to do more than the minimum when presented with a range of specific emergency preparedness activities; drills for emergency events require specific achievement objectives to be identified in order to be most effective in preparing schools; and large-scale initiatives, such as the ShakeOut exercise, encourage schools and students to engage in emergency preparedness activities. Practical implications – Based on the findings, six recommendations are made to assist schools to develop effective emergency response procedures. Originality/value – The present study contributes to the ongoing efforts of emergency management practitioners and academics to enhance the efficacy of school-based preparedness activities and to, ultimately, increase overall community resilience.

Multi-response roles in emergency response personnel

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg Linsdell ◽  
Colin Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Social Preferences ◽  
Fire Service ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the decision-making process of multi-role emergency response volunteers and their preferences for which agency they would choose to volunteer for in an emergency, utilizing the New South Wales Rural Fire Service as an example. Design/methodology/approach – Large-scale online survey data collection method, which enabled in depth analysis of responses. Findings – There are a large number of individuals who hold multiple volunteer roles and their decisions as to which service they would prefer to volunteer for is influenced by many complex factors. Research limitations/implications – Research in this topic is rare and future research should be undertaken on a wider scale involving both quantitative and qualitative methods. Practical implications – Findings will help policy makers and those responsible for providing emergency services with an understanding of the decision-making process of volunteers. Social implications – The results may help to promote understanding of a volunteers social preferences when engaged in work for emergency services. Originality/value – This is an area that has had little research undertaken in and is therefore quite an original piece of work that will have resonance for emergency services across the globe.

scholarly journals Global Health Security Preparedness and Response: An Analysis of the Relationship between Joint External Evaluation Scores and COVID-19 Response Performance

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. e050052
Author(s):  
Laura Nguyen ◽  
Morgan Sydney Brown ◽  
Alexia Couture ◽  
Sharanya Krishnan ◽  
Mays Shamout ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Weighted Kappa ◽  
Kappa Statistics ◽  
External Evaluation ◽  
Global Health Security ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Emergency Operations ◽  
Response Capacity ◽  
Response Performance ◽  
Joint External Evaluation

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance and complexity of a country’s ability to effectively respond. The Joint External Evaluation (JEE) assessment was launched in 2016 to assess a country’s ability to prevent, detect and respond to public health emergencies. We examined whether JEE indicators could be used to predict a country’s COVID-19 response performance to tailor a country’s support more effectively.DesignFrom April to August 2020, we conducted interviews with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention country offices that requested COVID-19 support and previously completed the JEE (version 1.0). We used an assessment tool, the ‘Emergency Response Capacity Tool’ (ERCT), to assess COVID-19 response performance. We analysed 28 ERCT indicators aligned with eight JEE indicators to assess concordance and discordance using strict agreement and weighted kappa statistics. Generalised estimating equation (GEE) models were used to generate predicted probabilities for ERCT scores using JEE scores as the independent model variable.ResultsTwenty-three countries met inclusion criteria. Of the 163 indicators analysed, 42.3% of JEE and ERCT scores were in agreement (p value=0.02). The JEE indicator with the highest agreement (62%) was ‘Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operating procedures and plans’, while the lowest (16%) was ‘capacity to activate emergency operations’. Findings were consistent with weighted kappa statistics. In the GEE model, EOC operating procedures and plans had the highest predicted probability (0.86), while indicators concerning response strategy and coordination had the lowest (≤0.5).ConclusionsOverall, there was low agreement between JEE scores and COVID-19 response performance, with JEE scores often trending higher. JEE indicators concerning coordination and operations were least predictive of COVID-19 response performance, underscoring the importance of not inferring country response readiness from JEE scores alone. More in-depth country-specific investigations are likely needed to accurately estimate response capacity and tailor countries’ global health security activities.

Testing a criticality framework for road networks in Auckland, New Zealand

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-51
Author(s):  
Kester Rebello ◽  
Karan Jaggi ◽  
Seosamh Costello ◽  
Daniel Blake ◽  
May Oo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Road Networks ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Investment Strategies ◽  
Crucial Importance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Infrastructure Resilience ◽  
Improvement Intervention

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to trial the application of a criticality framework for roads in an urban environment. The failure or disruption of critical transport routes can have substantial impacts on the economy and societal well-being. Determining the criticality of transport routes is thus of crucial importance for infrastructure providers, city planners and emergency management officials, as it enables appropriate resilience assessments and targeted improvement/intervention and investment strategies to be conducted. Design/methodology/approach The authors summarise the proposed criticality framework developed by Hughes (2016) for road networks and apply and validate the framework to an area containing 907 km of roads in the central Auckland area of New Zealand. Following an initial trial of the framework, alterations were made to the framework logic, which included the introduction of a new criticality level to account for some roads providing minimal direct societal and economic benefit and a rationalisation step to ensure that road sections always link to others with either an equal or higher criticality. Findings The modified framework and five-level criticality scale, when applied to the study area in central Auckland, is suitable for determining critical roads and can therefore assist with future assessments of road infrastructure resilience. Originality/value The framework also has the potential to be applied more widely and adapted so that it is applicable for determining the criticality of other infrastructure types and in other settings, which would allow improved assessments within and across sectors.

Strategies of social media use in disaster management

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyungwoo Kim ◽  
Kyujin Jung ◽  
Kenneth Chilton
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emergency Managers ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the effects of social media use on the resilience of organizations involved in emergency response. While social media has been utilized as a critical tool in the field of emergency management, few researchers have systemically examined its effect on organizations’ capacity to bounce back from catastrophic events. From the dimensional approach to social media use, this research focuses on the following three functions: providing information to local communities, transmitting information to local communities, and responding to the emotions of local communities. Design/methodology/approach The authors used survey data gleaned from 79 key organizations involved in emergency management to investigate the impact of social media use on resilience after a tragic flood in Seoul, South Korea in 2013. The authors also conducted interviews with ten emergency management officials to understand what administrative challenges they confront in using social media for their tasks. Findings The authors found that the provision of disaster information on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube has a positive effect on the perceived level of organizational resilience. In addition, social media use correlates positively with community emotional responses. Research limitations/implications Given the focus on the emergency response to a natural disaster in urban areas, the results might not be generalizable to smaller cities or rural areas. The survey items that measure the perceptions of emergency managers may not represent the physical aspects of disaster recovery, such as the restoration of housing stock. Practical implications The findings suggest that public and nonprofit organizations can use social media to communicate with other organizations and the public in ways that demonstrate resilience. Emergency managers should address administrative challenges, such as trustworthiness of information delivered via social media and lack of personnel. Originality/value This paper provides systematic understandings of the effects of social media use on the resilience of the organizations that respond to a disaster.

An integrated response model for business disruption

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-263
Author(s):  
Phillip Wilson ◽  
Karen Klockner
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Response ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Response Model ◽  
Operational Effectiveness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Risk ◽  
Road Crash ◽  
Integrated Response ◽  
Commonwealth Games ◽  
Emergency Response Model

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the planning and use of an all-hazards emergency services approach to business disruption, which resulted from the hosting of the 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) by Australia. It outlines how this emergency response model worked and how it can be transitioned into other operational areas. Design/methodology/approach Although the Commonwealth Games provided a unique opportunity for Australia to showcase its large event capability, it also highlighted the need for innovation due to business disruption for front-line emergency response agencies. The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) was faced with the need to review the standard emergency response model and to come up with a way to maintain business as usual operational effectiveness. Findings An all-hazards approach to emergency response was ultimately achieved through expanded air operations (helicopters), the use of a multi-agency approach and the use of volunteers to achieve strategic risk management outcomes. Practical implications The practical solutions that emerged are discussed as the expanded response model and collaborative engagements to achieve risk reduction, readiness and preparation. Originality/value The solution to utilise an integrated emergency response methodology, including rapid and effective aerial support, reflected an all-hazards response to include deployment to road crash rescue, hazardous materials and structural fires. This business model ensured that QFES continued to meet its established “operational excellence” standards while pioneering options to address incident responses within the community wherein circumstances are considered exceptional.

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