Maturity model for evaluating disaster and humanitarian operations

PurposeThis paper proposes a maturity model (MM) for assessing disaster operations and identifying strategies for organisations to evolve their maturity stages.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies a systematic literature review to identify state-of-the-art work related to maturity models for disaster operations. In addition, the study develops a case study to validate the proposed maturity model in a generic scenario and two real-life scenarios.FindingsThe analysis of 158 papers in the literature resulted in identifying 8 maturity models for disaster operations. Based on their structure, the authors proposed a new model with five maturity stages suitable for any of the four phases of the disaster life cycle (i.e. mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery). In addition, the research identified and presents 24 strategies for improving disaster operations according to each maturity stage transition. Finally, the research presents a case study that evaluates the disaster response operations from a Civil Defense organisation considering a response scenario disaster in general, a flood scenario, and the COVID-19 pandemic scenario.Originality/valueThis study provides the following three main contributions useful for academics and practitioners in the disaster operations area: a new maturity model for assessing disaster operations, a strategy guide for improving disaster operations based on a maturity evolution and an empirical study exploring the approximation between academia and professionals involved in real-life disaster operations management.

Guidelines for volcano-observatory operations during crises: recommendations from the 2019 volcano observatory best practices meeting

In November 2019, the fourth Volcano Observatory Best Practices workshop was held in Mexico City as a series of talks, discussions, and panels. Volcanologists from around the world offered suggestions for ways to optimize volcano-observatory crisis operations. By crisis, we mean unrest that may or may not lead to eruption, the eruption itself, or its aftermath, all of which require analysis and communications by the observatory. During a crisis, the priority of the observatory should be to acquire, process, analyze, and interpret data in a timely manner. A primary goal is to communicate effectively with the authorities in charge of civil protection. Crisis operations should rely upon exhaustive planning in the years prior to any actual unrest or eruptions. Ideally, nearly everything that observatories do during a crisis should be envisioned, prepared, and practiced prior to the actual event. Pre-existing agreements and exercises with academic and government collaborators will minimize confusion about roles and responsibilities. In the situation where planning is unfinished, observatories should prioritize close ties and communications with the land and civil-defense authorities near the most threatening volcanoes.To a large extent, volcanic crises become social crises, and any volcano observatory should have a communication strategy, a lead communicator, regular status updates, and a network of colleagues outside the observatory who can provide similar messaging to a public that desires consistent and authoritative information. Checklists permit tired observatory staff to fulfill their duties without forgetting key communications, data streams, or protocols that need regular fulfilment (Bretton et al. Volcanic Unrest. Advances in Volcanology, 2018; Newhall et al. Bull Volcanol 64:3–20, 2020). Observatory leaders need to manage staff workload to prevent exhaustion and ensure that expertise is available as needed. Event trees and regular group discussions encourage multi-disciplinary thinking, consideration of disparate viewpoints, and documentation of all group decisions and consensus. Though regulations, roles and responsibilities differ around the world, scientists can justify their actions in the wake of an eruption if they document their work, are thoughtful and conscientious in their deliberations, and carry out protocols and procedures developed prior to volcanic unrest. This paper also contains six case studies of volcanic eruptions or observatory actions that illustrate some of the topics discussed herein. Specifically, we discuss Ambae (Vanuatu) in 2017–2018, Kīlauea (USA) in 2018, Etna (Italy) in 2018, Bárðarbunga (Iceland) in 2014, Cotopaxi (Ecuador) in 2015, and global data sharing to prepare for eruptions at Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of Congo). A Spanish-language version of this manuscript is provided as Additional file 1.

Giving voice to the voiceless: connecting graduate students with high school students by incubating DRR plans through participatory mapping

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to encourage graduate students to facilitate a participatory mapping activity with high school students, to have their voices heard in the disaster risk reduction (DRR) agenda.Design/methodology/approachA participatory mapping, youth-led session, was conducted with 22 high school students, where they had to identify flood and landslide-prone areas. Then, they were asked to propose and plan DRR measures in collaboration with local partners in São Luiz do Paraitinga, Brazil.FindingsThe participatory method engaged the graduate students and the high school students in the DRR debate, allowing them to map hazards and vulnerabilities, and to discuss five incubation projects for enhancing DRR in the city.Originality/valueThis research highlights the importance of involving young people in DRR formulation and planning to build local capacities in younger generations. The outputs were shared with the local civil defense and a local non-governmental organization (NGO), who suggested recommendations to improve the five incubation projects.

The Main Threats and Challenges for Russia in the First Half of the XXI Century and Possible Areas of Work to Mitigate their Consequences

This article analyzes threats and challenges for the Russian Federation in the first half of the XXI century and identifies possible directions for improving security in emergency situations based on the use of new approaches in organizational, legal, scientific and technical support of measures, management bodies and civil defense forces and the unified state system of emergency prevention and response (RSChS).

A Web-Based Decision Support Systems Framework for Ill-Structured Decision Situations

Decisions and actions in an ill-structured situation often include high-time constraints, lack of information, and poor cognitive efforts. Obtaining the necessary information through an information systems tool is supposed to be the best solution in such situations. To expose the decision situation, this study has taken the fire and civil defense service as the field of study. In exploring the required information resources, elements of the system architecture, and suitability of the proposed system in the current field, this study has resorted to the qualitative approach. To assess the dependability and performance of the systems, this study has used the RAS metrics and a black-box test. The result showed that the reliability stood within 62.70–70.00%, and its availability stood at 99.00% with a downtime of 3.65 days/year from a three-month study. As per the black-box test with standard 4G network connection, the system takes an average loading time of 1.00s for alphanumeric contents, 3.50s for images and graphics, and 5.50s for loading maps and navigations. This research evidenced that, the local emergency response and rescue units in developing countries like Bangladesh might want to use a well-designed response support system for improved acquisition, dissemination, and utilization of response information.

Impact of Leadership Styles toward Employee Engagement among Malaysian Civil Defence Force

It is a fact that organization’s success and failure heavily depend on employees and employee engagement is found as one of the important indicators to engage work force in any organization. It has been repeatedly discussed by researchers in the past years and it was established that employee engagement is affected by variation in leadership styles. Many drivers regarding employee engagement have been identified, thus making the concept of employee engagement clear and more understandable for the employer. It also impacts employee performance and wellbeing as found by the past researchers. Leadership style also play a significant role in employee engagement. Leadership style is usually associated with the engagement of an employee and became the most important driver that may create culture of employee engagement in the organization. Leadership style also helps to drive optimal level of productivity in an organization and maintain employee trust. This study aims to identify the engagement level of employees in Malaysian Civil Defense Force and its relationship with leadership style. This research used Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) as a research instrument. SPSS software package for social sciences version 22 was used to analyze the data in this study. Finding of this study shows that leadership styles have a significant impact on employee engagement especially transformational leadership has a significant relationship with employee engagement. Therefore, from the findings of this study, it is suggested for the future researchers to use the mix method in collecting data so that the findings will be more accurate and detailed and can be generalized.

The impact of heavy object on an underground structure when falling onto the ground surface

At the objects of space infrastructure and at nuclear power facilities there are industrial structures, the main task of which is to protect a person, equipment or machinery from emergencies such as, for example, explosions, falling of various objects, fragments. In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Law On the Protection of the Population and Territories from Natural and Technogenic Emergencies, when calculating such structures, all types of loads corresponding to their functional purpose must be taken into account. So, for structures located in the area of a possible accident and the fall of space rockets, it is necessary to calculate for the fall of the destroyed parts of the rocket engine. For nuclear power plant facilities, such accidents occur when containers and other heavy objects fall on the ground, affecting underground structures located in the ground, and for civil defense protective structures built into the basement floors of buildings, it is necessary to consider situations in which the overlying floors of a building collapse when exposed to there is an air shock wave on them. Therefore, this problem is relevant, and in this study, a finite-element method for calculating an underground structure in a non-linear dynamic setting has been developed when a large overall object collides with the ground.

Best Practices While Testing Sour GAS Wells

Objectives/Scope The development of Abu Dhabi's sour gas is not without its challenges. Deep drilling in some fields presents its own set of difficulties due to high temp and pressures coupled with +30% H2S and +10% CO2. Handling of these corrosive reservoir fluids both while drilling and then testing, requires deploying advanced technology to meet the specific requirements of these reservoirs, along with the infrastructure necessary to handle the toxic and corrosive products while testing in a brown field safely. Methods, Procedures, Process Developing local sour gas production is seen as the answer to resolve the ever growing energy needs for UAE but the technical requirements for the project is stretching the limits of the industry. Results, Observations, Conclusions What did we do different: Developed and implemented specific HSE procedures and SIMOPS due to close proximity with major populated facilities which could not be shut-down during the testing period. Conducted multiple audits and drills with the local authorities including Civil Defense and local Police. Additional 3rd part supervision was provided to ensure all personal are complying with the policy and procedures developed. Installed 2 green burners and 2 vertical 90 ft flare stacks at 180 degrees. This was to cater for the changing wind directions for continuous operations and as back ups. CCTV monitoring for green burners / flare stacks was conducted although this was a rigless operation 3 circles of H2S detectors and sensors were placed around the testing area and the flare stakes and green burners to detect any H2S gas. (Covering all 360° directions). Blowdown/Depressurization valve was installed at separator, storage tanks apart from Automatic and manual shutdown system upon H2S detection Installed Optic Fiber cable from wellhead to the main control room for monitoring purposes All piping connections used were flange-to-flange as welded joints could have caused stress cracking on the weak points For Sour well operation, used fully cladded X-mass tree & Inconel well completion Considered setting of compatible TTBP (Thru Tubing Bridge Plug) for staked reservoirs zonal isolation Instead of coil tubing cement plug for accurate depth calculations. Arranged Special chemical for any scale cleanout for handling of elemental Sulphur. Arab zones were stimulated with specialized acid recipe developed exclusively for this temperature, pressure and sour conditions downhole. Bottom hole measurements were recorded successfully and all the necessary data was acquired. Novel/Additive Information This paper highlights the major challenges identified and mitigated to test and produce the highly sour HPHT gas during the appraisal program complying with ADNOC 100% HSE in a brown field without disturbing the other major operations being performed in the vicinity.

ENSURING THE CONSTANT READINESS OF CIVIL DEFENSE FORCES AND MEANS IN FGBU VNIIPO EMERCOM OF RUSSIA IN 2021

В статье изложены задачи по вопросам подготовки и ведения гражданской обороны Института. Рассмотрены основные мероприятия, проведенные в соответствии с Планом гражданской обороны Института, изложены основные этапы их реализации и представлены результаты по отработке практических мероприятий по гражданской обороне. The article deals with the tasks of training and conducting the civil defense of the Institute. There are considered the main activities carried out in accordance with the Civil Defense Plan of the Institute. The main stages of their implementation are outlined and the results of practical civil defense measures are presented.

National Security Challenges and the Quest for True Federalism in Nigeria: the Issue of Amotekun (South-West Regional Security Network)

Among the various challenges that the Nigerian State has had to contend with since its inception, incessant security challenges stand out. Indeed, these challenges have continued to defy the various strategies put in place to check them by various federal security agencies in the country, including the Military, Police, Road Safety, Civil Defense, Immigration, and Custom, thereby rendering them ineffective and inefficient, and as such contributing to louder calls for restructuring of the country. State Governors in the South-West in response to the security challenges facing the region formed the Western Nigerian Security Network (WNSN) code-named Operation Amotekun, the Yoruba name for Leopard, a wild animal known for its great agility and hunting prowess. This paper seeks to examine, 1. The current federal structure vis-à-vis the various security challenges in the country, 2. The formation of the Western Nigerian Security Network (Amotekun), i.e., its prospects, likely challenges and mode of operation, and 3. Propose some policy options to aid the performance and efficiency of Amotekun and any other that may follow.