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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Emergency and Disaster Management'
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1
Carr, John Alexander. "Pre-Disaster Integration of Community Emergency Response Teams within Local Emergency Management Systems." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2014. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/27332.
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This study explores how Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) were integrated within local emergency management systems pre-disaster. Semi-structured interviews were conducted following Rubin and Rubin?s (2005) Responsive Interviewing Model with 21 CERT team coordinators in FEMA Region VII (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska). It found that teams varied with regard to integration, and this variance could be explained by a number of related factors. Results suggest that if a team has a skilled leader, stability as an organization, and acceptance by the local emergency management system, they are more likely to be integrated than a team that is lacking some or all of the aforementioned factors. This study categorizes teams on a continuum according to their integration. Finally, this study concludes with a discussion of implications for practice, policy, and research, as well as recommendations for practice and research.
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Bundy, Sarah Jo. "Coordination in Disaster Recovery: Implications for Policy and Practice." Diss., North Dakota State University, 2013. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/27223.
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Disaster scholarship and recent disaster policy in the United States have suggested that coordination of efforts in the disaster recovery process will allow impacted jurisdictions to maximize positive recovery outcomes. Yet it remains unclear exactly who should be, or is, coordinating disaster recovery at the local level. This study explored the role of county elected officials in disaster recovery in an attempt to understand what role these elected officials currently play in the recovery process?particularly as related to the coordination of recovery efforts.
During the initial data collection process, the researcher discovered that the role of county elected officials in disaster recovery appears to be consistent with their routine, day-to-day role in county government. No one person within the impacted counties was charged with a coordinator role in recovery. The researcher expanded the focus of the study to explore whether there were disaster conditions that necessitate overall coordination in order to best negotiate the recovery process and, if so, who was fulfilling that overall coordination role and what were they doing as part of it.
Data was initially collected through 20 in-depth, telephone interviews with county elected officials in twelve states. Grounded theory was used to conceptualize the overall research design and analyze the data. Based on theoretical sampling, an additional 22 in-depth, telephone interviews were completed with a combination of county elected officials, emergency managers, designated recovery coordinators, and municipal mayors.
The data showed that overall coordination in disaster recovery as implied by the literature and supported in federal policy did not appear to be currently happening?at least not at the county level. Coordination?to the extent that it was occurring in most jurisdictions?could best be described as in pockets and ad hoc. However, the study was unable to determine the extent to which this absence of coordination represents a problem in recovery. Based on the findings of this research, it would seem that there is a discrepancy between the literature-based idealization of coordination in recovery and the ad hoc coordination materializing in practice that needs to be addressed by both researchers and practitioners.
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Kovel, Jacob Paul. "Planning construction for disaster response." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/20690.
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Williams, Jewel E. "Court officers as certified first responders assisting in homeland security and community emergency preparedness." Thesis, Monterey, Calif. : Springfield, Va. : Naval Postgraduate School ; Available from National Technical Information Service, 2005. http://library.nps.navy.mil/uhtbin/hyperion/05Jun%5FWilliams%5FJewel.pdf.
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Thesis (M.A. in National Security (Homeland Defense and Security))--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2005.Thesis Advisor(s): David Brannan. Includes bibliographical references (p.75-77). Also available online.
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Ruman, Jonathan A. "An analysis of the University of Wisconsin-Stout disaster management plan." Online version, 2001. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2001/2001rumanj.pdf.
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McCabe, John Michael Arnold Christopher J. "Parameters to facilitate the creation of initial response capsules for survivors of prodigious disasters." Auburn, Ala., 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10415/1299.
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Doré, Michel C. "Factors Affecting Household Disaster Preparedness: A Study of the Canadian Context." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2000. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2678/.
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This study addresses the issue of household disaster preparedness. This work contributes two elements to disaster research. The first contribution improve the knowledge of the factors that affect household disaster preparedness. The review of literature yielded three categories of variables that can jointly explain household disaster preparedness: household structure, demographics, and risk-perception factors. In this study 19 variables compose these factors. A second contribution constitutes a theoretical exploration of the concept of disaster preparedness. In this work, four different constructs of disaster preparedness were tested. These constructs include material preparedness, preparedness activities, a combined index, and a weighted and combined index. The study presents the logic and methodology of the index construction and validation. The data used in this study came from households in the Montreal Urban Community (MUC) in Canada. A random sample of 1,003 English- and French-speaking heads of households adequately represents the 1.8 million persons within the MUC. An independent survey firm conducted the interviews in 1996. Results show that the weighted combined household disaster preparedness index constitutes the best construct to represent the concepts under study. Study results also reveal that risk-perception variables (attitudinal factors) offered the strongest explanatory power. Household structure and demographic variables collectively explained less than 8% of the dependent variable. The model used in this study yielded a coefficient of determination of .320, explaining 32% of the variance in the household disaster preparedness level. Concluding this study, the discussion offers implications for both disaster managers and researchers. Researchers should add to their analysis the household perspective as a complement to the organizational one. Also, it is clear that many other conceptual issues must be explored in understanding and measuring disaster preparedness. Disaster managers should base their efforts on sound research rather than on misconceptions about social behavior. Such implications can contribute to bridging the gap and also putting into practice the knowledge drawn from this growing and collective effort of studying disasters.
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Rood, Jason Alexander. "Public Participation in Emergency Management." PDXScholar, 2012. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/333.
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With disasters increasing in frequency and costs each year, this study seeks to explore ways greater public participation can assist emergency managers in their mission to keep communities safe. Specifically this study examines the policy process and administrative functions of emergency management to illuminated the benefits and hindrances involved in greater participation. This study conducted a qualitative analysis of governmental documents, disaster case studies, international research, as well as political science and administrative doctrines, to arrive at its conclusions. The results of this study reveal that the public is a largely untapped resource in the emergency management field. Engaging the public dialogically in early policy stages and emergency management phases is essential to successful inclusion for both administrators and communities. Specifically, public inclusion creates expanded knowledge, shared learning, personal responsibility, and increased social capital. Faced with the growing threat from disasters, emergency management can create communities that are both more resilient and sustainable by increasing public participation.
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Matthews, Tami J. "Disaster communication networks : a case study of the Thai Red Cross and its disaster communication response to the Asian tsunami /." Diss., CLICK HERE for online access, 2006. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd1661.pdf.
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Koffa, Morris Tennesse. "Emergency Management: A Qualitative Study of Flood Disaster Vulnerability in Liberia." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5018.
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Flood disasters have been a challenge in Liberia for the past 15 years. The result has been hardship for residents, which has created major disruptions to social and economic services. Global warming, poor environmental conditions and weak disaster management policies among other factors are largely blamed for the floods. The conceptual framework for this study was Barton's collective stress theory and Edwards' varied response theory, which guided this exploration of how flood victims perceive the effectiveness of the Liberian government's flood disaster management strategies. A total of 25 participants were recruited for this grounded theory study. Twenty participants were victims of flooding and 5 participants were managers from government and non-governmental organizations (NGO) entities. Data were collected from open-ended semistructured interviews with the participants. Multiple sources such as individuals and group interviews, field notes were used to support the study. Data analysis utilized descriptive coding. Results suggest community and government needs include: (a) policies on zonal regulations to reduce the problem of flooded drainages, (b) funding and other support for disaster emergency management institutions, (c) decentralizing and empowering local government agencies for disaster emergency management, and (d) empowering communities themselves through funding and training to become the first line of defense when floods occur. This dissertation may support positive social change by highlighting the need for government to strengthen disaster management policies to include zoning and building permit regulations, funding for disaster emergency management institutions, and flood control.
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Borkosheva, Nazgul. "Local Nonprofit and Government Organization Conceptualizations of Disaster Response Effectiveness." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2013. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/27199.
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This study attempted to explore how nonprofit and government organizations conceptualize disaster response effectiveness using an internet survey. Unfortunately, the data collected through this method was insufficient for meaningful data analysis, and, therefore this study was unable to generate significant findings with respect to its research question. Thus, rather than focusing on a presentation of results from data collection and interpreting the significance of those results, this thesis focuses on justification of the need for research on this topic, review of the literature that suggests it is likely that nonprofits and government perceive disaster response effectiveness differently, recounting of the initial data collection efforts undertaken and the problems encountered, offering of hypotheses for future testing based on analysis of the flawed data, and recommendation of an alternate data collection method that should be used in the future.
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Garber, Nikola Marie. "Natural disasters in international affairs formulating reconstruction planning in NOAA /." [Hattiesburg, MS : The University of Southern Mississippi], 2004. http://www.usm.edu/international/files/Garber-FullDissertation.pdf.
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Cooks, Tiffany. "Factors Affecting Emergency Manager, First Responder, and Citizen Disaster Preparedness." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1530.
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Despite the increased frequency of natural and man-made disasters, there is a problem in the level of preparedness of emergency managers, responders, and citizens to address them. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore the factors that affect these groups' preparedness to inform the development of better emergency plans to handle emergency incidences. The conceptual framework for the study was knowledge management, which was used with a grounded theory approach. The study was guided by primary research questions that focused on understanding psychological, material, temporal, organizational, and other factors that affect the preparedness of emergency managers, first responders, and citizens, and on identifying measures for improving those levels of preparedness. Interview data were collected from a purposeful sample of emergency managers (n = 11), first responders (n = 26), and citizens (n = 26) from South Carolina who had experienced disasters. Secondary data from 6 disasters, 3 emergency operations plans, and 2 standard operating procedure guides were also collected. The constant comparative method was used to analyze data, informing the development of a theory that suggests emergency managers, first responders, and citizens must act collaboratively to prepare for and respond more effectively to disasters, in addition to their independent work. This study promotes positive social change by providing emergency management agencies with information necessary for developing better emergency preparedness plans, thus reducing the personal and economic impact of future disasters.
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O'Connor, Michael J. Jr. "From Chaos to Clarity: Educating Emergency Managers." University of Akron / OhioLINK, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1123250948.
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Rupp, Laura Kay. "Disaster Preparedness of Rural Healthcare Providers." Diss., North Dakota State University, 2018. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/27460.
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The purpose of this project was to identify the current status of education/training of rural health care providers and identify gaps in training/education to better prepare rural providers to care for victims of disasters. A survey was conducted and distributed to 21 physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants employed at rural clinic/critical access hospital. The survey consisted of quantitative and fill in the blank questions. The survey was distributed through the electronic survey engine ?Qualtrics.? Participation in the survey was voluntary and responses were anonymous. The survey addressed/identified: basic demographic information, knowledge of disaster/emergency preparedness and care of victims as a first receiver, experience and education related to disasters/emergencies, perceptions of emergencies/disaster types most likely to impact their facility, future education/training preferences, and barriers to participation in disaster/emergency education/training. The survey also assessed the providers? comfort level with suggested disaster/emergency core competencies put forth from professional emergency/trauma organizations. The response rate to the survey was 57.14%. Of those that responded 41.67% reported experience in caring for victims of disaster. Participation in previous disaster education/training was reported by 83.3% and these same respondents were familiar with their role according to the facility?s Emergency Operations Manual (EOM). The providers perceived that natural disasters were most likely to affect their community (83.33%) in relation to events from the facility?s Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA). Respondents that reported having not participated in disaster education/training indicated a lack of time and new employment as barriers. For future training 66.66% of those that responded would prefer hands on training and were willing to spend one hour per year on disaster training/education. In regard to their ability to care for disaster/emergency victims, participating providers considered themselves novice (25%), advanced beginner (25%), competent (16.67%), proficient (25%) and expert (8.33%). Overall, results indicate that most respondents had experience and are currently participating in education/training. However, the majority still consider themselves novice or advanced beginner in their ability to care for disaster/emergency victims. Most felt that there was little likelihood for most disaster events to occur in their community other than natural disasters.
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Savitt, Amanda Miller. "The Role of the County Emergency Manager in Disaster Mitigation." Diss., North Dakota State University, 2020. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/32067.
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Scholarship on disasters in the United States would suggest that emergency managers
should play a role in hazard mitigation. Yet, little empirical research has investigated precisely what role or roles emergency managers actually do play during this phase. This study explored the role of county-level emergency managers in hazard mitigation and the factors that might influence those roles.
Data for this study was collected through 42 in-depth, telephone interviews with county- level emergency managers in FEMA Regions III, V, and X, which includes the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States. Grounded theory was utilized in order to organize and analyze the data.
The data suggests that emergency managers play several roles within mitigation: a generic role, a support role, an administrative role, a promoter role, a public educator role, and a planning role. These roles are explained by a number of factors, including conceptual confusion, response and preparedness orientation, financial resource factors, planning factors, additional resource factors, competition between mitigation and development, resistance to mitigation, and engagement in mitigation. It is also important to note that emergency managers spend only a small amount of their time in mitigation.
The results of this study suggest that there is a gap between the theorized role and the actual role that emergency managers play within mitigation. Closing this gap will likely require additional resources for mitigation and county-level emergency management, as well as greater consistency in defining mitigation through policy and education.
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Osburn, Toby W. Newsom Ron. "Hazard mitigation and disaster preparedness planning at American Coastal University seeking the disaster-resistant university /." [Denton, Tex.] : University of North Texas, 2008. http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-9745.
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Bowen, Huw James. "A public health management model for acute chemical incidents in Wales." Thesis, Open University, 1999. http://oro.open.ac.uk/57919/.
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The price of industrial progress is the potential for exposure of an increasingly informed public to chemical hazards in the environment. Of particular concern are acute exposures to chemical incidents, where problematic health risk assessments have highlighted the lack of expertise and resources available to support public health professionals in Wales responsible for protecting the health of populations. A systematic literature review of chemical incident databases, public health surveillance systems and major chemical incidents worldwide was used to guide the development of the first active, multi-agency community-based public health surveillance system for acute chemical incidents to be undertaken in Europe. A total of 642 acute chemical incidents were reported in Wales from all sources over a three year period. Of the 270 incidents reported by the primary source, chemical spills were the most frequently reported type of incident (28%) and operational industrial sites the most common location (25%). Of the estimated 238,000 people exposed, 528 reported symptoms in a total of 57 incidents. A single chemical was implicated in 86% of the incidents. Shortfalls were identified in the current expertise and resources available to public health professionals in Wales, leading to the development of a public health management model for acute chemical incidents. Model development took place in the context of United Kingdom - wide initiatives and involved the conduct of structured interviews with 41 organisations with interests in the field. The model selected for Wales was implemented on 1 February 1997 and comprised three levels of operation: (a) accountability for the protection of public health vested in health authorities at the local level; (b) a subscription-based front-line advisory and support unit to those authorities; (c) and a centrally funded national co-ordinating centre to provide the necessary evidence-base through programmes of surveillance, training, and emergency planning.
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Bowser, Gregg. "The role of emergency manager perception and city size in disaster planning a collective case study /." [Kent, Ohio] : Kent State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=kent1226536447.
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Thesis (M.A.)--Kent State University, 2009.Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Dec. 11, 2009) Advisor: David Kaplan. Keywords: hazards; disaster; urban; public policy; government; emergency management; city; local. Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-92).
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Urby, Heriberto Jr. "Perceptions of Disaster Professionalism in Mexico: Adding a New Public Management Perspective to Emergency Management." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2010. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc31551/.
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This study investigated the perceptions of emergency managers regarding the degree of emergency management professionalism in Mexico and how it can be improved. The disaster of the Mexico City earthquake of 1985 was used as the starting point for this case study, as the prospects for more-frequent and more-intense disasters lend credence to the need for improved professionalism and, thus, effectiveness among emergency managers in the future. An expansive framework of emergency management professionalism mechanisms (or characteristics) and an additional compilation of new public management components (or values) were devised from the extant literatures found within the respective emergency management and public administration fields. The theory advanced by this study is that by integrating new public management components with emergency management mechanisms, professionalism in Mexico will improve and, thus, emergency managers will become more effective. ualitative field research was the methodology employed and it included interviews with 35 emergency managers in Mexico in corroboration with documentary evidence, to ascertain emergency managers' perceptions of professionalism in Mexico. The findings of this study determined that emergency managers in Mexico are implementing many of the mechanisms of professionalism but fewer new public management components. This study posits that by integrating new public management components with emergency management professionalism mechanisms, professionalism in Mexico will improve and will increase emergency managers' effectiveness.
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Petersen, Katherine M. "Disaster preparedness and recovery for museums : a business recovery model /." View online, 2006. http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/118/.
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Khunwishit, Somporn. "Community Resilience in Thailand: a Case Study of Flood Response in Nakhonsawan City Municipality." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2013. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc271841/.
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Natural disasters such as flooding often affect vast areas and create infinite demands that need to be addressed in the same time. The wide scopes and severe impacts of such catastrophes often exceed, if not overwhelm, capacity of the national government to handle. In such a situation, communities such as cities and neighborhoods need to rely on their own capacity (resources, strategies, and expertise) to respond to disaster impacts at least until external assistance can be reached. Thus, studying how communities can be resilient to the impacts of natural disasters is important because this would enhance their ability to respond to the next disaster better. Within the context of great flooding in Thailand in 2011, this dissertation investigated the factors that generated or enhanced resilience of flood stricken-communities in Thailand. Nakhonswan City Municipality was selected as the research site. Qualitative research methods were employed in this study. Data were collected using in-depth interview and focus group. Thirty-six participants (28 for in-depth interview and 8 for focus group interview) from various organizations were recruited using snowball and purposive sampling strategies. Interview data from the field research were transcribed, translated from Thai language to English, and then analyzed using open coding and focused coding strategies. Analyses of in-depth interview data revealed eight conceptual themes representing factors that constituted resilience of Nakhonsawan City Municipality, as the leading organization responded to the flood. These factors are: availability of resources for resilience; managerial adaptability; crisis leadership; quality workforce; knowledge sharing and learning; organizational preparedness; organizational integration; and sectoral integration. In addition, findings from the focus group interview with members of three strong neighborhoods found eight factors that helped these neighborhoods respond effectively to the flood crisis. They included: self-reliance; cooperation; local wisdom; preparedness; internal support; external support; crisis adaptability; and pre-disaster social cohesion. This dissertation ended with the discussion of implications, limitations and suggestions for future research.
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Petäjävaara, Ida. "Sustainability and Health in Disaster Waste Management." Thesis, Södertörns högskola, Institutionen för naturvetenskap, miljö och teknik, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-20231.
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In order to see if, and how, future aid efforts can be improved and better contribute to a more sustainable and resilient society this essay is about how management of solid waste generated in emergency situations work and what effects the waste have on public health. This is investigated using information collected from secondary sources and interviews with three persons who have knowledge and experience in the subject. Health and sustainability are of importance in the guidelines that deal with management of waste in disaster situations. However, there are no documentations of real experiences of disaster waste impacts on human health. Even so the waste might contaminate drinking water and increase the amount of disease-carrying vectors in the area. Previous conditions in the country, low priority of waste and information to the public are some of the main features preventing optimal function of a sustainable and healthy waste management.För att se om och hur framtida biståndsinsatser kan förbättras och i större utsträckning bidra till ett mer hållbart och motståndskraftigt samhälle handlar denna uppsats om hur hanteringen av katastrofavfall fungerar och vilka effekter detta avfall har på människors hälsa. Detta undersöks med hjälp av information som samlats in från sekundärkällor samt intervjuer med tre personer som har kunskap och erfarenhet i ämnet. Hälsa och hållbarhet är av betydelse i de riktlinjer som behandlar hantering av avfall i katastrofsituationer. Trots att inga verkliga erfarenheter av katastrofavfalls effekter på människors hälsa finns dokumenterade kan avfallet förorena dricksvatten och öka mängden smittspridande vektorer i området. Tidigare förhållanden i området, låg prioritet av avfall och dålig information till allmänheten är några av de viktigaste funktionerna som förhindrar optimal funktion av en hållbar och sund avfallshantering.
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Laine, John Stanley. "Cultural Competence, Emergency Management, and Disaster Response and Recovery Efforts Among African Americans." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2189.
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Natural disasters disrupt African American communities in the United States and can exacerbate the degree of poverty for individuals within these communities, necessitating greater aid from local, state, and federal governments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of cultural competence in disaster response serving African American communities. This research study focused on emergency manager's comprehension and education of cultural competence, what they recognized to be vital elements of a culturally competent emergency manager, and what the obstacles and components are to bring about the changes to the profession. This study used a qualitative case study design and a theoretical framework based on the Campinha-Bacote model for care for cultural competence. Study data from interviews with 15 emergency manager practitioners and African American disaster survivors were inductively coded and thematically analyzed. The study produced data regarding cultural competence, values, ethics, beliefs, and thought processes of the participants. The findings showed that the emergency managers and survivors had diverging or contrasting beliefs of the emergency managers' cultural competency levels; this difference in perception was the major theme of the study. The study also concluded that implementing the Campinha-Bacote model for Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services, emergency managers dramatically improve disaster response and recovery efforts not only to the African American community but other diverse minority communities as well. This study contributes to positive social change by helping U.S. emergency managers become more culturally competent and better equipped to serve diverse minority communities during a disaster.
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Penney, Greg. "Dynamic risk management in fire and rescue emergency operations." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2016. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1927.
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Firefighting is an inherently dangerous occupation involving numerous risk sources, unique contexts, multiple personnel and rapidly changing environments. Firefighting operations are dynamic in nature yet require calculated risk taking and structured command to prevent the realisation of potentially catastrophic outcomes to both casualties and rescuers. The notion of “dynamic risk management” is a term that has gained popularity throughout fire services worldwide, yet the process of dynamic risk management is typically poorly articulated. This study demonstrates ‘dynamic risk management’ is a misnomer, with risk management being a defined process applied within the context of dynamic emergency response. Failure to recognise this and respond accordingly may leave fire services exposed to adverse findings should adverse consequences be realised. Further, this study tested the perceptions of risk held by incident controllers in the Department of Fire and Emergency Services in Western Australia against AS31000, through a combination of qualitative surveys and subsequent Bayesian analysis of reported adverse outcomes resulting from all hazards emergency response. This study found significant variance in risk tolerance between incident controllers and to a lesser degree, variance in the understanding of risk as defined by AS31000. Bayesian statistical analysis identified reportable adverse outcomes were almost certain to occur across the majority of firefighting activities, whilst potential worst case outcomes were rarely historically realised. The results of this study demonstrate that it is critical for firefighting organisations to have documented risk thresholds and to provide greater education of risk management in dynamic situations to incident controllers of all ranks.
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Osburn, Toby W. "Hazard mitigation and disaster preparedness planning at American Coastal University: Seeking the disaster-resistant university." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2008. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc9745/.
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This study employed a qualitative case study method to evaluate the efforts of one university to conduct hazard mitigation and disaster preparedness planning activities and used the Federal Emergency Management Agency framework and selected writings of sociologist and disaster researcher E.L. Quarantelli as models for evaluating the institution's approach. The institution studied was assigned a fictitious name and the identities of the study participants withheld in order to protect the integrity of the institution's planning efforts and its personnel. The study utilized a 92-item questionnaire, field interviews, and review and analysis of documentary materials provided by the institution for data collection purposes. Pattern-matching techniques were applied to identify themes and trends that emerged through the course of data collection. The results indicate the institution has developed an organizational culture that is broadly responsive to and engaged in disaster preparedness planning at multiple levels in a manner generally consistent with principles identified in select writings of Quarantelli. Results further indicate the institution has engaged in identifying hazard mitigation priorities but not in a manner consistent with that advocated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in its publication entitled Building a Disaster-Resistant University.
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Petal, Marla Ann. "Urban disaster mitigation and preparedness the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake /." online access from Digital Dissertation Consortium access full-text, 2004. http://libweb.cityu.edu.hk/cgi-bin/er/db/ddcdiss.pl?3142562.
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Gutierrez, Miguel. "Flexibility in Emergency Management: Exploring the Roles of Spontaneous Planning and Improvisation in Disaster Response." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2019. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1609078/.
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One of the long-standing debates in disaster science and practice is the tension between planning and structure on the one hand and flexibility and adaptation on the other in maximizing the effectiveness of response operations. This research aims to reconcile the divide that currently exists among scholars and practitioners and present a continuum that bridges the above models and ties planning, improvisation, and spontaneous planning together. The main questions that were examined with this research are: First, what role did spontaneous planning and improvisation play in responding to the two disasters. Second, in what ways do hazard characteristics (e.g. speed of onset and scope of impact) influence the roles played by spontaneous planning and improvisation? This is a qualitative study that employed a comparative case study to examine the characteristics of spontaneous planning. The major findings are that spontaneous planning does occur and that variables such as speed of onset, scope, magnitude, and number of organizations involved impact the visibility of spontaneous planning characteristics.
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Leshinsky, Eric L. "Prepared for disaster? Improving the Department of Defense's immediate response authority." Thesis, Monterey, Calif. : Naval Postgraduate School, 2006. http://bosun.nps.edu/uhtbin/hyperion.exe/06Dec%5FLeshinsky.pdf.
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Thesis (M.A. in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense))--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2006.Thesis Advisor(s): Karen Guttieri. "December 2006." Includes bibliographical references (p. 95-98). Also available in print.
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Cato, Denys, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "An examination of the 'all hazards' approach to disaster management as applied to field disaster management and pre-hospital care in Australia." Deakin University. School of Health Sciences, 2002. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051017.140738.
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Disasters, emergencies, incidents, and major incidents - they all come back to the same thing regardless of what they are called. The common denominator is that there is loss of life, injury to people and animals and damage and destruction of property.
The management of such events relies on four phases:
1. Prevention
2. Preparation
3. Response
4. Recovery
Each of these phases is managed in a different way and often by different teams. Here, concentration has been given to phases 2 and 3, with particular emphasis on phase 3, Response.
The words used to describe such events are often related to legislation. The terminology is detailed later. However, whatever the description, whenever prevention is not possible, or fails, then the need is to respond. Response is always better when the responders are prepared. Training is a major part of response preparation and this book is designed to assist those in the health industry who need to be ready when something happens. One of the training packages for responders is the Major Incident Medical Management and Support (MIMMS) Course and this work was designed to supplement the manual prepared by Hodgetts and Macway-Jones(87) in the UK.
Included is what the health services responder, who may be sent to an event in which the main concern is trauma, should know. Concentration is on the initial response and does not deal in any detail with hospital reaction, the public health aspects, or the mental health support that provides psychological help to victims and responders, and which are also essential parts of disaster management.
People, in times of disaster, have always been quick to offer assistance. It is now well recognised however, that the 'enthusiastic amateur', whilst being a well meaning volunteer, isn't always what is needed. All too often such people have made things worse and have sometimes ended up as victims themselves. There is a place now for volunteers and there probably always will be. The big difference is that these people must be well informed, well trained and well practiced if they are to be effective.
Fortunately such people and organisations do exist. Without the work of the St John Ambulance, the State Emergency Service, the Rural Fire Service the Red Cross and the Volunteer Rescue Association, to mention only a few, our response to disasters would be far less effective.
There is a strong history of individuals being available to help the community in times of crisis. Mostly these people were volunteers but there has also always been the need for a core of professional support. In the recent past,
professional support mechanisms have been developed from lessons learned, particularly to situations that need a rapid and well organised response.
As lessons are learned from an analysis of events, philosophy and methods have changed. Our present system is not perfect and perhaps never will be. The need for an 'all-hazards approach' makes detailed planning very difficult and so there will probably always be criticisms about the way an event was handled. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, provided we learn from it. That means that this text is certainly not the 'last word' and revisions as we learn from experience will be inevitable.
Because the author works primarily in New South Wales, many of the explanations and examples are specific to that state. In Australia disaster response is a State, rather than a Commonwealth, responsibility and consequently, and inevitably, there are differences in management between the states and territories within Australia. With the influence of Emergency Management Australia, these differences are being reduced. This means that across state and territory boundaries, assistance is common and interstate teams can be deployed and assimilated into the response rapidly, safely, effectively and with minimum explanation. This text sets out to increase the understanding of what is required, what is in place and how the processes of response are managed.
By way of introduction and background, examples are given of those situations that have occurred, or could happen.
Man Made Disasters has been divided into two distinct sections. Those which are related to structures or transport and those related directly to people. The first section, Chapter 3, includes:
Transport accidents involving land, rail, sea or air vehicles.
Collapse of buildings for reasons other than earthquakes or storms.
Industrial accidents, including the release of hazardous substances and nuclear events.
A second section dealing with the consequences of the direct actions of people is separated as Chapter 4, entitled 'People Disasters'. Included are:
Crowd incidents involving sports and entertainment venues.
Terrorism
From Chapter 4 on, the emphasis is on the Response phase and deals with organisation and response techniques in detail.
Finally there is a section on terminology and abbreviations. An appendix details a typical disaster pack content.
War, the greatest of all man made disasters is not considered in this text.
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Symonette, Erika. "Disaster Experience and Self-efficacy As Factors Influencing Emergency Planning in Community-dwelling Older Adults." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2014. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc699866/.
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This study design was to identify and examine how disaster experience, self-efficacy, and demographic factors influence disaster preparedness in community-dwelling older adults. Current data indicates the United States is rapidly aging. Parallel to this significant increase among the elderly population, natural disasters are more prevalent. Consequently, older adults are affected adversely by these disasters and exposure to social vulnerabilities during the disaster cycle. For the purpose of this study, non-identifiable secondary data were analyzed. Sources of the data were the 2007 and 2008 National Center for Disaster Preparedness surveys. The sample focus of this study was adults 50 and older. Regression analyses identified important predictors of disaster preparedness in the survey respondents. Sample adults with previous disaster experience are two times more likely to be in a higher category for having an emergency plan than those respondents with no observable effects of self-efficacy and no previous disaster experience. The frequency of natural disasters in the United States has generated a renewed interest in disaster management, in particular, disaster preparedness. Nevertheless, the focal point of disaster preparedness is no longer the rudimentary stockpile of water, a first aid kit, and a battery operated radio. To advance the field of disaster management it is vital for gerontologist to approach disaster preparedness by differentiating between stockpiling supplies and social cognitive interventions that fundamentally alters preparedness behavior.
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Keith, Hamish D. "Disaster management and response : a lifelines study for the Queenstown Lakes District : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Hazard and Disaster Management in the University of Canterbury /." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Department of Geological Sciences, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/2563.
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The Queenstown Lakes District is vulnerable to a number of natural hazards. These include earthquakes, mass movements, meteorological hazards and flooding. Many of the hazards that threaten the district have the potential to cause loss of life or injury and all of them have the potential to cause severe damage to homes, businesses and other infrastructure. Infrastructure and services that support life and business in the community, and that are used everyday are known as lifelines. Lifelines are generally taken for granted but are directly associated with the quality of life that we live. Lifelines include electricity, telecommunication, water supply, wastewater removal, transportation and emergency services. Following a major disaster the need for safe, effective and timely restoration of these lifeline systems is critical. This project analyses the vulnerability of lifelines with respect to natural hazards with the aim that it can be used to ensure that when a disaster occurs appropriate and efficient action is taken to minimise the impact. This thesis also attempts to raise awareness and understanding of the hazards that threaten the Queenstown Lakes District as well as emphasise the importance of lifelines and what's involved in their management. This will hopefully help readers understand the likely impacts of a disaster so that when one occurs they will not be completely caught unaware. This thesis will also hopefully entice the reader to better prepare for a disaster. Scenarios of each hazard were created based upon current scientific understanding and are used to illustrate more clearly the priorities that need to be addressed during the response and recovery phases of a disaster.
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Lea, Brandi M. "Utilizing Traditional Environmental Knowledge in Industrialized Nations to Assist in Disaster Evacuations." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2013. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc271853/.
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Using traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), which is typically reserved for understanding how indigenous societies function successfully, and applying this to developed countries' ideas of disaster planning and response, emergency planners, public officials, and lay-persons can gain an understanding of their environment. Stories, history, education, and The waterborne evacuation of Lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001 provides a backdrop with which to test the tenets of TEK in a developed nation setting. This dissertation has found that TEK was effective when used by a developed nation and should be integrated into the current disaster system in the US.
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Carley, Willie K. "Emergency managers' perspectives of recruiting, training, and integrating volunteers for a disaster." Thesis, Capella University, 2015. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3666841.
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Disasters are increasing in intensity and frequency throughout the world, causing public safety organizations to become more involved in disaster management. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine county emergency managers' perspectives of recruiting, training, and integrating volunteers for a disaster. Research has shown when disaster volunteers are not properly recruited, trained, and integrated into disaster planning they can negatively impact efforts to save lives and protect property. This qualitative case study is likely the first study to examine county emergency managers' perspectives of recruiting, training, and integrating volunteers for a disaster to save lives and protect property. This study used POSDCORB as the theoretical framework and the concepts of disaster management and volunteer management to answer the principal research question, "How do county emergency managers recruit, train, and integrate volunteers for a disaster?" This study also used one-on-one, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews to gather data about county emergency managers' perspectives on how they recruit, train, and integrate volunteers for a disaster. During the course of the study there were eight emergent themes: (a) planning for volunteers, (b) organizing volunteers, (c) staffing volunteers, (d) directing, (e) legal issues, (f) coordinating and integrating volunteers, (g) directing volunteers, and (h) training volunteers.
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Marietta, Matt L. PhD. "The Lessons of Comprehensive Emergency Management Theory for International Humanitarian Intervention." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2012. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/political_science_diss/24.
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This project seeks to expand the dialogue about international humanitarian intervention in a complex emergency or mass atrocity situation by asserting that post-intervention political reconstruction is as essential to the intervention as is the provision of material humanitarian aid and even the ostensive goal of protecting the aid regimes. As a result of this assertion, consideration of humanitarian intervention has, to this point, been too focused on the legal, ethical, and theoretical implications of war and hegemony. The current dialogue centers on its security studies aspects, owing largely to its Cold War precedent. However, a full consideration of the subject of humanitarian intervention must also consider the broader implications of the intervention, including recovery and mitigation of future events. When this is considered at all, the literature to this point largely treats post-intervention establishment of political and social infrastructure as a secondary consideration to the military intervention.
The primary approach to address this needed expansion includes drawing a comparison between humanitarian intervention and a similar domestic concept: comprehensive emergency management theory. While there are several dissimilarities between emergency management and its putative international correlate, the theoretical framework it establishes—including not only the response found in the usual literature, but also the well-defined concepts of recovery, mitigation, and preparedness—can expand our understanding of the implications and requirements of humanitarian intervention. It also provides an important lesson in its mirror example for the prescribed evolution of humanitarian intervention scholarship away from its Cold War genesis. This is because domestic emergency management also has a foundation in security studies concerns, but has since evolved into an all-hazards philosophy that embraces prevention and recovery as much as simple response to a human crisis. This parallel will provide a framework for approaching humanitarian intervention that goes significantly beyond the literature to this point and provides a much more encompassing approach to the subject than there has been to this point.
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Jamerson, Paul Edward. "Disaster preparedness in the San Bernardino and Riverside County area school districts." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1993. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/653.
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Rahman, Md Mokhlesur. "Assessing natural disaster preparedness and climate change mitigation strategies in the coastal areas of Bangladesh." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10722/195113.
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Global climate is changing continuously as a result of industrial revolution and rapid urbanisation in many countries of the world which has significant impacts on environment, socio-economic condition, physical and biological issues. Increase of global temperature, rainfall changes, sea level rise, occurrences of extreme weather events such as floods, cyclones, typhoons, droughts etc. are the major and direct consequences of climate change in the world (Pulhin et al., 2010, & Shaw et al., 2010). There are also many other indirect consequences of climate change such as increasing poverty, food production reduction, health nuisance, ecological imbalance, environmental degradation etc. which have adverse impacts on the society and people (Shaw et al., 2010). Considering these acute problems, people of the world are acting collectively to combat with the consequences of climate change. As for example, establishment of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), undertaking various global agreements and protocols, formulation of policies, plans etc. on climate change and disaster management are the reactions of global people to deal with climate change and climate induced natural disasters.
Bangladesh is a low-laying riverine disaster prone and densely populated country with high rate of population growth. Every year she is facing various climate induced natural disasters. In addition, climate change aggravates the consequences of natural disasters and thus, Bangladesh is recognised as one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. The worst situation is facing by the people of coastal areas due to their limited access to endowed resources, high risks and vulnerabilities to climate change and disasters (ERD, 2008; Ali, 1999; & Thomolla et al.). But, the coastal areas are endowed with various resources such as mineral resources, fisheries, forestry, ports and tourism facilities etc. Over exploitation, climate change and disasters are destroying these natural resources, degrading environment and making people vulnerable to disastrous situations. Low economic development, extreme poverty, geographic location and climate make the country vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. Moreover, Bangladesh is facing various challenges related to climate change mitigation and disaster risk reduction due to poor socio-economic condition, lack of integration, lack of incorporation of emergency plan in development activities, inefficient institutional frameworks, limited access to information, lack of scientific assessment method and tool, limited access to natural resources, no curriculum on natural hazards, funding/financial constraints (Pulhin et al., 2010). This research has been undertaken to evaluate readiness of the people to climate change adaptation and disasters risk reduction in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. The main objectives of this research are to investigate livelihoods condition of the people to tackle impacts of climate change and natural disasters, assess resilience of the community/people to climate change and natural disasters, evaluate existing institutional frameworks, policies, plans and strategies and formulate climate change adaptation strategies by reviewing strategies from international best practices.
The main methods of conducting this study were desktop research; data collection through questionnaire survey and key informants interview; Data input in SPSS and Excel, processing and analysis; institutional frameworks, policies, programmes and strategies evaluation. A preliminary literature review was carried out to enrich theoretical background and understand the possible impacts of climate change and natural disasters, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and to formulate study goals and objectives. A comprehensive literature review was conducted and based on the literature review a conceptual framework of the study was developed. Socio-economic conditions such as population increase, GDP growth rate, literacy rate etc. and environmental condition such as GHGs emission, sea level rise, temperature increase etc. have been analysed to know climate change and disaster preparedness conditions of the people and severity of the impacts in Bangladesh. Impacts of climate change and disasters such as major disasters, population and GDP exposed to disasters, inundation risk, damages and losses etc. have been mentioned to comprehend the severity of the situations. Secondary data for this study was collected from different sources such as previous studies, census data, ministries and departments, World Bank, UN agencies etc. and performed the analysis. To know real world scenario a study area was selected and data related to socio-economic condition, status of preparedness of the people etc. were collected through household questionnaire survey, checklist, key informant interview, expert opinions. Data collected from questionnaire survey were analysed by SPSS and MS Excel. Based on the data collected from field survey disaster preparedness and resilience of the people to climate change and disasters have been evaluated and after evaluation it is found that people’s disaster preparedness and resilience to climate change and disasters are average or below average.
Besides that, institutional frameworks and various policies, plans, strategies, programmes for disaster management, climate change mitigation and adaptation have been evaluated. Many countries of the world have recognised that regulatory and institutional frameworks of climate change and disaster management in Bangladesh is comprehensive and appropriate, and they have also enhanced disaster management capacity of the country. Related data and documents have been collected from various secondary sources and evaluated by qualitative analysis method. Policies, plans, strategies and programmes (i.e. National Plan for Disaster Management (NPDM) 2010-2015; National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA)-2005; Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP)-2008 and Coastal Development Strategy (CDS)-2006) have been evaluated based on five evaluation criteria such as relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impacts and sustainability set by Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to know their effectiveness to achieve their ultimate goals and objectives. Analysis of the institutional framework and policies, plans, programmes showed that they are comprehensive and able to achieve targeted goals and objectives. But, lack of proper integration and coordination, shortage of resources, lack of transparency and accountability are creating problems to achieve the desired outcomes.
Based on drawbacks found from the analysis, recommendations on socio-economic development, coastal resources and environmental protection, developing disaster preparedness, climate change adaptation strategies and institutional regulatory framework have been provided to improve disaster preparedness and resilience of the people. After implementation of these recommendations in the study area or other parts of the country the following outcomes such as better livelihood, food security, balanced ecosystem, environmental protection, improved disaster preparedness, climate change mitigation and disaster risk reduction will be achieved.published_or_final_version
Urban Planning and Design
Master
Master of Science in Urban Planning
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Wilder, Jessica A. "Operationalizing the Pressure and Release Theoretical Framework Using Risk Ratio Analysis to Measure Vulnerability and Predict Risk from Natural Hazards in the Tampa, FL Metropolitan Area." Scholar Commons, 2018. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7245.
Full textAbstract:
Significant damage and loss is experienced every year due to natural hazards such as hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, floods, wildfires, volcanoes, and earthquakes. NOAA’s National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports that in 2016 the United States experienced more than a dozen climate disaster events with damages and loss in excess of a billion dollars (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 2017). Identifying vulnerabilities and risk associated with disaster threats is now a major focus of natural hazards research. Natural hazards research has yielded numerous theoretical frameworks over the last 25 years that have explained important elements of risk and vulnerability in disasters (Birkmann, 2016b). However, there has been much less progress made in operationalizing these frameworks. While the theory is well established, one of the more pressing challenges before us is the lack of development of user-friendly and flexible risk assessment techniques for emergency managers (Mustafa et al., 2011).
The trend in operationalizing natural hazards, theoretical frameworks has been the development of general, all-purpose, static models to measure vulnerability. However, important missing elements in the current hazards literature is the need for an operationalized risk model that is (1) simple, quick and easy to use, (2) flexible for changing conditions, and (3) site-specific for various geographic locations. Many of the current models for determining risk and vulnerability are very complex and time consuming to calculate and thus make them of little use for emergency and risk managers. In addition, little analysis has been conducted to see if a flexible risk identification measurement system could be developed. As vulnerability and risk become fluid due to changing conditions (environmental—hazard and location) and circumstances (social, economic, and political), our measurement tools need to be able to capture these differences in order to be effective.
This dissertation examines whether the Pressure and Release (PAR) natural hazards, theoretical framework can be operationalized using financial risk ratio methods. Specifically, it analyzes risk ratios using key vulnerability indicators to identify escalating vulnerability and ultimately predict risk. A structured modeling approach was used to identify key vulnerability indicators and develop risk ratios. These are applied to a case study to demonstrate whether this new approach can identify emerging risk trends. My research suggests that instead of operationalizing natural hazards theoretical frameworks using the current static, aggregate index method, a flexible risk ratio method could provide a new, viable option.
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Wolf, Eric S. "Using agent-based distillations to explore logistics support to urban, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief operations." Thesis, Monterey, Calif. : Springfield, Va. : Naval Postgraduate School ; Available from National Technical Information Service, 2003. http://library.nps.navy.mil/uhtbin/hyperion-image/03sep%5FWolf.pdf.
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Thesis (M.S. in Operations Research)--Naval Postgraduate School, September 2003.Thesis advisor(s): Susan M. Sanchez, Niki Goerger, Lloyd Brown. Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-143). Also available online.
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Proffitt, Tim Gene. "The Effects of Computer Crimes on the Management of Disaster Recovery." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5252.
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The effects of a technology disaster on an organization can include a prolonged disruption, loss of reputation, monetary damages, and the inability to remain in business. Although much is known about disaster recovery and business continuance, not much research has been produced on how businesses can leverage other technology frameworks to assist information technology disaster recovery. The problem was the lack of organizational knowledge to recover from computer crime interruptions given the maturity level of existing disaster recovery programs. The purpose of this Delphi study was to understand how disaster recovery controls and processes can be modified to improve response to a computer crime caused business interruption. The overarching research question in this study was to understand what factors emerge relative to the ability of disaster recovery programs to respond to disasters caused by computer crimes. The conceptual framework included a maturity model to look at how programs might be improved to respond to the computer crimes threat. Research data were collected from a 3 round Delphi study of 22 disaster recovery experts in the fields of disaster recovery and information security. Results from the Delphi encompass a consensus by the panel. Key findings included the need for planning for cyber security, aligning disaster recovery with cyber security, providing cyber security training for managers and staff, and applying lessons learned from experience. Implications for positive social change include the ability for organizations to return to an acceptable level of operation and continue their service benefiting employees, customers, and other stakeholders.
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Davis, Lawrence. "Minorities' Perception of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Model of Distributing of Information." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/511.
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Failure to receive critical and timely information from emergency management professionals (EMPs) may lead to the loss of life during disasters and emergencies. Recent research and government reports have indicated that there may be communication failures between EMPs and minority community members, though little is known about how minority communities perceive EMP communication efforts. The central research questions and purpose of this study were designed to explore the experiences of minority community members in receiving and interpreting disaster-related communications from EMPs. Data for this phenomenological study were acquired through-in-depth interviews with 13 African Americans (7 males and 6 females) located in a southern state. The data were transcribed; inductively coded; and analyzed for trends, themes, and patterns. This study yielded 2 key findings. First, these 13 participants perceived a lack of dialogue and interaction from local EMPs; however, they were more open to communication through their church rather than through other official communication venues. Second, Kim's theory of interethnic communication offers relevant explanatory value for these participants because it discusses the attributes of the single communicator (emergency manager) engaging with another individual (citizen). These findings offer opportunities for positive social change and enhanced communication between EMPs and their minority constituents. Effective communication methods that EMPs might implement include creating strategic alliances with community cultural centers such as churches, civic organizations, and other places at which members of minority communities interact.
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Watson, Stephanie Victoria. "Transportation infrastructure resilience and disaster preparedness education in Alabama." Birmingham, Ala. : University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007. https://www.mhsl.uab.edu/dt/2009r/watson.pdf.
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Reiske, William Francis. "Factors Affecting Hampton Roads, Virginia, Elected Official Emergency Management Recovery Policy Decisions." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3507.
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For many regions and local governments, budgetary restraints limit funds appropriated for emergency management activities to inadequate levels, and little guidance exists related to decision factors used by elected officials in identifying budget and ordinance priorities. Using Kwon, Choi, and Bae's conceptualization of punctuated equilibrium theory, the purpose of this case study was to examine how decision factors influenced Hampton Roads, Virginia, elected official disaster recovery policy between 2003 and 2012. Data were collected through review of 1,310 city documents and 10 semistructured interviews with elected officials. Data were inductively coded and analyzed using a thematic analysis procedure. Data analysis resulted in the identification of 3 decision factor themes that guided post disaster recovery in Hampton Roads: (a) establishing a sense of normalcy in terms of budget appropriations and ordinances for security, safety and quality of services short-term recovery policy, (b) budgetary resiliency to encourage the restoration of infrastructure related to long-term recovery policy, and (c) the development of self-sufficient processes that lead to an anticipatory mindset with issuance of mitigation ordinances and capital improvement appropriations policy. The findings confirmed punctuated equilibrium theory, as man-made disasters triggered short-term recovery policy decisions. Results of the study may affect positive social change by providing local elected representatives with a 'tool kit' of decision factors to consistently address post disaster recovery policy for public safety, security, and stability via the governance mechanisms of strategic planning, appropriation decisions, and assessment.
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Brown, Bethany L. "Organizational response and recovery of domestic violence shelters in the aftermath of disaster." Access to citation, abstract and download form provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company; downloadable PDF file, 285 p, 2009. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1818417601&sid=6&Fmt=2&clientId=8331&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Gray-Graves, Amy Michael Turner K. Whisnant. "The willingness of older adults to evacuate in the event of a disaster." [Denton, Tex.] : University of North Texas, 2009. http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-9926.
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Lancaster, David D. "Developing a Fly-Away Kit (FLAK) to support Hastily Formed Networks (HFN) for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) /." Thesis, Monterey, Calif. : Springfield, Va. : Naval Postgraduate School ; Available from National Technical Information Service, 2005. http://library.nps.navy.mil/uhtbin/hyperion/05Jun%5FLancaster.pdf.
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Catalino, Joseph. "The Impact of Federal Emergency Management Legislation on At-Risk and Vulnerable Populations for Disaster Preparedness and Response." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/572.
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It is well documented that in the aftermath of a natural or human caused disaster, certain at-risk and vulnerable populations suffer significantly more than do other population groups. As a result, Congress enacted the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA) in part to address deficiencies in providing aid to vulnerable populations, though little is known if the PKEMRA has resulted as it was intended. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to assess the impact of the PKEMRA on addressing emergency preparedness deficits related to at-risk and vulnerable populations. The theoretical framework followed Howard's conceptualization of game and drama theory. The research questions focused on the extent to which the PKEMRA recommendations improved disaster lifecycle outcomes for at-risk and vulnerable groups in Orleans Parish, LA between Hurricanes Katrina in 2005 and Isaac in 2012. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 5 emergency managers with knowledge and experience local to Orleans Parish, LA. Interview data were systematically reviewed using inductive coding and categorized for thematic analysis. Key study findings indicated that the improvements made to family location registries, evacuation procedures, and disaster resources for these populations in Orleans Parish were not a result of the PKEMRA, but of the state and local emergency agencies without input from the federal government. This study contributes to social change by promoting greater transparency of federal programs targeting at-risk and vulnerable populations, making direct recommendations to use Orleans Parish as a relevant example to address the needs of these populations. Such a review will serve as an exportable model for similar communities across the country.
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Walton, Todd R. "Wading through the Storm Surge| The Impact of Social Media on Emergency Communication during a Disaster." Thesis, University of Maryland University College, 2019. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=13806069.
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An increased number of widespread disasters ranging from storm surge flooding to sprawling wildfires, has increased the pressure on emergency communication. Social Media, through mobile technology combined with volunteer geographic information (VGI), has the potential to enable disaster impacted populations to send and receive crucial information thereby reducing the impact and loss associated with widespread disasters. This study examines how social media impacts emergency and disaster communication by analyzing the results of thirty-three case studies where social media had an impact on communication. Thematic synthesis conducted through the identification of themes derived from study findings indicates that while there are many challenges to implementing a social media enhanced emergency communication strategy, when authorities adopt such a strategy, stakeholders affected by the emergency have more actionable information and situational awareness. Additionally, awareness of the emergency by non-affected stakeholders, such as disaster relief agencies and fundraisers increases exponentially when social media is included in the communication strategy. Findings also suggest that challenges such as information overload, and the dissemination of false information can be overcome when authorities cooperate with affected stakeholders to moderate social media posts.
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Jagger, Jessica. "Disaster Management Policy and People with Disabilities in the United States and Jamaica." VCU Scholars Compass, 2011. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/2428.
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Natural and human-influenced disasters impact every demographic group around the world. People with disabilities face unique barriers to disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery related to functional needs and societal barriers. This study examines the relationship between emergency management planners and disability communities, by exploring the intent of emergency management policy, implementation of the policy, and the experiences of people with disabilities in Jamaica and Virginia. In this study, 36 people with disabilities were interviewed about their experiences with disaster, and 18 planners were interviewed about the intent and implementation of disaster management plans. Participants were from different communities across Jamaica and Virginia, and included people with various disabilities as well as individuals in various planning roles from government employees to agency representatives involved in municipal, regional, and national level planning. In addition, the researcher analyzed the National Disaster Action Plan of Jamaica and the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101 of the United States. Findings indicate that in Jamaica and Virginia, strengths exist, including some instances of collaborative planning, a focus on subsidiarity to answer needs as close to home as possible, and an emphasis on flexibility. Challenges were also identified, instances when planning and response did not meet the needs experienced by persons with disabilities, and in which vulnerabilities were exposed. These challenges interfered with participants’ equal access to services afforded by the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Jamaica. Implications of these strengths and challenges for social work practice, education, and research are discussed in the context of this study, in the context of the principle of social and economic justice.
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Helsing, Joseph. "Validation and Evaluation of Emergency Response Plans through Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2018. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1157648/.
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Biological emergency response planning plays a critical role in protecting the public from possible devastating results of sudden disease outbreaks. These plans describe the distribution of medical countermeasures across a region using limited resources within a restricted time window. Thus, the ability to determine that such a plan will be feasible, i.e. successfully provide service to affected populations within the time limit, is crucial. Many of the current efforts to validate plans are in the form of live drills and training, but those may not test plan activation at the appropriate scale or with sufficient numbers of participants. Thus, this necessitates the use of computational resources to aid emergency managers and planners in developing and evaluating plans before they must be used. Current emergency response plan generation software packages such as RE-PLAN or RealOpt, provide rate-based validation analyses. However, these types of analysis may neglect details of real-world traffic dynamics. Therefore, this dissertation presents Validating Emergency Response Plan Execution Through Simulation (VERPETS), a novel, computational system for the agent-based simulation of biological emergency response plan activation. This system converts raw road network, population distribution, and emergency response plan data into a format suitable for simulation, and then performs these simulations using SUMO, or Simulations of Urban Mobility, to simulate realistic traffic dynamics. Additionally, high performance computing methodologies were utilized to decrease agent load on simulations and improve performance. Further strategies, such as use of agent scaling and a time limit on simulation execution, were also examined. Experimental results indicate that the time to plan completion, i.e. the time when all individuals of the population have received medication, determined by VERPETS aligned well with current alternate methodologies. It was determined that the dynamic of traffic congestion at the POD itself was one of the major factors affecting the completion time of the plan, and thus allowed for more rapid calculations of plan completion time. Thus, this system provides not only a novel methodology to validate emergency response plans, but also a validation of other current strategies of emergency response plan validation.