Factors Affecting Effective Flood Disaster Response Operations in the Infantry Corp

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine factors affecting effective flood disaster response operations in the Infantry Corp. The factors examined were command and control, coordination, equipment and logistic, human resources and communication. Data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions with infantry officers from both the operational and tactical levels. The study found that the Infantry Corp is indeed somewhat ready in terms of its preparedness for disaster response. The command and control center was systematically managed. Communication was good. Human resources mobilized for the disaster response missions were sufficient and they were committed towards their responsibilities in saving the lives of the community. It is seen that despite the fact that the Infantry Corp is somewhat ready for effective disaster response, poor inter-agency coordination, inter-agency communication and inter-agency understanding of individual roles and responsibilities mean that it may not be fully effective in its disaster response management, particularly when the flood disaster is of bigger scale compared to previous incidents. The state government and Infantry Corp should be able to understand the issues underlying effective disaster response. Therefore, a systematic operating procedure should be developed and shared with all relevant agencies.