Information sharing and emergency response coordination

Abstract

In recent years there has been an increase in commercial activities in the Arctic, including maritime traffic. This increase has led to economic development but may increase the risk of unwanted incidents. Concerns have been raised regarding the emergency response capacity of states to respond to maritime incidents effectively. Efforts from several agencies and also from neighboring countries may be needed. The coordination of such operations is facilitated by established incident command systems that define managerial roles, responsibilities, and information flows between individuals and organizations participating in rescue-work in large-scale crises. However, because of contextual challenges in the Arctic, the tactical and operational management-levels may have to adapt and improvise both their organizational structure and tasks to function efficiently.This paper has focused on how the different managerial roles influence information sharing between the participants in a complex rescue operation. The study is based on an in-depth case-study of a rescue operation in the waters around Svalbard, that is, the high Arctic. We demonstrate how information-sharing, coordination mechanisms, and managerial roles may need to be adapted during rescue operations to handle volatile operational conditions. The implications of our findings for the planning of mass rescue operations are reflected upon, in particular, the need for adaptive approaches to emergency response.