Crisis Response Activities Research Articles

Spatio-temporal graph convolutional networks for road network inundation status prediction during urban flooding

The objective of this study is to predict the near-future flooding status of road segments based on their own and adjacent road segments' current status through the use of deep learning framework on fine-grained traffic data. Predictive flood monitoring for situational awareness of road network status plays a critical role to support crisis response activities such as evaluation of the loss of access to hospitals and shelters. Existing studies related to near-future prediction of road network flooding status at road segment level are missing. Using fine-grained traffic speed data related to road sections, this study designed and implemented three spatio-temporal graph convolutional network (STGCN) models to predict road network status during flood events at the road segment level in the context of the 2017 hurricane Harvey in Harris County (Texas, USA). Model 1 consists of two spatio-temporal blocks considering the adjacency and distance between road segments, while model 2 contains an additional elevation block to account for elevation difference between road segments. Model 3 includes three blocks for considering the adjacency and the product of distance and elevation difference between road segments. The analysis tested the STGCN models and evaluated their prediction performance. Our results indicated that model 1 and model 2 have reliable and accurate performance for predicting road network flooding status in near future (e.g., 2–4 h) with model precision and recall values larger than 98% and 96%, respectively. With reliable road network status predictions in floods, the proposed model can benefit affected communities to avoid flooded roads and the emergency management agencies to implement evacuation and relief resource delivery plans

Refugee-Led Organizations' Crisis Response during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Scholarship on disaster response and recovery has focused on local communities as crucial in developing and implementing timely, effective, and sustainable supports. Drawing from interviews with refugee leaders conducted during the spring and summer of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines crisis response activities of refugee-led grassroots groups, specifically within Bhutanese and Congolese refugee communities in a midwestern metropolitan area in the US resettlement context. Empirical findings illustrate how refugee-led groups provided case management, outreach, programming, and advocacy efforts to respond to the pandemic. These findings align with literature about community-based and strengths-based approaches to addressing challenges stemming from the pandemic. They also point to local embeddedness and flexibility as organizational characteristics that may have helped facilitate crisis response, thereby warranting reconsideration and re-envisioning of the role of refugee-led grassroots groups in crisis response.

Top Concerns of Tweeters During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Infoveillance Study.

BackgroundThe recent coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is taking a toll on the world’s health care infrastructure as well as the social, economic, and psychological well-being of humanity. Individuals, organizations, and governments are using social media to communicate with each other on a number of issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not much is known about the topics being shared on social media platforms relating to COVID-19. Analyzing such information can help policy makers and health care organizations assess the needs of their stakeholders and address them appropriately.ObjectiveThis study aims to identify the main topics posted by Twitter users related to the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsLeveraging a set of tools (Twitter’s search application programming interface (API), Tweepy Python library, and PostgreSQL database) and using a set of predefined search terms (“corona,” “2019-nCov,” and “COVID-19”), we extracted the text and metadata (number of likes and retweets, and user profile information including the number of followers) of public English language tweets from February 2, 2020, to March 15, 2020. We analyzed the collected tweets using word frequencies of single (unigrams) and double words (bigrams). We leveraged latent Dirichlet allocation for topic modeling to identify topics discussed in the tweets. We also performed sentiment analysis and extracted the mean number of retweets, likes, and followers for each topic and calculated the interaction rate per topic.ResultsOut of approximately 2.8 million tweets included, 167,073 unique tweets from 160,829 unique users met the inclusion criteria. Our analysis identified 12 topics, which were grouped into four main themes: origin of the virus; its sources; its impact on people, countries, and the economy; and ways of mitigating the risk of infection. The mean sentiment was positive for 10 topics and negative for 2 topics (deaths caused by COVID-19 and increased racism). The mean for tweet topics of account followers ranged from 2722 (increased racism) to 13,413 (economic losses). The highest mean of likes for the tweets was 15.4 (economic loss), while the lowest was 3.94 (travel bans and warnings).ConclusionsPublic health crisis response activities on the ground and online are becoming increasingly simultaneous and intertwined. Social media provides an opportunity to directly communicate health information to the public. Health systems should work on building national and international disease detection and surveillance systems through monitoring social media. There is also a need for a more proactive and agile public health presence on social media to combat the spread of fake news.

Counting indirect crisis-related deaths in the context of a low-resilience health system: the case of maternal and neonatal health during the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone.

Although the number of direct Ebola-related deaths from the 2013 to 2016 West African Ebola outbreak has been quantified, the number of indirect deaths, resulting from decreased utilization of routine health services, remains unknown. Such information is a key ingredient of health system resilience, essential for adequate allocation of resources to both 'crisis response activities' and 'core functions'. Taking stock of indirect deaths may also help the concept of health system resilience achieve political traction over the traditional approach of disease-specific surveillance. This study responds to these imperatives by quantifying the extent of the drop in utilization of essential reproductive, maternal and neonatal health services in Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak by using interrupted time-series regression to analyse Health Management Information System (HMIS) data. Using the Lives Saved Tool, we then model the implication of this decrease in utilization in terms of excess maternal and neonatal deaths, as well as stillbirths. We find that antenatal care coverage suffered from the largest decrease in coverage as a result of the Ebola epidemic, with an estimated 22 percentage point (p.p.) decrease in population coverage compared with the most conservative counterfactual scenario. Use of family planning, facility delivery and post-natal care services also decreased but to a lesser extent (-6, -8 and -13 p.p. respectively). This decrease in utilization of life-saving health services translates to 3600 additional maternal, neonatal and stillbirth deaths in the year 2014-15 under the most conservative scenario. In other words, we estimate that the indirect mortality effects of a crisis in the context of a health system lacking resilience may be as important as the direct mortality effects of the crisis itself.

Are you ready? Crisis leadership in a hyper-VUCA environment.

The current hyper-volatile, -uncertain, -complex, and -ambiguous (VUCA) threat environment demands a more cohesive support structure for crisis leaders who may be faced with crises of increasing magnitude and frequency and, in some instances, multiple crisis events simultaneously. The project team investigates the perceptions of crisis leaders regarding establishing a crisis leader advisor position for crisis leaders to benefit from their experience while prosecuting crisis response activities. The team linked hyper-VUCA crises, crisis response frameworks, meta-leadership, crisis leader attributes, and advisor attributes. The overall goal of the project is to increase the ability of the crisis leaders to more effectively and efficiently navigate crisis events resulting in more efficient and effective response and recovery. Three research questions were developed to assess the following: thoughts of integrating a crisis leader advisor position; development of a crisis leader advisor certification program; and attributes of crisis leader advisors. A qualitative research methodology using a phenomenological approach was employed. Forty-one participants were purposefully selected and administered a short, on-line survey consisting of 11 questions. Data were analyzed using percentage analysis,weighted sums, and inductive thematic analysis. The project team found an overwhelming support for the crisis leader advisor position and the crisis leader advisor certification program. Additionally, experience and trustworthiness ranked among the top sought after attributes of a crisis leader advisor. The team recommendations included (1) implement a crisis leaders advisor guide/framework; (2) create a formal crisis leader advisor position in national incident management system; (3) implement a crisis leader advisor certification framework; (4) benchmark established advisor programs; and (5) implement a framework to match leaders and advisors.

Are you ready? Crisis leadership in a hyper-VUCA environment.

The current hyper-volatile, -uncertain, -complex, and -ambiguous (VUCA) threat environment demands a more cohesive support structure for crisis leaders who may be faced with crises of increasing magnitude and frequency and, in some instances, multiple crisis events simultaneously. The project team investigates the perceptions of crisis leaders regarding establishing a crisis leader advisor position for crisis leaders to benefit from their experience while prosecuting crisis response activities. The team linked hyper-VUCA crises, crisis response frameworks, meta-leadership, crisis leader attributes, and advisor attributes. The overall goal of the project is to increase the ability of the crisis leaders to more effectively and efficiently navigate crisis events resulting in more efficient and effective response and recovery. Three research questions were developed to assess the following: thoughts of integrating a crisis leader advisor position; development of a crisis leader advisor certification program; and attributes of crisis leader advisors. A qualitative research methodology using a phenomenological approach was employed. Forty-one participants were purposefully selected and administered a short, online survey consisting of 11 questions. Data were analyzed using percentage analysis, weighted sums, and inductive thematic analysis. The project team found an overwhelming support for the crisis leader advisor position and the crisis leader advisor certification program. Additionally, experience and trustworthiness ranked among the top sought after attributes of a crisis leader advisor. The team recommendations included (1) implement a crisis leaders advisor guide/framework; (2) create a formal crisis leader advisor position in national incident management system; (3) implement a crisis leader advisor certification framework; (4) benchmark established advisor programs; and (5) implement a framework to match leaders and advisors.

Are you ready? Crisis leadership in a hyper-VUCA environment (Appendix)

The current hyper-volatile, -uncertain, -complex, and -ambiguous (VUCA) threat environment demands a more cohesive support structure for crisis leaders who may be faced with crises of increasing magnitude and frequency and, in some instances, multiple crisis events simultaneously. The project team investigates the perceptions of crisis leaders regarding establishing a crisis leader advisor position for crisis leaders to benefit from their experience while prosecuting crisis response activities. The team linked hyper-VUCA crises, crisis response frameworks, meta-leadership, crisis leader attributes, and advisor attributes. The overall goal of the project is to increase the ability of the crisis leaders to more effectively and efficiently navigate crisis events resulting in more efficient and effective response and recovery. Three research questions were developed to assess the following: thoughts of integrating a crisis leader advisor position; development of a crisis leader advisor certification program; and attributes of crisis leader advisors. A qualitative research methodology using a phenomenological approach was employed. Forty-one participants were purposefully selected and administered a short, on-line survey consisting of 11 questions. Data were analyzed using percentage analysis, weighted sums, and inductive thematic analysis. The project team found an overwhelming support for the crisis leader advisor position and the crisis leader advisor certification program. Additionally, experience and trustworthiness ranked among the top sought after attributes of a crisis leader advisor. The team recommendations included (1) implement a crisis leaders advisor guide/framework; (2) create a formal crisis leader advisor position in national incident management system; (3) implement a crisis leader advisor certification framework; (4) benchmark established advisor programs; and (5) implement a framework to match leaders and advisors.

Are you ready? Crisis leadership in a hyper-VUCA environment.

The current hyper-volatile, -uncertain, -complex, and -ambiguous (VUCA) threat environment demands a more cohesive support structure for crisis leaders who may be faced with crises of increasing magnitude and frequency and, in some instances, multiple crisis events simultaneously. The project team investigates the perceptions of crisis leaders regarding establishing a crisis leader advisor position for crisis leaders to benefit from their experience while prosecuting crisis response activities. The team linked hyper-VUCA crises, crisis response frameworks, meta-leadership, crisis leader attributes, and advisor attributes. The overall goal of the project is to increase the ability of the crisis leaders to more effectively and efficiently navigate crisis events resulting in more efficient and effective response and recovery. Three research questions were developed to assess the following: thoughts of integrating a crisis leader advisor position; development of a crisis leader advisor certification program; and attributes of crisis leader advisors. A qualitative research methodology using a phenomenological approach was employed. Forty-one participants were purposefully selected and administered a short, on-line survey consisting of 11 questions. Data were analyzed using percentage analysis, weighted sums, and inductive thematic analysis. The project team found an overwhelming support for the crisis leader advisor position and the crisis leader advisor certification program. Additionally, experience and trustworthiness ranked among the top sought after attributes of a crisis leader advisor. The team recommendations included (1) implement a crisis leaders advisor guide/framework; (2) create a formal crisis leader advisor position in national incident management system; (3) implement a crisis leader advisor certification framework; (4) benchmark established advisor programs; and (5) implement a framework to match leaders and advisors.

Analyzing Crisis Response through Actor-Network Theory: The Case of Kathmandu Living Labs

Crisis response is the most critical stage in crisis management during which actors make important decisions on mitigating a crisis. However, the decision making in such situations is a complex sociotechnical phenomenon. The literature specifies crisis response to include four steps (i.e., observation, interpretation, choice, and dissemination) and suggests a sociotechnical approach for analyzing them. However, we still lack theoretical guidelines for conducting sociotechnical analyses of the complexity involved in the crisis response activities. To help fill this knowledge gap, we present an interpretive case study on Kathmandu Living Labs’ (KLL) role in the response to the Nepal earthquake in 2015. We analyze the case using actor-network theory (ANT) and explore how a social entrepreneur from KLL enrolled different technical and human actors and mobilized them in the crisis response. We use ANT to explore the temporal and interdependent role of digital volunteers, local communities, and technologies in responding to the crisisWe demonstrate the usefulness of ANT’s translation process in understanding the complex sociotechnical process of crisis response in disaster events.

식품산업체의 위기관리 조직 및 위기대응 절차

Objectives: Promotion of food safety/eradicating adulterated food has been listed as one of the four major issues recently identified for action by the Korean government. Due to the related seriousness, the food industry has been encouraged to take steps to restore consumer confidence. In order to set guidelines for the creation of manuals for the response to a food safety crisis by the food industry, this study provided a suggested organization for a crisis response team and operating procedures for crisis response activities. Methods: The prototypes of an organizational structure and a set of standard procedures for a crisis response system were provided. Results: The results of the study suggested that a crisis response team should be comprised of four divisions of responsibility: information analysis, site response, communication and operational support. The organization chart and the role and functions for each division of the crisis response team should be indicated. Response activities will be more effective when the team features multi-disciplined staffing, such as public relations, food safety/technology/quality, sales/marketing, purchasing, production, distribution/logistics, regulatory affairs/legal, and consumer service specialists. This study created a flow chart for the total crisis response system, which included crisis and normal situations. A crisis response team should be continuously operated for both crisis and normal conditions. This study also suggested a scenario to explain the procedures for crisis response activities. Conclusion: In order to cope more effectively with a food safety crisis, the organizational structure and its functions should be defined clearly, and a detailed set of standard procedures for response activities should be offered.

FOOD SAFETY CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN IN HONG KONG

ABSTRACT Successive food safety crises in Hong Kong not only have trapped the local public in panic, but also raised the alarm in the public health system's crises preparedness for food safety problems. Although the Office of Crisis Management of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Crisis Management Academy and the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed in European countries have been established for coordinating emergency and crisis response activities on food safety issues, there is inadequate emergency and crises management of food safety by the local food authorities. This article aimed to formulate a local food safety crisis management plan which consists of preventive phase, emergency phase and reconstruction phase based on the revised crisis preparedness model. It was suggested that a cross‐boundary liaison with health authorities overseas, a close inter‐ and intradepartmental cooperation in the government, a balance between economic and political issues, considerations on public culture, and an introduction of education for food safety and morality should be the determinants of success in the plan. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSCrisis preparedness on food safety seems to be the indispensable proactive measure to safeguard the public health by the local food authorities. This article aimed to discuss the formulation of a local crisis management plan on contingent food safety problems in preventive phase, emergency phase and reconstruction phase based on the revised crisis preparedness model (Elsubbaugh et al. 2004). This food safety crisis management plan not only can safeguard the public health but also regain the confidence on food safety from the local public and stakeholders. Although further improvement can be made, the proposed plan is worthwhile because no similar planning for food safety crisis management has been found in the local food authorities. It also provides a stepping stone for the future development of food safety crisis management to the local policy makers in the public health sector.

Depoliticising and Europeanising humanitarian aid: Success or failure?

Humanitarian assistance has become an increasingly prominent part of the European Union's external activities, representing about 10% of total EU external aid. The purpose of this paper is to track trends in EU humanitarian aid policy and compare policy to practice. The evolution towards greater independence of humanitarian assistance from EU policy objectives concerning crisis management and development, as well as the emerging trend towards a more pronounced Europeanisation of humanitarian aid policy, are analysed. The European Community, represented by the European Commission, fulfils a double role in EU humanitarian assistance. The Commission carries out its own humanitarian aid policy, and has a role to play in the coordination of the 27 + 1 European donors' policies. First, the Commission focused on improving its performance as an aid provider in its own right, and on outlining a distinctive function for humanitarian aid in the gamut of EU crisis response activities. Since 2006, the Commission has also sought to strengthen its role as a promoter of humanitarian harmonisation. Via supranational policy promotion it aims at forging a consensus among all 28 European donors on the goals of humanitarian action.

School Crisis Teams within an Incident Command System

Despite the increasing attention given to the need for schools to be prepared to respond in a variety of crisis situations, there is a lack of information about how to coordinate with multiple agencies following a crisis. This article describes the U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s (2004) National Incident Management System and its Incident Command System (ICS), which provides a common set of concepts, principles, terminology, and organizational processes to facilitate crisis response activities. The traditional school crisis team structure is compared to the ICS structure and the overlap and integration of the two are highlighted. Two case scenarios are presented to illustrate how the school crisis team may operate in compliance with the ICS in different crisis situations.