Critical Services Research Articles

Optimal restoration of power infrastructure following a disaster with environmental hazards

After a disaster, the power grid helps support infrastructure systems that are essential to the recovery effort in addition to the critical services it provides every day. This paper provides an approach for optimal power grid restoration in disaster contexts with environmental hazards. These hazards, such as unstable structures, smoke, chemical hazards, and abnormal radioactivity, may pose acute and accumulating risks to repair workers and impede the restoration process. We therefore formulate a mixed-integer linear program (MILP) that generates an optimal restoration plan with constraints imposed by acute and accumulating environmental hazards. We also develop a heuristic inspired by trends that we observe in optimal restoration strategies, and we compare its performance to that of an optimal restoration strategy. For our case study, we model a stylized disaster that approximates the patterns of a number of disasters including earthquakes, fires, industrial facility explosions, or nuclear reactor incidents. We analyze the performance of the heuristic and optimal restoration strategies on a modified IEEE 123-bus test network. We find that the optimal restoration strategy is able to restore power service more quickly than the heuristic strategy while also exposing repair workers to less acute and cumulative environmental hazards. We also find that as disaster severity increases, the performance difference between the heuristic and optimal restoration strategies grows. Finally, our results show that both the optimal and heuristic algorithms can be useful tools for identifying vulnerable regions of a power grid.

Etiology of hospital mortality in children living in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In 2019, 80% of the 7.4 million global child deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global and regional estimates of cause of hospital death and admission in LMIC children are needed to guide global and local priority setting and resource allocation but are currently lacking. The study objective was to estimate global and regional prevalence for common causes of pediatric hospital mortality and admission in LMICs. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify LMIC observational studies published January 1, 2005-February 26, 2021. Eligible studies included: a general pediatric admission population, a cause of admission or death, and total admissions. We excluded studies with data before 2,000 or without a full text. Two authors independently screened and extracted data. We performed methodological assessment using domains adapted from the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. Data were pooled using random-effects models where possible. We reported prevalence as a proportion of cause of death or admission per 1,000 admissions with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Our search identified 29,637 texts. After duplicate removal and screening, we analyzed 253 studies representing 21.8 million pediatric hospitalizations in 59 LMICs. All-cause pediatric hospital mortality was 4.1% [95% CI 3.4%-4.7%]. The most common causes of mortality (deaths/1,000 admissions) were infectious [12 (95% CI 9-14)]; respiratory [9 (95% CI 5-13)]; and gastrointestinal [9 (95% CI 6-11)]. Common causes of admission (cases/1,000 admissions) were respiratory [255 (95% CI 231-280)]; infectious [214 (95% CI 193-234)]; and gastrointestinal [166 (95% CI 143-190)]. We observed regional variation in estimates. Pediatric hospital mortality remains high in LMICs. Global child health efforts must include measures to reduce hospital mortality including basic emergency and critical care services tailored to the local disease burden. Resources are urgently needed to promote equity in child health research, support researchers, and collect high-quality data in LMICs to further guide priority setting and resource allocation.

Critical care services in Bagmati province of Nepal: A cross sectional survey

Background This study aimed to assess the current status of critical care services in 13 districts of Bagmati Province in Nepal, with a focus on access, infrastructure, human resources, and intensive care unit (ICU) services. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare workers employed in 87 hospitals having medical/surgical ICUs across Bagmati Province. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered via face-to-face and telephone interviews. Descriptive analysis was used for data analysis, involving frequencies and percentages. Results From 87 hospitals, a total of 123 ICUs were identified in the province, providing 1167 beds and 615 functioning ventilators. The average ICU bed availability per 100,000 population was 19, ranging from 3.6 in Makwanpur to 33.9 in Kathmandu. Out of 13 districts, 95% of beds were concentrated in just four districts, while six had no ICU facilities. Of the available facilities, 69.9% were owned by private entities. One-to-one nurse-to-ventilated bed ratio was maintained by 63.4% of ICUs during daytime, and 62.6% at nighttime. Furthermore, 74.8% of ICUs had consultants trained in critical care medicine. While essential equipment availability was higher in Bagmati province, gaps existed in the availability of oxygen plants and isolation rooms. Similarly, many ICUs offered continuous medical education and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training, but improvements were necessary in clinical audits, antibiotic stewardship programs, and research engagement. Conclusions Disparities in critical care resources were evident across districts in Bagmati Province, highlighting the need for a balanced and decentralized approach to ensure equitable access to care. Although there were disparities, numerous ICUs were effectively carrying out multiple critical care procedures. This study suggests conducting a nationwide mapping of ICU resources, prioritizing infrastructure development, optimizing resource allocation, and establishing national protocols.

High-resolution, precision mapping of seagrass blue carbon habitat using multi-spectral imaging and aerial LiDAR

Blue carbon ecosystems, particularly seagrass meadows, provide a myriad of critical ecosystem services through their role in supporting biodiversity, protecting shorelines, and sequestering and storing carbon. Despite their increased recognition for advancing global marine conservation efforts, our knowledge of the location and spatial extent of seagrass ecosystems globally remains relatively poor, due to the logistical and operational challenges of accurately mapping seafloor habitat using remote sensing techniques. Here we develop and validate an aerial LiDAR approach for mapping tropical seagrass blue carbon habitat in The Bahamas, by integrating full waveform bathymetric LiDAR with multi-spectral imaging. The results demonstrate accuracies between 92 and 98% for predicting seagrass types, over an extensive (e.g., >1000 km2) study area whilst utilizing robust ground-truthing techniques. These findings demonstrate the value of the aerial LiDAR approach used here for ongoing bathymetric surveys of seagrass habitat in The Bahamas and throughout similar ecosystems in the wider Caribbean, which should provide key insights for coastal management and conservation efforts.

Evaluation of the disaster preparedness level of a flood-affected hospital: Turkey

This study aimed to evaluate the disaster preparedness levels of a hospital and its personnel who were exposed to flood disasters in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. The study was designed qualitatively. Since it was aimed to obtain in-depth information, the phenomenology design was used in the study. The data were collected from 15 people through face-to-face interviews with a semi-structured interview form. The data were computerized to the MAXQDA 22 software and codes, categories, and themes were created. In the study, three themes were created: "infrastructure management and sustainability of critical facilities, preparation, and health service delivery". It was determined that infrastructure problems arose due to flooding on the lower floor and the hospital's garden as a result of the flood disaster. It was observed that medical equipment was prepared before the flood disaster and equity resources were protected after the disaster. It is thought that the exercise, trainings, creation of early warning systems and planning before the flood disaster will contribute significantly to the sustainability of health service provision in disaster situations. This may accelerate the transition of disaster victims to their normal lives.

Analyzing the effectiveness of the interagency coordination on environmental risk communication to the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

AbstractRefugees often face structural inequities, a disproportionate share of environmental challenges, and receive inadequate risk information. In most cases, the host country, United Nations, and other humanitarian organizations provide critical weather and climate information and disaster risk management support. This is equally true for the Rohingya refugee in Bangladesh, who fled their home country Myanmar as a response to political violence. To provide critical humanitarian services to the Rohingya population, the in‐country United Nations agencies formed the Inter‐Sector Coordination Group (ISCG). This paper investigates the effectiveness of the ISCG's strategies for communicating monsoon risks in the Rohingya context. Particularly, it measures ISCG communication effectiveness by both the increased formalization of ISCG communication and the number of Rohingya refugees affected during the monsoon seasons in the years 2021–2022. The paper highlights the importance of the ISCG's existence in this humanitarian context as an effective coordinating institution. The ISCG provides impoartant environmental risk information to partner organizations that benefit the Rohingya's overall physical well‐being. Even though the geographical focus of this paper is on the Rohingya populations in Cox's Bazar, the discussions and findings have important policy implications in other parts of the world facing similar social, environmental, political, and humanitarian challenges.

Rediscovery, systematics and conservation of an enigmatic freshwater crayfish (Parastacidae) from the Australian monsoon tropics

AbstractFreshwater wetlands are among the world's most valuable ecosystems, supporting diverse biota and critical ecological services, yet these habitats have suffered extensive and pervasive anthropogenic disturbance. Northern Australia represents a rare example of a relatively unmodified, vast wetland habitat. The freshwater crayfishes of the region are poorly documented, with one enigmatic species, the nutcracker yabby Cherax nucifraga, described from a single individual sampled opportunistically from the stomach of a predatory fish. Here we report on the rediscovery of C. nucifraga from a relatively limited distribution in semi‐permanent coastal freshwater wetlands. Field studies were conducted to inform natural resource management and conservation. Genome skimming to recover mitogenomes, 18S–28S and histone sequences demonstrated a sister relationship with two congeners from the tropics, and moderate molecular genetic substructure was apparent within C. nucifraga between mainland and Melville Island locations. Cherax nucifraga is characterised by the presence of a strawberry‐coloured soft patch on the outer margin of the claw, uniquely present in both mature males and females. Meristic and multivariate morphometric comparisons are made with the co‐occurring redclaw Cherax quadricarinatus and the allopatric whiteclaw yabby Cherax bicarinatus, with a summary of diagnostic traits developed into a visual guide and key. Programs to further understand ecology, threats and traditional ecological knowledge will help to inform the future conservation management of the species in the face of increasing development and environmental change to northern Australian coastal freshwater wetlands. Specific conservation actions include identifying and protecting refuge habitats and preventing incursions by other Cherax species.

Traffic Monitoring and Signal Controlling using RFID for Emegency Vehicles

Abstract: This paper presents the concept, Traffic Monitroting and signal controlling using RFID technology to prioritize ambulance passage during emergencies. Traffic lights are crucial for managing the flow of vehicles on the road. In particular, when there are emergencies, the traffic situation is getting worse. Emergency vehicles find it challenging to cross busy road during periods of traffic congestion. A medical emergency vehicles like ambulances, or victims of accidents must be transferred to it as soon as possible. They could be late for rescue efforts because of traffic signals. Identification of emergency vehicles, control of traffic lights, and provision of a clear path for their travel are the objectives of our paper. The main element of this system that implements the control system is radio frequency Identification (RFID). Through RFID detection, the system identifies the presence of an ambulance approaching any lane and promptly initiates a sequence wherein traffic lights for the ambulance's intended lane turn green, while simultaneously halting traffic flow in other lanes. By integrating RFID technology into the traffic management infrastructure, the prototype ensures swift and efficient response to emergency situations, minimizing delays in medical assistance. The system's intelligent algorithm enables it to override regular traffic light patterns, granting immediate passage to ambulances without compromising safety or causing disruptions to traffic flow in adjacent lanes. This approach enhances emergency response capabilities, optimizing the delivery of critical healthcare services and potentially saving lives in urgent medical situations. The system's ability to dynamically adapt traffic signals based on real time ambulance detection underscores its potential to revolutionize emergency response protocols, contributing to enhanced public safety and well-being in densely populated urban areas. The RFID tag helps to verify that emergency vehicles The emergency vehicle can clear all junctions without wasting time at the traffic signals this keeps happening until the ambulance arrives at its destination.

Understanding how neglected tropical diseases programs in five Asia-Pacific countries adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic declaration, the World Health Organization recommended suspending neglected tropical diseases (NTD) control activities as part of sweeping strategies to minimise COVID-19 transmission. Understanding how NTD programs were impacted and resumed operations will inform contingency planning for future emergencies. This is the first study that documents how South-East Asian and Pacific NTD programs addressed challenges experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 11 NTD Program Coordinators and related personnel from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu. Constructivist grounded theory methods were drawn on to generate an explanation of factors that enabled or hindered NTD program operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted NTD programs in all countries. Some programs implemented novel strategies by partnering with services deemed essential or used new communications technology to continue (albeit scaled-back) NTD activities. Strong relationships to initiate cross-program integration, sufficient resources to implement adapted activities, and dedicated administrative systems were key enabling factors for recommencement. As the COVID-19 pandemic continued, exacerbating health resources scarcity, programs faced funding shortages and participants needed to find efficiencies through greater integration and activity prioritisation within their NTD units. Emphasising community-led approaches to restore trust and engagement was critical after widespread social anxiety and disconnection. Sustaining effective NTD programs during a global emergency goes beyond managing immediate activity disruptions and requires attention to how NTD programs can be better ensconced within wider health programs, administrative, and social systems. This study underscores the importance of pre-emergency planning that reinforces NTD control programs as a critical service at all health systems levels, accompanied by governance arrangements that increase NTD staff control over their operations and strategies to maintain strong community relationships. Ensuring NTD units are supported via appropriate funding, personnel, and bureaucratic resources is also required.

Cascading supply chain disruption: impact on water industry during COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 on the lives of people and businesses across the globe was devastating. While governments across the world had undertaken a slew of measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus within their geography, many of these measures had long and unintended consequences. The restrictions imposed by the governments on the movement of people and goods across the world brought supply chains to a grinding halt. This study identifies the cascading effects of supply chain disruptions on the water sector. Since these systems are closely integrated and the impact of COVID-19 needs to be analysed at a much broader level, this study uses a systems-thinking approach to study the effect of supply chain disruptions on water services. The study develops a causal loop model to gain further insight into how supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19 affected the coping capabilities of society and how critical services were affected.

Kafka‐Shield: Kafka Streams‐based distributed detection scheme for IoT traffic‐based DDoS attacks

AbstractWith the rapid proliferation of insecure Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the security of Internet‐based applications and networks has become a prominent concern. One of the most significant security threats encountered in IoT environments is a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. This attack can severely disrupt critical services and prevent smart devices from functioning normally, leading to severe consequences for businesses and individuals. It aims to overwhelm victims' resources, websites, and other services by flooding them with massive attack packets, making them inaccessible to legitimate users. Researchers have developed multiple detection schemes to detect DDoS attacks. As technology advances and other facilitating factors have increased, it is a challenge to identify such powerful attacks in real‐time. In this paper, we propose a novel distributed detection scheme for IoT network traffic‐based DDoS attacks by deploying it in a Kafka Streams processing framework named Kafka‐Shield. The Kafka‐Shield comprises two stages: design and deployment. Firstly, the detection scheme is designed on the Hadoop cluster employing a highly scalable H2O.ai machine learning platform. Secondly, a portable, scalable, and distributed detection scheme is deployed on the Kafka Streams processing framework. To analyze the incoming traffic data and categorize it into nine target classes in real time. Additionally, Kafka‐Shield stores each network flow with significant input features and the predicted outcome in the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). It enables the development of new models or updating current ones. To validate the effectiveness of the Kafka‐Shield, we performed critical analysis using various configured attack scenarios. The experimental results affirm Kafka‐Shield's remarkable efficiency in detecting DDoS attacks. It has a detection rate of over 99% and can process 0.928 million traces in nearly 3.027 s.

Cascading Effects of Critical Infrastructures in a Flood Scenario: A Case Study in the City of Cologne

Critical infrastructures, which constitute the backbone of our modern society, are increasingly exposed to natural hazards. Loss of performance or failure of a critical infrastructure can lead to cascading effects that affect even more services and citizens. Floods, as one of the most prominent natural hazards, are prone to affect multiple critical infrastructures at once, making it even more difficult to assess combined effects of these (cascading) disruptions. Hospitals are especially vulnerable in a flood scenario, as they are reliant on multiple other infrastructures, such as power and water supply or the road network. In order to prepare for upcoming events, sophisticated analysis tools are required that are capable of modeling the spatial extent of flood induced disruptions and their impact on critical infrastructure services. In this work, we present a proof of concept that focuses on the impact of multiple disruptions on hospitals. We conducted a case study on an extreme flood scenario in the city of Cologne (Germany). Historically, Cologne has proven vulnerable to river-floods, as thousands of people were affected through floods in in 1993 and 1995. The approach is based on a combination of I) a geographic information system, which makes the extent of disruptions spatially explicit and II) a Bayesian network, which is used to assess the impact of one or multiple disruptions on a single hospital. We present a work-in-progress approach in this work. The results generated using this approach enable a first comparative overview of the expected level of services of the examined hospitals.

Tracking the long‐term vegetation and soil characteristics of restored mangroves: a case study from Guyana's coast

The global urgency to halt and reverse mangrove loss has led to the implementation of numerous initiatives to protect and restore mangroves and recover critical ecological functions and services. Restoration success is assessed by estimating mangrove survival, while diversity, vegetation structure, and soil characteristics are often overlooked with no long‐term monitoring. Here, we investigated long‐term changes in vegetation and soil characteristics of Avicennia germinans‐dominated stands planted along Guyana's coast between 5 and 11 years old. A chronosequence approach was used to examine changes in vegetation and soil parameters in restored mangrove stands of different ages compared to natural stands of the same ages. Tree height, diameter, and aboveground biomass were inconsistent between restored and natural mangrove stands. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that the soil properties were the important factors influencing both the restored and natural mangrove communities. There were no clear trajectories between the vegetation and soil characteristics with age, possibly due to site‐specific and hydrodynamic environmental factors, such as tidal dynamics, riverine inputs, and climatic variations. While there were some equivalent vegetation and soil characteristics at the end of the first decade after restoration, the restored mangroves may require a longer timespan (approximately 25 years) than the period overserved in our study to be entirely identical to the natural mangroves. This case study from Guyana provides valuable insights into the ecological processes driving mangrove recovery dynamics, growth patterns, and restoration effectiveness and offers reliable data needed to inform future restoration projects.

A systematic review of optimization methods for recovery planning in cyber–physical infrastructure networks: Current state and future trends

Cyber–Physical Systems are increasingly complex and frequently integrated into modern societies via critical infrastructure systems, products, and services. Consequently, there is a need for reliable functionality of these complex systems under various scenarios, from physical failures due to aging to cyber attacks. However, the development of effective strategies to restore disrupted cyber–physical infrastructure systems continues to be a major challenge. Even though there have been an increasing number of papers evaluating recovery planning in cyber–physical infrastructures networks, a comprehensive literature review focusing on mathematical modeling and optimization methods is still lacking. Thus, this study critically analyzes the literature on optimization techniques for recovery planning of cyber–physical infrastructure networks after a disruption, to synthesize key findings on the current methods in this domain. A total of 152 relevant research papers are reviewed following an extensive assessment of all major scientific databases. The main mathematical modeling practices and optimization methods are identified for both deterministic and stochastic formulations, categorizing them based on the solution approach (exact, heuristic, metaheuristic), objective function, and network size. Having identified the gaps, a set of future trends for both the methodology and application of optimization algorithms is presented. Overall, there is a need to shift toward scalable optimization solution algorithms, empowered by data-driven methods and machine learning algorithms, to provide reliable and computationally efficient decision-support systems for decision-makers and practitioners.

Critical Care Services for Pregnant Patients in Ontario: A Province-Wide Survey

Critically ill pregnant patients require advanced critical care support, but access to these services is variable. We surveyed active Ontario obstetric facilities regarding critical care access. Responses were received from 44 of 80 obstetric units (55%), 13 (30%) being rural. Transport to another facility was required by 59% (majority >1 hour transport time), and differences were noted in the availability of specialty support services such as anesthesia and internal/obstetric medicine, as well as radiology and laboratory facilities, and use of massive transfusion protocols. Training in early supportive care of obstetric complications and optimized facility transport are areas for potential improvement.

Integrating human infrastructure in post-disaster critical lifeline restoration scheduling

Critical societal services, such as health care, are offered from facilities that are supported by civil lifelines. In disaster events, restoration of the damaged lifeline elements and facilities is necessary for restoring societal function. It is generally presumed that the critical societal services are intact as long as the buildings from which they are provided are functioning and have operating supporting lifelines. This paper recognizes that the services require not only a functioning space for supporting related operations, but also depend on the presence of skilled personnel. For this purpose, a mathematical technique for modeling this human infrastructure as a civil lifeline is proposed. This human infrastructure lifeline modeling approach is integrated into a stochastic program that seeks an optimal schedule of post-event restoration actions across lifelines to minimize the amount of time that civil lifeline elements, including personnel, and the critical societal services they support are nonfunctioning. The model is cast in a real-time setting, where situational awareness increases over time as information is obtained either endogenously via the repair crews or by way of exogenously provided information from other sources (e.g., inspectors, emergency responders, drones, remote sensing). The approach is also useful in estimating critical societal systems resilience. Numerical experiments were conducted on a synthetic, yet realistic problem instance to illustrate the capabilities of the proposed techniques and investigate the importance of adequately capturing the multi-faceted role of personnel in post-disaster service capacity restoration.

A Regeneration Model for Mitigation Against Attacks on HTTP Servers for Mobile Wireless Networks

The widespread expansion of the internet has fueled a global surge in the utilization of various online transactions, with a significant portion of such services operating on mobile web platforms. Simultaneously, the deployment of innovative Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) technologies and mobile applications has grown as solutions for diverse tasks. Unfortunately, this progress has attracted the attention of hackers, who continually devise new strategies to exploit the vulnerabilities inherent in mobile networks. This study aims to address the escalating challenges posed by cyber threats in the era of widespread internet expansion, particularly focusing on securing mobile web platforms against sophisticated attacks such as Structured Query Language Injection (SQLi) for web-based database solutions and Denial of Service (DoS/DDoS) for various applications. In response to the identified vulnerabilities, this paper proposes an HTTP regeneration (HReg) model that not only detects various cyber-attacks but also ensures the uninterrupted provision of critical services during such incidents. The model introduces an innovative regeneration algorithm capable of scanning both the connection channel and web application to detect attacks, creating survivable connections within the underlying TCP engine to replace compromised ones during an ongoing attack. In simulated environments using OMNeT++, where the server is subjected to attacks, the experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the model. The response and performance metrics, including throughput (73%), delivery ratio (68.8%), delay (3s), and network load, showcase the model's ability to detect and neutralize attacks. A comparison with state-of-the-art approaches highlights the superior performance of the regeneration model, attributed to its additional survivability layer. While the regeneration model proves robust in simulated environments, its real-world application may encounter limitations. Future research should explore these limitations to enhance the practical applicability of the proposed model. The proposed HReg model's resilient performance under attack conditions ensures the survivability of web-based applications. This innovative approach offers practical implications for securing mobile web platforms, providing continuous delivery of critical services even in the face of persistent and evolving cyber threats. This research addresses a significant gap in existing efforts by not only focusing on attack detection but also emphasizing the development of a survivable TCP connection for HTTP servers during attacks. The introduced regeneration model stands out for its unique ability to maintain service continuity, showcasing originality in the approach to cybersecurity in the context of web-based applications.

Association Between Demographic Characteristics of Users’ and Overall Satisfaction with Water Supply Service

Water constitutes an indispensable resource for various aspects of daily life, encompassing essential needs such as drinking, cooking, sanitation, and irrigation. Beyond household applications, diverse livelihood activities, including livestock management, gardening, crop cultivation, food processing, aquaculture, and fisheries, also rely on water. The assessment of customer satisfaction holds paramount significance in driving performance enhancements for service providers, even within government-owned entities offering critical services like water supply. This research aims to scrutinize the interplay between overall satisfaction with water services and its determinants, including satisfaction with water quality, and various parameters such as water supply hours, tap pressure, supplied water quantity, management responsiveness and communication, and water tariff. Anticipatedly, water supply hours, quantity, and quality are expected to exert a crucial influence on user satisfaction. Although users express a satisfaction level above neutral, it falls short of reaching a fully satisfactory level. Key contributors to user satisfaction involve aspects such as water supply hours, pressure, quantity, and quality, while complaints about water supply yield slightly lower satisfaction. Satisfaction with water service hours, quantity, and quality emerges as a driving force for overall satisfaction. The analysis reveals no significant association between overall satisfaction and demographic variables such as occupation, gender, age, education, and the main income source. However, a noteworthy association exists between satisfaction with water pressure and the water collection method, and a robust link is observed between satisfaction with water quality and respondents' water treatment practices. The provision for complaints is significantly associated with satisfaction regarding management responsiveness and communication. Multiple regression analysis underscores a positive relationship between overall satisfaction with water services and satisfaction with water quality and supply hours, indicating that higher satisfaction with these factors enhances overall satisfaction with water services.

A framework for business continuity management in a multiactor context

AbstractBusiness continuity management (BCM) is an analytic process capable of fostering the resilience of critical societal functions. While previous research on BCM primarily has focused on its applications within individual organizations, today's modern society involves networks of interdependent actors collectively delivering these essential functions to end users. This necessitates an expansion of BCM to accommodate a multiactor context. Critical considerations that need to be addressed in multiactor BCM involve shared use of a common, finite resource by several actors, or situations where an alternative continuity solution is relied upon by more than one actor, but its capacity is insufficient for simultaneous use by all. The aim of this paper is to propose a framework for multiactor BCM. The framework expands upon existing ISO 22301 standards to outline how BCM can be approached for the multiactor context. It diverges from the conventional BCM approach conducted by individual actors and embraces a societal safety perspective, facilitating the definition of a common analytic focus and promoting high conceptual harmonization. While acknowledging potential practical barriers, the framework facilitates the connection of BCM efforts from different actors with minimal additional analytic efforts. The overarching goal of the framework is to provide increased understanding of the continuity of the multiactor system, specifically focusing on its ability to deliver the most critical products or services to end users. Based on this understanding, the aim is to identify ways to further improve the continuity, for example by identifying and ranking critical products or services, identifying resources or alternative continuity solutions that many actors depend on in delivering their critical products and services. Finally, the paper addresses lingering challenges and highlights success factors necessary for the effective application of the framework.

A qualitative analysis of cascading effects of critical infrastructure service failure post torrential floods in formal & informal settlement: the study-case of Medellin city, Colombia

ABSTRACT Critical infrastructure (CI) services are crucial to the functioning of modern communities, and a single CI failure can cause cascading effects through a network of services, impacting an entire city. Challenges such as climate change and rapid urbanisation are increasing the risk of cascading effects of CI failure, particularly impacting the urban poor in peri-urban and informal settlements. This study uses a systems thinking approach to validate the hypothesis if CI services are susceptible to generating severe cascading effects in informal than formal settlements. Qualitative data was collected on cascading effects via interviews and focus group discussion in a formal and an informal settlement in Medellin, Colombia. The responses were analysed and structured using a service chain framework and a Causal Loop Diagram. Our findings show that cascading effects vary between the formal and informal contexts concerning CI service availability and accessibility and may be attributed to differences in demography, geography, socio-economic development, risk regulations, community coping capacities and other factors associated with urban development.