Disaster Response Capacity Research Articles

경찰공무원의 직무몰입이 재난대응역량에 미치는 영향에서 회복탄력성의 매개효과

Modern society faces many forms of disasters, not just emerging viral infectious diseases like COVID-19. These disasters not only cause huge losses in human and material resources, but also cause social disruption. Effective disaster response is an essential part of protecting society and its people, and the role of police officers is pivotal in this process. Police officers are directly involved in maintaining order, saving lives, and recovering from disasters during the initial response phase, so their response capabilities have a direct impact on the effectiveness of disaster management. In this context, it can be argued that police officer engagement plays a key role in enhancing disaster response capacity. To further understand the relationship between job commitment and disaster response capacity, it is also necessary to consider the internal factors of individuals. In this study, we propose resilience as such an internal factor and explore its mediating effect to enhance the effectiveness of the police role in disaster situations. The results of the analysis showed that job commitment (=.66, p<.001) was positively significant as a result of the significance test of the effect of the independent variable on the mediating variable. On the other hand, the results of the significance test of the effects of independent variables and parameters on the dependent variable showed that job commitment (=.29, p<.001) had a significant effect on disaster response capability, and the parameter resilience also had a significant effect on disaster response capability (=.33, p<.001). The results suggest that police officers' job engagement directly enhances their disaster response capabilities and that resilience partially influences this relationship. This suggests that police officers with higher job commitment have the ability to respond more effectively in disaster situations. These findings suggest that programs that promote resilience in police organizations can enhance job commitment, which in turn can improve the disaster response capabilities of police officers. Therefore, police organizations should consider implementing a variety of training and support programs to enhance resilience in addition to strategies to increase job engagement.

Nursing leadership in disaster preparedness and response lessons learned and future directions

Nursing leadership is integral to effective disaster preparedness and response, demanding agility, strategic planning, and robust resource management. Disasters, both natural and man-made, present unique challenges that require nursing leaders to be adept in rapid decision-making and efficient coordination. The unpredictability of disasters necessitates comprehensive and regularly updated preparedness plans, ensuring nursing teams are well-versed in their roles through continuous training and simulations. Interprofessional collaboration and strong community partnerships are essential, fostering a unified response and efficient resource distribution. Communication remains a cornerstone of disaster management, with clear, timely information dissemination being crucial for coordinating efforts and maintaining public trust. Resource scarcity during disasters, such as shortages of medications and personal protective equipment (PPE), poses significant challenges. Effective resource management strategies are essential to maintain patient care standards and protect healthcare workers. The psychological toll on healthcare providers is another critical issue, with nursing leaders needing to implement support systems that address mental health and promote resilience. Integrating advanced technologies like telehealth and data analytics can enhance disaster response, providing remote care options and enabling predictive modeling for better resource allocation. Innovative approaches in nursing leadership include the use of telehealth for remote consultations and monitoring, data analytics for predictive modeling, and interprofessional education to improve teamwork and coordination. Strengthening community partnerships enhances overall disaster response capacity, ensuring that community-specific needs are addressed. Mental health support for healthcare providers, both immediate and long-term, is vital for maintaining a resilient workforce. Policy advocacy by nursing leaders is crucial to developing robust disaster preparedness frameworks and securing adequate funding. In summary, nursing leadership is pivotal in disaster preparedness and response, with a focus on strategic planning, interprofessional collaboration, effective communication, resource management, mental health support, and the integration of advanced technologies. Emphasizing these areas will enhance the resilience and responsiveness of healthcare systems, ultimately improving outcomes for patients and healthcare providers during disasters.

Libraries Are Resilience Hubs

Problem, research strategy, and findings We explored the contributions of local public libraries to community resilience in the face of economic hardships, extreme weather events, and the COVID-19 pandemic using a survey of 415 library directors distributed through state library listservs in 13 Midwestern states, community-level census and presidential elections data, and library-specific data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services annual Public Libraries Survey. We found that public libraries provide invaluable resilience-boosting community services. They help patrons find jobs and access social services, often with one-on-one support. They act as daytime shelters during extreme heat and cold events, which is particularly important for unhoused and underhoused individuals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they innovated to provide delocalized services and information access, such as installing WiFi hotspots. The provision of these essential resilience-boosting services is largely independent from library resources and community contexts and appear grounded in librarians’ ethos. Our research was limited to Midwestern public libraries and thus results are not generalizable to other regions, private, academic, and specialized libraries. We did not explore the possible relationships between local political majorities that could affect local government funding and priorities and local libraries’ funding sources, levels, and services. Takeaways for practice Beyond collections and information access, public libraries provide many services relevant to community and economic development and to disaster response. In addition, local public libraries act as resilience hubs in the face of economic stressors and extreme weather events, as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic, and are ready, flexible, adaptable, and willing to support patrons in times of need. Planners seeking to enhance community resilience can work with their local public libraries to build disaster preparedness and response capacity.

Resource exchange patterns between Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs): A multilevel network assessment to improve disaster response capacity

Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs) depend on interorganizational networks to rapidly deliver services to communities during times of crisis. These networks allow VOAD members to share resources before, during, and after disasters. A growing body of empirical research indicates that routine, pre-disaster interactions and exchanges between organizations predict coordination and collaboration during disasters. Rarely, however, do organizations systematically assess such routine exchanges. This study seeks to fill this gap by presenting a cyclical five-step framework in which organizations use assessments of multilevel routine exchanges to improve disaster response networks. During a pilot project with Nebraska VOAD members and their partners, we created a network survey to collect multilevel resource exchange data. The survey was administered to a total of 51 organizations in the Nebraska VOAD survey roster. We received complete surveys from 43 Nebraska VOAD organizations (84 % response rate). We use these survey results to illustrate how organizations can use our network assessment process of identifying, intervening, and improving to enhance disaster response capacity. State-level VOADs can use this approach to understand: 1) how their exchange networks function, 2) which organizations are exchange ‘pillars’ across multiple networks, and 3) which organizations could be better integrated into exchange networks. By evaluating resource exchange networks before and between disaster events, VOADs can adapt their networks to better assist communities during disasters.

Study of an evaluation method of earthquake-proof capacity of a community during an earthquake

In dealing with the occurrence of earthquakes, urban communities and people within the system should primarily consider the geological background, secondary hazards caused by earthquakes, countermeasures to mitigate earthquake disasters, community connectivity, and the impact of various indicators and criteria on the earthquake-proof capacity of the community. It is important to comprehensively assess these factors to ensure that a community is well-prepared to withstand an earthquake. This study takes Shenzhen (China) as an example to conduct a preliminarily evaluation of a method of earthquake-proof capacity during an earthquake, with the results reflecting the comprehensive capacity of communities. The evaluation framework focuses more on effectively improving the disaster response capacity and resilience of urban communities.

Urban Governance of Disaster Response Capacity: Institutional Models of Local Scalability

Abstract Increasingly confronted with the acute risk of large-scale disaster, local governments across the globe are searching for effective and efficient strategies for scaling their disaster response capacity. Emergency management research has examined such strategies in various urban settings, but still suffers from the lack of proper theoretical frameworks for studying how institutionalized modes of governance condition local scalability in different national contexts. Building on the research tradition of urban governance, this article develops a conceptual framework for conducting institutional analysis of overarching values, norms and practices that shape the local scaling of disaster response capacity. It demonstrates the analytical value of the framework by applying it in an illustrative case study of disaster response systems in the three Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. The framework proves useful for systematizing and discussing nuances within and across institutional contexts.

Development and application of a social vulnerability index (SOVI) to landslide risk analysis in ribeira medium valley, Brazil

In the last decades, the frequency and intensity of natural disasters in Brazil has increased, resulting in substantial economic, environmental, and social damage. Knowing the specific vulnerabilities of populations exposed to risks reflects on their disaster preparedness, response, and recovery capacities. However, social vulnerability studies in Brazil are still incipient. This study developed a Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) for the Ribeira Medium Valley to fill this gap. The region is highly susceptible to landslides, and is one of the most impoverished and underdeveloped regions of the state of São Paulo, with a predominantly rural population. The index was composed by selecting 30 variables from 373 census sectors. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to extract seven principal components, accounting for 71.64% of the data variability. The obtained SoVI scores were mapped and subsequently applied in a risk analysis. The most vulnerable municipalities were identified, and each vulnerability component's spatial distribution was visualized. It was also noted that the areas most vulnerable to landslides are also the most socially vulnerable. The results of this study can steer the government towards actions aimed at reducing social vulnerability. They may also help in developing disaster risk mitigation strategies.

Analysis and countermeasures of the “7.20” flood in Zhengzhou

ABSTRACT The “7.20” extreme rainstorm in Zhengzhou caused a serious urban flood. The reasons are as follows: In addition to being affected by global climate change, the rapid urbanization of Zhengzhou in the last 40 years has caused tremendous changes in the city’s water system, underlying surface, urban topography, vertical system, urban underground facilities, all of which will directly or indirectly become factors of urban floods. Then, in response to the increasing frequency of urban floods, it is proposed to develop an overall flood resilience strategy led by the urban stream network; to establish a “large sponge city system of watersheds” and a resilient city’s disaster prevention concept; and to improve the urban flood emergency management system. This is done to adjust measures to local conditions and collaborate with various departments to improve the disaster response capacity of urban floods.

Quantitative evaluation of emergency shelters in mountainous areas among multiple scenarios: Evidence from Biancheng, China

Accurate evaluation of urban emergency shelters is key to improving disaster response capacity and government emergency management ability, especially in mountainous areas where disasters are common. Most existing studies focus on evaluating material aspects, such as the capacity and accessibility of emergency shelters, ignoring the impact of different scenarios in the same area such as topographic, demographic, and population spatial–temporal distribution differences. Considering the multiple scenarios factors influencing emergency shelter practice, this study constructed a validity, efficiency, and security evaluation framework which was tested in Biancheng, Hunan, China. A combination of qualitative multiple scenario analysis and quantitative Network Analysis method were used to portray existing emergency shelters during emergency evacuations. The important conclusions are as follows: (1) there are significant differences in the evaluation of emergency shelters in the different scenarios. Scenario I (considering terrain) and Scenario II (considering demographics) decreased the evaluation results, while Scenario III (considering time–space) increased the evaluation results. (2) All three scenarios could cause variation in the validity indicators (A) and efficiency indicators (B), but A1 were unchanged in Scenario II and B2 remained constant in Scenario III, while none of the security indicators (C) were affected except in Scenario I. (3) While different emergency shelters performed differently in different scenarios, overall ID2 performed best and ID5 performed worst. Consideration of all scenarios was clearly necessary for us to scientifically evaluate the real use of emergency shelters, which can effectively guide emergency shelter planning and thus improve the abilities of urban disaster relief.

A Cultural Minority’s Disaster Survival Experience: The August 1968 Luzon Earthquake, the Ruby Tower Tragedy, and the Chinese in Manila

Abstract This paper narrates a history of the August 2, 1968 Luzon earthquake that severely hit the capital city of Manila in the Philippines. The central site of this earthquake disaster was the collapse of a premiere, high-rise residential building in downtown Manila, the Ruby Tower Apartments. This tragedy reflects the projection of nationalism in terms of collective disaster response, and the Philippines’ complicated dealings with a specific segment of the population. The Ruby Tower tragedy was an emblematic representation of the country’s disaster response capacities and Filipino society’s perception and treatment of the Chinese and Filipino Chinese residents in Manila. Using newspapers, magazine articles, and scientific reports about the earthquake, this study aims to present a microhistory of a cultural minority in Manila, specifically on how the sordid story of earthquake disaster survival projects a poignant picture of ethnic dynamics and disaster politics in the country in the 1960s.

Development of Tsunami Disaster Risk Reduction Education Program for Children with No Experience of Earthquake Disaster – Practice and Verification at Shichigahama Town, Miyagi Prefecture

In this study, we developed a tsunami disaster risk reduction (DRR) education program for children with little or no memory/experience of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The objective was to strengthen their disaster response capacity and enable them to think and act to protect their lives from tsunami disasters. The development of this program employed the ADDIE model of Instructional Design in learning theory. Based on the GIGA school concept promoted by Japan, information and communications technology (ICT)-based education and DRR education were integrated into the program from a geographical perspective. Using the ICT-based teaching materials, YOU@RISK Tsunami Disaster Edition, empirical learning was introduced. The town of Shichigahama in Miyagi Prefecture, which was devastated by the tsunami during the Great East Japan Earthquake, was selected as the study target. The study implemented and verified the program with local elementary school students to assess its effectiveness.

297 Creating a Framework for Mass Casualty Response Infrastructure

With markedly increasing urbanization around the world, strengthening of urban disaster response capacity is a global priority. Four billion people in the world’s cities are estimated by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations to have inadequate urban infrastructure and services. Cities are becoming increasingly at risk for a myriad of disasters due to a confluence of environmental, political, economic, and social factors. Well-functioning urban emergency health response systems are critical to the survival and well-being of one's population.

Should we offer disaster preparedness and response training workshops across Idaho? A feasibility study.

It is important for individuals and families to prepare for potential disasters to enable communities to generate a consolidated response. It is estimated that 30 percent of residents of the fourth largest city in Idaho, Idaho Falls, are not prepared to deal with disasters. A 1-day training workshop for healthcare professionals and students at Idaho State University in Pocatello was organized to build their capacity for acute disaster response and preparedness. This study assesses the impact of the workshop in improving knowledge and attitudes of the participants toward disaster management. A mixed methods study design was employed. Pre- and post-tests were administered to the participants (n = 18) to examine change in self-perceived understanding of disasters, and disaster preparedness and management. Core competencies encompassing knowledge of disaster preparedness were assessed via 18 multiple-choice questions. Participant attitudes toward disaster training exercises in colleges, universities, and healthcare facilities were recorded, and written feedback regarding the workshop obtained. Chi-square and paired t-tests were used to examine changes in disaster preparedness and cumulative knowledge score. Quantitative variables and comments were analyzed using Stata.v.13 and Maxqda, respectively. Our assessment indicates an improvement in mean knowledge score [pretest: 10.7 (2.8), post-test: 12.5 (2.9); p = 0.007] and self-perceived disaster preparedness and management. The attitude of audience toward training workshops was wholly positive in both the pre- and post-tests. Participants commented that the workshop was "excellent," helped them polish their knowledge and skills, trained them to build emergency kits and communication plans, and perform triage amidst crises. Training workshops should be offered to communities to build their capacity to prepare for and respond to disasters.

Indicator-based assessment of capacity development for disaster preparedness in the Indian context.

Capacity building and monitoring of response capacity are critical to disaster preparedness. Assessing disaster response capacity is a challenging task in India due to diverse geo-climatic conditions and exposure to different disasters. This paper addresses the absence of a methodological framework to measure multiple aspects of the disaster response capacity of districts in India through indicators. 26 indicators were identified under four factors namely; resources, communication and coordination, budget, and community engagement; anchored on a theoretical framework evolved through literature survey and key informant interviews. Each factor was modelled as a linear function of indicators based on data-sets maintained by district authorities. A Composite Index was constructed as a weighted aggregation of four factors using weightings elicited through Questionnaire Surveys among 151 expert respondents. Weightings were derived through an extension of Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solutions (TOPSIS) to balance the variability in perceptions of respondents. As disasters demand quick response, assessment of response capacity with a fewer number of indicators is desirable. Therefore, a reduced set of critical indicators sensitive to the Indian context were derived through model reduction applying probabilistic and statistical methods—{mathrm{l}}_{2} norm-based sensitivity analysis and coefficient of variation method. Critical indicators are: number of rescue and health service personnel, NGOs, Self-Help-Groups; efficacy of existing SOPs; literacy; and budget options. Robustness of the Composite Index was checked in terms of sensitivity to weightings and model reduction. The critical indicators and the Composite Index would sensitize decision-makers on disaster response capacities across districts.

Adaptation measures on hydrological risks and climate change impacts in urbanized sub-region, Thailand: a case study in lower Chao Phraya River basin

PurposeThis study aims to explain the existing adaptation practices in an urbanized sub-region in the lower Chao Phraya River basin (CPRB) across different scales and dimensions. It offers an overview of water hazards in urban areas along the river basin to discover ways to deal with and recover from hazards via understanding the implications of existing and potential practice for the mitigation of hydrological hazards.Design/methodology/approachFirst, this study collected current adaptation strategies and measures from interview, focus group discussion, workshop organization, etc. to get the current adaptation strategies/measures for the whole CPRB and each specific area. Second, this study identified a set of criteria for evaluation from review of current publications and official reports. Then, the current adaptation strategies/measures were examined through a set of criteria to obtain the current situation of existing practices. Finally, analysis of key challenges and opportunities was done to propose supporting guidelines to reduce hydrological risks and incorporate further adaptation measures needed to boost resilience in the area.FindingsAdaptation methods should focus on mixed adaptation, which integrates structural, social, organizational and natural adaptation, and to develop multi-dimensional collaboration. The adaption strategy has restricted the usage of some technologies and technical know-how, particularly in the area of climate change. As a result, intentional adaptation to become more inventive is required, to reduce hazards and improve disaster-response capacity. The various adaptation measures should be more integrated or more adaptive and to achieve greater cohesion and mutual benefit of individual measures, such as community-based adaptation or community-driven slum upgrading.Originality/valueHydrological risks are wreaking havoc on social, economic and environmental elements, particularly river flood, flash flood and drought in the Asia-Pacific region. Twenty-two existing adaptation options were evaluated with evaluation criteria such as scales of risks/impacts reduction, benefits of environmental and socio-economic and institutional aspects. The findings highlight the current situation of existing practices, key challenges and opportunities, which emphasized on natural-based solutions, raising knowledge and awareness and lessons learned on adaptation of hydrological risks. The existing adaptation measures will be suggested as supporting guidelines and master plans to minimize the hydrological risks.

Examining the effects of the local communities’ social capital on disaster response capacity in Seoul, South Korea

Social capital plays an important role in determining and managing disaster relief at the community level as well as in building and enhancing a community's disaster response capacity. This study measures the level of social capital in local communities in Seoul, South Korea, and examines how social capital affects their capacity to respond effectively in the face of disasters. We developed indicators based on data from the 2017 Seoul Survey and measured three dimensions of social capital (civic engagement, informal networks, and trust) in 360 communities in Seoul using factor analysis. We then analyzed the relationship between the community's social capital and the percentage of disaster relief volunteers as a proxy measure of community disaster response capacity. Further, we examined the effect of civic engagement, social networks, and trust on disaster volunteerism using the Tobit model. The results showed that a given level of social capital within a community is positively related to a high capacity for disaster volunteerism. This implies that communities with high social capital are more likely to have volunteers available to help in response to a disaster, and that the more a given community is invested in community issues and trust its neighbors, the higher its overall disaster response capacity.

Impact on people's lives and livelihoods in Gujarat due to Natural hazards

Natural disasters are catastrophic, catastrophic events that harm society, the economy, and the environment. As India has faced the COVID19 pandemic this year, climate change causing natural disasters like floods, cyclones have also made the lives of Indians miserable and even sometimes deadly. Cyclone Tauktae hits Gujarat, India in 2021, flooding villages and forcing thousands of people from their homes. Cyclones accompanied by heavy rains have made landfall in coastal areas of Gujarat, the storm has displaced more than 200,000 people in Gujarat and left 174 dead and 80 still missing. There are a variety of natural events that often occur in Gujarat that may have devastating effects on the local economy, including as floods, cyclones, droughts, and landslides. As well as injury and property damage. This study aims to find out how natural disasters can affect people and minimize the risk of exposure. Therefore, the State of Gujarat should focus on prevention and mitigation, increase the importance of reducing disaster risk and improve disaster response capacity

Biosafety and infectious disease occupational health training from the NIEHS Worker Training Program: A historical look at capacity building that supported a COVID-19 response.

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that large segments of the workforce–many of which were not previously considered or valued–are needed to keep the economy moving and critical societal functions going. From first responders to bus drivers, this expanded essential workforce needed training to build a solid knowledge of infectious disease protection practices. However, most workplaces had no existing plan or training for infectious disease exposure control. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Training Program (WTP) was able to immediately respond with health and safety curricula, resources, and course delivery based on decades of building capacity for disaster and infectious disease response.

사회적 관계 분석을 활용한 감염병 재난관리와 협력적 거버넌스 분석: COVID-19 재난대응 자원 확보를 중심으로

The purpose of this paper is to review the cooperative roles among various social organizations in the COVID-19 response process and to scientifically analyze the structure and characteristics of cooperative networks between organizations through Social Network Analysis(SNA). Studying cooperative networks among social organizations in the process of infectious disease disaster management has important meaning in supplementing the ability to respond to sudden disasters. The ways to improve cooperative governance among various social organizations that emerged from the COVID-19 disaster are as follows. First, it is necessary to establish a permanent cooperation platform that is effective in the long run among various social organizations. Second, it is necessary to enhance the disaster response capacity of social organizations in critical and sudden disaster situations. Third, local social organizations should innovate their cooperative methods and strengthen public relations.

Achievements and Challenges of Governmental Human Resource Support System in Japanese Disaster Response for Affected Local Governments in the Aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake

After a large-scale disaster, affected local governments face challenges such as a shortage of skilled staff in disaster response operations. Human resource support from external organizations is essential. This paper summarizes the major achievements of the human support system in Japan for affected local governments from the perspective of both local and national government support in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). However, several issues still need to be considered. In terms of mutual support among local governments, this paper proposes the following three points for future wide-area mega-disasters: First, each local government should enhance its own disaster response capacity. Second, the entire country should use skilled human resources effectively. Third, national and local governments should prepare to receive assistance from overseas. This paper also proposes the following three points for the support of the national government’s onsite organizations. First, the national government should define a detailed plan for dispatching personnel to affected areas. Second, the national government should dispatch support teams directly to each affected prefecture, instead of setting up onsite organizations that cover multiple prefectures. Third, local governments should prepare to receive these onsite organizations.