Disaster Response System Research Articles

On-site response issues in disaster recovery of public civil engineering facilities based on the experience of the 2011 Kii Peninsula flood

Nearly 10 years have passed since the 2011 Kii Peninsula flood, and assessing the disaster response at that time is crucial for developing a future disaster response system. This study is based on questionnaire and interview surveys of construction managers, i.e., heads of local construction administrations in charge of disaster recovery for public civil engineering facilities in Wakayama Prefecture. We clarify the situational judgments and decisions that are made in the field response of disaster recovery, check whether they were undertaken to extract issues, examine the characteristics, and consider issues for future disaster response.

An Examination of the Humanitarianism-Disaster Management Nexus in Tanzania’s Policy and Legal Framework

The use of law, the main tool for implementing policy, to regulate and coordinate disaster management, preparedness and response systems features in many jurisdictions. Also, international guidance on the use of effective laws and policies, which emphasize taking on board critical stakeholders, including humanitarian responders is available. Consequently, the government of Tanzania has promulgated a new disaster management law as part of a wider reform of the legal framework to regulate disaster management and response systems which seek to involve stakeholders at all stages. This article analyses the extent to which the restructured legal framework and supporting policy address humanitarian responders who provide informal assistance, often before formal government intervention. The article traces the history of disaster management policies and laws in the country in the context of the humanitarianism – disaster management nexus. It focuses on the aftermath of the earthquake that ravaged Kagera Region in Bukoba district in the northern west part of the country in September 2016. This analysis is supported with field data from Bukoba district. The findings reveal that the legal framework for regulating disaster management and response system does not reflect international and regional clarion calls for engaging informal humanitarian responders. Recommendations on how this gap can be addressed are provided, laying emphasis on incorporating the clarion calls in order to improve the country’s legal and policy framework for disaster response and management systems.

A Crisis is an Opportunity for Human Resource Development

Introduction:The COVID-19 pandemic also raged in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Moreover, it forced a response to the medical crisis just as much as the disaster. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, disaster response system development progressed in Fukushima Prefecture. The relationship between the DMAT and the Prefectural Medical Health and Welfare Department was becoming more assertive.Method:However, as the disaster response members became fixed, there was an urgent need to develop new young human resources.Results:Meanwhile, flood damage caused by Typhoon No. 24 occurred in September 2018. It was the first time since the Great East Japan Earthquake that a disaster countermeasures headquarters was set up within the prefectural office. In that response, we discovered young talents. Furthermore, they nurtured in response to the medical crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.Conclusion:In recent years, the main elements of disaster response required support for continuing medical care and securing public health. Unfortunately, however, these things are insufficient both as medical education and as postgraduate education. Therefore, few human resources are interested in disaster medicine and taking action. In addition, it is also a fact that, like surgical operations, if disasters are not responded to, they will not come to fruition. The response to this pandemic is genuinely an opportunity for human resource development. Taking advantage of this crisis to develop new human resources can be a blessing.

Twitter-Based Disaster Response Using Machine Learning

Twitter, a microblogging platform, receives real-time information via informal conversations, and it has, accordingly, become the main source of data for research studies based on emergency situational awareness. Millions of tweets are posted on Twitter every day, and during disasters, the frequency of tweets relating to an on-going crisis event grows exponentially. This unprecedented increase in the number of tweets during disasters needs to be monitored, identified, processed, and analyzed so that necessary measures can be taken at the earliest to reduce the loss or damage during emergencies. However, due to large voluminous data being available during crisis hours, it is almost impossible for a human to perform these tasks in real time. In this regard, a semi-automated AI-based disaster response system for Twitter data is proposed. The proposed disaster response system would be capable of extracting essential situational awareness information related to a disaster and would also be capable of sketching tentative area of critically affected population.

A Cohort Study of Occupational Fatalities among Paramedicine Clinicians: 2003 through 2020.

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics respond to 40 million calls for assistance every year in the United States; these paramedicine clinicians are a critical component of the nation's health care, disaster response, public safety, and public health systems. The study objective is to identify the risks of occupational fatalities among paramedicine clinicians working in the United States. To determine fatality rates and relative risks, this cohort study focused on 2003 through 2020 data of individuals classified as EMTs and paramedics by the United States Department of Labor (DOL). Data provided by the DOL and accessed through its website were used for the analyses. The DOL classifies EMTs and paramedics who have the job title of fire fighter as fire fighters and so they were not included in this analysis. It is unknown how many paramedicine clinicians employed by hospitals, police departments, or other agencies are classified as health workers, police officers, or other and were not included in this analysis. An average of 206,000 paramedicine clinicians per year were employed in the United States during the study period; approximately one-third were women. Thirty percent (30%) were employed by local governments. Of the 204 total fatalities, 153 (75%) were transportation-related incidents. Over one-half of the 204 cases were classified as "multiple traumatic injuries and disorders." The fatality rate for men was three-times higher than for women (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4 to 6.3). The fatality rate for paramedicine clinicians was eight-times higher than the rate for other health care practitioners (95% CI, 5.8 to 10.1) and 60% higher than the rate for all United States workers (95% CI, 1.24 to 2.04). Approximately 11 paramedicine clinicians are documented as dying every year. The highest risk is from transportation-related events. However, the methods used by the DOL for tracking occupational fatalities means that many cases among paramedicine clinicians are not included. A better data system, and paramedicine clinician-specific research, are needed to inform the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions to prevent occupational fatalities. Research, and the resulting evidence-based interventions, are needed to meet what should be the ultimate goal of zero occupational fatalities for paramedicine clinicians in the United States and internationally.

Conflict Nephrology:War and Natural Disasters.

Access to care for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is frequently disrupted following natural disasters, public health crises, and human conflict. Emergency preparation can mitigate the risk of harm and improve outcomes. Prior to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the United States (US) was unprepared to assist patients facing disaster. We evaluate responses to Hurricane Katrina which caused unprecedented damage to health and property in the Gulf Coast1. As a result of the multitude of identified problems with the national, local, and kidney-specific responses to Katrina, new systems were created that mitigated loss following Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The improved disaster response system was no match for the COVID-19 pandemic; real-time changes worsened the impact on highly vulnerable populations including patients with ESKD. Similarly, preparation can only mitigate the difficulties faced by patients with ESKD living in a war zone. Government agencies need to provide tools and dialysis centers need to educate patients. Beginning with steps implemented in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and augmented following Hurricane Sandy, every patient with ESKD and those who care for them must begin emergency preparations before the need arises. Recognizing that it is not possible to prepare for every possible emergency, our healthcare systems must be ready to adapt to our everchanging world. After reviewing the responses to prior events, we suggest steps that should be considered to improve preparations for our uncertain future.

Flood or Non-Flooded: A Comparative Study of State-of-the-Art Models for Flood Image Classification Using the FloodNet Dataset with Uncertainty Offset Analysis

Natural disasters, such as floods, can cause significant damage to both the environment and human life. Rapid and accurate identification of affected areas is crucial for effective disaster response and recovery efforts. In this paper, we aimed to evaluate the performance of state-of-the-art (SOTA) computer vision models for flood image classification, by utilizing a semi-supervised learning approach on a dataset named FloodNet. To achieve this, we trained son 11 state-of-the-art (SOTA) models and modified them to suit the classification task at hand. Furthermore, we also introduced a technique of varying the uncertainty offset λ in the models to analyze its impact on the performance. The models were evaluated using standard classification metrics such as Loss, Accuracy, F1 Score, Precision, Recall, and ROC-AUC. The results of this study provide a quantitative comparison of the performance of different CNN architectures for flood image classification, as well as the impact of different uncertainty offset λ. These findings can aid in the development of more accurate and efficient disaster response and recovery systems, which could help in minimizing the impact of natural disasters.

Two-stage stochastic formulation for relief operations with multiple agencies in simultaneous disasters

The increasing damage caused by disasters is a major challenge for disaster management authorities, especially in instances where simultaneous disasters affect different geographical areas. The uncertainty and chaotic conditions caused by these situations combined with the inherent complexity of collaboration between multiple stakeholders complicates delivering support for disaster victims. Decisions related to facility location, procurement, stock prepositioning and relief distribution are essential to ensure the provision of relief for these victims. There is a need to provide analytical models that can support integrated decision-making in settings with uncertainty caused by simultaneous disasters. However, there are no formulations tackling these decisions combining multiple suppliers, multiple agencies, and simultaneous disasters. This article introduces a novel bi-objective two-stage stochastic formulation for disaster preparedness and immediate response considering the interaction of multiple stakeholders in uncertain environments caused by the occurrence of simultaneous disasters. At the first stage, decisions related to the selection of suppliers, critical facilities, agencies involved, and pre-disaster procurement are defined. Resource allocation, relief distribution and procurement of extra resources after the events are decided at the second stage. The model was tested on data from the situation caused by simultaneous hurricanes and storms in Mexico during September of 2013. The case is contrasted with instances planning for disasters independently. The results show how planning for multiple disasters can help understand the real boundaries of the disaster response system, the benefits of integrated decision-making, the impact of deploying only the agencies required, and the criticality of considering human resources in disaster planning.

시각장애인의 재난 인식 및 지원 욕구에 관한 연구

This study aimed to explore in depth the perceptions and special needs of blind people regarding disaster response through their lived experiences. A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth interviews with four groups of social workers or organization practitioners, who were visually impaired and had disaster-related experiences. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, through which the following five main themes were derived: (1) disaster perception and meaning from the perspective of blind people; (2) characteristics and difficulties that the blind face in disaster response; (3) the necessity of and considerations in developing a disaster response manual; (4) the expansion of disaster response education and training; and (5) social support needs such as accessible disaster information. The implications of this study and practical suggestions for establishing a disaster response system for the blind are discussed, and suggestions for future research are presented. This study is meaningful in providing essential information for the development of support services and policies for the blind.

Pandemic publishing: A bibliometric review of COVID‐19 research in the crisis and disaster literature

Iconic events have traditionally instigated progression in the fields of crisis and disaster science. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pressing question is how this global health emergency impacted the research agendas of our field. We reviewed contributions in ten important crisis and disaster journals in the two and a half years following the COVID-19 outbreak from 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2022. Specifically, we conducted a bibliometric review using thematic mapping analysis to distill the major themes covered by the emerging COVID-19 literature within crisis and disaster science (N = 239 articles). Our results indicate that several well-known topics are applied to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as risk, crisis communication, governance, resilience and vulnerability. The pandemic also gave rise to new topics, such as citizen behavior, state power, and the business and mental health impact of crisis measures. Several studies are already looking ahead by identifying lessons for preparedness and mitigation of future pandemics. By taking stock of the surge of COVID-19 studies while this academic literature is still taking shape, this review sets the stage for future contributions to the crisis and disaster literatures. It provides valuable lessons for what topics are studied and what themes need more attention. The COVID-19 pandemic is destined to become an iconic event for our literature that not only strengthens and deepens existing debates, but also clearly offers the opportunity to draw in new perspectives and broaden the horizon of crisis and disaster science.

Nurses’ duty to care during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundDespite the increased demand for nurses worldwide, discussion of nurses’ duty to care is lacking. This study aimed to examine nurses’ duty to care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to identify the influencing factors.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional descriptive research study that used a structured online questionnaire. Registered Korean nurses answered a demographic questionnaire and the Nash Duty to Care Scale.ResultsAge and employment at tertiary hospitals increased nurses’ duty to care. Male sex, a highly educated status, and employment at tertiary hospitals increased the perceived risk. Male sex and employment at tertiary or general hospitals increased confidence in the employer, while a high level of education and a longer total clinical career decreased the same. Age and a higher monthly wage increased perceived obligation. Age, lack of religious beliefs, and clinical experience of 3–7 years increased professional preparedness.ConclusionWithout enough nursing manpower, the disaster response system could prove to be inefficient. Considering that adequate nurse staffing is essential in disaster management, it is crucial to ensure that nurses have a will to provide care in the case of disaster. In the future, a more active discussion on nurses’ duty to care and additional research on factors that may hinder and facilitate the same are needed.

Multimodal tweet classification in disaster response systems using transformer-based bidirectional attention model

Multimodal tweet classification in disaster response systems using transformer-based bidirectional attention model

Network Analysis of the Disaster Response Systems in the Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Recycling Center in South Korea

Since dust and flammable gas are generated during the waste recycling process, there is always a risk of a fire accident. However, research on disaster management at recycling facilities deals only with the problem of processing systems from a technical standpoint and does not suggest concrete alternatives from a management aspect. Therefore, this study analyzed the influence of the disaster response network of a Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling center at the organizational level based on the concept of the cognitive accuracy of a network considering administrative aspects. Accordingly, a survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire targeting 47 employees at the WEEE recycling center in South Korea and by applying the two-mode network analysis method using UCINET software, the centrality of the actor and the density of the network were quantitatively analyzed. Through this analysis, we confirmed that factors affecting the influence of the network exist, such that the entire network and the networks of different levels of position are different. We suggest that this can be improved by deploying safety and health management managers who perform formal tasks at the center of the network so that everyone can agree on the political approach and by empowering the safety and health management manager to conduct active education and training. Furthermore, we suggest that the network structure should be reorganized, centering on the person in charge of safety and health management to have a network system that matches each position.

Organizational Changes Needed in Disasters and Public Health Emergencies: A Qualitative Study among Managers at a Major Hospital

Most hospitals have a contingency plan, based on all-risks and all-hazards assessment principles. However, emerging threats and risks often necessitate a flexible approach to emergency management at several levels of a disaster response system, for example, in hospitals. Sweden, and possibly other countries, has limited possibilities of surge capacity in the management of large-scale disasters and emergencies, which necessitates a local/national partnership and a flexible local disaster and contingency plan. This study evaluates the opinions of a selected managerial group, both at operative and strategic levels, regarding possible changes in a major hospital’s contingency plan during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Semistructured interviews were conducted to explore the elements of surge capacity and an operational tool, consisting of command and control, safety, communication, assessment, triage, treatment, and transport. The results show a need to create feasible management methods that can be evaluated, establish clear leadership, put preparedness as a constant point on the highest managerial agenda, improve external monitoring, and create a regional coordinating center. Furthermore, the results emphasize the significant role played by the incident command system and qualified leadership to facilitate competent and crucial medical decision making, as well as to provide reliable communication, collaboration, and coordination in a multi-agency response system during dynamic and unexpected emergencies. These steps enable a constant connection between reactive contingency plans and the proactivity in continuous risk assessment and enhance the flexibility of the contingency plans.

Analysis of Disaster Characteristics and Measurement of Disaster Resilience in Korea

Recently, in the paradigm of disaster management, resilience is being discussed as the ability to minimize negative impacts from disasters and return to the original state after disasters. Accordingly, the core goal of the disaster management policy is also changing to minimize damage from disasters and to build a society with maximum recovery capacity based on the concept of resilience. In addition, there are various discussions about how to quantify resilience. The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of disasters in Korea and measure the disaster resilience cost index using the disaster resilience cost and exposure factors. Quantification of resilience is possible with the concept of resilience cost, which can be expressed as the sum of system impact and total recovery effort. In this study, the resilience cost index is measured for each province, and based on the measured resilience cost and resilience characteristics, a disaster response system suitable for the characteristics of the region is prepared.

DECENTRALIZATION AND DISASTER COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT OF CHINA PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR BASED ON EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR CHANGE

BackgroundAlthough China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plays a key role in China's “the Belt and Road” initiative, the region cannot avoid various disasters. In fact, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, especially Pakistan, is one of the most vulnerable areas in the world. With CPEC's vision of decentralized disaster governance and response system, we urgently need to promote our new cross-border disaster management. The disasters along CPEC highlight the differences in cross-border health and well-being. In particular, people analyze the emotions and emotional changes in corridor decentralization and disaster collaborative management.Research Objects and MethodsThis paper systematically analyzes the disasters of China Petroleum Engineering Construction Co., Ltd. and the evolution of its disaster management system. Specifically, this paper compares the disaster management systems and mechanisms of China and Pakistan at the national, provincial, municipal and community levels, and then carefully studies the current trend of decentralized disaster management through a recent round of semi-structured and public interviews in Xinjiang From their experience, the problems and gaps between decentralized and decentralized disaster management have been found. At the same time, this study uses (1) positive emotion scale to analyze the changes of people's emotional behavior in this area. Panas emotion scale developed by Watson et al. It is widely used to measure emotions. The scale includes two dimensions: positive emotion and negative emotion. There are 6 questions in this dimension, which are scored by Likert 5 points: 1 means “very inconsistent”, 5 means “very consistent”, the same below). In this study, the CA coefficient of the questionnaire is 0.90. (2) Motivation scale. The topic of measuring motivation mainly refers to the entrepreneurial motivation scale compiled by Phan, with a total of 8 questions, using Likert 5-point scoring method. (3) Social support scale. The scale is adapted from the social support scale compiled by Ye Yuemei et al. It has 8 questions and is scored by Likert with 5 points. C scale α The coefficient is 0.87. (4) Behavioral propensity scale. Entrepreneurial orientation dimension in intention measurement. The scale has 6 questions and is scored by Likert with 5 points. scale α The C coefficient of is 0.95.ResultsThis paper discusses the latest trend of disaster management along China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). China and Pakistan have shown a trend of decentralization, but this is still a legacy of the strong role of the state in the disaster policy agenda. Therefore, the case investigation results of CPEC show that national and provincial disaster management institutions play a key role in disaster relief. At the same time, we will vigorously focus on disaster management and highlight the role of municipal governments and communities as key subjects of disaster management. Although the decentralization of disaster management system has become the mainstream trend of China and Pakistan, Xinjiang, China, is vast and sparsely populated, and the fragmentation of administrative management has brought many obstacles to the practice of Multi Center disaster management.ConclusionThe results of CPEC case investigation show that national and provincial disaster management institutions have played a key role in disaster relief. At the same time, we will vigorously focus on disaster management and highlight the role of municipal governments and communities as key subjects of disaster management. Although the decentralization of disaster management system has become the mainstream trend of China and Pakistan, Xinjiang, China, is vast and sparsely populated, and the fragmentation of administrative management has brought many obstacles to the practice of Multi Center disaster management.AcknowledgementsThis study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 41701138] and the Strategic Priority Research Program (A) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences [grant numbers XDA20010103].

A Study on the Possibility of Establishing a Disaster Relief Logistics System Using Convenience Stores: Focusing on Korea

Purpose In order to improve the efficiency of the national disaster response system directly related to the safety of the people, this study conducted a trial study to confirm Korea’s social infrastructure using convenience stores that can immediately respond to disasters. Design/Methodology/Approach We used the data of the administrative safety statistics yearbook for disaster-related data, and newspaper articles and stock reports were used for convenience store-related data. Findings Having 48,000 convenience stores in Korea could be a great advantage in establishing a system to respond to disasters. Therefore, it seems necessary for the government to create a system that can use convenience stores as social infrastructure facilities. Research Implications Unlike previous studies, this study is the first to present an operating system and policy suggestions on how to use convenience stores. Based on this, it can help to develop a new type of disaster relief platform.

Building A Disaster Prepared Village Community To Reduce The Risk Of A Landslide Disaster In Sumurup Village, Bendungan District, Trenggalek Regency

This mentoring research describes the reality of people's lives who have low awareness of natural disaster response. The problems that arise in the community are the lack of public awareness in tackling and dealing with disasters, the absence of a disaster emergency response and response system, and the absence of village government policies that focus on managing landslides. The purpose of this empowerment is to find a strategy in building a resilient community for landslide natural disasters to be more independent in handling and preventing disaster events in Sumurup Village. This study refers to a research approach using the PAR method. Namely making changes in the form of education and training in landslide risk reduction in order to provide a basic understanding of disaster risk reduction by making disaster-prone maps. As well as disaster simulation training accompanied by determining evacuation routes, and installing danger signs. In addition, by advocating village government policies to create funding rules for disaster management. With a series of activities that have been carried out with the community so as to create a strong and independent community attitude in dealing with natural disasters. These activities have resulted in improvements and changes in community capacity, especially for communities directly affected by disasters in reducing the risk of landslides.

A Study on the Problems and Improvement by Analyzing the Disastrous Large-scale Forest Fire Response System: Focusing on Simultaneous Forest Fires along the East Coast of Gangwon-do Province

On April 4, 2019, the forest fire that spread simultaneously to five cities and counties, including Inje, Goseong, Sokcho, and Gangneung and Donghae, on the east coast of Gangwon-do, was extinguished at an early stage. It is regarded as the result of the response with full force of Korea Forest Service, National Fire Agency, Militray, and other related organizations. However, it is also true that the limitations of current forest fire response system and the operation of forest fire response personnel, facilities and equipment were revealed in the process of responding Gangwon forest fire. To find solutions to these problems, from March 3 to April 2, 2021, a survey was conducted with firefighters, forest officials and residents in Gangwon-province with experience in forest fire on a total of 29 questions about Law and Policy, Forest Fire Response System and Operation of manpower and equipment. Based on the results of the survey and literature research, an improvement plan for the Forest Fire Disaster Response System was sought. Based on our survey results, we propose the following measures to improve South Korea's forest fire response system in the future. ; the incident command system should be unified, forest authorities' forest fire prevention and management system should be further strengthened, and forest fire response system must be improved to the level of other major countries through better legislations.

EXTENDING THE ROLE OF ARCHITECTURE INTERVENTION ACROSS THE DISASTER LIFE CYCLE

Disasters have been a common occurrence since the beginning of time, yet they are increasing phenomenally worldwide and especially in developing countries. Factors that led to the cause of destructive disasters are often complex and interrelated; researchers detect human influence and rapid development is intensifying the damage and scale of disaster-prone areas through urban sprawl and human interference. Observing the disaster life cycle, it is made up of four stages: preparedness stage, resilience and mitigation stage, response and relief stage, and finally reconstruction and recovery stage. The main focus usually lies in the response and relief stage which comes immediately after the disaster has struck. The aim of this research is to extend the architectural intervention across all stages of the disaster; using a dynamic disaster response system made up of three components, primarily a disaster educational centre that can reliably respond to any disaster occurrence using a network of prebuilt structures spread across the perimeters of disaster-prone areas. The structures help with strategic preparedness, promote resilience, mitigating damage and spread, provide recovery and relief, and aid in eventual reforestations and reconstructions. As well as, designed to host an adaptable module of prefabricated units that can be easily mobilized and transported to plug-in to the host structures; the hosting structures will also provide a mechanical response across all stages of the disaster life cycle with a minimum disruptive footprint. Utilizing primarily the inductive method, this research will analyse the effectiveness of this unconventional architectural design approach in how it functions both reactively and strategically across all stages of any disaster life cycle. The paper also relies on analytical and deductive methods to help portray the effectiveness of the unconventional architectural design approach in how it functions both reactively and strategically across all stages of any disaster life cycle.