Disaster Response Work Research Articles

‘It Sounds Bizarre, but I Can Call It a Good Thing Now’: Social Worker’s Lived Experiences of Posttraumatic Growth following Dual Disaster Events

Abstract This article reports on findings from a research study on social workers who practised in Christchurch, New Zealand, following two disaster events: the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 and the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks. The concept of posttraumatic growth (PTG), with particular reference to vicarious PTG, double exposure and shared resilience, is also explored in relation to this research. Data were gathered via qualitative interviews with twenty-three registered social workers conducted in 2021 and analysed through a reflexive thematic analysis. The findings reveal Christchurch social workers believed, due to their involvement in disaster response work, that their practice skills were enhanced, and they gained new understandings of trauma, including the positive changes which can occur as a result of exposure to traumatic experiences. The social work participants also considered their interpersonal and professional relationships as essential to the development of their own sense of resilience. This article concludes with a discussion on the implications of these findings and PTG theory for contemporary social work practice.

Workplace Buoyancy and Servant Leadership as Catalysts for Sustainable Disaster Management: Mitigating Emotional Exhaustion in Disaster Response Teams

Amid global crises like natural disasters and climate change, the emotional well-being of disaster response workers (DRWs) is a key factor in sustainable public health and disaster management. The study highlights the issue of emotional exhaustion among DRWs, which can impact organizational effectiveness and the health and well-being of affected communities. The study examines the roles of servant leadership (SL) and workplace buoyancy (WB) in addressing these issues. Using data from 336 DRWs involved in the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake, JD-R Theory is employed to study how these factors interact in high-demand scenarios. Analysis with the Smart PLS 4 program reveals that SL and WB play key roles in reducing emotional exhaustion (EE). Notably, WB partially mediates the relationship between SL and EE. These insights are vital for creating sustainable public health and disaster management strategies in times of growing conflicts and climate crises. By extending the JD-R Theory to encompass these elements, the study provides valuable suggestions for policymakers and managers to enhance the resilience and well-being of DRWs. The study deepens our understanding of public health challenges in disaster settings and highlights the need for integrated, sustainable responses to support those on the front lines of disaster relief efforts.

Cross-Cultural Emotional Labor: A Study of NGO Workers in Haiti

ABSTRACT Although demand for emotional labor (EL) is at its highest in times of disasters, there is a lack of studies on EL by disaster response and recovery workers in intercultural contexts. Using in-depth interviews and secondary data collected in Haiti, this article focuses on the link between culture and EL. We find that an understanding of the cultural context and the cultural competencies used to effectively navigate that context are central to each step of effective emotional labor performance. These findings help disaster response organizations better understand the value of cultural competence and how it effects the performance of EL.

Local government response capacity to natural disasters in the Central Highlands Provinces, Vietnam

Natural disasters in the Central Highlands of Vietnam are increasing and therefore becoming a concern for the provincial governments. The local authorities’ recent ability to respond to natural disasters in the region is considered ineffective, as evidenced by the increasing number of deaths and economic losses. Here, we focus on presenting and analyzing the current capacity of local authorities in the Central Highlands of Vietnam to respond to natural disasters in a normal state and in transitioning to an emergency state. We also provide evidence of natural disasters that have occurred and the actions undertaken by the Central Highlands provinces over the period 2015–2021. Our analysis shows that the capacity of local authorities to respond to natural disasters in the region is not commensurate with the actual requirements, in the dry season, the drought area increases, in the rainy season floods occur more, and human losses and economic losses have not been controlled. We propose that first of all, the government needs to have a system of timely guidance documents, the coordination between relevant agencies, secondly, that civil servants working in disaster response work must be capable, thirdly, the government must there should be publicity on how to respond, four is to limit the hot growth of projects such as hydroelectric projects, five is that the government must have a long-term master plan and sixth is to pay attention to livelihoods, education level of local ethnic people. These proposals can gradually control and limit the damage caused by increasingly severe natural disasters in the Central Highlands.

A framework of physically interactive parameter estimation based on active environmental groping for safe disaster response work

Disaster response robots are expected to perform complicated tasks such as traveling over unstable terrain, climbing slippery steps, and removing heavy debris. To complete such tasks safely, the robots must obtain not only visual-perceptual information (VPI) such as surface shape but also the haptic-perceptual information (HPI) such as surface friction of objects in the environments. VPI can be obtained from laser sensors and cameras. In contrast, HPI can be basically obtained from only the results of physical interaction with the environments, e.g., reaction force and deformation. However, current robots do not have a function to estimate the HPI. In this study, we propose a framework to estimate such physically interactive parameters (PIPs), including hardness, friction, and weight, which are vital parameters for safe robot-environment interaction. For effective estimation, we define the ground (GGM) and object groping modes (OGM). The endpoint of the robot arm, which has a force sensor, actively touches, pushes, rubs, and lifts objects in the environment with a hybrid position/force control, and three kinds of PIPs are estimated from the measured reaction force and displacement of the arm endpoint. The robot finally judges the accident risk based on estimated PIPs, e.g., safe, attentional, or dangerous. We prepared environments that had the same surface shape but different hardness, friction, and weight. The experimental results indicated that the proposed framework could estimate PIPs adequately and was useful to judge the risk and safely plan tasks.

Harnessing social and collaborative tools in digital disaster response work: Implications for design and practice

This paper explores the implication of the use and appropriation of collaborative technologies in digital disaster response. Using a virtual ethnographic approach, we studied the work of Humanity Road through participant observation of seventeen response operations across thirteen countries for seventeen months. The results identify critical areas where collaborative technologies have been successfully deployed for organising disaster responses. Our analysis offers insights into the areas where these technologies have facilitated or hindered the capacity of cooperative work during response operations. We conclude by suggesting implications for design and practice.

Systematic Review of the Reduction of Negative Emotional Effects in Emergency and Disaster Response Workers Through Catharsis Techniques

To analyze catharsis techniques used with professionals assisting victims of emergencies and disasters. Systematic review carried out in seven bibliographic databases: MEDLINE-Pubmed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycINFO, and other secondary sources, for articles published between 2008 and 2017, with the terms "catharsis", "emergencies", "debriefing" y "post-traumatic stress". Publication and selection biases were taken into account. Five reviews met the study inclusion criteria. Distress and traumatic experiences following an emergency or disaster are very common among health professionals, with adverse repercussions at the physical, psychological and cognitive levels. Some authors find that debriefing offers an opportunity for emotional release and toreduce the impact of stress on the lives of emergency responders, acting as a support network where they can reconstruct their experiences, express their thoughts and feelings, and reduce the impact on their lives. For other authors, however, this technique is not always effective for all professionals and may lead to negative consequences. Debriefing is a common intervention that promotes catharsis. However, there is considerable controversy over its implementation and effectiveness. This study identified a diversity of catharsis techniques applied to staff responding to emergencies and disasters.

Mitigating the negative effects of emotional labor: A study of disaster response and recovery workers after the 2010 Haiti earthquake

AbstractOne of the most pressing governance challenges around the globe is managing disasters and their underlying risk factors. Little is known about effective strategies to minimize burnout and posttraumatic stress disorder among practitioners involved in addressing this challenge, especially in countries that rely mainly on international aid agencies for the delivery of basic services to their citizens. This article draws on the emotional labor literature to identify routes addressing the negative consequences of doing response and recovery work in postdisaster contexts. Based primarily on surveys and interviews with response and recovery workers involved after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, it advances and extends previous emotional labor theory on the mitigating factors of service workers' burnout. It points to the importance of autonomy and training as well as five coping mechanisms: relying on informal support, utilizing humor, leaving work at work, decompressing alone, and rotating job positions.

Relationship between Disaster Response Work of Welfare Facilities and Acceptance of Evacuees after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake

Relationship between Disaster Response Work of Welfare Facilities and Acceptance of Evacuees after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake

Plant inspection by using a ground vehicle and an aerial robot: lessons learned from plant disaster prevention challenge in world robot summit 2018

In recent years, to prevent accidents and disaster are desired by implementing maintenance and management of facilities, such as conducting periodic inspections with appropriate frequency at plants. However, because the dangerous materials such as flammable gas and explosives is used in a plant, and there are many dangerous places in a plant such as high-temperature environment and high places and narrow spaces, it is desirable to use a remote-controlled robot for safety work and short inspections. Against this background, the Disaster Robotics Category-Plant Disaster Prevention Challenge was held in Japan at the World Robot Summit 2018. Our team was ranked 3rd in this competition, because our strategy of ‘inspection and investigation in cooperation with UGV and UAV’ was effective. In this paper, the competition contents of World Robot Summit 2018 and the robot inspection system that we are studying are explained. And what kind of strategy was challenged and result for these given competition tasks by using our robot system are introduced. And the lessons learned such as advantages and issues in UGV and UAV collaboration work at this competition are described for evaluate a robot investigation system for disaster response and inspection work at plants.

Health Risks and Challenges in Earthquake Responders in Nepal: A Qualitative Research.

While the impact of disasters is strongly felt by those directly affected, they also have significant impact on the mental and physical health of rescue/relief workers and volunteers during the response phase of disaster management. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 experts in the field of disaster management from Nepal, inquiring specifically about the impact of the 2015 mega-earthquake on the mental and physical health of rescue/relief workers and volunteers. A thematic approach was used to analyze the results. These were used to assess the applicability of a previously developed conceptual framework which illustrates the hazards and risk factors affecting disaster response workers and the related hazard mitigation approaches. The findings suggested a relationship between the type of injuries to responders and the type of disaster, type of responder, and vulnerability of location. The conceptual framework derived from literature was verified for its applicability with a slight revision on analysis of experts' opinion based on particular context and disaster setting. Technical skills of responders, social stigma, governance, and the socio-economic status of the affected nation were identified as critical influencing factors to heath injuries and could be minimized utilizing some specific or collective measures targeted at the aforementioned variables. Some geographic and weather-specific risks may be challenging to overcome. To prevent or minimize the hazards for disaster relief workers, it is vital to understand the variables that contribute to injuries. Risk minimization strategies should address these critical factors.

Disaster Response and Mitigation Support Technology for All-Hazards in Tokyo Metropolitan Area

In Theme 7-2 of SIP Disaster Prevention (Enhancement of Social Resiliency against Natural Disaster of Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program), we implemented the two subthemes to develop the disaster response and mitigation technology effective for the complex disaster caused by earthquake and flood by torrential rain in megalopolis such as Tokyo metropolitan area; “Subtheme 1: Development of Application Software for Supporting All-Hazards Management in Megalopolis and Commercial Areas around Large Terminal Stations,” and “Subtheme 2: Sustainable Development of Local Disaster Prevention Technology with Visualization Application.” In the former, we formulated behavioral guidelines of central city areas during disasters based on the hazard/risk assessment, and developed an application software for PC/smartphone to support emergency management by delivering relevant information to civilians and disaster response workers during the disaster. Especially, the application would reduce secondary disasters, such as the confusion/panic by the huge number of crowds. In the latter, to “efficiently utilize the limited time, human resources and goods and to minimize damage” at the time of the disaster, we developed a “travel support application,” which can efficaciously “assign” workers to various tasks (the events that require a response) that are spatially distributed at the occurrence of disaster, “navigate” by identifying optimal routes for patrol and “monitor” progress.

Examining posttraumatic growth and mental health difficulties in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy continues to affect the mental health of New York residents. This study examined associations between Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) and mental health difficulties (MHD) including symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants (N = 1,356) recruited from the New York metropolitan area completed questionnaires regarding their PTG, demographics, MHD, and hurricane experiences. A weighted least squares regression assessed the association between MHD and PTG. A post hoc analysis determined whether anxiety or depression moderated the effect of PTSD on PTG. All MHD were crudely associated with greater PTG. After adjustment, an increased PTSD score was significantly associated with a 0.20 unit increase in PTG (t = 6.05, p < .001); this did not hold for depression or anxiety symptoms. Higher PTG was associated with being non-White (B = 5.90, t = 6.49, p < .001), Hispanic (B = 3.38, t = 2.89, p = .004), a smoker (B = 3.18, t = 3.28, p = .001), and greater Hurricane Sandy exposure (t = 7.11, p < .001). The positive association between PTSD symptoms and PTG was weaker among participants with probable depression. Results suggest that participants with higher PTSD symptoms were more likely to grow from the impact of the storm, indicating resilience. Highly exposed participants were more likely to experience PTG. A decrease in PTG was found among those with both PTSD and depression symptoms. The development and implementation of interventions fostering PTG could be beneficial in clinical disaster response work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychological Outcomes in Disaster Responders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effect of Social Support

Disaster response work is associated with various psychological outcomes. In post-disaster conditions, social support is generally observed to impact mental health, particularly for survivors. This review was conducted to survey the extent of social support effectiveness on disaster responder groups. Published quantitative social support studies on police, emergency medical responders, rescue and recovery workers, firefighters, and military responders were searched in various academic databases using keyword searches, a reference list search, and a citation search that resulted in 24 studies with 90 effect sizes being included in the final data base. Articles were coded and effect sizes were averaged using the Hedges–Vevea Random Effects model. Nineteen categories of psychological outcomes (for example, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and psychological distress) and eight classifications of support were coded. Social support was found to be associated with anxiety, burnout, depression, job control, job satisfaction, psychological distress, turnover intentions, and work engagement, with mean effect sizes from − 0.36 to 0.57. Most studies measured perceived social support and negative outcomes. Social support correlated with outcomes in police responders and rescue and recovery workers. This review discusses the breadth of effect of social support, as well as other elements, such as temporal factors, that may affect the effectiveness of social support in disaster responders.

Exposure to Oil Spill Chemicals and Lung Function in Deepwater Horizon Disaster Response Workers.

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between total hydrocarbon (THC) exposures attributed to oil spill clean-up work and lung function 1 to 3 years after the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster. We used data from the GuLF STUDY, a large cohort of adults who worked on response to the DWH disaster and others who were safety trained but did not work. We analyzed data from 6288 workers with two acceptable spirometry tests. We estimated THC exposure levels with a job exposure matrix. We evaluated lung function using the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1; mL), the forced vital capacity (FVC; mL), and the FEV1/FVC ratio (%). Lung function measures did not differ by THC exposure levels among clean-up workers. We did not observe an association between THC exposure and lung function among clean-up workers 1 to 3 years following the DWH disaster.

Improving disaster response through the science of work

The effectiveness of a disaster response effort is heavily reliant upon the disaster responders themselves. When disaster workers are unqualified or unsuited for the work or are poorly trained, the effectiveness of the disaster response will be greatly reduced. Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology is a field of study which specializes in the science of work, using research-based interventions to address worker and workplace challenges. The integration of I-O Psychology into disaster response research and practice holds significant promise in improving disaster response work by addressing labor issues commonly faced in disaster response settings. This article illustrates two areas in which I-O Psychology can be used to improve disaster worker outcomes: worker selection and team training.

A Scale-Gain Adjustment Method for Master-Slave System Considering Complexity, Continuity, and Time Limitation in Disaster Response Work

A Scale-Gain Adjustment Method for Master-Slave System Considering Complexity, Continuity, and Time Limitation in Disaster Response Work

Development of Estimation Formula of Disaster Response Work Volume based on the Kumamoto Earthquake

Development of Estimation Formula of Disaster Response Work Volume based on the Kumamoto Earthquake

Research of Extraordinary Floods Disaster Scenario Construction and Simulation— Taking Yongding River as an Example

The Yongding River flood disasters frequently occur, which has great harm to the safe operation of Beijing city. Through the study of the catastrophic floods of Yongding river scenario construction, it demonstrates in the development of Yongding river catastrophic floods. Disaster simulation was carried out by MIKE RR model，the emergency response capacity gap was analyzed according to the simulation results, and the countermeasures and working mechanism of the flood disaster in Yongding River Basin were improved. Disaster simulation of MIKE RR model provides data basis for disaster prevention and response work, and on the basis of perfecting flood control and emergency response plan, in order to prevent catastrophic floods emergencies to provide strong support and technical support.

Preparedness in Long-Term Care: A Novel Approach to Address Gaps in Evacuation Tracking.

With an aging population, the number of elderly individuals residing in long-term care (LTC) facilities will continue to grow and pose unique challenges to disaster preparedness and response. With this rapidly growing vulnerable population, it becomes imperative to identify enhanced and novel preparedness strategies and measures. LTC residents not only have complicated medical needs, including the timing of dispensing multiple medications, but frequently have cognitive and mobility deficits as well. In nearly every major disaster, elderly populations have suffered disproportionate morbidity and mortality. This is often due to elderly evacuees getting overlooked in the chaos of an initial response. Instituting measures to rapidly recognize this population in a crowd during an evacuation will reduce their risk. This commentary reviews the LTC facility evacuation challenges of the 2013 explosion of the West Fertilizer Company plant in West, Texas, and offers a novel solution of mandating the wearing of pink vests by all nursing home residents in case of an evacuation. The pink vests quickly alert disaster rescue and response workers of LTC residents with special needs. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:28-30).