Emergency Response Personnel Research Articles

Assessing countries capacity for public health emergencies preparedness and response: the joint external evaluation process in Cameroon

INTRODUCTION: The International Health Regulation (2005) requires all countries to develop and maintain core capacities for preparedness and response to public health emergencies. The objective of this study was to assess Cameroon´s capacities to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats through the Joint External Evaluation process. METHODS: data for the 48 indicators within the 19 technical areas of the Joint External Evaluation tool were examined. The scores for the 19 technical areas were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and R.3.4.3 for descriptive statistics (median and interquartile ranges). RESULTS: Cameroon´s overall median score was 2 (Min =1, Max=4) and 34/48 indicators (71%) had scores less than 2 on a 1 to 5 scale. The weakest technical areas in the “Prevent” category were antimicrobial resistance, biosafety and biosecurity, and National legislation, policy and financing. In the “Detect” category, the median score was 2. Technical areas with the lowest median scores were reporting and national laboratory system. Emergency response operations, preparedness, medical countermeasures and personnel deployment had the lowest scores in the “Respond” category. Chemical events and points of entry had the lowest score in “Other IHR-related hazards and points of entry” category. CONCLUSION: recommendations from the Joint External Evaluation to address the gaps should be aligned in a National Action Plan for Health Security and implementation ensured by a high level multi sectoral platform to strengthen IHR core capacities in the country.

Modular and Integrated Sensor Network of Intelligent Radiation Monitor Systems for Radiological and Nuclear Threat Response

Increased sensitivity to nuclear safety and security issues has prompted public entities and private institutions to maximize their capability to rapidly assess risks and intervene in the case of accident or threat. Quick intervention and response are achieved through nuclear measurements via airborne, land, and underwater systems. A network of cohesive, well-integrated and easy deployable radiation monitoring systems combined with real-time analysis of data is essential to facilitate and enhance the decision-making process during these most critical moments enhancing the quality of the management plan. The presented radiation monitoring systems can be integrated in several form factors which depend mainly on operational needs and internal battery for autonomous operation. Compact ARM based computers is embedded, which can store large amount of data in their non-volatile memory, run automatic data analysis and trigger alarms in case of exceeding radiation levels. All the systems can communicate with redundant interfaces in failover configuration and upload the acquired environmental information in a central database. The same monitoring systems can alert the emergency response personnel on the field as well, through wireless connection to common tablets or cellphone or SMS, guaranteeing a prompt response in case an illicit transportation of radiological or nuclear material is detected.

Operational Flood Risk Index Mapping for Disaster Risk Reduction Using Earth Observations and Cloud Computing Technologies: A Case Study on Myanmar

People, livelihoods, and infrastructure in Myanmar suffer from devastating monsoonal flooding on a frequent basis. Quick and effective management of flood risk relies on planning and preparedness to ensure the availability of supplies, shelters and emergency response personnel. The mandated government agency Department of Disaster Management (DDM) as well as local and international organizations play roles in producing, disseminating, and using accurate and timely information on flood risk. Currently, systematic flood risk maps are lacking, which leaves DDM to rely on inconsistent historic reports and local knowledge to inform their emergency planning. Although these types of knowledge are critical, they can be complemented to reduce bias and human error to planning processes and decisions. As such, the present situation has led to ineffective distribution of emergency response resources prior to flooding, leaving vulnerable populations less-than-prepared for inevitable flood events. Given these issues, we have developed a flood risk decision-support tool in collaboration with DDM. The tool uses surface water maps developed by the Joint Research Center (JRC), which were derived from more than 30 years of Landsat imagery. We have also incorporated population data, land cover data, and other information on flood exposure and vulnerability to create the first scalable and replicable Flood Risk Index (FRI) for flood risk reduction in Myanmar.

Analysis of Emergency Medical Response Service in Peshawar through Simulation

EMRS (Emergency Medical Response Service) is the public safety system that is responsible for the initial first aid and transportation of the patient to the hospital. Providing a timely response to any emergency situation is of critical nature and needs to be addressed in the shortest possible time. Decreasing the response to an emergency site and timely pre-hospitalization care location identification and number of emergency response personnel and vehicles are some of the critical elements of EMRS. In this research, a probabilistic model is developed which incorporates the probabilistic response to any emergency situation. The developed model was applied to an actual scenario of the EMRS in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan. The EMRS has 7 locations covering 7 different regions of the city covering more than 1200 square kilometers area. The main purpose of the study is to measure the quality of EMRS on the basis of response time and queue. The study has identified that station 1 and 2 have the highest utilization; 58% each, while station 7 has the lowest utilization at 13.7%. Since the emergency care at the site of incidence is one of the primary responsibilities of the public safety organizations so this study also discusses the average instantaneous utilization of EMRS resources for that region.

The psychological well-being of emergency response personnel in the province of Cebu

ABSTRACTEmergency response personnel (ERP) hold a vital role in disaster management. They respond to victims in stressful situations yet there is limited information about their psychological well-being. This study aimed to explore the psychological well-being of ERP in the province of Cebu. Eight ERP from emergency response organisations in Cebu were purposely selected to participate in one-on-one interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and subthemes. Themes that emerged were (1) The Perspective of an Unsung Hero, (2) Conditions Brought About by an Emergency Response, (3) Social Connections and Relationships, and (4) Fragments of the Past. Findings suggest that despite recurring exposure to disasters, ERP are able to improve oneself in the midst of adversity and value interpersonal relationships. Continued support from different public and private sectors is essential to cater their psychological needs which in turn contribute to their overall well-being. Occupational therapists, having roles in disaster response, can also provide support and strategies to contribute to emergency responders’ psychological well-being.

Intelligent fire detection and alert system using labVIEW

Fire detection systems are designed to discover fires and allow the safe evacuation of occupants as well as protecting the safety of emergency response personnel. This paper describes the design and development of a fire detection and alert system. Temperature and flame sensors are used to indicate the occurrence of fire. This work consists of two parts, which are transmitter and receiver, both using ZigBee wireless technology. Arduino Uno is used as the microcontroller at the transmitter part to control the sensor nodes and give alert when over temperature and flame are detected. At the transmitter, the collected data from the sensors are transmitted by an XBee module operated as router node. At the receiver side, an XBee coordinator module which is attached to a computer using USB to serial communication captured the data for further processing. In addition, an interactive and user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) is developed. LabVIEW software is used to design the GUI which displays and analyze the possibility of fire happening. The system can display the fire location and provides early warning to allow occupants to escape the building safely.

Monitoring and Dose Assessment for Children Following a Radiation Emergency-Part II: Calibration Factors for Thyroid Monitoring.

Past radiological and nuclear accidents have demonstrated that monitoring a large number of children following a radiological and nuclear emergency can be challenging, in accommodating their needs as well as adapting monitoring protocols and applying age-specific biokinetics to account for various ages and body sizes. This paper presents the derived calibration factors for thyroid monitoring of children of all ages recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection using four selected detectors at given times following a short-term (acute) intake of I by inhalation. These calibration factors were derived by Monte Carlo simulations using the models of various detectors and pediatric voxel phantoms. A collection of lookup tables is presented in this paper which may be directly used as a quick reference by emergency response personnel or technical experts performing thyroid monitoring and assessment without doing time-consuming calculations.

The Effect of the Urban Parametrization on Simulated Contaminant Atmospheric Transport and Dispersion

Urban atmospheric transport and dispersion are investigated through the simulation of hypothetical contaminant releases. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to simulate a New York City heat event from 18–20 July 2013 using three different urban parametrizations and the Noah land-surface model, with simulation results reflecting the variations in the parametrization of urban drag and building-wake effects, leading to simulated ranges of 2 °C for the surface air temperature, 3 m s−1 for the surface wind speed, and 20° for the surface wind direction. The Quick Urban and Industrial Complex (QUIC) model for atmospheric transport and dispersion is used to simulate three hypothetical contaminant releases in Central Park in New York City: the release of a biological agent from a backpack sprayer, the release of pressurized liquid chlorine from a rupture in a tanker truck, and the release of a radioisotope from a radiological dispersion device. The WRF model results from the four simulations at the times of maximum and minimum surface air temperature are used to initialize the QUIC model, with the different urban parametrizations leading to differences in plume directions and contaminant contour areas of up to 33° and up to a factor of 2.1, respectively. The variation in the size of predicted contours at the toxicity threshold may influence emergency-response decisions, while the differences in the predicted plume direction may influence where emergency-response personnel are directed. The results support the development and deployment of the best urban parametrization scheme in a forecast model for predicting hazard areas.

A comparison of overtime patrol stops made inside and out of cluster identified hotspots

ABSTRACTObjective: The annual rate of impaired driving crashes in the United States has remained nearly constant over the last decade. While engineers, educators, enforcement, and emergency response personnel have worked diligently in their combined efforts to reduce the loss of life, there is still significant progress to be made. One area of recent interest is the use of data driven enforcement. The basis for data driven enforcement is the use of statistical clustering to identify geographic areas that represent the location of problem identification for various criminal or traffic offenses. In the case of impaired driving fatalities, the clustering represents locations with high rates of impaired driving crashes. Law enforcement officers and supervisors may allocate resources towards more specifically and efficiently addressing problem areas.Methods: While data driven enforcement has been proven to be an effective tool in addressing crime and traffic safety problems, it has been a slow process for agencies to adopt data driven techniques. This study aims to explore the difference in traffic stops made inside and outside of hotspot identified areas. The study uses data from the Stark County Operating a Vehicle Impaired Task Force between 2013 and 2014.Results: The analysis determined that stop occurring in hotspot defined areas are more likely to result in impaired driving arrests and seatbelt citations. Additionally it is found that the average cost of impaired driving arrests is significantly cheaper for stops occurring inside of hotspot areas.Conclusion: Clustering as a means of directing law enforcement efforts are a way to increase the productivity and benefits of law enforcement agencies with limited finances or personnel. From this study it is seen that traffic stops made within defined cluster or hot spot areas are more effective in resulting in OVI arrests.

Hurricanes, Response, and Community Health Resilience

Natural and human-made disasters, including earthquakes, floods, cyber-security threats, and antimicrobial resistance, collectively continue to strain local economies and affect communities worldwide in a multiplicity of ways, demanding international response and posing ongoing logistical hurdles (Nicogossian & Stabile, 2015). Natural disasters can strike anywhere and do not discriminate between developed and developing countries, though affluence certainly eases the always arduous recovery process. Geographic location and proximity to natural resources and products supporting major commercial nodes are major challenges facing many communities is the aftermath of disasters, with dire implications for human health. Hurricanes and tropical storms regularly affect coastal regions during specific months of the year. The population of coastal regions is steadily increasing, and expanding urbanization usually brings geographic and ecological changes. Two-thirds of annual coastal disasters are associated with extreme weather events, such as tornadoes, destructive wind, and flooding, and these are part of a “trend that is expected to continue into the future … due to climate change and sea level rise” (Newmann, Vafeidis, Zimmermann, & Nicholls, 2015). Such disasters are attributable in part to the documented contribution of human activities (Nicogossian, Stabile, Kloiber, & Septimus, 2017). The severe impacts of multiple hurricanes that devastated and flooded Florida, Caribbean islands, the Gulf Coast of Texas and Mexico, and Puerto Rico, in 2017 are unfortunate reminders of the severe and worsening challenges facing coastal communities. While there has been marked improvement in disaster response, including early warnings and large-scale evacuations, community recovery is still problematic. The aftermath of such disasters can result in unnecessary loss of life and astronomical costs. Flooding, infections, mold, and exposure to environmental and industrial hazards continue to hamper recovery. Natural or human-made disasters can overwhelm the ability of communities and even governments to care for those affected. Socioeconomic disparities and post-traumatic stress disorders demand continuous attention (Nicogossian et al., 2012). Frail elderly people are particularly vulnerable during hurricanes (McCann, 2015). Evidence that the poor, children, elderly, and those afflicted with chronic health disorders are at a higher risk for morbidity and mortality is mounting. Since 2001, disease-surveillance, provision of public health services (vaccines, antibiotics), ability to deliver care in the event of mass casualties (surge capacity) and community resiliency have all become essential elements of preparedness. In the United States, health-care readiness is part of homeland security preparedness, and is not viewed as an extension of daily emergency response. Disaster response and resilience requires continuous training and the ability to respond with measured and appropriate surge capacity. Standards of care, interoperability, and coordination of response to disasters have been developed, adopted and continue to be improved upon (Gostin & Hanfling, 2009; Gostin et al., 2010; Hanfling & Llewellyn, 2014). Planning and building resilience in coastal regions should address all of the above four areas of interest, in addition to long-term community support and better engineering of human settlements. The goals of health-care facility preparedness should encompass planning and training, not only for medical and emergency response personnel, but for the community. Availability of military resources and rapid deployment are also essential to ensure survival, rescue, and humanitarian assistance. The 2017 hurricane season enhanced the urgency of addressing human activities’ contributions to climate change and coastal vulnerabilities. We are still trying to develop better predictive models of such interactions based on evidence to guide mitigating strategies (Adger, Hughes, Folke, Carpenter, & Rockström, 2005; Janssen & Ostrom, 2006; Rose & Shu-Yi, 2005). Adequate research funding is a must to address disaster mitigation strategies and develop reliable warning systems. We do encourage the submission of manuscripts addressing policies and practices for disaster mitigation and community health resilience. Finally, we would like to offer special thanks to our Editorial Board members, contributors, and readership, and wish you all a happy and prosperous 2018.

A simulator-based nuclear reactor emergency response training exercise.

Training offsite emergency response personnel basic awareness of onsite control room operations during nuclear power plant emergency conditions was the primary objective of a week-long workshop conducted on a CANDU® virtual nuclear reactor simulator available at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Canada. The workshop was designed to examine both normal and abnormal reactor operating conditions, and to observe the conditions in the control room that may have impact on the subsequent offsite emergency response. The workshop was attended by participants from a number of countries encompassing diverse job functions related to nuclear emergency response. Objectives of the workshop were to provide opportunities for participants to act in the roles of control room personnel under different reactor operating scenarios, providing a unique experience for participants to interact with the simulator in real-time, and providing increased awareness of control room operations during accident conditions. The ability to "pause" the simulator during exercises allowed the instructors to evaluate and critique the performance of participants, and to provide context with respect to potential offsite emergency actions. Feedback from the participants highlighted (i) advantages of observing and participating "hands-on" with operational exercises, (ii) their general unfamiliarity with control room operational procedures and arrangements prior to the workshop, (iii) awareness of the vast quantity of detailed control room procedures for both normal and transient conditions, and (iv) appreciation of the increased workload for the operators in the control room during a transient from normal operations. Based upon participant feedback, it was determined that the objectives of the training had been met, and that future workshops should be conducted.

Preparedness Training Programs for Working With Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities and Older Adults: Lessons Learned From Key Informants and Literature Assessments.

The objectives of this study were to (1) identify available training programs for emergency response personnel and public health professionals on addressing the needs of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals and older adults, (2) identify strategies to improve these training programs, and (3) identify gaps in available training programs and make recommendations for addressing these gaps. A literature review was conducted to identify relevant training programs and identify lessons learned. Interviews were conducted by telephone or email with key informants who were subject matter experts who worked with Deaf and hard of hearing persons (n=11) and older adults (n=11). From the literature, 11 training programs targeting public health professionals and emergency response personnel serving Deaf and hard of hearing individuals (n=7) and older adults (n=4) were identified. The 4 training programs focused on older adults had corresponding evaluations published in the literature. Three (43%) of the 7 training programs focused on Deaf and hard of hearing persons included individuals from the affected communities in the development and implementation of the training. Key informant interviews identified common recommendations for improving training programs: (1) training should involve collaboration across different emergency, state, federal, and advocacy agencies; (2) training should involve members of affected communities; (3) training should be more widely accessible and affordable; and (4) training should teach response personnel varied communication techniques relevant to the Deaf and hard of hearing and older adult communities. Developing effective, accessible, and affordable training programs for emergency response personnel working with Deaf and hard of hearing persons, some of whom belong to the older adult population, will require a collaborative effort among emergency response agencies, public health organizations, and members of the affected communities. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:606-614).

A review of competencies in tunnel fire response seen from the first responders’ perspectives

Norway has an increasing number of long and complicated road tunnel designs, which can be defined as complex sociotechnical systems. To avoid major accidents and fire situations, knowledge about the fire safety is required by both the fire and rescue services and the society. This article focuses on how representatives from fire and rescue services express uncertainties and expectations regarding the knowledge dimension of the road tunnel fire and rescue systems. The article is based on investigations of two tunnel fires in Norway, in addition to data from a workshop with tunnel fire response experts. The data has been analysed using systems engineering approach combined with an understanding of learning. This study has revealed tunnel fire safety concerns related to the Norwegian emergency response personnel’s state of competence both in the pre- and post-accidental phases. The situation regarding tunnel fire safety is unclear and fragmented, with corresponding weaknesses in the existing knowledge. The future will bring even more complex road tunnels, also subsea-crossings, that challenge all parties: road owners, road users, vehicle producers, emergency responders and authorities. Norway needs facilities for tunnel safety training that can complement existing facilities and provide new knowledge.

Balancing Security and Other Requirements in Hastily Formed Networks: The Case of the Syrian Refugee Response

The need for connectivity and communication during emergencies has spawned research and development of Hastily Formed Networks (HFNs) (Denning 2006; Tornqvist et al. 2009; Nelson et al. 2011; Lundberg et al 2014). These networks, both organizational and technical, are crucial to response effectiveness but are difficult to manage and deploy. Research to improve HFNs has focused on organizational and interpersonal aspects, including HFNs’ ‘conversation spaces’ (Denning 2006), as well as the technical aspects of designing and deploying network infrastructure. These infrastructures typically focus on connecting emergency response personnel. However, recent efforts are expanding to include connections for affected communities. This expansion of the user base creates new requirements, ranging from different models of network management to far greater diversity in end-user equipment, knowledge and skills. This paper examines organizational and contextual factors of network design and deployment for affected communities, focusing on (1) identifying the design requirements, (2) decision making concerning the appropriate balance of requirements, and (3) implementing designs. Our analysis also examines the conversation spaces through which decisions, particularly trade-offs, are made. Through a case study of networks deployed in response to the Syrian refugee crisis, we examine cooperation between an NGO and two tech industry Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) teams. Together, these partners deployed networks in refugee camps across several European countries. As of March 2017, the system has been deployed at 75 locations, supporting 600,000 users. As detailed in our case study, design requirements fell into three categories, including replicability, limited management resources, and managing a diverse user base. Replicability generated requirements related to portability of equipment, while limited management resources required networks be largely self-managing. The diverse user base required bandwidth limits to ensure equity by preventing the emergence of ‘super users.’ This was necessary due to network access being provided free of charge. Further, and more importantly, the need for network security affected the balance for each requirement as the increased threat of cyberattacks related to the Syrian war, created an imperative to protect civilians against electronic exploitation. Preliminary results suggest three outcomes. First, the conversation spaces for network design are positively influenced by ongoing commitments, trust and specialization. The NGO plays a coordinating role as well as serves as a ‘long term player in the market.’ The tech companies trust the work of the NGO’s staff due to their long term relationship. This, in turn, allowed one of the tech companies to focus on the network’s high level design, reflecting specialization between the team participants. Second, the accumulated expertise and an assessment of the context made from a distance by the tech company designers drove decision making concerning the integration of security features into the network’s design. Third, the design task of these hastily formed networks is a multi-stage and ongoing task, with initial decisions made independently prior to deployment, and subsequent decisions made jointly both in the stage of network deployment but also during ongoing operations.

Emergency management training: Handling rich qualitative and quantitative data

An emergency management tool developed for training police, fire and ambulance teams in Norway and Sweden provided the data for this paper. The teams communicated with representatives of the local power companies and county and municipality officials in responding to various emergency scenarios in a web-based training tool. The project generated rich textual data of the content of the communications as well as a range of quantitative data on who communicated with whom, how often and with what type of information. The author analyzed the qualitative data using the NVivo software package and the quantitative analysis used the R statistics package and the social network analysis (SNA) module. The textual analysis shows distinct patterns of concepts and terms used by the various emergency response agencies. The quantitative analysis illustrates the flow of communication among the participants of the emergency management training (EMT). Visual representation of both the qualitative and quantitative data from the project provides a thorough insight into processes of communication among emergency response personnel in role-playing training sessions. The data visualization enhances the debriefing session following emergency response training. The research group at Mid Sweden University and NORD University recently received funding for a three-year continuation of the project. The new project will emphasize the demand side (community stakeholders) in addition to the supply side (the emergency personnel).

Development of an automatically deployable roll over protective structure for agricultural tractors based on hydraulic power: Prototype and first tests

An inadequate use of the deployable Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) in agricultural tractors contributes to fatalities in rollover events. To help to resolve this problem, an automatically deployable ROPS was designed, constructed and tested. The prototype, called HydraROPS, established two assistance levels for the elevation of the foldable ROPS. In the first level, the driver decides to change the ROPS’ position and this change is made using the manual activation on the board. In the second level, an automatic change to the operative position occurs in situations of impending rollover, without the intervention of the driver. In this level, it automatically sends a phone message with the GPS location to contact emergency response personnel. The tractor’s hydraulic power was used to move the protective structure. In order to increase the deployment speed of ROPS, a pressure accumulator was included in the hydraulic circuit. The deployment time of the ROPS without the pressure accumulator was 2.599s and with the pressure accumulator 0.743s. The results of the research show that the pressure accumulator assembled in the hydraulic circuit reduced the deployment time of ROPS by 71%; and that the electronic control system can correctly predict overturn. HydraROPS has the advantage compared to other automatic deployment devices of protective structures that can be installed on tractors equipped with a certified rollover protective structure. The installation in marketable tractor models does not modify the protection structure; therefore a new certification of the protection structure is not necessary.

Treatment of Head and Neck Injuries in the Helmeted Athlete

Sport-related concussion treatment includes three major phases: initial evaluation at the time of the injury, treatment while the patient is symptomatic, and evaluation of the readiness for a gradual return to participation. Each concussion evaluation should include similar elements: assessment of symptoms, assessment of cognitive ability, assessment of coordination (of the eyes, upper extremities, and lower extremities), and assessment for additional injuries. The spine-boarding recommendations from the American College of Emergency Physicians, National Association of EMS Physicians, and National Athletic Trainers' Association have changed. These recommendations include both decreased use of spinal immobilization and removal of the helmet and shoulder pads prior to securing the athlete to the board when sufficient numbers of trained providers are present. Preseason training and pregame meetings or "medical time outs" should become standard practice for the sidelines medical team (including the athletic trainer, team physician, emergency response personnel, and possibly others).

Prevalence of Healthy Sleep Duration among Adults--United States, 2014.

To promote optimal health and well-being, adults aged 18-60 years are recommended to sleep at least 7 hours each night (1). Sleeping <7 hours per night is associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, frequent mental distress, and all-cause mortality (2-4). Insufficient sleep impairs cognitive performance, which can increase the likelihood of motor vehicle and other transportation accidents, industrial accidents, medical errors, and loss of work productivity that could affect the wider community (5). CDC analyzed data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to determine the prevalence of a healthy sleep duration (≥ 7 hours) among 444,306 adult respondents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A total of 65.2% of respondents reported a healthy sleep duration; the age-adjusted prevalence of healthy sleep was lower among non-Hispanic blacks, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and multiracial respondents, compared with non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, and Asians. State-based estimates of healthy sleep duration prevalence ranged from 56.1% in Hawaii to 71.6% in South Dakota. Geographic clustering of the lowest prevalence of healthy sleep duration was observed in the southeastern United States and in states along the Appalachian Mountains, and the highest prevalence was observed in the Great Plains states. More than one third of U.S. respondents reported typically sleeping <7 hours in a 24-hour period, suggesting an ongoing need for public awareness and public education about sleep health; worksite shift policies that ensure healthy sleep duration for shift workers, particularly medical professionals, emergency response personnel, and transportation industry personnel; and opportunities for health care providers to discuss the importance of healthy sleep duration with patients and address reasons for poor sleep health.

Political communication and disasters: A four-country analysis of how politicians should talk before, during and after disasters

Politicians are increasingly involving themselves in the frontline delivery of information in the lead up to disasters and as they unfold. They are often placed as spokespeople and represent the public face of disaster, be it anthropogenic or natural. A disaster also offers opportunities for a politician to participate in intense media coverage and build their profile. However, this represents potential conflict within the disaster management environment when a disaster response is being coordinated by senior public servants or emergency response personnel. This paper examines the observations of senior emergency managers about politicians׳ communication with various publics before during and after disasters. Analysis is based on interviews conducted in four countries, Australia, Norway, the United Kingdom and Germany. While emergency managers believe the involvement of politicians in communicating about disasters is important, they would prefer that politicians restrict their activities during the response phase of such events. This paper reviews interview data to reveal the role-based expectations of politicians by emergency managers. Our findings have implications for the management of disasters, and the involvement of politicians in communication about these events.

Predicting Group Decisions Based on Group Information Seeking and Assembly Behavior

In group decision making situations, group members may have or may express preferences for decision alternatives only indirectly or incompletely, based on goals and on information collected from the environment. For example, group members undertaking a route-planning task may express a preference only for route segments, such as traveling from home to the supermarket. The method developed in this research uses information collected on task structure and on group information seeking and (implied) preferences to predict group decisions on a dynamic decision making task. An advantage of the method is that it relies upon data collection methods that are either unobtrusive (e.g. clickstream logging) or minimally intrusive (i.e. recording of conversations) to inform predictions. The method is illustrated using data from the performance of a simulated emergency response task by experienced emergency response personnel. Potential use of the proposed method in predicting group decisions in certain dynamic decision making settings is discussed.