National Disaster Management Organization Research Articles

Occupational Health and Safety Challenges Faced National Disaster Management Personnel

This study aims to look into how health and safety concerns affect the job performance of National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) personnel in the Bono Region. Hazards, poor training, and psychological well-being are significant factors determining the efficiency of disaster response activities in the study. The study adopts a descriptive (case study) research design, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive plan to solve these difficulties. The target population consists of 127 people from the municipal offices of Sunyani East, Wenchi, and Berekum. Purposive and simple random sampling selects 75 respondents from various departments and units. Self-administered questionnaires containing open-ended and closed-ended items are used to collect data. The data suggest that health concerns may have an impact on coworkers’ job performance among those who have had accidents. However, statistical significance is weak. Positive management relationships following fatal accidents have a minor correlation with better NADMO results, underlining the need for additional factors in the model. The relevance value supports the suggestion of organizing periodic health and safety lectures as an intervention to alleviate difficulties. Among the recommendations prioritizing comprehensive training, guaranteeing access to Personal PSafety equipment, addressing psychological well-being, and increasing organizational support.

Reducing the Risk of Fire Outbreak in Compliance with Fire Safety Regulations in Ghana

Fire outbreak is a disturbing phenomenon that has over the years destroyed market centers. There is growing knowledge that the persistence of these fire disasters is as a result of people’s noncompliance with fire safety regulations. This study therefore contributes to the search for solutions by assessing stakeholders’ capacity to manage fires, While creating the individual trader’s awareness and knowledge on what they need to do against fire risk and disasters. The study is cross-sectional and involved 140 traders and three institutions: National Disaster Management Organization, Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and Ghana National Fire Service. A systematic sampling technique was used in selecting 140 respondents from a total of 386 with the help of the Sloving technique. The study revealed that traders in the Kumasi Central Market were unaware of what they need to do in case of fire outbreak. It was also shown that, both traders and firefighting institutions do not comply with the safety measures to preventing fire outbreaks. Again it was revealed that haphazard development within the city center serves as a major hindrance for effective fire prevention and control. Based on findings, the study recommends intensive education of traders on how to prevent fire and how to use firefighting tools in case of fire disasters. The study further recommends the review and enforcement of fire prevention codes and regulations to ensure compliance by traders. Keywords: Fire, Safety, Safety measures Risk, Firefighting, Fire training DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-13-07 Publication date: May 31 st 2023

Utilizing AEMS (Assess-EOP-Map-Simulate) Algorithm to Assess and Spatially Link Prehospital Emergency Medical Services Resources in Road-Traffic Mass Casualty Incidents in Kumasi, Ghana

Introduction:Due to the high number of road traffic accidents with acute injuries and fatalities–particularly in Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI) in low-resource urban sub-Saharan African cities–research was undertaken to create an evidence-based algorithm that could be used to assess and geospatially link EMS needs in Kumasi, Ghana, to trauma resources. Our examination showed that non-MCI fatalities was approximately 2.5%, however, MCI fatalities were found to be 1.8 times higher–at 4.3%, indicating significant opportunities in the planning, preparedness, care, and transport among MCI patient management.Therefore, several studies (funded through Fulbright-Fogarty and Fulbright Specialist programs), supported the development of the A-E-M-S (Assess-EOP-Map-Simulate) Medical Mass Casualty Algorithm that began networking accident ‘hotspots’ to existing trauma-level capabilities and surge capacity competencies in eight specified Kumasi hospitals. This low-cost response model promises to be an innovative alternative to long-term infrastructure development and high-priced resource distributions. Use of GIS and UAV drones allowed response systems to geospatially locate, classify, shift, and/or augment resources as needed in conjunction with hotspots.Method:Sample sizes were averaged at 295 for all patients' ages, with only a sample size of 292 for adults at 95% confidence intervals, and a standard deviation of 0.5. A total of 300 road-traffic accident victims were collected at KATH A&E in February-May, 2017, utilizing handheld devices by four researchers 24/7 daily.Results:Our examination showed that non-MCI fatalities were approximately 2.5%, however, MCI fatalities were found to be 1.8 times higher–at 4.3%, indicating significant opportunities in the planning, preparedness, care, and transport among MCI patient management.Conclusion:To date–and in partnership with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana Medical Council, Health Services, National Disaster Management Organization, and others–over 306 Ghanaian healthcare providers from 80 different facilities have been trained in the AEMS program.

Flood vulnerability analysis using different aggregation frameworks across watersheds of Ardabil province, northwestern Iran

Flood-vulnerable-area selection could be interpreted as an intricate multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem. Lacking systematic flood vulnerability maps in Iran usually leaves the National Disaster Management Organization and provincial authorities to rely on limited knowledge to inform their emergency actions. Therefore, the present study was conducted as pioneer research in flood problematization for solving disaster issues that have not been adequately considered in the country. To obtain a more trustworthy and safer decision, a complex set of multivariate flood vulnerability assessments was done for 26 watersheds of Ardabil province using the novel-ensemble MCDM frameworks. Towards this, the complex proportional assessment of alternatives (COPRAS) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) approach was integrated with widely used weighting methods of Shannon's entropy (Entropy) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Finally, four different aggregation frameworks of COPRAS-Entropy, COPRAS-AHP, DFID-Entropy, and DFID-AHP were developed and compared based on 19 criteria and three factors (exposure, sensitivity, and resilience). The flood vulnerability was obtained as 0.70 ± 0.13, 0.66 ± 0.18, 0.17 ± 0.10, and 0.20 ± 0.15, respectively, based on COPRAS-Entropy, COPRAS-AHP, DFID-Entropy, and DFID-AHP. As can be seen, higher values were estimated according to COPRAS-based frameworks rather than DFID-based frameworks, except for resilience. The top-ranked watersheds in terms of exposure (i.e., Mashiran) and sensitivity (i.e., Samian) produced by aggregation frameworks match entirely. However, the top-ranked watersheds based on resilience and flood vulnerability slightly mismatch among the used aggregation's frameworks. These findings help the responsible authorities for natural disaster risk reduction to promote sustainable development processes and equitable access to financial resources.

Flood related depression and replacement of damaged household items

Despite the extensive literature on flood-related depression, depression severity for individual damaged household items is unclear. Furthermore, the effect of depression levels on the time taken to replace damaged household items is equivocal. To resolve these research gaps, this study employed a questionnaire to collect data from slum dwellers in Old Fadama and analysed using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test and stepwise multinomial regression techniques. The findings revealed that flood-affected persons ranked depression levels associated with damaged furniture/chairs/tables/sofa more severe than other household items such as Electronic: Fan/Iron, Electronic: Fridges/deep freezers/coolers/food storage, Beds/ Mattresses/other sleeping mats. Damaged items considered to have moderate cost generated mild depression levels while affordable items were less likely to generate severe depression. Concerning the replacement of damaged items, younger respondents, with lower income, in rent-free apartments and with low depression levels replaced damaged items after a year and more. The study recommends that National Disaster Management Organisation [NAMDO] should include the provision of psychological assistance to flood victims and spearhead the establishment of a national flood insurance policy, while insurers support with packages for slum areas in Ghana.

Perspectives on factors that influence local communities’ vulnerability to coastal floods in Ketu South Municipality of Ghana

Vulnerability studies in relation to coastal floods in Ghana have generally focused on assessing the biophysical vulnerability and flood hazard modelling - rather than exploring the combination of both biophysical and socioeconomic factors that affect the vulnerability of coastal communities to floods. In response, this study aimed to explore the factors that influence the vulnerability of coastal communities in Ketu South Municipality, Ghana, to floods. These communities remain vulnerable to coastal flood events from storm surges, high tidal waves, lagoon overflow and heavy rainfall. However, the local conditions that make these communities vulnerable is poorly understood. The study used data from eight (8) in-depth interviews, nine (9) Focus Group Discussions and 354-household survey to explore local vulnerability factors in the study area. Results show that factors such as low land elevation, inadequate sea defence structures, high flood frequency, large flood extent, long flood duration, flood impacts, are among the exposure factors influencing vulnerability in the study area. It also shows that socioeconomic factors; such as weak demographic groups, low-income levels, low level of education, and some local adaptation measures plus external flood relief supports from National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) influence the vulnerability of the communities. The result further revealed salt production activities, and relocating to flood prone areas, as well as rise in coastal water table and rapid shoreline erosion are the observable vulnerability factors in the study area whiles gender was a significant social factor influencing flood preparedness. These results can be useful for flood disaster management programs.

Institutionalization of EMT SOP as part of the ASEAN Regional Cooperation Mechanism on Disaster Management

Background/Introduction:The Standard Operating Procedure for Coordination of Emergency Medical Teams in ASEAN (EMT SOP) was developed to facilitate the swift deployment of I-EMTs by ASEAN Member States (AMS) to disaster-affected countries in the ASEAN region and to effectively provide appropriate medical services to the affected population. It is one of the various products and activities by the ARCH Project, which was implemented in collaboration between ASEAN and Japan from 2016 through 2021. The EMT SOP was developed in line with the WHO EMT Initiative, and various WHO forms have been incorporated as ASEAN official forms for the management and coordination of I-EMT.Objectives:On the other hand, disaster management in ASEAN is conducted by National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO) of each AMS under the coordination of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations (SASOP), the sole official document for ASEAN regional collaboration in disasters, and AMS I-EMTs are required to follow the SASOP for their deployment to the affected AMS.Method/Description:Discussions were held between the NDMOs and MOHs, and a table-top exercise to test the EMT SOP was conducted involving NDMOs and MOHs with the facilitation of the AHA Centre.Results/Outcomes:The EMT SOP has been incorporated as an additional chapter of the SASOP.Conclusion:The institutionalization of the EMT SOP is an important milestone in strengthening the ASEAN regional cooperation mechanism on disaster management.

Moving beyond the ad hoc responses in flood management to a localization approach in Ghana

Flooding has become one form of disaster that has become both a national and global concern. In Ghana, flooding has become a yearly ritual, displacing many community members, destroying farmlands, and cutting off communities. The state institution mandated to coordinate and manage disasters is the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO). However, NADMO is always overwhelmed with the level of humanitarian assistance required by flood victims annually due to limited resources. Floods management in Ghana is largely reactionary and short-term, hence the need for long-term planning. The researchers therefore used both secondary and primary data to investigate the drivers and gaps in the existing flood management approaches. The findings showed that inadequate funding, non-enforcement of settlement and farming laws; unhealthy environmental practices and low investments in flood containment infrastructure were the drivers of the perennial floods in Ghana. The major gap identified was the over reliance on central government and development partners to finance flood preparedness, response and recovery interventions. These funding sources have always been inadequate and irregular. The study concluded with a recommendation to NADMO and other state agencies to adopt a long-term, holistic and locally driven approach to flood management in Ghana.

Model Analysis of Effective Factors on the Implementation of Crisis Management Policies

INTRODUCTION: Crisis management maintains security, stability, and flexibility in society by integrating different social resources with appropriate decisions and strengthening the ability of the community to recover from the negative impacts. Therefore, the present study aimed to conduct a model analysis of effective factors in implementing crisis management policies. METHODS: The present study is a descriptive survey research with a mixed methods design. A total of 18 experts were non-randomly and purposefully selected for the qualitative section based on expertise and availability. In addition, 248 individuals were selected from managers and experts (658 people) of the National Disaster Management Organization of Iran and partner organizations for the quantitative section based on Krejcie and Morgan Table using Cochran's formula and simple random sampling. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire including 33 factors affecting the implementation of crisis management policy, the content validity of which was confirmed by professors, and its reliability by Cronbach's alpha test (α = 0.89). Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software and the AHP method was used to prioritize the factors. FINDINGS: Findings indicated that 33 components in the form of structural, organizational, environmental, and management factors, as well as financial and human resources, uniform practices, communication, information, and inter-organizational coordination, regulations, and policy implementers successfully affect the implementation of crisis management policies. Structural, organizational, and environmental factors significantly affect the implementation of policies. CONCLUSION: Defining the responsibilities of partner organizations as well as developing transparency and designing specific goals contribute to the successful implementation of crisis management policies.

Inter-agency collaboration and disaster management: A case study of the 2005 earthquake disaster in Pakistan.

In post disastrous situations, coordinated and integrated interventions aimed at relief and rehabilitation not only help facilitate reaching out to the affected communities in a timely fashion but also pave the way to channel scarce and valued resources towards end users in an efficient and effective manner. This article attempts to trace the origins and gradual development of ‘inter-agency collaboration’ and the implications thereof for disaster management strategies in Pakistan through an analysis of relief and rehabilitation interventions undertaken by the Government of Pakistan in collaboration with local and international Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and relief agencies in the ex post of the 2005 earthquake. Data for this study were collected through structured and semi-structured interviews from government officials, representatives of NGOs and relief agencies and ordinary women and men in the earthquake stricken localities of Balakot and Mansehra districts of Pakistan. On the heels of the 2005 earthquake, both local NGOs and faith-based organisations in concert with international NGOs and relief agencies from around the world rushed to assist Pakistan in it’s rescue and relief operations at a time when the country was faced with the twin dilemma of both the non-existence of peculiar institutional arrangements for disaster management and a lack of the necessary technical and financial resources. The aftermath of the 2005 earthquake offered opportunity to the Government of Pakistan and the NGOs and relief agencies alike to transform their individual interventions into a robust and organised ‘inter-agency collaboration’, which was later on realised in the form of establishment of a national disaster management organisation called the ‘Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA)’. The establishment of ERRA not only paved the way for avoiding duplication and wastage of resources but also ensued in reaching out to the affected communities in a timely fashion. The Pakistani case offers implications in terms of highlighting the salience of establishing ‘inter-agency collaboration’ in other settings.

Exploring the Impact of Floods on Rural Communities on Emerging Food Security Challenges in Ghana

The article analyzed the impact of floods on rural communities onemerging food security challenges in Ghana using the Bawku West District of theUpper East Region of Ghana as a case study. Flooding has become the mostdestructive natural hazard which affectsrural livelihoods, especially subsistent farmers. The data for the study wereobtained through the use of the mixed method. 150 households were sampled forthe study. This was done using simple random sampling. The primary data wereobtained using questionnaires, interview guides, and focus group discussionswhile the secondary data were acquired from the National Disaster ManagementOrganization (NADMO) and Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA). Thedata were analyzed using binary regression and content analysis. Photographswere used to support the findings. From the finding, it was realized that ruralcommunities' livelihood activities were vulnerable to flooding and over theyears several households have lost their source of livelihood to the floods.This has resulted in food insecurity. The result of impact of the flood onlivelihood activities has resulted in coping strategies being adopted by therespondents in the area to reduce the impact of the flood on their livelihoods.

Prerequisites for Community-based Disaster Risk Management in Iran

INTRODUCTION: Natural disasters disrupt people's lives, bringing about serious economic and social losses. Disaster risk management is a set of measures, including planning, decision-making, accountability, and operational activities at all levels. Moreover, it is of considerable significance to take advantage of social capacities and community participation before, during, and after disasters. The present study aimed to explain the prerequisites of community-based disaster risk management in Iran in 2020. METHODS: This data-driven qualitative study was conducted using Strauss and Corbin's systematic approach. The statistical population included all disaster management experts and non-governmental organizations in universities, the National Disaster Management Organization, the provincial disaster management departments, and senior managers of the Red Crescent Society. Out of this population, 22 subjects were purposefully selected via snowball sampling taking into account the geographical, climatic, cultural, social, and religious diversity of different regions of the country. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analysed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. FINDINGS: Based on the obtained results, the prerequisites of community-based disaster risk management include: "legal obligation", "public sensitization", "strategic planning", "public participation", "social capacity building", " building cohesion and empathy ", "action (prevention, preparedness, needs assessment, planning, and response", "formation and development of expert teams", "logistics forecasting and equipment", "preparation", and attention to geographical conditions"." CONCLUSION: As evidenced by the obtained results, the required measures for the successful implementation of community-based disaster risk management can be assigned to two categories: The first one encompasses the measures that require structural changes and law reform and are taken at the national level and National Disaster Management Organization of the country. The second type of measure must be implemented at the local and operational management levels

Assessment of Flood Preparedness Level in Ga-West District of Accra, Ghana

In response to increasing flood disasters and their impact worldwide, countries all over the world including Ghana, have formed disaster management institutions to help manage the flood activities and reduce their negative impacts. Despite the establishment of National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in Ghana to implement preparedness measures among other measures/activities to reduce the negative impacts of flood activities, subsequent flood reports in the city of Accra indicated that the impacts were rather increasing instead of reducing. The study, therefore, assessed the preparedness levels for flood disasters before the occurrence of the 2001 and 2007 flood disasters in Ga West District in Accra. Through purposive sampling, two officials, one from NADMO and Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), were chosen for interview. The NADMO official answered various interview questions concerning preparedness measures implemented in the study area while the GMet official answered questions regarding GMet’s ability to predict heavy rainstorms that cause flood disasters ahead of their occurrence. Some household heads, mainly landlords, were also chosen through simple random sampling to respond to questionnaire regarding preparedness measures implemented by NADMO in the study area before the two flood disasters, and the various preparedness or coping strategies households adopted to reduce the negative impacts of the flood disasters on them. Direct observation by the help of photographs was also used to assess the coping strategies of households in the area. The study found that, neither NADMO nor other agencies ever carried out any preparedness measures in the study areas before the two flood disasters occurred due to resource challenges. It also became obvious that GMet possesses the capacity to predict heavy rainstorms at least 24 hours ahead before they occur and did predict the 2001 and 2007 rainstorm before the two flood disasters. But it was found out that only few people received the warning and none of these people acted on the warning. It was also obvious that households in the study area adopted various coping strategies, but they still suffered severe negative impacts of the flood disasters. The study concluded that preparedness levels in the study areas before the 2001 and 2007 flood disasters was generally very poor, hence might be responsible for the increasing incidence of flood disasters in study area and the city of Accra as a whole. Keywords: flood preparedness measures, Household coping strategies, Negative flood disasters impacts, Flood hazard, Flood prone communities, Household preparedness strategies, Accra city. DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-12-04 Publication date: December 31 st 2020

COVID-19 on Instagram: A content analysis of selected accounts

ObjectiveThis study aimed to characterize the representation of public health information related to COVID-19 posted on Instagram in 2020. MethodsThis qualitative content analysis study was conducted in Iran as one of the countries with the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19. Data were collected from the contents published from February 19 to April 3, 2020, on Instagram. The search feature of the Instagram app was used to find the posts related to Coronavirus or COVID-19. Overall, 1612 posts from 92 accounts were retrieved and analyzed using thematic analysis. ResultsA total of 23 themes emerged from the analysis of the retrieved posts. These themes include epidemiology and statistics, training and caring, general prevention guidelines, hygiene, healthy diet and lifestyle, patients, diagnosis and treatment, personal protective equipment, traditional medicine, psychology, children, cultural aspects, socio-cultural impacts, religious, misinformation, and wrong behaviors, animals, satire, condition of the healthcare system, politics, quarantine, operations of the Iranian National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO), economic impacts, and world news. ConclusionThe contents analysis of Instagram posts during a public health crisis can provide new and realistic insights into the crisis and identify the topics of interest or concern of the public. Furthermore, the information collected in this way can help policymakers identify the most critical issues from the public perspective and utilize the gained knowledge to manage the ongoing and future pandemics.

Analysis of the Moderating Effect of Disaster Management Organization Type on Resilience Capability and Organizational Effectiveness

The purpose of this study was to verify whether the type of national disaster management organization affects resilience capability and organizational effectiveness. In the present study, we analyzed a previous study conducted by Hollnagel on the inter-relationship between resilience capability and organizational effectiveness. Our results confirmed that public officers who are in charge of disaster management need to increase their resilience capability in order to improve organizational effectiveness. However, we cannot conclude that disaster management efficiency is improved only by increasing public officers' resilience capability. This study suggests that a dedicated organization for disaster management should be created to ensure effective handling of disasters. The influence of the type of organization should be considered, based on the results of this study.

Meteorological Analysis of Floods in Ghana

The first episodes of floods caused by heavy rainfall during the major rainy season in 2018 occurred in Accra (5.6°N and 0.17°W), a coastal town, and Kumasi (6.72°N and 1.6°W) in the forest region on the 18th and 28th of June, respectively. We applied the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to investigate and examine the meteorological dynamics, which resulted in the extreme rainfall and floods that caused 14 deaths, 34076 people being displaced with damaged properties, and economic loss estimated at $168,289 for the two cities according to the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO). The slow-moving thunderstorms lasted for about 8 hours due to the weak African Easterly Wave (AEW) and Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ). Results from the analysis showed that surface pressures were low with significant amount of moisture influx aiding the thunderstorms intensification, which produced 90.1 mm and 114.6 mm of rainfall over Accra and Kumasi, respectively. We compared the rainfall amount from this event to the historical rainfall data to investigate possible changes in rainfall intensities over time. A time series of annual daily maximum rainfall (ADMR) showed an increasing trend with a slope of 0.45 over Accra and a decreasing trend and a slope of –0.07 over Kumasi. The 95th percentile frequencies of extreme rainfall with thresholds of 45.10 mm and 42.16 mm were analyzed for Accra and Kumasi, respectively, based on the normal distribution of rainfall. Accra showed fewer days with more heavy rainfall, while Kumasi showed more days with less heavy rainfalls.

A framework for Earthquake Emergency Response in Iran

Earthquake is common natural disaster in Iran, often accompanied by huge damages, losses and casualties. Therefore, focusing on earthquake response management, and improving its effectiveness is an important issue for the national disaster management organization. This paper proposes a framework to improve this process in Iran. The proposed framework attempts to coordinate governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in earthquake response. It also allows governments to systematize the obligations and responsibilities of these organizations, and mitigate the earthquake fatalities and casualties. Moreover, this study discusses the key considerations for implementing the proposed framework, and analyzes it for distinct scales of earthquake.

Recordkeeping and disaster management in public sector institutions in Ghana

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the disaster management procedures and measures adopted by public institutions in managing their information resources with a view to identifying possible problems and making recommendations for their resolution.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaires, interviews and observation were used to collect data from 65 respondents from 19 ministries and five respondents from the Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD) and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO). Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze the data collected for the study.FindingsIn the 19 ministries surveyed, the findings revealed high levels of unpreparedness to manage disasters concerning public records. The study also revealed the exposure of the ministries to various kinds of risks in their operations, and the lack of coordination between the heads of public sector institutions, NADMO and PRAAD. Also, inadequate budgetary allocation for the records department of the ministries and PRAAD was identified.Research limitations/implicationsThe study concentrated on the headquarters (HQ) of the ministries because they are the administrative headquarters of public sector institutions and they make policies that are complied with by all the Regional and District branches as well as the Departments and Agencies in executing their tasks. The major limitation of the study was the inability of the researcher to cover all the ministries.Practical implicationsThe recommendations made included cooperation among heads of the ministries, PRAAD and NADMO to develop a national information disaster management plan for the effective management of public records and information and a comprehensive program in public institutions to orientate staff on information disaster management.Social implicationsThe study set the tone for public sector institutions and other institutions in the same area of operation to review the processes and procedures with regard to recordkeeping. Also, the study is anticipated to draw the attention of policy-makers (management of the ministries) and regulatory bodies in the field of records and disaster management (PRAAD and NADMO) to review their plans and policies to make provision for information disaster management.Originality/valueThe study is a research paper and critically looks at the disaster preparedness of public sector institutions in managing their records/information. It also examines whether there are any collaboration and coordination among public sector institutions in Ghana in having disaster preparedness and management plan to safeguard public records/information.

Economic Community of West African States Disaster Preparedness Tabletop Exercise: Building Regional Capacity to Enhance Health Security.

The West African Disaster Preparedness Initiative held a disaster preparedness tabletop exercise with representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in November 2015. The tabletop exercise was hosted by the Republic of Ghana's National Disaster Management Organization and partners in Accra, Ghana. ECOWAS Commission delegates and representatives from 10 member states were confronted with a series of simulated crises. Participants utilized existing national preparedness plans and web-based information technologies to research and communicate about internal disaster threats and those from neighboring countries. After each of the exercise's three phases, facilitators distributed participant surveys. A total of 106 individuals participated in the tabletop exercise. During the exercise, national teams utilizing well-developed disaster contingency plans and emergency operations center (EOC) standard operating procedures (SOPs) reached out to help less-prepared national teams. Key issues identified in the survey were language and cultural issues as barriers, effectiveness of disaster management agencies linked to heads of state, and the need for data sharing and real-time communication for situational awareness and multisector coordination. This tabletop exercise helped improve and refine the ECOWAS regional and member states' national SOPs that teams will employ to prepare for, respond to, and recover from future disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:400-404).

Influential factors in creating warning systems towards flood disaster management in Ghana: An analysis of 2007 Northern flood

This paper is to examine and establish the purposes and impact of flood disaster management factors on creating warning systems outcome in Ghana's flooding state. The study collected empirical data from respondents by using a purposive sampling technique to select departmental heads, sectional heads, and staffs from the National Disaster Management Organization of Ghana through a self-administered questionnaire. Some residents from the flood-prone areas especially northern Ghana also contributed to the data collected. The study adopted the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to categorize interactions and discover which of the factors had the convincing explanatory power. To help prioritize managerial activities on flood disaster management in Ghana, the study extended the PLS-SEM analysis by applying the Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA). The outcome of the data analyzed demonstrated the suggested research model's effectiveness in creating warning systems outcome. This study delivers an influential knowledge of building warning systems and its’ impact on flood disaster management for the National Disaster Management Organization of Ghana.