Abstract: In recent years, the National Weather Service (NWS) increased its focus on providing decision support services to the emergency management community and other core partners to help them understand its forecasts and take appropriate actions in the face of upcoming extreme events. In 2011, the Weather-Ready Nation Strategic Plan began to formalize the NWS approach to impact-based decision support services (IDSS). NWS recognizes IDSS as a primary service and is working to fully and more effectively provide it to federal, state, local, and tribal decision-makers. To do so, it is important that NWS understands how users are benefiting from existing IDSS, even as they look to improve it. This article aims to provide emergency managers (EMs) with an understanding of the efficacy of IDSS. The authors define IDSS and describe the IDSS products and services available during each stage of the emergency-management cycle: preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. To demonstrate the role of IDSS for the emergency management community, the authors use a case study analysis to compare two winter storms in the New York City area with similar characteristics but differing in their implementation of IDSS: the December 2010 winter storm (no formal IDSS) and the January 2016 winter storm (formal IDSS). In comparing the winter storm case studies, the authors find that formal IDSS provides EMs and other core partners with accurate, actionable, and consistent weather information and support that allows them to respond to winter storms in a way that reduces impacts to lives and livelihoods.

Abstract: Background: Patients in Belgium needing out-of-hours care have two options: the emergency department (ED) or the general practitioner on call. The latter is often organized in a General Practice Cooperative (GPC). At the ED, there is an overload of patients who could be helped more efficiently by the GPC. Research question: What is the proportion of patients switching from the ED to the GPC (called voluntary switchers) with and without an information campaign? What are the characteristics of these patients? Methods: Single-center prospective intervention trial during the opening hours of the GPC (only weekends: Friday 7.00 pm to Monday 7.00 am). The first 10 weekends there was no intervention. The next 24 weekends, patients in the ED were informed about the out-of-hours care in Belgium. The information contained several topics: characteristics of both services, where to go using examples, practicalities, and costs. This information was distributed through leaflets and broadcasted on a screen in five languages. Results: During the study period, 7,453 patients entered the ED of which 330 are voluntary switchers. The proportion of voluntary switchers was 1.7 percent before and 5.4 percent after the intervention (p < 0.01). This effect remained stable for 10 more months after the study. The average number of patients presenting at the ED per hour was 3.1, whereas on hours with voluntary switchers was 5.1 (p < 0.01). The age distribution and epidemiological profile of the voluntary switchers resembles the one of primary care patients. The general practicioners (GPs) referred 6 percent of the voluntary switchers back to the ED. Conclusion: Co-location of the GPC and the ED and informing patients is a meaningful step toward a more profound collaboration.

Abstract: Objective: Assess levels of disaster preparedness in institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the United States. Design: An anonymous, 57-question survey targeted individuals responsible for emergency management at IHEs across the US descriptive statistics and bivariate chi-square analysis were reported. Using the established threshold score of the initial Cities Readiness Initiative from the CDC, an individual respondent’s composite score of 70 percent or higher across 23 specific questions within the 57-question survey was labeled as “prepared.” Results: Chi-square analysis identified variables associated with lower preparedness levels at IHEs not achieving the minimum 70 percent score. Having a campus law enforcement officer serve the additional role of emergency manager had a negative association with being prepared [ χ 2 (1) = 10.18, p < 0.001]. Having emergency management as a separate university function from campus law enforcement had a positive relationship with being prepared [ χ 2 (1) = 18.55, p < 0.001]. Staffing the emergency management function with a professional having less than 3 years of emergency management experience had a negative association with being prepared. Conclusions: Our results indicate that minimizing the mission of emergency management by simply tasking a campus law enforcement officer with the extra responsibility of emergency management or entertaining less professionally qualified personnel to lead emergency management’s complex mission can lead to disastrous results. Not only is preparedness impacted, but also resilience when facing disaster situations. Our nation continues to strive to become more resilient when facing such adverse events, as formally embraced and emphasized in the 2017 National Security Strategy. Research continues to offer best practices and unfortunately continues to highlight gaps. While the higher education community is not one of the 16 federal critical infrastructure sectors, identified gaps such as those presented in our findings as well as those published by the National Academies of Sciences are cause for alarm. Not only are higher education campuses generating invaluable contributions to society in general, bio-innovation, public health, and medicine, to name a few, they are a core stakeholder in resilience research and implementation. Yet, research continues to indicate preparedness and therefore resilience gaps in this sector. The authors propose implications for practice, policy, and research to assist IHEs in achieving a more comprehensive, sustainable level of resilience.

Abstract: The evolving demographics, needs, and demands of society requires managers to be culturally competent in all phases of emergency management, especially when responding to disasters. A culturally incompetent manager and/or organization can increase a hazard's impact on often already vulnerable communities. Are cultural competencies lacking in emergency management education? Are these competencies as important as other highly regarded emergency management competencies? What are effective pedagogy and andragogy to create, implement, and evaluate cultural competency in emergency management higher education? As scholars work to advance the emergency management discipline, there is an increasing need for scholarship of teaching and learning research, especially regarding cultural competency. This article reviews the existing literature, as well as pedagogy from related disciplines, to identify gaps and provide recommendations for future research.

Abstract: The West Virginia water contamination crisis began on the morning of January 9, 2014, and left approximately 300,000 customers of the West Virginia American Water Company unable to use the water in their homes for any purpose other than flushing their toilets. Given the lack of appropriate response from the established organizations involved, many emergent organizations formed to help fill unmet informational and physical needs of the affected population. Crisis researchers have observed these ephemeral organizations for decades, but the recent proliferation of information communication technologies have made their activities more widespread and observable. In West Virginia, their activities were indispensable to the affected population and helped restore a sense of normalcy. This article analyzes four emergent organizations that formed in response to the West Virginia water contamination and the functions they performed in different phases of this crisis.

Abstract: The authors propose that, through innovative and mutually beneficial partnerships between medical schools and local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies, medical students can help mitigate EMS shortages in areas across the country. These partnerships, which we have seen very early signs of in some places, would create channels by which medical students get their emergency medical technician certifications in the summer before matriculating and volunteer with the agency’s ambulance service, either as an extracurricular clinical experience (which are very popular among medical students) or as a way to fulfill clinical or service requirements or earn elective credit. In the attached piece, the authors (1) establish, using data, that a key factor contributing to current and impending EMS shortages is a lack of certified personnel, and (2) propose why and how medical students could provide a novel source of additional volunteers for understaffed public ambulance services, explore some of the benefits and limitations of this proposal, and provide a road-map for how to form partnerships between medical schools and local EMS agencies.

Abstract: The field of emergency management has put much focus on disaster response activities. By overly emphasizing response, some people have come to regard fire officers as ideal candidates for promotion into emergency manager positions. To understand this process, we first review the basic definitions of emergency management. Next, drawing upon these definitions, we identify differences between fire officers’ and emergency managers’ tasks. Based on the analysis, we found that the task differences were large enough to distinguish emergency managers as a profession separate and distinct from that of the fire officer. Finally, we conclude with suggestions on how fire officers can enhance or expand their job skills to change effectively their career paths to emergency management.

Abstract: Purpose: There is a lack of information regarding the physiological effects of healthcare workers performing patient care while wearing enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE). This study aimed to provide foundational data necessary to maintain the health and safety of healthcare workers while performing tasks wearing enhanced PPE related to patient care in a biocontainment unit. Design and method: This study is a descriptive study evaluating the physiological effects of conducting patient care while wearing enhanced PPE. Participant vital signs (blood pressure, body temperature, and oxygen saturation) were monitored pre-donning, throughout the transport, and post-doffing. Results: There is no statistically significant difference in the physiological measurements of any of the participants. The results consisted of: blood pressure (systolic p = 0.0659; diastolic p = 0.94345); oxygen saturation (p = 0.6233); and orally derived body temperature (p = 0.1093). Physical balance was subjectively measured by both the participant and the trained observer during the donning and doffing process. Results show no visible difference in balance between the donning period and the doffing period. Conclusion: This study demonstrated there were no physiological changes to the healthcare workers in this study performing patient care activities during patient transport and in a biocontainment unit while wearing the provided enhanced PPE. However, limitations of this study include: (1) it was conducted at one location within the Midwest; (2) with a small number of participants; and (3) only the enhanced ensemble of PPE was worn during testing. Therefore, the results may not be generalizable to other locations or levels of PPE. Clinical relevance: This study will help to guide assessment standards for healthcare workers providing care while wearing enhanced level PPE.

Abstract: The broadened mission of emergency management has required emergency managers to develop and maintain a diverse and evolving set of skills and competencies. While several scholars and practitioners have offered guidance on the skills, competencies, and education needed to be an effective emergency manager, there are other equally important characteristics of an effective emergency manager that have received relatively less attention in the emergency management literature. This article seeks to provide a more comprehensive list of the characteristics of an effective emergency manager by introducing the notion of the resilient emergency manager. A resilient emergency manager is someone who is able to adapt to changing conditions, make agile decisions, function interoperably, mobilize resources, scale programs, policies, and procedures, develop robust collaborative networks, and build redundant emergency management systems. This article concludes with a discussion on how to build and sustain the essential skill set of a resilient emergency manager.

Abstract: Situated in Yogyakarta’s northern region, Merapi is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes. Surrounded by densely populated farming communities, Merapi has had 68 eruptions since 1548. Merapi’s 2010 eruption was marked by bursts of ash clouds, subsidence of its top-most layer, inundation of rivers and soils by lava currents, and the alteration of its surrounding natural landscapes. Local communities depend on the natural resources on Merapi’s slope for farming, livelihood, and subsistence. The eruption had sizable impacts on community lives in terms of living conditions, livelihood, and social and political structures. The dynamics of community life in response to Merapi’s volcanic activities are highlighted. Using a particular focus on farming communities as the case study, the article discusses community user groups’ adaptive management capacity to dynamic natural landscape frequently marked by volcanic eruptions. The discussions support local government in fostering community resilience and social cohesion in response to Merapi’s activities. Empirical findings suggest that social institutions and local rules come into play and the people practice collective disaster management on behalf of the community. These social institutions take the form of neighborly ties, reciprocity, collective identity, and social and ecological responsibilities. Merapi’s pasture is not free access, but dynamically governed by local and informal rules to maintain its benefits for the safety of the community.

Abstract: Disaster mental health (DMH), also referred to as disaster behavioral health, and crisis intervention more broadly, is a significant, yet relatively nonstandardized response system in the United States. Higher education can play a critical role in shifting understanding of DMH, its place within emergency management, and skills building among students. With the increased need for qualified DMH practitioners growing, the academy is uniquely positioned to train students as they become our future responders. Movement toward standardized curriculum and certification programs within schools of social work and emergency management can alleviate lack of knowledge and training as well as better prepare emergency managers and behavioral health professionals to respond to the emotional and mental wellbeing of those impacted by disasters (natural or human-caused).

Abstract: Underlying the nature of what is and is not a profession are education standards. Among the characteristics defining a profession's specialized boundaries are the education standards comprising its academic programs. The status of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is explored for both emergency management and homeland security (EM/HS) at this point in time. The aim of this article is to increase the conceptual understanding of SoTL by discussing what SoTL is, explaining why it is important, exploring our current state of knowledge in this area, and by identifying current barriers and opportunities for improvement. Several possible means of better integrating SoTL into the EM/HS discipines are highlighted: Making SoTL a higher priority, increasing exposure to existing research, advancing knowledge within our own disciplines, sharing knowledge through publications and conferences, and applying knowledge in our teaching. Conclusively, the vital nature of SoTL research can more deeply establish the professional boundaries for both disciplines.

Abstract: As public policy continues its evolution, so do theories about policy implementation. One policy field that changed during the twenty-first century is emergency management and homeland security in the United States. Since the September 11 attacks, the federal government attempted to centralize the way government agencies at the federal, state, and local level prepare for and respond to natural, accidental, and terror-related disasters. However, research in the field is split about the effectiveness of this effort during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. While some feel federal actions taken to prepare for and respond to incidents of natural, accidental, or purposeful intent have been fruitful in preparing the nation for catastrophic events, others say it detracts from the core mission of emergency management. This study considers if the policy changes that occurred during those administrations created a disparity between the policy expectations of the federal government and the actions of local officials in emergency management. The findings show that local emergency management professionals generally reported the implementation of federal policy expectations, and that the odds of doing so increase where respondents report greater “clarity” in the federal policy language. However, differences exist in terms of how local managers view the requirements of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) versus other federal policy demands. This signals that experienced actors may nominally comply with federal policy demands by downplaying those requirements seen as useless in favor of functions that meet jurisdictional needs.

Abstract: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) was established in 1998 and is now 20 years old. In its short history, the CDP has significantly evolved the relevance and responsiveness of its courses and its capability to provide high-fidelity, hands-on training, and exercises to meet the demanding needs of today's responders. This article discusses the basis of need for a competent, responder training program; the genesis of the CDP as a no-cost provider of responder training for state, local, tribal, and territorial responders; describes the current training opportunities available to responders; previews emerging training opportunities that are under development or envisioned in the very near future; and provides insight to the future progression of the CDP as it continues to expand and evolve its role as FEMA's premiere, responder focused, hands-on training provider.

Abstract: Women and racial / ethnic minorities have long been underrepresented in the field of emergency management. This is true for both practice and research. The lack of women and racial / ethnic minorities in the profession and their perceived absence in research or scholarly study may have impacts on the effectiveness of response and recovery efforts as well as the broader scientific knowledge within the field. Historically, women and racial / ethnic minority communities have disproportionately experienced negative impacts following disasters. Earlier related studies have pointed to the underrepresentation as a contributing factor in community vulnerability. The scarcity of women in practice and as students in this field has been particularly evident in the United States. Using data from a recent survey of emergency management programs nationwide, this article reviews the concerns in research with regards to women and ethnic minority communities during disasters, efforts to increase representation of these groups in the field, and discusses the implications for practice, policy, and future research. The findings show that women have a strong presence in emergency management programs nationwide, and while specific data on racial and ethnic minorities are lacking, the observed increases reported in this article encourages further study.

Abstract: Objective: Individuals leading nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) often lack adequate training to best serve their communities’ needs during disaster recovery even as they are often tasked with filling in gaps left by governmental and private resources. Thus, it is essential that education and training initiatives address NGO efforts specifically. This paper identifies training and education needs as proffered by organizational representatives that have themselves been involved in long-term recovery efforts following disasters in the past 10 years across Texas. Design, Setting, and Subjects: Qualitative interviews with nearly 100 local NGO representatives, government officials, and regional and state-level NGO representatives were conducted using purposive and snowball sampling. The participants conducted recovery activities in six different locations in Texas since 2008. Results: Many respondents noted that they had little experience in disaster recovery and a lack of understanding of what recovery involved. Interviewees identified needs for training including how to coordinate recovery tasks among multiple organizations and agencies (eg, who to involve, what skillsets are needed, what group structure should be formed), how to distribute financial and nonfinancial resources (eg, how to prioritize needs, how to distribute funds, who should receive funding), and how to manage media and external organizational attention. Conclusion: This paper provides recommendations for augmenting existing NGO training and educational activities and developing new training schemes offering practical advice from recovery leaders who have been on the frontline of recent disasters.

Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this article is to promote growth and recognition of geographic literacy among students, faculty, and emergency management practitioners through presentation of an array of possibilities that will further best practices in emergency management higher education. Design: Guided by previous research examining the development of geographic literacy in undergraduate students, this article provides examples of traditional and newer technologies in geographic information systems (GIS) and geospatial analysis that can be incorporated into the classroom to enhance the knowledge and skill sets of future emergency managers. Setting: The setting for this article includes colleges and universities offering emergency management degree programs. Results: The information resulting from a review of the literature provides a description of traditional and newer technologies used to address spatial issues in the management of hazards and disasters as well as practical suggestions for incorporating these technologies into classroom activities. Conclusions: Geographic literacy is an essential competency for the next generation of emergency managers and as such, classroom activities should provide students hands-on experience working with GIS and other geospatial technologies.

Abstract: Evolving threats, such as Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks (CCTAs) and other High-Threat Active Violence Incidents, require a comprehensive “Whole of Community” approach to enhance readiness within the emergency management mission. Engaging all community stakeholders, inclusive of the private sector, public safety organizations, and the health and healthcare communities, is essential for risk reduction by preventing and limiting consequences from such critical incidents. The Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series (JCTAWS) is a unique interdisciplinary table-top exercise sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and National Counterterrorism Center, and is designed to test plans and capabilities surrounding a CCTA. JCTAWS focuses on response integration between and across disciplines and jurisdictions. The workshop stimulates participant identification of best practices and gaps so that plans can be refined and resources realigned to improve response coordination for CCTAs.

Abstract: This article shares the experience of establishing the Emergency Management and Homeland Security degree program at Texas Southern University (TSU), Houston, Texas. Emergency management programs are evolving and keep increasing and the nature of jobs of emergency managers are becoming more complex. Consequently, there is increasing need to have minority emergency managers who would be able to relate directly with other minorities impacted by disasters. This study uses the case of TSU to discuss the challenges and successes of developing a fairly unknown program at a historically black college and university and how the obstacles were overcome. It further discusses the process of the degree program development, the curriculum, and the present state of the program. This article concludes there are many advantages in training emergency managers of color in the field. These would be professionals in the field with the added advantage of being people of color. They would understand planning for and responding to those affected because they most likely have the same background and similar experience. Additionally, the developer of any new program should expect some form of opposition from faculty, staff, and administration but once central administration buys in, the program is worth the while.

Abstract: Objective: To explore how health emergency management (HEM) personnel make sense of professional development, such as education and training, in their everyday roles and responsibilities within an increasingly complex emergency management and disaster field. Design: This in-depth qualitative study comprised of semistructured interviews with 10 Aotearoa New Zealand HEM personnel from a range of healthcare professions, including emergency managers, nurses, clinical support, and paramedics. The thematic, data-driven approach was exploratory. The research identified inductively significant thematic concepts relating to professional development from the health emergency personnel’s talk about their roles and responsibilities. Results: The authors identified four themes relating to professional development in the participants’ talk: test yourself under pressure; selling what we do; under the pump; and real stuff that actually makes a difference. These themes represent shared sense-making about how the participants negotiated their professional development needs and the needs of others while performing their everyday roles and responsibilities. Conclusions: Our findings support the production of local and contextually driven knowledge that highlights how HEM personnel discuss professional development as strengths, tensions, challenges, and knowledge gaps. These insights contribute to a broader understanding of what needs to be taken into account when developing competencies, skill sets, and training programs to promote professional development in an increasingly complex emergency management and disaster field.

Abstract: Effective information sharing is essential for the successful management of disasters. But as 30 years' worth of UK public inquiries repeatedly highlight, differences in terminology and goals across agencies can make this difficult to achieve. The growing scale and intensity of disasters raises additional challenges, with emergency responders being required to work across regions and even countries. The following study focuses on identifying facilitators and barriers to information sharing in dynamic contexts, where interdisciplinary teams from across geographic regions form ad hoc to rapidly address challenges. This case study draws on 257 naturalistic observations made by subject-matter experts during the largest disaster management exercise to take place in Europe to date. The 4-day exercise, funded by the European Commission, involved over 5,000 emergency responders from the UK, Cyprus, Hungary, and Italy, providing a unique opportunity to examine information sharing practices across international boundaries. Results of a mixed-method analysis highlight that barriers within and between countries are particularly prevalent during periods of greater uncertainty. These barriers include language and technological difficulties, differences in roles and responsibilities, and failure to co-locate and coordinate activities. Developing shared frames of reference, including adopting common structures for presenting information and understanding roles and responsibilities, facilitates information sharing, potentially reducing cognitive load. Implications for developing evidence-based approaches to disaster response are discussed.

Abstract: As the profession of emergency management has matured, the roles and responsibilities of emergency managers have expanded, new technologies have been deployed, and emergency management educa- tion grown and has become better connected to emer- gency management practice. This special topic cover- age (in three parts) addresses many of the changes in emergency management education over the past four decades, including the expansion of academic pro- grams for those preparing to enter the field, those transitioning from emergency response and other fields, and those moving into supervisory and man- agement positions in emergency management and related organizations. It also addresses some of the issues that academic programs have encountered as they have developed and have found their places in academic institutions. (Login to read more.)

Abstract: Introduction: From 2009 to 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) activated its Incident Management System for a public health emergency 91 percent of the time. The CDC must ensure its workforce is prepared for the evolving nature of emergencies. Objectives: The purpose of this assessment was to identify perceived preparedness and response training needs for the CDC responder workforce. Methods: Between November 2012 and January 2013, focus groups and in-depth interviews were conducted with CDC responders, including senior leaders. The evaluation questions were: (1) How well does the current training system prepare CDC staff to respond to emergency events? (2) What gaps exist in the current training system? and (3) What trainings are essential and should be included in the training system? Results: Eight focus groups were conducted with 51 responders and 18 interviews with response leaders. Themes were identified for each main outcome measure and translated to training improvements. Conclusions: The CDC workforce received foundational training. Recommendations are provided to better prepare responders during an emergency. Periodic assessments are necessary to expand training and remain responsive to the complexities of emerging threats.

Abstract: Emergency managers are very often the key spokespersons charged with instructing people to take appropriate self-protective actions during natural disasters and other extreme events. Doing so successfully poses unique challenges including, for instance, convincing people to pay attention, translating complex information intelligibly to non-scientific publics, and motivating people to actually take appropriate actions for self-protection. These challenges are complicated further by the uncertainty surrounding many crisis events and the short response time demanded of emergency managers to offer such information and instructions. This manuscript describes the IDEA model for designing efficient and effective instructional risk and crisis communication messages and some of the research that has been conducted to validate its utility. Ultimately, emergency managers can use the IDEA model to design effective instructional messages in short order and educators can use the model in the classroom to teach new professionals to communicate effectively when they face crisis circumstances in the future.

Abstract: The Next Generation Core Competencies (NGCC) guide the professional development of future emergency managers. Once familiar roles are evolving as the world grows more interdependent; at the same time, disaster risk factors are intensified by the changing interactions between the social, built, and physical environments. The updated edition of emergency management core competencies is particularly important for refining the trajectory of the emergency management discipline and developing capacities requisite to reducing disaster risk and building resilient communities in the midst of a turbulent, complex, and uncertain future. The NGCC project was a multiphase study conducted by a FEMA-sponsored focus group. Oriented toward future needs, the competencies have been built on the current emergency management competencies, a review of related competencies and global risk trends, a multiphase Delphi study, and wider emergency management community listening sessions. Behavioral anchors and key actions for measurement accompany the new core competencies. The overarching goal of the work is to establish the next generation emergency management core competencies, which are likely to underpin the emergency management workforce of 2030 and beyond. The 13 core competencies fall into three nested categories that are interrelated, but have attributes that build the individual, the practitioner, or relationships.