Journal of Emergency Management最新文献

Emergency management (EM) director positions will continue to grow by three percent through 2032. This study aimed to employ interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) and delve into the personal experiences of EM professionals to gain insights into the components needed to professionalize the field, which is the study's purpose. Coupled with sociological and systems theories, IPA provided a comprehensive framework, elucidating key challenges in EM from 10 experienced professionals in leadership roles who have served in EM for more than 6 years. This article shares the discussion surrounding the study's findings, highlighting areas for improvement, offering strategic recommendations for an EM oversight organization, and implementing measures to advance professionalization, drawing from participant insights and established theorists. A governing organization body is noted to be needed by participants to achieve professionalization. Furthermore, according to participants, based on information gathered from this study, there should be a focus on finding this governing organizational body, other than Federal Emergency Management Agency, International Association of Emergency Managers, or any organization that may benefit financially from oversight. Implications of these findings for the field, limitations of this study, and future recommended directions for research are detailed in this article. Legislation was proposed to form a commission, comprised of 21 members of the EM community, to make recommendations for the furtherance of four initiatives closely associated with the activities of the field shared by participants in this study: funding of directorships, education programs, scholarships, and licensure. Findings from this study indicate that we need to continue to see these -initiatives through. Therefore, it is recommended that EM professionals continue to seek out the development of commissions to move toward professionalization.

The increasing number and scale of natural and anthropogenic disasters continue to strain established disaster management systems. Major disasters' substantial and sustained impacts reinforce the calls for global collaboration. Nevertheless, worldwide emergency assistance efforts are confronted with several challenges that negatively affect disaster victims, stress international diplomatic relations, and threaten nations' social and national security. These challenges arise from the unique nature of each national emergency management framework and the lack of global standardization and governing rules for international partnerships during disasters. Using various qualitative analytical methods, we examined and compared the national emergency management charters of China, the United States, the Maldives, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. We used a variety of data sources, including national emergency management charters, as well as published studies and reports. Findings show substantial differences among the five national emergency management charters. Among those differences are the government entity overseeing emergency management activities; the levels and categories of disasters; the structure, organization, and operations of the emergency management system; and the national inclusion of and commitment to international directives and frameworks. One striking finding was the lack of a national emergency management ethics code. The challenges of global emergency response call for countries to develop standardized types, levels, and categories of disasters. Additionally, they need to develop a process to facilitate and expedite the acceptance of international aid and assistance. Countries also need to commit to international regulations and frameworks and establish a code for global emergency standards and ethics.

Building community capacity for outbreak preparedness requires understanding modifiable factors that encourage individuals to act. The current study assesses three key interrelationships with likelihood to prepare for a future outbreak: perceived importance of preparation, perceived ability to prepare, and preferred sources of outbreak information. The study used data from a 2023 online panel survey of adults living in the United States with 4,184 responses weighted to reflect national demographics. Perceived importance of outbreak preparedness, perceived ability to prepare, and likelihood to take actions in a future outbreak were estimated using composite measures derived from survey questions. Preferred sources of outbreak information were measured by subtracting the number of more "informal sources sought," eg, social media, friends, and family, selected from the number of "formal sources sought," eg, governmental websites. Direct effects linear regression models identified that a greater perception of importance and ability were each associated with a greater likelihood to prepare, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, and household income (p < 0.001). Likewise, a greater preference for more formal information sources was also associated with more future outbreak preparedness actions taken (p < 0.001). The relationship between perceived importance and perceived ability on the likelihood of preparing differed based on information source preferences (p < 0.05). For those with low perceived importance or ability to prepare and a stronger preference for informal information sources, their likelihood of preparing for a future outbreak is significantly lower than for those with formal information source preferences; however, as perceived importance or ability to prepare increases, this gap is closed. Results suggest that perceptions of self-efficacy, including ability and importance, are critical to preparing for a future outbreak and that information sources also play an important role. These results highlight that if we can build the perceived importance of and remove barriers to preparation, we can increase outbreak preparedness actions regardless of which information sources are most trusted by individuals.

Older adults often manage multiple chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, which increases their vulnerability during emergencies. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic underscored how vulnerable older adults, especially those with multiple chronic conditions, are to social, physical, psychological, spiritual, and economic hardships in times of crisis since preparing for and responding to disaster events can be particularly challenging for these individuals. This qualitative study examined emergency experiences and preparedness of 37 older adults and informal caregivers living in a large metropolitan area. Thematic analysis of focus group transcripts revealed shared barriers to emergency planning, such as knowledge gaps, financial and physical limitations, distrust in authorities, digital divides, dismissive interactions, and isolation. Insights from the focus groups informed the creation of targeted, actionable strategies to enhance emergency planning efforts inclusive of older adults. Integrating research-informed emergency protocols is essential to mitigate adverse outcomes and enhance older adults' resilience and well-being during crises.

The growing impact of climate change has highlighted the importance of effective disaster housing recovery (DHR) measures, particularly in resource-constrained places prone to flooding. As these communities confront displacement and financial instability, allocating resources for post-DHR is crucial. This study presents an innovative strategy for improving DHR planning and execution that uses genetic algorithms (GAs), with a focus on Long-Term Recovery Groups (LTRGs) and community engagement for long-term results. By utilizing adaptive capabilities of GAs, the model efficiently navigates the complexity of resource allocation, balancing several criteria, such as cost-effectiveness, housing coverage, and stakeholder needs. This study evaluates the efficacy of GAs in DHR planning by developing and evaluating hypotheses on optimization, LTRG preparedness, and community autonomy. The results show that GA-driven planning considerably improves resource allocation decisions, promoting resilience and long-term recovery. The findings highlight the ability of GAs to solve complex difficulties in DHR, providing insights for policymakers, urban planners, and disaster response teams looking to improve recovery processes and community -resilience.

In 2020, emergency operations resources in the United States began responding to the presence of coronavirus disease 2019 and its variants. Mitigation efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus by these organizations included vaccination, increased sanitation, social distancing, and physical barriers such as masks and shields. Due to the nature of the coronavirus and emergency operations requirements, these approaches have proven not be 100 percent effective in fully meeting those needs. This manuscript discusses the use of radio frequency identification technology to help protect emergency operations personnel against coronavirus transmission.

Objectives: Emergency personnel, including firefighters, play a crucial role in providing emergency care in diverse and challenging environments. With over 1,058,700 active firefighters in the United States, occupational safety assessment is vital due to high injury rates, especially from overexertion. By analyzing muscle activity and video feedback, this study aimed to improve first responders' occupational health and safety during lifting and transferring of patients.

Methods: This study focused on 37 first responders from the City of Fairfield Fire Department, Ohio. Participants underwent video-assisted feedback sessions aimed at improving body mechanics during sit-to-stand transfers. Surface electromyography measured erector spinae (ES) and gluteus maximus (GM) muscle activation preintervention and post-intervention.

Results: Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in ES or GM muscle activation levels post-intervention. However, participants showed improved bilateral muscle activation symmetry, potentially reducing strain during lifting tasks. Video feedback emphasized neutral spine positioning, proximity to patients, and proper hand placement, aligning with ergonomic principles.

Conclusions: While statistical significance in muscle activation levels was not achieved, improved symmetry suggests potential benefits in injury prevention. Video feedback, coupled with expert guidance, enhances awareness of ergonomic techniques among first responders, promoting safer work practices.

Social media caused a massive shift in emergency management and communications in the early 2000s. Now, as the landscape shifts again, we must think ahead to create the most equitable, useful, and effective possible methods of digital disaster communications going forward.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic thrust individuals from nonhealthcare occupations, such as public transit, into the role of frontline essential workers. Unlike frontline healthcare workers, these individuals lacked the training, experience, supplies, equipment, and supervision that would typically be expected for healthcare and first response personnel during a pandemic. New York City transit workers were particularly impacted due to high rates of mortality, illness, and quarantine and isolation, yet data are sparse on their perceptions of worksite preparedness and response.

Methods: Data from six focus groups with 25 unique participants, all in public-facing transit roles and members of the Transport Workers Union-Local 100 were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach. Both inductive and deductive analyses were conducted using the Constant Comparative Method.

Results: Roughly 3 years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, participants continued to feel overlooked and unappreciated in their role as frontline workers. Three themes emerged from the data, including (1) lack of recognition as an essential worker, (2) lack of trust in the workplace, and (3) fear and concern regarding workplace safety and security.

Conclusions: The pandemic exacerbated longstanding workplace tensions and contributed to distrust, decreased worker satisfaction, high levels of fear regarding future pandemics, and concern regarding workplace safety. Representatives of workers, managers, and union leadership should cooperate on joint labor and management safety committees to build a climate of safety and trust. They should work closely with Metropolitan Transit Authority Safety leadership, with input from emergency managers, and infection control and industrial hygiene experts to develop a robust pandemic plan that can be rapidly implemented in the next pandemic event.