This thesis combines theories from cross-cultural psychology with literature on group faultlines to understand cultural barriers to communication and cooperation experienced in multinational emergency management teams. The aim is to investigate whether the faultline concept is a viable theoretical vocabulary for addressing cultural differences in communication and cooperation (in the domain of emergency management). Culture is defined as a relatively organized system of shared meanings which influences people’s cognition, values, behaviors, and so on. Group faultlines are hypothetical dividing lines that may split a team into homogeneous subgroups based on demographic characteristics. Three papers are included in the thesis, all of which investigate various aspects of group behavior in relation to emergency management. Results suggest that faultlines can be formed not only by demographic characteristics, but also by culturally-driven behavior. The results presented in the papers and in this thesis are meant to supply emergency management personnel with general knowledge of cultural differences and ideas for future ‘cultural awareness’ training. The thesis contributes to the scientific community by taking cross-cultural research into the applied domain so that its findings can be made relevant to people in multinational organizations.

Disaster researchers have established the determinants of preparedness and mitigation at the household level of analysis. However, at the organizational level, there is limited research and no theory to guide research on the determinants of preparedness and mitigation. The main goal of this study is to answer the question "what are the determinants of mitigation and preparedness at the organizational level?" The data come from a survey of 227 organizations in Memphis, Tennessee. This study uses Tobit regression technique to identify the determinants. This study finds that organizational size and concern over disaster impact are strong positive determinants of mitigation and preparedness in organizations. In addition, there is a significant and non-linear relationship between organizational obstacle and mitigation and preparedness activities. The study concludes with policy implications and recommendations for future studies.

Ruapehu is an active volcano located on the North Island of New Zealand, with the most recent major eruptions occurring in 1945, 1969, 1975, and 1995/96. Ruapehu is also home to the three major North Island ski areas, Whakapapa, Turoa, and Tukino. Because of the high frequency of eruptions, there is a significant volcanic hazard at the ski areas particularly from lahars which can form even after minor eruptions. Most recently, lahars have affected Whakapapa ski area in 1969, 1975, and 1995/96. The most significant risk at Turoa is from ballistic bombs due to the proximity of the top two T-Bars to the crater. Ash fall has also caused disruption at the ski areas, covering the snow and causing damage to structures. There is yet to be a death at the ski areas from a volcanic event; however the risk at the ski areas is too high to be completely ignored. The ski areas at Whakapapa and Turoa are currently operated by Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL), who have been significantly improving their commitment to providing volcanic hazard training for their staff and preparing for handling a volcanic eruption. RAL is joined by the Institute of Geological Sciences (GNS) and the Department of Conservation (DoC) in trying to mitigate this risk through a range of initiatives, including an automated Eruption Detection System (EDS), linked to sirens and loudspeakers on Whakapapa ski areas, as well as by providing staff training and public education. The aim of this study was to provide RAL with recommendations to improve their staff training and warning system response. Staff induction week at both Turoa and Whakapapa ski areas was observed. Surveys were distributed and collected from staff at both ski areas, and interviews were conducted with staff at Whakapapa ski area. Data obtained from staff interviews and surveys provided the author with insight into staff's mental models regarding a volcanic event response. A simulation of the warning system was observed, as well as a blind test, to collect data on the effectiveness of training on staff response. Results indicated permanent and seasonal staff were knowledgeable of the volcanic hazards that may affect the ski areas, but had differing perspectives on the risk associated with those hazards. They were found to be confident in the initial response to a volcanic event (i.e. move to higher ground), but were unsure of what would happen after this initial response. RAL was also found to have greatly improved their volcanic hazard training in the past year, however further recommendations were suggested to increase training effectiveness. A training needs analysis was done for different departments at the ski areas by taking a new approach of anticipating demands staff may encounter during a volcanic event and complementing these demands with existing staff competencies. Additional recommendations were made to assist RAL in developing an effective plan to use when responding to volcanic events, as well as other changes that could be made to improve the likelihood of customer safety at the ski areas during an eruption.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 2008. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 46-05, page: 2641. Advisers: Arnold J. Schecter; Bahman S. Roudsari. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A. in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense))--Naval Postgraduate School, September 2005. / Thesis Advisor(s): C. J. LaCivita, Kathryn E. Newcomer. AD-A439 372. Includes bibliographical references (p. 87-94). Also available online.

Thesis (MMAS)--Command and General Staff College (CGSC), 2006. / AD-A452 186.

Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) que realizam atividades de ensino e pesquisa em Química, em geral são potenciais áreas de risco de acidentes, uma vez que utilizam substâncias químicas perigosas em seus processos de ensino e pesquisa. Esta pesquisa se justifica em face da existência de substâncias de natureza química e biológica as quais possuem riscos à saúde e ao meio ambiente e de alguns acidentes já ocorridos em diversas IES no Brasil e exterior. O objetivo da pesquisa foi elaborar diretrizes para a gestão de emergências em acidentes químicos que possam ser aplicadas nos laboratórios de um Instituto de Química de uma Universidade Pública do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório e descritivo, aplicado a um caso estudado, de uma emergência. Realizou-se de revisão em literatura especializada, visitas aos laboratórios, registros fotográficos e entrevistas dirigidas a funcionários, técnicos e professores do IQ. A metodologia de avaliação de vulnerabilidade baseou-se no método dos cinco passos da Federal Emergency Management Agency. O estudo de caso mostrou que o Instituto de Química não possui uma Gestão de Emergências Químicas, com ausência de brigada de incêndio e o não cumprimento de normas técnicas e regulamentares. Apesar disso, existem laboratórios que possuem um perfil satisfatório quanto à segurança e saúde. O estudo mostrou também que a metodologia de Análise de Vulnerabilidade é uma boa ferramenta para elaboração de diretrizes voltadas para um Plano de Emergência, quando conduzida por equipe especializada. / Higher Education Institutions which perform activities of teaching and research in chemistry in general are areas of potential risk of accidents, since they use dangerous chemicals in their respective processes. This research is relevant taking in account the existence of substances of chemical and biological nature with health or environmental risks, as well structural collapses in various Higher Education Institutions in Brazil and abroad. The objective of the research was to develop guidelines for the management of emergencies in chemical accidents that can be applied in the laboratories of an Institute of Chemistry at a public university in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This is an exploratory and descriptive applied study. The present work has been done by means of literature review, visits to laboratories, photographic records and interviews aimed at officials, coaches and teachers IQ. The vulnerability assessment methodology was based on the "five-step method" of Federal Emergency Management Agency. The case study showed that the Institute of Chemistry has no Chemical Emergency Management, with the absence of fire brigade and the non-compliance of technical standards and regulations. Nevertheless, there are laboratories with a satisfactory profile for safety and health. The studied also showed that the methodology of Vulnerability Analysis as an appropriated tool for developing guidelines aimed at an Emergency Plan, when conducted by a specialized team.

abstract: Public risk communication (i.e. public emergency warning) is an integral component of public emergency management. Its effectiveness is largely based on the extent to which it elicits appropriate public response to minimize losses from an emergency. While extensive studies have been conducted to investigate individual responsive process to emergency risk information, the literature in emergency management has been largely silent on whether and how emergency impacts can be mitigated through the effective use of information transmission channels for public risk communication. This dissertation attempts to answer this question, in a specific research context of 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak in Arizona. Methodologically, a prototype agent-based model is developed to examine the research question. Along with the specific disease spread dynamics, the model incorporates individual decision-making and response to emergency risk information. This simulation framework synthesizes knowledge from complexity theory, public emergency management, epidemiology, social network and social influence theory, and both quantitative and qualitative data found in previous studies. It allows testing how emergency risk information needs to be issued to the public to bring desirable social outcomes such as mitigated pandemic impacts. Simulation results generate several insightful propositions. First, in the research context, emergency managers can reduce the pandemic impacts by increasing the percent of state population who use national TV to receive pandemic information to 50%. Further increasing this percent after it reaches 50% brings only marginal effect in impact mitigation. Second, particular attention is needed when emergency managers attempt to increase the percent of state population who believe the importance of information from local TV or national TV, and the frequency in which national TV is used to send pandemic information. Those measures may reduce the pandemic impact in one dimension, while increase the impact in another. Third, no changes need to be made on the percent of state population who use local TV or radio to receive pandemic information, and the frequency in which either channel is used for public risk communication. This dissertation sheds light on the understanding of underlying dynamics of human decision-making during an emergency. It also contributes to the discussion of developing a better understanding of information exchange and communication dynamics during a public emergency and of improving the effectiveness of public emergency management practices in a dynamic environment. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Public Administration 2012

Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) que realizam atividades de ensino e pesquisa em Química, em geral são potenciais áreas de risco de acidentes, uma vez que utilizam substâncias químicas perigosas em seus processos de ensino e pesquisa. Esta pesquisa se justifica em face da existência de substâncias de natureza química e biológica as quais possuem riscos à saúde e ao meio ambiente e de alguns acidentes já ocorridos em diversas IES no Brasil e exterior. O objetivo da pesquisa foi elaborar diretrizes para a gestão de emergências em acidentes químicos que possam ser aplicadas nos laboratórios de um Instituto de Química de uma Universidade Pública do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório e descritivo, aplicado a um caso estudado, de uma emergência. Realizou-se de revisão em literatura especializada, visitas aos laboratórios, registros fotográficos e entrevistas dirigidas a funcionários, técnicos e professores do IQ. A metodologia de avaliação de vulnerabilidade baseou-se no método dos cinco passos da Federal Emergency Management Agency. O estudo de caso mostrou que o Instituto de Química não possui uma Gestão de Emergências Químicas, com ausência de brigada de incêndio e o não cumprimento de normas técnicas e regulamentares. Apesar disso, existem laboratórios que possuem um perfil satisfatório quanto à segurança e saúde. O estudo mostrou também que a metodologia de Análise de Vulnerabilidade é uma boa ferramenta para elaboração de diretrizes voltadas para um Plano de Emergência, quando conduzida por equipe especializada. / Higher Education Institutions which perform activities of teaching and research in chemistry in general are areas of potential risk of accidents, since they use dangerous chemicals in their respective processes. This research is relevant taking in account the existence of substances of chemical and biological nature with health or environmental risks, as well structural collapses in various Higher Education Institutions in Brazil and abroad. The objective of the research was to develop guidelines for the management of emergencies in chemical accidents that can be applied in the laboratories of an Institute of Chemistry at a public university in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This is an exploratory and descriptive applied study. The present work has been done by means of literature review, visits to laboratories, photographic records and interviews aimed at officials, coaches and teachers IQ. The vulnerability assessment methodology was based on the "five-step method" of Federal Emergency Management Agency. The case study showed that the Institute of Chemistry has no Chemical Emergency Management, with the absence of fire brigade and the non-compliance of technical standards and regulations. Nevertheless, there are laboratories with a satisfactory profile for safety and health. The studied also showed that the methodology of Vulnerability Analysis as an appropriated tool for developing guidelines aimed at an Emergency Plan, when conducted by a specialized team.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:05:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3995.pdf: 8199055 bytes, checksum: fe73999fdd4d316360ddc4fcf8e96d37 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-07-16 / In this MSc project an interpretation service was designed and implemented containing a knowledge base built from the integration of ontologies and a fuzzy inference system. Besides interpreting what is occurring in the environment, the main feature of this service is to provide additional information on the phenomenon being observed, such as neighboring risks. The knowledge base was generated with the help of experts in the field of emergency preparedness and response. For the real-time monitoring to be effective it is necessary that the data captured by sensors from the physical environment be interpreted in a fast and accurate way. Context interpretation can be either simple when handling information ambiguities and replication or highly complex when different contexts and events correlation are involved. Wireless sensors networks are increasingly being used as powerful tools for the monitoring of environments subject to life and assets risk situations, such as fires, toxic gas leaks and explosions. Emergency management systems that incorporate wireless sensor networks are being used to support emergency first responders in the decision making process where response time is crucial for the success of rescue operations. To validate the proposed interpretation service, implemented as a tool to aid in emergency situations, a use case was built using a local company plant. The context interpretation service built from the integration of ontologies and fuzzy techniques has shown to be a potential aid tool for the monitoring of physical environments subject to emergency situations / Neste trabalho um serviço de interpretação de contexto foi projetado e implementado contendo uma base de conhecimento formada pela integração de ontologias e por um sistema de inferência fuzzy. A principal característica desse serviço é fornecer informações adicionais sobre o fenômeno sendo observado, como por exemplo, riscos vizinhos a um incêndio. A base de conhecimento foi gerada com a ajuda de especialistas no domínio de preparação e resposta a emergências. Para que o monitoramento em tempo-real seja eficaz é necessário que os dados capturados por sensores no ambiente físico sejam interpretados de forma correta e rápida. A interpretação de contextos pode ser simples para tratar ambigüidades e repetição de informação ou bastante complexa envolvendo a correlação de diferentes eventos e contextos. Redes de sensores sem fio estão sendo utilizadas cada vez mais como poderosas ferramentas de monitoramento em ambientes sujeitos a situações de risco à vida e ao patrimônio, tais como incêndios, vazamentos de gases tóxicos e explosões. Sistemas de gerenciamento da emergência que integram redes de sensores sem fio vêm sendo utilizados como apoio à tomada de decisão para equipes de resposta a emergências em que o tempo-resposta nessas condições torna-se fator preponderante visando o sucesso de operações práticas de salvamento. De modo a validar o serviço de interpretação proposto e implementado como ferramenta de auxílio em palcos emergenciais, foi implementada uma prova de conceito referente a uma planta industrial de uma empresa situada no município de São Carlos. A interpretação de contexto realizada com a integração de ontologias e técnicas fuzzy mostra ser uma solução potencial para a monitoração de ambientes físicos sujeitos a situações emergenciais.