Privatization of Some Emergency Management Functions: Recent Disasters and Case Examples

Preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation are the essential disaster management functions that characterize emergency management. Emergency management is a multi-organizational activity. The connections between these organizations form a network. Members of rural emergency services, often volunteers, may belong to more than one organization in the network. Thus the network is really a network of networks. This mixed methods research collected empirical data about rural organizations, in one rural county in Missouri, which are part of the emergency management network. Three theoretical frameworks were examined to identify antecedents that produce the four C's of emergency management; communication, coordination, cooperation, and collaboration. A critical analysis of network theory, organizational theory and community field theory revealed the inter-organizational activities that enable each of the four C's. This study describes the characteristics of a rural emergency management network and seeks to explain the complex inter-organizational relations. The critical inter-organizational relationships; communication, coordination, cooperation, and collaboration, are necessary for community disaster resilience. Organizational social capital is produced from the four C's of emergency management, facilitating future interactions.

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Emergency management logistics must become emergency supply chain management

Journal of Emergency Management ◽

10.5055/jem.2014.0171 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 171 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Richard R. Young, PhD, FCILT ◽

Matthew R. Peterson, MBA, CSCP, SCOR-P

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Supply Chain Management ◽

Resource Management ◽

Emergency Management ◽

Effective Response ◽

Financial Flows ◽

Chain Management ◽

Scor Model ◽

Management Functions ◽

Emergency Supply

Much has been written about how emergency management (EM) needs to look to the future regarding issues of resource management (monetary, human, and material). Constraints on budgets are ongoing and the staffing of emergency response activities is often difficult because volunteers have little to no training. The management of material resources has also been a challenge because 1) the categories of material vary by the type of emergency, 2) the necessary quantities of material are often not located near the ultimate point of need, and 3) the transportation assets are rarely available in the form and quantity required to allow timely and effective response. The logistics and resource management functions of EM (what we refer to as EM logistics) have been largely reactive, with little to no pre-event planning for potential demand. We applied the Supply Chain Operational Reference (SCOR) model to EM logistics in an effort to transform it to an integrated and scalable system of physical, information, and financial flows into which are woven the functions of sourcing, making, delivering, and returning, with an overarching planning function that transcends the organizational boundaries of participants. The result is emergency supply chain management, which embraces many more participants who share in a larger quantity of more useful information about the resources that need to be deployed when responding to and recovering from emergency events.

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(A124a) Developing Pediatric Emergency Preparedness Performance Measures

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x11000884 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S1) ◽

pp. s35-s36

Author(s):

D. Markenson ◽

M. Reilly

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Emergency Management ◽

Performance Measures ◽

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Disaster Response ◽

Pediatric Emergency ◽

Quantitative Methodology ◽

Management Performance ◽

Traditional Health Care ◽

Management Functions

BackgroundThe most obvious deficiency in the current evaluation of disaster response is the lack of objective, quantifiable measures of performance. This frequently leads to assessments that are highly subjective depending on the evaluator, does not provide those who are planning with targets to achieve, and does not allow for measures that they have improved their preparedness. The goal of this research project is to offer recommendations for government agencies at the federal, regional, and local levels, public health departments, and health care institutions to aid in the development of pediatric emergency management performance measures.InterventionsThe goal was achieved through the application of traditional quality principles to the assessment of emergency management efforts and to the use of innovative analytic methodologies to develop comprehensive approaches to performance measurement in emergency management.Discussion and ObservationsWhen one discusses performance measures, it is important to remember that these are metrics we use to improve the quality of care. With regard to emergency management, performance measures are used to increase capacity and efficiency. A classic approach to health care performance measures is to discuss them with regard to the domains of structure, process, and outcome. Recently, in addition to these domains, volume has also become an important predictor of clinical outcomes. Although we believe that these domains can be applied to emergency management functions and the development of performance measures for disasters, there are some fundamental differences when compared with their use in development and categorization of traditional health care metrics which have been built in to our modification of these domains to emergency preparedness. This approach, quantitative methodology and consensus development process, when applied, will significantly advance pediatric preparedness. Ultimately, these pediatric specific measures must exist and be used to assess current levels of performance and guide resource allocation and targeted improvement efforts.

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Disasters and the Theory of Emergency Management

10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1539 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

David A. McEntire

Keyword(s):

Emergency Management ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Field Research ◽

Theoretical Work ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Pros And Cons ◽

Use Of Social Media ◽

Definition Of ◽

Impact Of Technology ◽

Management Functions

Disasters and the theory of emergency management are vibrant subjects for scholars. Researchers have focused on a variety of topics, including the definition of disasters, human behavior in extreme events, the nature of emergency management, ways to make the profession more effective, the pros and cons of various paradigms, and new areas of research. In studying these subjects, scholars have employed a variety of methods, including observation, field research, and comparison, among others. Findings from research reveals that humans are responsible for disasters and that vulnerability must be reduced. Studies reveal that antisocial behavior is less likely to occur than more common activities to support victims of disasters. The principles of emergency management have been elaborated, and scholars have argued that the phases of disasters are more complex that initially meets they eye. Research also reveals that bureaucratic approaches to emergency management are based on false assumptions and are too rigid. Scholarship also explores how to make emergency management functions more effective, and a number of articles have been written to explore paradigms to guide research and practice. Theoretical work on disasters and emergency management has examined planning, improvisation, and spontaneous planning. Research has also explored humanitarian logistics, the use of social media, the scholarship of teaching and learning, cultural competency and the culture of preparedness. Going forward, more research is needed on the complexity of disasters and the use or impact of technology in emergency management. A greater understanding of public health emergencies is warranted due to the challenges of Covid-19.

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Disaster, Inc.: Privatization and Post-Katrina Rebuilding in New Orleans

Perspectives on Politics ◽

10.1017/s153759271200165x ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 633-646 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Kevin Fox Gotham

Keyword(s):

Emergency Management ◽

Hurricane Katrina ◽

New Orleans ◽

Homeland Security ◽

Disaster Recovery ◽

City Government ◽

Private Firms ◽

Disaster Victims ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

Management Functions

This paper examines the problems and limitations of the privatization of federal and local disaster recovery policies and services following the Hurricane Katrina disaster. The paper discusses the significance of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 in accelerating efforts to devolve and privatize emergency management functions; the reorganization of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a service purchaser and arranger; and the efforts by the New Orleans city government to contract out disaster recovery activities to private firms. I situate and explain these three developments in the context of recent trends toward the neoliberalization of state activities, including the privatization and devolution of policy implementation to private firms and non-governmental organizations. On both the federal and local levels, inadequate contract oversight and lack of cost controls provided opportunities for private contractors to siphon public resources and exploit government agencies to further their profiteering interests and accumulation agendas. This article demonstrates how the privatization of emergency management services and policy constitutes a new regulatory project in which the state's role has shifted away from providing aid to disaster victims and toward the management and coordination of services delivered by private contractors.

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The Application of Laboratory Formulas to Clinical Voice Management

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/1058-0360.0402.62 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 62-69 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Katherine Verdolini ◽

Ingo R. Titze

Keyword(s):

Fundamental Frequency ◽

Voice Disorders ◽

Clinical Interventions ◽

Case Examples ◽

Interactive Nature ◽

Mathematical Formulas

In this paper, we discuss the application of mathematical formulas to guide the development of clinical interventions in voice disorders. Discussion of case examples includes fundamental frequency and intensity deviations, pitch and loudness abnormalities, laryngeal hyperand hypoadduction, and phonatory effort. The paper illustrates the interactive nature of theoretical and applied work in vocology

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Understanding Limited Use of Amplification in Infants and Children Who Are Hard of Hearing

Perspectives on Hearing and Hearing Disorders in Childhood ◽

10.1044/hhdc25.1.15 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 15-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ryan W. McCreery ◽

Elizabeth A. Walker ◽

Meredith Spratford

Keyword(s):

Hard Of Hearing ◽

Hearing Aid ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Infants And Children ◽

Future Research ◽

Research Needs ◽

Case Examples ◽

Hearing Aid Use ◽

Wide Range ◽

In Infants And Children

The effectiveness of amplification for infants and children can be mediated by how much the child uses the device. Existing research suggests that establishing hearing aid use can be challenging. A wide range of factors can influence hearing aid use in children, including the child's age, degree of hearing loss, and socioeconomic status. Audiological interventions, including using validated prescriptive approaches and verification, performing on-going training and orientation, and communicating with caregivers about hearing aid use can also increase hearing aid use by infants and children. Case examples are used to highlight the factors that influence hearing aid use. Potential management strategies and future research needs are also discussed.

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