Collaborative emergency management: better community organising, better public preparedness and response

    Authors

    N. Kapucu

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Disasters

    Keywords

    community coordination; disaster management; disaster response; operations; hurricanes; public preparedness; repeated threats; RISK COMMUNICATION; DISASTER; ORGANIZATIONS; Planning & Development

    Abstract

    Community coordination requires communication and planning of precautions to take when faced with a severe threat of disaster. The unique case of the four Florida hurricanes of 2004-Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne-is used here to assess community responses to repeated threats of hurricanes. The paper examines how effectiveness in coordinating community disaster response efforts affects future public preparedness. The findings suggest that pre-season planning, open communication between emergency managers and elected officials, and the use of technology all had a significant impact on community responses. The repeated threat scenario indicates that emergency managers must work vigilantly to keep residents informed of the seriousness of a situation. The study describes how emergency managers in Florida countered public complacency during four hurricanes in six weeks. The strategies identified as useful by public managers in the context of hurricanes are applicable to other natural and man-made disasters.

    Journal Title

    Disasters

    Volume

    32

    Issue/Number

    2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2008

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    239

    Last Page

    262

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000254609600004

    ISSN

    0361-3666

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