|
|
Robert Bell, & Elizabeth Avery Gomez. (2011). Business continuity for small business owners: Do the tools fit their need? In E. Portela L. S. M.A. Santos (Ed.), 8th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: From Early-Warning Systems to Preparedness and Training, ISCRAM 2011. Lisbon: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Business continuity planning for private sector organizations has not reached the level of readiness as has the public sector. This disparity has reached national attention as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security addressed it in a statement, “ensuring Americas small businesses have the critical information and training they need to better respond to disasters will strengthen the entire nations preparedness and resilience (DHS, 2010).” The release of this statement and the DHS program (PS-Prep) was a promise to provide the necessary tools to small business owners so they could build effective business continuity plans. The major contributions of this research will be to provide an evaluation of the applicability of PS-Prep to small businesses, and to provide the needs assessment for parallel research of leveraging the current capabilities of a Business Emergency Operations Center in the development of a Virtual Small Business Emergency Operations Center (VSBEOC).
|
|
|
|
Art Botterell, & Martin Griss. (2011). Toward the next generation of emergency operations systems. In E. Portela L. S. M.A. Santos (Ed.), 8th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: From Early-Warning Systems to Preparedness and Training, ISCRAM 2011. Lisbon: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: For more than half a century the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been a key component of emergency management (EM), homeland security and business continuity practice. Changes in the technical, threat, economic and social environments are placing new pressures on the concept of the EOC in the public, private and community sectors. Investigation of the desirable attributes of a “Next Generation EOC” has led to alternative EOC roles and configurations. This paper describes emerging pressures on, and trends in, emergency and business contingency management systems, and describes a research program to explore solutions to both new and persistent design challenges.
|
|
|
|
Cecilia Hammar Wijkmark, & Ilona Heldal. (2020). Virtual and Live Simulation-Based Training for Incident Commanders. In Amanda Hughes, Fiona McNeill, & Christopher W. Zobel (Eds.), ISCRAM 2020 Conference Proceedings – 17th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 1154–1162). Blacksburg, VA (USA): Virginia Tech.
Abstract: Computer and virtual simulation-based training (CST) offer several benefits for emergency response and management preparedness. However, organizations responsible for training are often hesitant to use CST, based on cost and perceived lack of benefit when compared to live simulation training (LST). This paper investigates how CST can complement LST, and how it contributes to achieving the necessary learning objectives for level one fire and rescue service incident commanders (ICs). Data and examples come from an experimental study with students from different fire and rescue services trained in the role of the IC in LST and CST, in a similar scenario. Results show the cost and benefits of the CST implementation based on evaluations from learners, instructors and responsible managers. Participants had a positive attitude towards using virtual simulations, but the results also point to barriers regarding the suitable design of learning scenarios and implementation.
|
|
|
|
Christoph Endres, Andreas Wurz, Marcus Hoffmann, & Alexander Behring. (2010). A task-based messaging approach to facilitate staff work. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: A central part of the work in Incident Commands (ICs) deals with handling messages that contain relevant information. Classification schemes for messages can be exploited by command staff and assisting tools to support this work, given that a common understanding of the scheme is shared among participants. We present user studies on two such classifications, which imply some disagreement among participants. Interpretations of the studies and a revised scheme are presented. All users in our studies are highly trained experts and represent the state of the art in german IC work.
|
|
|
|
Stephen E. Hannestad. (2005). Incident command system: A developing national standard of incident management in the U.S. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 19–28). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: This paper is a critical examination of the U.S. Incident Command System (“ICS”) as an organizational structure and information gathering tool for emergency management from the perspective of a career emergency management officer who became a graduate student in information management following 35 years of public service. In addition to examining the ICS, and assessing its current weaknesses in the area of information management, the paper proposes a low-cost, COTS approach to automating the ICS information gathering and dissemination process.
|
|
|
|
Hans Jochen Scholl, & Sarah L. Carnes. (2017). Managerial Challenges in Early Disaster Response: The Case of the 2014 Oso/SR530 Landslide Disaster. In eds Aurélie Montarnal Matthieu Lauras Chihab Hanachi F. B. Tina Comes (Ed.), Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management (pp. 961–972). Albi, France: Iscram.
Abstract: The larger the scale, scope, and duration of a disaster, the higher is the number of response units. However, with more units involved in the response also the heterogeneity of responder units drastically increases in terms of capabilities, experiences, practices, techniques, tactics, and procedures. As a result, the coordination and overall management of the response becomes an increasingly challenging endeavor. In the response to the 2014 Oso/SR530 landslide disaster in Washington State over one hundred agencies were involved, which presented a huge coordination task for the incident command. This empirical study is exploratory and focuses on the activities and interactions of professional responders, particularly, in the early phases of the response. It amends and complements previous studies on the subject by identifying and describing in detail various challenges in the early response. It also discusses recommendations on how to tackle and potentially mitigate the challenges identified in future responses.
|
|
|
|
Geoffrey Hoare, Jeffrey Nield, Tom Belcuore, & Tom Rich. (2008). Information needs and decision support in health and medical disasters. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 778–786). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: During a disaster, health and medical decision makers need accurate, timely information. However, it is seldom readily available to the right decision makers, at the right time. Quite a number of databases currently exist with information about health and medical organizations which decision makers need during a disaster. Some of these databases have functions that facilitate decision-making and communication before, during and after a disaster. In theory, linking several existing databases will supply this information. Also, other functions can be provided in one package for incident management and monitoring of the preparedness capacity of a State's health and medical systems. But, this has not happened yet in Florida. This research assessed the different users needs, defined the information required to make good decisions and is testing a pilot decision support system of linked databases.
|
|
|
|
John Sabou, Nadia Noori, & Jerri Husch. (2015). Recognizing Competitive Cultures: A case for describing the complexity of coordination between dynamic crisis response actors. In L. Palen, M. Buscher, T. Comes, & A. Hughes (Eds.), ISCRAM 2015 Conference Proceedings ? 12th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Kristiansand, Norway: University of Agder (UiA).
Abstract: Crisis management frameworks are typically associated with concepts related to command and control or ?hierarchical? decision-making. However, advancements in communication technologies and new media platforms have brought new prospects to the design of crisis management frameworks. Social media platforms, for example, enable volunteering citizens to actively take part in crisis response efforts. In our paper we explore comparing and contrasting two forms of crisis management frameworks: a formal, the well-tested Incident Command System of the US, and an informal example, the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) program. The goal of the paper is to outline potential ways to examine the disparities in network structure and collaboration linkages in different forms of crisis management frameworks.
|
|
|
|
Jonas Landgren. (2004). Fire crew enroute sensemaking in emergency response. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2004 – 1st International Workshop on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 87–92). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Reconstruction of major emergencies and crisis as well as observations of large-scale emergency exercises are common approaches for studying and understanding various actors work practice in emergency response. Studies of small-scale emergencies using an ethnographic approach are less common. This paper presents data from a single small-scale emergency as part of an extensive ethnographical field study. A detailed analysis of fire crew enroute sensemaking in a single small-scale emergency is outlined. The theory of sensemaking is applied as an analytical lens aiming to explain the communication between the command centre operator and the fire crew in terms of sensemaking. Further, implications for re-design of existing systems and infrastructure are presented as well as brief reflections of the consequences of such re-design. © Proceedings ISCRAM 2004.
|
|
|
|
Stijn Oomes, & Martijn Neef. (2005). Scaling-up support for emergency response organizations. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 29–34). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: We present the design of an information system that supports the process of scaling-up of emergency response organizations. This process is vital for effective emergency response but tends to go awry in practice. Our proposed system consists of multiple distributed agents that are capable of exchanging organizational information. Each agent assists one part of the organization by visualizing the organization and allowing the user to update the information of its closest collaborators. When the agents communicate, they exchange and merge their organizational representations. The structure of other parts of the organization is updated indirectly through multiple interactions between different agents. We tailor our design to two specific procedures that are in common use today: the Coordinated Regional Incident Response Procedure (GRIP) that is applied in the Netherlands, and the Incident Command System (ICS) that is used in a number of areas in the United States of America.
|
|
|
|
Jian Wang, Daniela Rosca, Williams Tepfenhart, & Allen Milewski. (2006). Incident command system workflow modeling and analysis: A case study. In M. T. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2006 – 3rd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 127–136). Newark, NJ: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The dynamics and volunteer-based workforce characteristics of incident command systems have raised significant challenges to workflow management systems. Incident command systems must be able to adapt to ever changing surroundings and tasks during an incident. These changes need to be known by all responsible parties, since people work in shifts, get tired or sick during the management of an incident. In order to create this awareness, job action sheets and forms have been created. We propose a paperless system that can dynamically take care of these aspects, and formally verify the correctness of the workflows. Furthermore, during an incident, the majority of workers are volunteers that vary in their knowledge of computers, or workflows. To address these challenges, we developed an intuitive, yet formal approach to workflow modeling, modification, enactment and validation. In this paper, we show how to apply this approach to address the needs of a typical incident command system workflow.
|
|
|
|
Zeno Franco, Nina Zumel, John Holman, Kathy Blau, & Larry E. Beutler. (2009). Evaluating the impact of improvisation on the incident command system: A modified single case study using the DDD simulator. In S. J. J. Landgren (Ed.), ISCRAM 2009 – 6th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Boundary Spanning Initiatives and New Perspectives. Gothenburg: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: This study attempted to evaluate the utility of the Incident Command System (ICS) in varying disaster contexts. ICS is mandated in the United States and practitioners assert that it is an effective organizing system for emergency management. However, researchers contend that the utility of ICS is conflated with inter-team familiarity gained during ICS exercises. A military team-in-the-loop simulator was customized to represent the problems, resources, and command structures found in civilian led disaster management teams. A modified single case design drawn from behavioral psychology was used to explore possible casual relationships between changes team heterogeneity and performance. The design also allowed for the evaluation of improvisation on performance. Further, psychological factors that may underpin improvisation were explored. In addition to some preliminary empirical findings, the successes and difficulties in adapting the DDD simulator are briefly discussed as part of an effort to achieved greater interdisciplinary integration.
|
|
