MakingEmergency ManagementTraining and Education

Sustainable

MakingMakingEmergency ManagementEmergency ManagementTraining and EducationTraining and Education

SustainableSustainable

David AlexanderCESPRO – University of FlorenceDavid AlexanderDavid Alexander

CESPRO CESPRO –– University of FlorenceUniversity of Florence

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD EMERGENCY MANAGER

A solid knowledge of:• the sources of hazard and risk

• the forms of vulnerability to disaster• the available mitigation options

• legal obligations and responsibilitiesA good training in:

• emergency planning and disaster mitigation• emergency management procedures

• relations with the public and mass media• emergency communications• information management

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD EMERGENCY MANAGER

A solid knowledge of:• the sources of hazard and risk

• the forms of vulnerability to disaster• the available mitigation options

• legal obligations and responsibilitiesA good training in:

• emergency planning and disaster mitigation• emergency management procedures

• relations with the public and mass media• emergency communications• information management

Common defects of courses:Common defects of courses:Common defects of courses:

• coverage of the subject isfragmentary and incomplete

•• coveragecoverage of the subject isof the subject isfragmentary and incompletefragmentary and incomplete

• quality of lessons is highly variable•• qualityquality of lessons is highly variableof lessons is highly variable

• teachers are not sufficientlyexpert in the subject

•• teachers are not sufficientlyteachers are not sufficientlyexpertexpert in the subjectin the subject

• the course lacks clear objectives•• the course lacks clear the course lacks clear objectivesobjectives

• lack of active participationof students in the lessons.

•• lack of lack of active participationactive participationof students in the lessonsof students in the lessons..

The imperatives of emergencymanagement training:-

The imperatives of emergencyThe imperatives of emergencymanagement training:management training:--

• to create a common cultureand language of civil protection

•• to create a to create a common culturecommon cultureand language of civil protectionand language of civil protection

• to establish what general bodyof information should be taught

•• to establish what to establish what general bodygeneral bodyof informationof information should be taughtshould be taught

• to make trainees better able to carryout tasks related to their own roles

•• to make trainees better able to carryto make trainees better able to carryout tasks related to out tasks related to their own rolestheir own roles

• to promote understanding ofthe roles of other participantsin emergency work.

•• to promote understanding ofto promote understanding ofthe the roles of other participantsroles of other participantsin emergency workin emergency work..

We need to aim for greaterrigour and consensus in whatwe teach emergency managers

and how we teach them.

We need to aim for greaterWe need to aim for greaterrigourrigour and and consensusconsensus in whatin whatwe teach emergency managerswe teach emergency managers

and how we teach them.and how we teach them.

How to make courses relevant & sustainableHow to make courses relevant & sustainable

Assess needsAssess needsAssess needs

Define objectivesDefine objectivesDefine objectives

Develop methods and materialsDevelop methods and materialsDevelop methods and materials

Conduct trainingConduct trainingConduct training

Evaluate resultsEvaluate resultsEvaluate results

Revise and relaunch course.Revise and relaunch courseRevise and relaunch course..

Seven principles ofsustainable education

and training inemergency management

Seven Seven principlesprinciples ofofsustainable educationsustainable education

and training inand training inemergency managementemergency management

Teachers and students should feelthat they are stakeholders in acourse and are endowed with

a genuine interest in its outcome.

Teachers and students should feelTeachers and students should feelthat they are that they are stakeholdersstakeholders in ain acourse and are endowed withcourse and are endowed with

a genuine interest in its outcome.a genuine interest in its outcome.

The educational process should undergoconstant development: courses should notremain static but should adapt to newchallenges, information and realities.

The educational process should undergoThe educational process should undergoconstant constant developmentdevelopment: courses should not: courses should notremain static but should adapt to newremain static but should adapt to newchallenges, information and realities.challenges, information and realities.

The educational product should bedurable: hand-outs should be made

to last and lessons should leavea good long-term impression.

The educational product should beThe educational product should bedurable: handdurable: hand--outs should be madeouts should be made

to last and lessons should leaveto last and lessons should leavea good a good longlong--termterm impression.impression.

Lively, two-way dialogue should takeplace between teachers and students.Lively, twoLively, two--way way dialoguedialogue should takeshould takeplace between teachers and students.place between teachers and students.

Students should be protagonistsStudents should be who mould their own education.Students should be protagonistsprotagonistswho mould their own education.who mould their own education.

A common language and culture shouldA be developed so as to make students(and their teachers) feel that they

belong to a community of scholars andpractitioners, one that will constantlyincrease their knowledge and abilities.

A common language and culturecommon language and culture shouldshouldbe developed so as to make studentsbe developed so as to make students(and their teachers) feel that they(and their teachers) feel that they

belong to a community of scholars andbelong to a community of scholars andpractitioners, one that will constantlypractitioners, one that will constantlyincrease their knowledge and abilities.increase their knowledge and abilities.

Lessons must be learned,Lessons must be not just mentally registered,

and not forgotten easily.

Lessons must be learnedlearned,,not just mentally registered,not just mentally registered,

and not forgotten easily.and not forgotten easily.

EmergencypreparednessEmergencyEmergency

preparednesspreparednessContingency

planningContingencyContingency

planningplanning

Crisismanagement

CrisisCrisismanagementmanagement

Disaster riskreduction

Disaster riskDisaster riskreductionreduction

Standards:-• what needs to be taught• duration of courses• quality management• certification

StandardsStandards::--•• what needs to be taughtwhat needs to be taught•• duration of coursesduration of courses•• quality managementquality management•• certificationcertification

Broad-based emergencymanagement education

BroadBroad--based based emergencyemergencymanagement management educationeducation

Field training andprofessional experience

Field training andField training andprofessional professional experienceexperience

Discipline-basededucation

DisciplineDiscipline--basedbasededucationeducation

CommoncultureCommonCommoncultureculture

CommonlanguageCommonCommonlanguagelanguage

CommonobjectivesCommonCommon

objectivesobjectives

EcologyGeology(& Geomorphology)

Geophysics(inc. Seismology)

VulcanologyClimatologyHydraulicsHydrologyMeteorology

ArchitectureCivil engineeringGeotechnical engineeringStructural engineeringMechanical &electrical engineeringInformation &

communicationtechnology (ICT)

Computer technologyRemote sensingRisk analysis (inc.risk identification,estimation,management &communication)

CartographyDevelopment studiesEconomicsGeography, HistoryJurisprudence & legal stdsUrban & regional planningMass media studiesPsychologySociology

EpidemiologyNursingNutritionPharmacologyGeneral medicineSurgery &emergency medicine

Public health, hygiene& epidemiology

Veterinary sciencesHealth sciences

Social & spatial sciences

Computational& analytical

sciences

Construction sciences

Atmospheric & water sciences

Earth & environmental sciences

HAZARD,RISK &

DISASTER

CONSTITUENTCONSTITUENTDISCIPLINESDISCIPLINES

Emergency management training and educationEmergency management training and education

B

AS I

C C ONC EPT S

HA

ZAR

DA

NA

LYSI

S

EMERGENCYPLANNING

EMERGENCYMANAGEMENT

DISASTER

SOCIOLOGY AND

PSYCHOLOGY

RECOVERY AND

RECONSTRUCTION

PLANNINGPU

BLIC

INFO

RMAT

ION

MAN

AGEM

ENT

METHODS OF

RISK MITIGATION

FIELD

EXERCISES

ExperienceExperienceExperienceResearchResearchResearchCertification

of competenceCertificationCertification

of competenceof competence

Emergingprofessional

figure

EmergingprofessionalprofessionalEmerging

TrainingprogrammesTrainingTraining

programmesprogrammes figurefigure

Recognition andan institutionalrole for the

professional figure

Recognition andan institutionalan institutionalrole for therole for the

professional figureprofessional figure

Recognition and

Organi-Organisation

Organi--sationsation

Policies andlegislationPolicies andPolicies andlegislationlegislation

• in emergency management training isthe motor of change and the sourceof development of the profession

•• in emergency management training isin emergency management training isthe the motor of changemotor of change and the sourceand the sourceof development of the professionof development of the profession

• courses must have clear objectives:it is imperative to have a good ideaof the expected product or outcome

•• courses must have courses must have clear objectivesclear objectives::it is imperative to have a good ideait is imperative to have a good ideaof the expected product or outcomeof the expected product or outcome

• training must be broad and integrative,with a focus on creating a commonlanguage and culture and understandingall participants' roles in emergencies.

•• training must be broad and training must be broad and integrativeintegrative,,with a focus on creating a commonwith a focus on creating a commonlanguage and culture and understandinglanguage and culture and understandingall participants' roles in emergenciesall participants' roles in emergencies..

ConclusionsConclusionsConclusions

www.emergency-planning.blogspot.comwww.emergencywww.protezione-civile-italia.blogspot.com

david.alexander@unifi.it

www.emergency--planning.blogspot.complanning.blogspot.comwww.protezionewww.protezione--civilecivile--italia.blogspot.comitalia.blogspot.com

david.alexander@unifi.itdavid.alexander@unifi.it