Title
Training teams for emergency management
Author
Schaafstal, A.M.
Johnston, J.H.
Oser, R.L.
TNO Technische Menskunde
Publication year
2001
Abstract
Emergency management (EM), the decision making involved in directing the relief operation after a disaster or otherwise catastrophic accident is an issue of great public and private concern because of the high stakes involved. Due to the nature of emergencies, and especially mass emergencies, EM teams are faced with decision making in stressful situations, information ambiguity and overload, and a significant level of uncertainty, whereby non-routine problem solving of a knowledge-based nature is required. An important characteristic of EM is that it is a team of teams; multiple teams that come from di.erent organizations, with different organizational goals and different organizational cultures, that work together to minimize the negative effects of the emergency. As a consequence, EM requires good coordination and communication not just within, but also among the various teams involved. Coordination among teams should, therefore, be a key focus for training. This paper describes EM within the context of naturalistic decision making, and proposes a framework, an event-based approach to training, together with a number of team training strategies that may be applicable to EM. A brief assessment of available training technologies and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Subject
Safety Psychology Informatics
Team training
Emergency management
Information overload
Disaster
Teams
Communication
Coordination
Knowledge based systems
Personnel training
Problem solving
Decision making
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:bc2a0203-b5e1-4d59-b550-fa0728413482
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0747-5632(01)00026-7
TNO identifier
15966
Source
Computers in Human Behavior, 17 (5/6), 615-626
Document type
article