Inter-organisational response to disasters
Abstract
Inter-organisational communication failures during times of real-world disasters impede the collaborative response of agencies responsible for ensuring the public’s health and safety. In the best of circumstances, communications across jurisdictional boundaries are ineffective. In times of crisis, when communities are grappling with the impact of a disaster, communications become critically important and more complex. Important factors for improving inter-organisational communications are critical thinking and problem-solving skills; inter-organisational relationships; as well as strategic, tactical and operational communications. Improving communication, critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making requires a review of leadership skills. This discussion begins with an analysis of the existing disaster management research and moves to an examination of the importance of inter-organisational working relationships. Before a successful resolution of a disaster by multiple levels of first responders, the group of organisations must have a foundation of trust, collegiality, flexibility, expertise, openness, relational networking and effective communications. Leaders must also be prepared to improve leadership skills through continual development in each of these foundational areas.
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Author's Biography
James L. Paturas is Director of the Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response (YNH-CEPDR). He also serves as Director of the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization Collaborating Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response and the Connecticut Center of Excellence for Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response at Yale New Haven Health System. Mr Paturas received his master’s in public administration, with a concentration on organisational leadership, from Norwich University and is an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Executive Leadership Education Program.
Stewart R. Smith is the Senior Scientific Advisor for the YNH-CEPDR, and an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, at the Yale University School of Medicine. Dr Albanese directs and supervises the State of Connecticut Biodosimetry Laboratory at Yale University. He is also a radiation biologist and currently serves as the Radiation Biodosimetrist. Dr Albanese received his PhD in experimental medicine from McGill University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Yale University, where he worked on research focused on understanding the effects of ionising radiation on intercellular communication and global gene expression.
Joseph Albanese received his PhD from McGill University, Department of Medicine, in 1998. Currently, Dr. Albanese serves as the Radiation Biodosimetrist for the Yale New Haven Health System Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response (YNHHS-CEPDR) and the State of Connecticut. Joseph is an experienced research investigator who holds an appointment at Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Therapeutic Radiology.
Geraldine Waite is an adjunct professor at Norwich University with more than 50 years of teaching experience. Her experience as an educator and therapist ranges from the cradle (severely mentally disabled) to adult (Michigan Department of Correction). In her long span as an educator and therapist, she has been a frequent guest speaker. Dr Waite is also a servant of the court who evaluates gays and lesbians for determination of custody. Before marriage equality was a reality, Dr Waite wrote her dissertation (2013) on living gay in the USA: An examination of the Marriage Benefit Theory. She is the sole owner of a private practice, called Affordable Dissertation Support, which grew out of a special interest in student ambiguity and lack of self-resolution related to dissertation completion.
Citation
Paturas, James L., Smith, Stewart R., Albanese, Joseph and Waite, Geraldine (2016, June 1). Inter-organisational response to disasters. In the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, Volume 9, Issue 4. https://doi.org/10.69554/CUWU6504.
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