Emergency management decision-making in a changing world: 3 key challenges

Butler, Philip C.; Flin, Rhona; Bearman, Chris; Hayes, Peter; Penney, Greg; McLennan, Jim

Abstract

Managing emergencies is taxing for individuals due to the stress of making decisions in dangerous, high-stakes and time-constrained environments. These complex, dynamic environments also make it difficult to coordinate as other responders perform different roles that may have conflicting goals. This study explored some of the challenges faced by emergency management decision-makers through a literature review of 70 papers identified from SCOPUS and EBSCO database searches. Three major challenges for emergency management were identified: stress and fatigue, interoperability and ethical decision-making. Each of these challenges is examined to explore their nature and how they are likely to evolve in the future. This paper provides helpful advice on how to mitigate these challenges. We argue that to better meet these challenges, emergency services organisations need to develop and maintain appropriate doctrine and training, develop a supportive organisational culture and effectively learn the lessons of previous critical incidents.

Citation

BUTLER, P.C., FLIN, R., BEARMAN, C., HAYES, P., PENNEY, G. and MCLENNAN, J. 2024. Emergency management decision-making in a changing world: 3 key challenges. Australian journal of emergency management [online], 39(4), pages 23-32. Available from: https://doi.org/10.47389/39.4.23

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 4, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Oct 31, 2024
• Publication Date: Oct 31, 2024
• Deposit Date: Aug 6, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 26, 2024
• Journal: Australian journal of emergency management
• Print ISSN: 1324-1540
• Electronic ISSN: 2204-2288
• Publisher: Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 39
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 23-32
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.47389/39.4.23
• Keywords: Decision-making; Stress; Fatigue; Interoperability; Ethical
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2428204
• Related Public URLs: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2584671 (Introduction article "The challenges of decision-making in emergency management, the cognitive aids people use and the decision-making training they receive."); https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2428167 (linked journal article "A review of cognitive aids and their application to emergency management in Australia."); https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2445794 (linked journal article "Training to improve emergency management decision-making: what the research literature tells us.")