Priscilla David Catherine Cook-Cottone Raj Sharman H. Raghava Rao Shambhu Upadhaya

1. TRANSITION OF FIRST RESPONDERS’ FROM NORMAL INCIDENT RESPONSE TO DISASTER LEVEL PATTERNS- A GROUNDED THEORY APPROACH Priscilla David Catherine Cook-Cottone Raj Sharman H. Raghava Rao Shambhu Upadhaya University at Buffalo, SUNY

2. Objectives of the Study • To study the transition of first responders from normal incident response to disaster level patterns • To analyze the data collected from first responders from the October 2006 Snow Storm in Buffalo to understand their transition University at Buffalo, SUNY

3. Grounded Theory • The Perspective of the First Responder • Open Coding (naming phenomenon) • Axial Coding (process of relating codes to each other) • Selective Coding (finding core categories and themes) University at Buffalo, SUNY

4. Questions Under Study • During the October Storm, first response infrastructure shifted from normal simple incident response patterns to disaster level patterns (a) Describe how you knew the transition was needed. (b) Describe how the functions of your unit changed during and after this transition. • Please describe the most difficult tasks during the transition from normal simple incident response patterns to disaster level patterns during the October Storm. University at Buffalo, SUNY

5. Problems in Evolving Disaster Response Systems Communication systems • Comfort et al., (2004): state that when one method or process fails, the normal psychology of man is to opt for the next method thus overcrowding that method which causes the failure of the alternative method. • Auf der Heide (2006): • reports that in some EMS a common radio frequency for communication has not been established. • In the event of a disaster, communication problem are a huge hindrance when one emergency response team is trying to communicate with another. University at Buffalo, SUNY

6. Problems in Evolving Disaster Response Systems Coordination systems • Coordination by plan: Definite procedure that has to be followed by the EMS; experience success or additional challenge based on their activity. • Coordination by feedback: Errors and successes of incidents are noted; lessons are learned from past experience University at Buffalo, SUNY

7. Coordination Problems: Unexpected Help • Unexpected help: Instant rescue operations are performed by those who are present on the scene, the civilians. • Their attempts to respond to the disaster are often not well coordinated; lead to impairment of the organizational efficiency during a disaster. • Unexpected help: Auf derHeide (2006): Help comes from unexpected sources when it may not be required. Having more help than for which was planned, leads to the additional coordination problem. University at Buffalo, SUNY

8. Coordination systems (discussions from Comfort et al., 2004) • Training and education guides the responders during uncertainties • Three types of responses during disaster recovery: • Blind responseoccurs when the responders do not have information about the time and severity of the specific call or need. • Time-based responseis when information is available to responders based on time of demand (first come first serve basis). • Severity-based response occurs when information is provided about the time and severity of the incident wherein severity is the predominant factor (calls would be triaged) • If resources are used to the maximum and not conserved at the preliminary stage, they are exhausted and are not able to work to the best of their ability at progressing stages of the disaster. University at Buffalo, SUNY

9. Problems in Evolving Disaster Response Systems Flexible leadership and first responder role adaptation • Waugh & Streib (2006): Rigid method of hierarchical decision making is not effective. • Kelly (1995): Flexibility may also play a role in FR efficacy. FRs often perform tasks beyond their roles and responsibilities. • Waugh & Streib (2006): Role adaptation and intensification is experienced in most disaster response situations University at Buffalo, SUNY

10. Questions Under Study • During the October Storm, first response infrastructure shifted from normal simple incident response patterns to disaster level patterns (a) Describe how you knew the transition was needed. (b) Describe how the functions of your unit changed during and after this transition. • Please describe the most difficult tasks during the transition from normal simple incident response patterns to disaster level patterns during the October Storm. University at Buffalo, SUNY

11. University at Buffalo, SUNY

12. Theoretical Construct: Event Indicators Theoretical Construct: Impact Indicators University at Buffalo, SUNY

13. Theoretical Construct: Experience Indicators Theoretical Construct: Responder Role Change University at Buffalo, SUNY

14. Theoretical Construct: Integration of Response University at Buffalo, SUNY

15. Theoretical Construct: Disaster Impact Theoretical Construct: Resource Demands University at Buffalo, SUNY

16. Theoretical Construct: Community Issues University at Buffalo, SUNY

17. Conclusion • The qualitative analysis of the FR reports regarding the Buffalo October storm suggests that there are three are three major areas to consider when working towards understanding the nature of the transition to a disaster-level response: • disaster-indicators • FRs must be good assessors of event-specific-indicators • dynamics-in-transition • disaster-impact • i.e., civic-infrastructure-effects, community-impact, and resources-demands • use FR experience to evaluate these data. • Also critical is the ability of FRs to negotiate the dynamics of the transition to a disaster. • requires role flexibility and adaptation as FRs respond to increases in the intensity of their work as well as increases complexities of role performance. • the dynamics-in-transitionappear to include substantial coordination and communication demands. • the transition to a disaster level response hinges on the actual disaster impact. That is, the impact on systems, physical resources, responders, and the community. University at Buffalo, SUNY