Local community disaster planning on lower Vancouver Island: an evaluation of content and effectiveness
Date
1999
Authors
Bryan, Robert
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Abstract
A disaster is often a sudden and dramatic event which can occur anywhere at any time, leaving death and destruction in its wake. The goal of this thesis is to provide an objective, unbiased and detailed evaluation of existing emergency preparedness in Greater Victoria.
The initial chapter introduces a number of fundamental emergency planning concepts which illustrate the need for this study. Obstacles to effective emergency planning for municipal governments are discussed. A general methodological background and plan are outlined and the four key components of emergency planning, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery are defined.
The relevant emergency planning literature addresses issues such as past, present and future trends in municipal emergency planning. Also, reviewed are academic studies which address systemic, governmental, coordination, and most importantly for this study, simulation gaming initiatives in disaster research. Quality variations in disaster plans are also discussed.
Methodologically, this study stresses the importance of personal interviews and disaster simulations and games as effective tools for enhancing emergency preparedness and response activities among local municipal governments. The use of such data collection tools, in assessing the effectiveness of municipal government's emergency preparedness procedures, allows the identification of both the local strengths of disaster planning, and some of its weaknesses.
Qualitative methods applied in this thesis include descriptions of how data is analysed and the experiences of the researcher and subjects during such analysis. Qualitative data used in this research is strengthened throughout by triangulation measures, in an attempt to increase the study's internal validity. Within-site case studies and the Suchman research evaluation methodology were used also to complement data analysis.
This approach identified strengths in local municipal planning, such as the design and content of current disaster preparedness plans in Victoria, Oak Bay and Saanich and the availability of committed emergency planning officials. Weaknesses were discovered, however, in fundamental emergency planning issues involving coordination, communication and the nature of disaster response facilities.
In summary local governments, in Greater Victoria, are generally aware of the hazards they face, the risks they take and, as a result, their associated vulnerabilities. However, they experience difficulties, to a varying degree, in planning effective mitigation, response and recovery programs. In, large part this appears to be because they have not yet developed specific and comprehensive disaster training methods.