Disaster Management

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of natural disasters leads to economic, social, and personal infrastructure damage. Moreover, the government capacities increase rapidly following a direct and major demand for assistance. In these situations, timely communication, information gathering, and coordination to respond to the needs are of critical importance. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of new technologies on dealing with natural disasters in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Iran. METHODS: This practical study was conducted based on a descriptive-survey method. The population included 100 experts and key members of the Sistan and Baluchistan Crisis Management Coordination Council. In total 80 cases were selected using Cochran's formula and purposive (snowball) sampling method. The data were collected through a 46-item researcher-made questionnaire. The face and content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts, and the reliability of the questionnaire was estimated at 0.94 using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which indicated acceptable reliability of this scale. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) through multiple regression to evaluate the research hypotheses. FINDINGS: According to the results of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the data distribution was normal. Moreover, the results of the multiple regression test showed the effectiveness of new technologies in dealing with natural disasters. Furthermore, operational equipment had the most significant effects on dealing with natural disasters.

INTRODUCTION: Natural disasters disrupt people's lives, bringing about serious economic and social losses. Disaster risk management is a set of measures, including planning, decision-making, accountability, and operational activities at all levels. Moreover, it is of considerable significance to take advantage of social capacities and community participation before, during, and after disasters. The present study aimed to explain the prerequisites of community-based disaster risk management in Iran in 2020. METHODS: This data-driven qualitative study was conducted using Strauss and Corbin's systematic approach. The statistical population included all disaster management experts and non-governmental organizations in universities, the National Disaster Management Organization, the provincial disaster management departments, and senior managers of the Red Crescent Society. Out of this population, 22 subjects were purposefully selected via snowball sampling taking into account the geographical, climatic, cultural, social, and religious diversity of different regions of the country. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analysed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. FINDINGS: Based on the obtained results, the prerequisites of community-based disaster risk management include: "legal obligation", "public sensitization", "strategic planning", "public participation", "social capacity building", " building cohesion and empathy ", "action (prevention, preparedness, needs assessment, planning, and response", "formation and development of expert teams", "logistics forecasting and equipment", "preparation", and attention to geographical conditions"." CONCLUSION: As evidenced by the obtained results, the required measures for the successful implementation INTRODUCTION: Natural disasters disrupt people's lives, bringing about serious economic and social losses. Disaster risk management is a set of measures, including planning, decision-making, accountability, and operational activities at all levels. Moreover, it is of considerable significance to take advantage of social capacities and community participation before, during, and after disasters. The present study aimed to explain the prerequisites of community-based disaster risk management in Iran in 2020. METHODS: This data-driven qualitative study was conducted using Strauss and Corbin's systematic approach. The statistical population included all disaster management experts and non-governmental organizations in universities, the National Disaster Management Organization, the provincial disaster management departments, and senior managers of the Red Crescent Society. Out of this population, 22 subjects were purposefully selected via snowball sampling taking into account the geographical, climatic, cultural, social, and religious diversity of different regions of the country. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analysed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. FINDINGS: Based on the obtained results, the prerequisites of community-based disaster risk management include: "legal obligation", "public sensitization", "strategic planning", "public participation", "social capacity building", " building cohesion and empathy ", "action (prevention, preparedness, needs assessment, planning, and response", "formation and development of expert teams", "logistics forecasting and equipment", "preparation", and attention to geographical conditions". CONCLUSION: As evidenced by the obtained results, the required measures for the successful implementation of community-based disaster risk management can be assigned to two categories: The first one encompasses the measures that require structural changes and law reform and are taken at the national level and National Disaster Management Organization of the country. The second type of measure must be implemented at the local and operational management levels. of community-based disast

INTRODUCTION: An earthquake is a major natural disaster with widespread and great effects on human life and nature. Taking care of the basic needs of earthquake victims is an essential step that should be addressed immediately. Moreover, the evaluation of various problems after disasters, especially earthquakes, is of crucial importance for the affected people. The management of humanitarian aid and public assistance among these affected people is considered one of the most important post-earthquake concerns. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the post-earthquake challenges and strengths of providing humanitarian aid services in Sisakht, Yasuj, in February 2019. METHODS: This qualitative case study was conducted from March 2019 to July 2020. The studied population consisted of 20 participants including medical staff (n=10), clergy (n=2), crisis managers (n=4), and military personnel (n=4). The required data were collected through observation and semi-structured interviews, which continued until data saturation. To evaluate the reliability of the data, the strategies recommended by Guba were used. The data were analyzed by conventional content analysis based on the method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. FINDINGS: The advantages and strengths of this study included humanitarian cooperation and coordination, as well as the timely presence of relief and rescue teams and law enforcement agencies from the post-earthquake first hours, which had a great impact on reducing the suffering of people. The challenges in providing post-earthquake services included health, medical, management, geographical, and spatial concerns and issues related to the earthquake victims (relief goods distribution problem and inappropriate information dissemination as the main challenges). CONCLUSION: Effective and appropriate management policies regarding the management of providing post-earthquake services and elimination of the structural and managerial obstacles can improve the operation and management of humanitarian aid.

With increasing frequency, the developing countries and the people living there are being affected by disasters. More and more often, development efforts are being destroyed. The reason for this trend is their growing vulnerability, which in turn is the result of economic and social development processes, such as the expansion of settlements and agricultural land in risk areas. The economic and social consequences of these disasters for the people in our partner countries last for years. To break and, if possible, reverse this trend, international organizations, governments and NGOs in the developing countries are increasingly upgrading the priority of disaster risk management for policy, and taking concrete preventive measures to reduce the risk to the population. This paper examined the concept of disaster and its management in the light of sustainable development with particular reference to Iran. It enumerated the different human and natural phenomena that could be characterized as disasters. It was discovered that, while hazard and/ or disasters possess anthropogenic origins, their consequences are felt on both human and the physical environments. In all cases, the human tolls have been significant. The paper highlighted the important elements of a typical Disaster Management Information System in Iran. After presenting a typology of disasters in Iran, the paper, advocated for a workable disaster management information system.

INTRODUCTION: Considering the important and sensitive position of Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) and little scientific research has been done on the subject, the purpose of this comparative study is to identify the structural and functional requirements of EOCs. METHODS: In this comparative research, structural and functional requirements and considerations of modern EOCs were extracted to facilitate the process of managing operations and responding to disasters by studying the guidelines and standards for the design and construction of modern EOCs, as well as examining the experiences of different countries in using and operating these centers. FINDINGS: By reviewing the studies, these components were extracted as the important structural and functional requirements of these centers including: common hazards in the region, the purpose of creating an EOC, the flexibility and multi-purpose nature of the EOC, audio and visual features of the operation control room, the number of administrative and operational positions, ergonomics and allocated space, required and technologies, the existence of a space for holding group meetings as well as people's rest, the amount of allocated budget and also the conditions of people's access to modern EOC. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, assessing the risks in the region and developing different possible scenarios, along with paying attention to the structural and functional requirements of modern EOCs based on the obtained criteria, can improve the disaster management process.