Emergency and Disaster Management Commons^™

Shifting To A Culture Of Inclusion By Design: Applying A Mixed-Methods Approach To Advance Accessibility Of Public Health Emergency Information & Communication Technology, Jessica L. Franks, Erin Vinoski Thomas

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience inequities in access to timely, accurate, and understandable information and communication technology (ICT), which increases risk for public health emergency (PHE)-related health disparities and impedes opportunities to achieve optimal health. This study assessed federal COVID-19 webpage accessibility levels and explored existing knowledge of and experience with filing accessibility complaints for federal ICT among adults with IDD. Through a mixed-methods approach, we evaluated compliance with accessibility standards for 18 federal agencies’ COVID-19 webpages (study 1) and interviewed 16 adults with IDD about experiences accessing federal webpages and filing accessibility complaints (study 2). We …

The Politics Of Being Heard: Communication And Power Struggles In Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Caroline Trejo

Master's Projects and Capstones

The environmental and public health challenges in Bayview-Hunters Point have catalyzed widespread community activism, as residents and advocates respond to the ongoing fallout from radiological contamination at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. Communication plays a vital role in bridging the gap between affected communities and government entities throughout the cleanup process. This research asks: how have the communication strategies of advocacy groups influenced government actions and policies during the Bayview-Hunters Point Shipyard cleanup? To explore this question, I conducted semi-structured interviews with three community advocates, two former members of a non-partisan civil jury, one independent researcher, and one government official. …

Weathering The Storm: Examining Mississippi’S Disaster Recovery For Diverse Economic Groups, Ethan C. Robertson

Honors Theses

This study investigates the systemic disparities in disaster recovery resource allocation in Mississippi, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by underprivileged communities. Guided by the central research question—how can we make disaster recovery more equitable?—this research critically examines whether current disaster recovery policy in Mississippi is equitable and how effectively it addresses the needs of diverse economic groups. The current disaster recovery model often fails to address the unique needs of socio-economically vulnerable populations, hindering their ability to recover effectively. Through case studies of Hurricane Katrina (2005), the Mississippi River Flooding (2011), and undeclared tornadoes in December 2022, …

Integrating Positive Psychology And Spirituality To Foster Meaning And Well-Being In Older Adults, Crystal Morris

Adultspan Journal

This perspective article explores the integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) and spirituality in therapy to foster meaning and well-being in older adults. It highlights exercises such as the positive introduction, positive legacy, character strengths, mindfulness, mindful-based yoga, and a manifestation prayer journaling. The interventions presented are tools to support older adults that may experience depression, difficult life transitions, and the search for renewed meaning. Therapists who integrate PPIs and spirituality into therapy can promote a holistic, non-pathological approach to treatment.

Surge Scramble: An Evaluation Of Combining The Medical Response And Surge Exercise With The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention’S Pan Flu Scramble, Rebecca L. Thompson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This report analyzes how Hospital Preparedness Program funding recipients in Nebraska adapted the Center for Disease Control’s Pan Flu Scramble format to meet Medical Response and Surge Exercise (MRSE) requirements in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. By combining the MRSE and Pan Flu Scramble, the recipients created an in-person functional exercise format for the six Nebraska health care coalitions to test their respective chemical plans and the Health Care Crisis Protocol for the State of Nebraska. The report explains the design and conduct of the exercises and provides a comprehensive evaluation of the exercise design and conduct. This report will outline …

Emergency Sheltering For Unhoused Populations During Extreme Winter Weather Events: A Comparison Between Guidance Documents And Local Planning, Shannon A. Bakke

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

In a world experiencing drastic climate changes, extreme winter weather is a present and future concern. Regardless of geographic location, extreme winter weather has detrimental effects on communities across the United States. Exposure to extreme winter weather may result in cold-related injuries or death, disproportionately impacting populations that spend more time outside, such as people experiencing homelessness. Gronlund concluded that there is "a higher risk of hypothermia, hyperthermia, and mortality among the homeless vs. non-homeless during periods of extreme heat or cold (Gronlund, 2018)." Communities across the United States routinely combat the effects of cold weather by implementing various disaster …

Educational Leadership In A Vuca World: The Crisis Management Experiences Of Rural School Superintendents, Lucas J. Grossnicklaus

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The job of both urban and rural superintendents is challenging, but it is the rural school superintendency that comes with unique challenges that aren’t always faced by their urban and suburban counterparts. The COVID-19 Pandemic brought about a number of crises for school superintendents such as school closures, mask mandates, and navigating positions taken by governors, teachers unions, and school boards. While concerns about school closures and mask mandates has dissipated, conflict within school districts has only seemed to grow since the pandemic.

This multi-case study explored the lived experience of rural superintendents in the Midwest who have experienced a …

A Fragile New World: An Analysis Of The History, Present, And Future Of The U.S. Global Fragility Act, Declan F. Coakley

International Studies (MA) Theses

In 2019, the U.S. Congress passed the Global Fragility Act with bipartisan support. (GFA). The act aimed to reform U.S. foreign aid and development, focusing on stabilization initiatives that proactively address the root causes of conflict before they escalate into full-blown violence. Despite the significant implications of the GFA for both domestic and international foreign policy, extant research examining the novel legislation remains limited and disjointed in its examination. This paper builds on previous studies by combining content analysis and qualitative interviews with a diverse group of professionals within the foreign aid sector to offer a comprehensive analysis of the …

Accessing Critical Resources For Family Emergency Preparedness, Nancy L. Coffman

ATU Scholars Symposium

This study evaluates the accessibility and effectiveness of online disaster preparedness resources for families. Through content analysis of publicly available emergency planning materials, the research identifies four major barriers impeding family preparedness: technical jargon, geographic limitations, financial constraints, and incomplete information. The analytical sample included resources from government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and specialized platforms, assessed through a researcher-developed evaluation instrument examining linguistic accessibility, geographic specificity, implementation feasibility, and informational comprehensiveness.

Findings reveal that while many resources demonstrated strengths in providing comprehensive content with clear language, significant deficiencies exist regarding geographic specificity and practical implementation guidance. Free resources often lacked depth, …

Research On Emergency Intelligence Risk Traceability From The Perspective Of Three Dimensional Space, Yizhou Liu, Wei Huang

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]How to leverage the high value of intelligent intelligence technology and services for risk traceability analysis in the context of large-scale emergency situations is an urgent challenge that needs to be addressed in the governance of risks in an intelligent society. [Method/process]Based on the theory of ternary space, the risk of emergencies is divided into three dimensions: physical space, social space, and information space. Intelligent intelligence technologies such as large model causal relationship extraction, complex network analysis, and natural language processing are applied to collect and analyze emergency intelligence. A risk traceability model is constructed for seven elements including event …

From Flames To Change: An Exploration Of Housing, Fire, And Inequity, Helen Underhill, Charles R. Jennings, Brian Meacham, Danielle Antonellis

Publications and Research

Housing and fire safety are deeply connected: inadequate and poorly maintained housing poses heightened fire risk for occupants. An individual or household’s housing situation (including limited or constrained choice) interacts with issues such as affordability, access, location, quality, safety, occupancy levels, tenure type, and resident or immigration status. These dynamics shape vulnerability, and inequity becomes most visible in the event of a fire. The extreme end of this spectrum includes the unhoused, who occupy structures entirely outside of regulatory systems with little or no fire protection.

Island Nation Duress: Simulating Passive Peer-To-Peer Bluetooth Communication During Disaster Relief, Jason K. Medeiros

Theses and Dissertations

Pacific Islands under U.S. jurisdiction are highly vulnerable to natural disasters, yet many lack the infrastructure to effectively respond and recover. Clear communication during and after such events is critical for evacuation, hazard awareness, and first responders’ coordination. This research explores a simulation-based approach using Bluetooth communication to relay messages across Guam, assessing its efficiency through statistical analysis. By examining regional differences and geographic impacts on Bluetooth messaging, the study aims to identify key factors that enhance peer-to-peer communication for timely and effective disaster response.

Manage External And Internal Threats To Commercial Spaces, Alan Saquella

Publications

Securing commercial buildings is a multifaceted challenge that demands a comprehensive and proactive approach. From office complexes and retail hubs to industrial facilities and healthcare institutions, these spaces serve as critical pillars of commerce, administration, and service delivery. Protecting them requires a blend of physical safeguards, advanced technologies and well-defined operational protocols.

Navigating The Neoliberal Assemblage: The Role Of A Nonprofit Organization Shaping Disaster Governance And Community Resilience, Andrew Michael Russo

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation examines the evolving role of Nonprofits Active in Disasters ("NADs") in disaster governance through a case study of the Cascade Relief Team, a nonprofit organization responding to the 2020 Echo Mountain Complex Fire in Oregon. Utilizing governmentality and assemblage theory frameworks, the study investigates how CRT navigates the complex interplay between neoliberal rationalities, community needs, and disaster response practices.

The research reveals CRT's multifaceted role in shaping disaster knowledge, mediating between official frameworks and local realities, and influencing the formation of resilient subjectivities. While CRT's practices often align with neoliberal approaches to disaster management, emphasizing individual responsibility and …

Chief Executive Officers, Accountability And Hidden Violations, Alan Saquella

Publications

Corporate governance demands transparency, ethical leadership and accountability from Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). However, numerous cases suggest that CEOs often wield significant influence over what is reported to their boards of directors, particularly when it comes to internal misconduct, regulatory violations, and criminal activity. This lack of transparency raises serious concerns about ethical and legal obligations, as well as the effectiveness of board oversight.

Building Resilience To Public Safety Power Shutoffs Through Public Education, Vikram Koundinya, Cristina Chiarella, Susan Kocher, Faith Kearns, Sabrina Drill

Journal of Extension

Public Safety Power Shutoff events are being implemented in California to reduce wildfire impacts. We surveyed California residents to identify their information needs and understand the potential role of University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in power shutoff management. A majority of respondents need information on alternative power sources and community power systems. Most respondents indicated family, friends, and neighbors as the important group to manage power shutoff. UCCE was least used and preferred source for power shutoff information. Our findings reveal a need for Cooperative Extension to play an important role in power shutoff management and educating the public.

Addressing The Humanitarian Crisis In Bangladesh’S Disaster Management, Rifat Anik

CAFE Symposium 2025

Bangladesh faces frequent and severe natural disasters like cyclones, floods, and river erosion, making it highly susceptible to climate-induced displacement and economic instability. As disasters grow more intense, vulnerable communities struggle to recover, facing repeated losses with limited support. Despite disaster management efforts, gaps in response, inefficient resource distribution, and governance issues often leave those most in need without adequate assistance. Understanding these challenges is crucial to improving disaster response and building a more resilient system.

Anesthesia And Pain Management In Conflict-Affected Regions: Addressing Global Health Barriers To Access And Quality Of Care​, Naeel Uddin, Sierra Brown, Maria Easler, Ayanda Mkhize, Marwa Hamdam, Chandu Goli, Lauren Draper

Annual Research Symposium

This poster examines how to deliver safe, effective anesthesia and pain control in areas with limited resources and ongoing security threats. Focusing on portable technology, ketamine-based protocols, and telemedicine, we highlight ethical considerations, training needs, and global collaborations. Our findings outline a pathway to reduce suffering and improve surgical outcomes in vulnerable populations by addressing challenges unique to conflict settings.

Insider Risks And The Evolving Role Of Executive Protection Professionals In Cybersecurity, Alan Saquella

Publications

Insider risks have long been a critical concern in corporate security, traditionally encompassing threats from employees, contractors, or third-party vendors with access to sensitive information. However, as digital transformation accelerates, the convergence of physical and cyber threats has created new vulnerabilities. Executive protection (EP) professionals, historically tasked with safeguarding high-profile individuals from physical threats, now find themselves on the frontlines of combating cyber-criminal attacks. Expanding their skill sets to include cybersecurity awareness is no longer optional—it is a necessity.

This article explores insider risks, the growing need for executive protection professionals to adapt, and practical ways they can enhance their …

Emergent Groups And The Informal Digital Emergent Response To Hurricane Florence In The United States, Andrew S. Pyle, Hillary Smith, Ryan P. Fuller

Publications

Our study presents a thematic analysis of 1,582 posts from five digital emergent Facebook groups during Hurricane Florence, affecting North and South Carolina in the United States in 2018. We pose four research questions related to the formation and functioning of digital emergent groups during a disaster. Specifically, we examined how groups contributed to response efforts; messages developed across stages of the disaster; grassroots groups’ organized disaster response; and how proximity affected group functioning. Participants contributed to disaster response by sharing and seeking information and aid. Groups coordinated logistics; offered affirmation; and provided commentary and humor. Group members supported the …

A Critical Challenge: Understanding And Addressing Insider Threats, Alan Saquella

Publications

In today’s hyper-connected world, insider threats have become one of the most pressing challenges for organizations. While external attacks like ransomware and hacking often dominate the headlines, insider threats posed by employees, contractors, or others with internal access are equally, if not more, dangerous. Whether arising from malice, negligence or coercion, insiders have unparalleled access to sensitive systems and data, making their actions potentially catastrophic. The critical insider security issues organizations face and the actionable strategies for mitigation are actions that organizations must take.

Adaptive Leadership In Hbcus: Navigating Hybrid Work Dynamics In A Post-Pandemic Era, Brittney A. Brooks

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Leaders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) institutions influence retention rates of HBCU employees. An organization's culture determines the behavior of its employees. When assumptions regarding organizational structure were made, communication about the company's expectations was often ignored, leading to employees becoming accustomed to the culture and resistant to change. This mindset hindered HBCU growth and the willingness to address the urgency for policy revisions. As institutions continue to transition post-COVID, adjusting human resource policies at HBCUs to cater to the individual needs of these employees is needed to maintain retention.

This exploratory mixed-methods research study investigated leadership in …

Adaptation For Whom? Understanding The Impacts Of Dyke Policies On Small-Scale Farmers In Ca Mau Province Of Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Low-lying deltas worldwide are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. As the risks of climate-induced flooding become increasingly clear, the thirst for infrastructure-driven adaptation increases. This highlights a patent need to understand the impacts of engineering adaptation solutions, especially those targeting built structures such as dykes and sluices, on farmers from a bottom-up, farmer-centred perspective. The study addresses this call by examining cases where dyke policies, while successful in some dimensions, have undermined small-scale farmer livelihoods in Ca Mau ― Vietnam’s southernmost rural province. It identifies areas in need of attention and adds empirical data related to this group of farmers. …

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …

Developing A Collaborative Governance Framework For Hazard Mitigation Project Management: A Grounded Theory Approach Using Social Network Analysis, Kara R. Buckmaster

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

As time passes and risk increases, the need for effective hazard mitigation is becoming more critical for communities to build resilience against future disasters. This study utilized a grounded theory approach to identify the actors involved in a network for hazard mitigation project development and implementation at the local level, what challenges these networks face, and what factors help them succeed. Local hazard mitigation program managers across the United States were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews to share their experiences. Qualitative analysis of participant responses and social network analysis were conducted to build visual models of the local networks …

The Association Between Food Benefit Online Ordering And Redemptions: Evidence From The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children, Junzhou Zhang, Chuanyi Tang, Kayoung Park, Qi Zhang

Marketing Faculty Publications

Objective:

To examine how the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) online food benefit ordering could influence WIC benefit redemptions.

Design:

A cross-sectional study. We compare the average redemption rates between online ordering early adopters and non-adopters among WIC customers before and after implementing WIC online ordering. A propensity score-weighted difference-in-difference model was used to estimate the coefficients.

Setting:

The Oklahoma WIC programme and a grocery store chain in Oklahoma.

Participants:

12743 Oklahoma WIC households that had redeemed their food benefits at the grocery store chain in 2020.

Results:

WIC online ordering significantly positively affected redemption …

Enhancing Risk And Crisis Communication With Computational Methods: A Systematic Literature Review, Madison H. Munro, Ross J. Gore, Christopher J. Lynch, Yvette D. Hastings, Ann Marie Reinhold

VMASC Publications

Recent developments in risk and crisis communication (RCC) research combine social science theory and data science tools to construct effective risk messages efficiently. However, current systematic literature reviews (SLRs) on RCC primarily focus on computationally assessing message efficacy as opposed to message efficiency. We conduct an SLR to highlight any current computational methods that improve message construction efficacy and efficiency. We found that most RCC research focuses on using theoretical frameworks and computational methods to analyze or classify message elements that improve efficacy. For improving message efficiency, computational and manual methods are only used in message classification. Specifying the computational …

Fire History, Ecological History, And Historical Human-Environment Interactions In The Northern Great Plains, James Victor Benes

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation explores the spatiotemporal signatures of fire in North American grassland ecosystems. In three chapters, I explore different aspects of fire history in the northern Great Plains. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 focuses on the Euro-American Settlement Period (ca. 1850–1950 C.E.). Fire histories from six different lakes in the Nebraska Sandhills are compared with two periods of historic drought and the establishment of United States Post Offices. Five of the six records show increased levels of biomass burning during the initial phases of Euro-American Settlement. Chapter 3 is a long-term (ca. 15,000 years), high-resolution fire history and …

Understanding And Helping International Students Cope When Catastrophes Strike In Their Home Countries: A Qualitative Study, Zubeyde Akpakir, Radha J. Horton-Parker

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

This study explores the experiences of international students in the United States who come from countries that have been, or are being, affected by catastrophic events. The aim of the study is to understand the challenges such students face and to formulate supportive strategies that address these challenges. Utilizing the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study delves into the lived experiences of five international PhD students from Turkey, Ukraine, and Iran—nations that have recently experienced significant disasters or unrest. The study highlights the need for the development of effective personalized support from academic institutions, faculty, and peers. Through offering critical …

Match Accuracy Of Burned Teeth: A Pilot Study Of Allied Dental Professionals, Brenda T. Bradshaw, Marsha A. Voelker, Samantha C. Vest, Sinjini Sikdar

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess allied dental professionals' match accuracy of burned teeth; a skill required by disaster victim identification (DVI) team members.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used a convenience sample of registered dental hygienists (RDH) (n=15) and dental assistants (DA) (n=15) to assess their match accuracy of burned teeth with simulated antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM) images. Fifteen human teeth were heated at 400°C for 15 minutes. Prior to and following heat alteration, each tooth was photographed and radiographed. Images were presented to participants in randomized order, and they were instructed to correctly match …