The Hazard Consequence Prediction System: A Participatory Action Research Approach to Enhance Emergency Management

Abstract

Abstract Emergency managers (EMs) need nuanced data that contextualize the local-scale risks and impacts posed by major storm events (e.g. hurricanes and nor’easters). Traditional tools available to EMs, such as weather forecasts or storm surge predictions, do not provide actionable data regarding specific local concerns, such as access by emergency vehicles and potential communication disruptions. However, new storm models now have sufficient resolution to make informed emergency management at the local scale. This paper presents a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to capture critical infrastructure managers concerns about hurricanes and nor’easters in Providence, Rhode Island (USA). Using these data collection approach, concerns can be integrated into numerical storm models and used in emergency management to flag potential consequences in real time during the advance of a storm. This paper presents the methodology and results from a pilot project conducted for emergency managers and highlights implications for practice and future academic research.