Bridging the Gap: The Essential Connection Between Risk and Emergency Management Practitioners

By Dave Owens APM

In a world that that has become increasingly complex and uncertain, the roles of the risk and emergency management practitioner are more critical than ever. These professionals once operated in largely separate domains, however they now find themselves being pushed together in the work environment to prepare, plan for and respond to an array of threats that cross once traditional boundaries. This integration of professions is not just a matter of convenience or efficiency, but rather a necessity in a dynamic landscape that is characterised by interconnected risks and the potential for cascading disasters.

The mitigation of risk, through technology and policy, has evolved over time both in response and recovery with some agencies embracing the changes/challenges whilst others continue to operate in silos and resist change by continuing to use retreat instead of reliance on the policy and technology changes.

This opinion piece explores the evolving relationship between the two fields of risk and emergency management, including the benefits of their collaboration and the challenges that are ahead. Agencies must embrace change and innovation, adopting new strategies for managing risks or they themselves will become irrelevant to the communities they serve.

The Convergence of Risk and Emergency Management

The disciplines of risk and emergency management have been traditionally viewed as distinct disciplines. Risk Management was seen as primarily focusing on the identification, assessment and mitigation of potential hazards before they occurred. This involved analysing vulnerabilities and implementing strategies to reduce or eliminate the risks (risk mitigation). On the other hand, emergency management was seen as being concerned with planning, coordination and execution of responses to a crisis once they had occurred. This includes preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation efforts following an emergency.

Over time and in an ever-changing dynamic environment the boundaries between these roles or professions have become increasingly blurred. The convergence of these disciplines has been driven in part by the recognition that proactive risk management is essential for effective emergency management. It is by identifying and addressing the risks before they manifest as emergencies that agencies, businesses and communities have the ability to potentially minimise the impact of a disaster, saving lives and resources[1]. The shift also reflects a broader trend towards resilience thinking, which emphasises the importance of anticipating and adapting to potential disruptions[2]. There is no doubt that migration and urbanisation is a trend that will continue so it is vital that emergency management approaches also need to adapt to the changing communities that they serve.

The Importance of Collaboration

Collaboration between risk and emergency management practitioners is crucial for several reasons:

Holistic Risk Assessment and Planning: Risk Managers have highly developed skills in the identification of potential hazards and assessing the likelihood and consequences. Without the input from emergency managers however, these assessments may not fully consider the practical challenges of responding to and recovering from an event. The emergency manager brings with them a valuable insight into the operational impacts and realities of an event, helping to ensure that risk mitigation strategies are feasible and effective in practice[3]. In NSW it is the holistic approach of PPRR for emergencies. There is still a way to go however, before the skills of the risk practitioner are recognised as being transferrable from one Agency/business to another. They are not in competition with each other, rather they should complement each other.

Enhanced Preparedness and Response: When risk and emergency managers are aligned, preparedness plans are better informed by the understanding of the most significant risks that they may encounter. This can have the consequence of improved targeted training, resource allocation and exercise management, which in turn improves the overall effectiveness of emergency responses.

By way of example, if a risk assessment identifies a high likelihood of flooding, emergency managers can focus on flood specific preparedness activities[4]. Currently, it is seen that the only option is that of retreat (by default), as opposed to embracing the principles of flood risk, smart city integration, along with the use of dynamic and improved risk assessments that can improve community planning, resilience and recovery. If the agency is willing to adopt an integrated risk-based approach, rather than continuing to undertake the same response time and time again there is the ability to shape community collaboration. In a flood event, retreat should not be seen as the only option. You need to also look at the risk of resilience (the capacity to withstand) and the use of innovation (new technology, concepts and ideas).

Efficient Resource Use: The coordination between these professions allows for the efficient use of resources, both in terms of personnel and financial investment by Government. Through prioritisation of high-risk areas for mitigation and preparedness efforts (community resilience), Agencies can allocate more strategically, reducing duplication and waste whilst enhancing overall resilience. This is important where resources are finite and the demands on emergency services is growing[5].

Improved Communication and Coordination: Communication during a crisis is critical to everyone involved. There is a need for risk and emergency managers to be able to share information in a timely and effective manner to ensure a coordination response occurs. It is through regular collaboration that relationships are fostered, building strong communication channels which can be leveraged during a crisis. This will greatly reduce the incidents of delays and misunderstandings occurring which can have serious repercussions in a crisis[6].  The use of multilingual warnings delivered thorugh new technology (such as the NSW Governments ‘Hazards Near Me’) can again shape enhanced community collaboration.

Challenges to Collaboration

Despite the acknowledged clear benefits of collaboration, several challenges must be addressed to ensure effective integration between risk and emergency management practitioners.

Agency Silos: In a number of agencies, risk management and emergency management are still treated as separate functions, with different lines of reporting, budgets and objectives. This can lead to a lack of internal communication and coordination, undermining efforts to build resilience. Couple this with a belief that as the combat agency, they have to do everything that relates to that event. Instead of drawing upon the existing expertise in other agencies to assist them. Breaking down these silos requires strong leadership, clear communication and a shared commitment to integrated risk management[7].

Different Professional Cultures: Risk and emergency managers often come from different professional backgrounds and as such have different approaches to problem solving. Risk managers are traditionally more focused on data analysis and long-term planning, while emergency managers rightly place great emphasis on rapid decision making and response. These two professions can learn from each other if we are able to bridge the cultural differences through mutual respect, understanding and a willingness to learn from each other[8].

Evolving Threat Landscape: The risk landscape is constantly evolving, with new and evolving threats such as cyber-attacks, pandemics and climate change challenging traditional approaches to both risk and emergency management. There is a need for both disciplines to continually adapt and innovate. This can be difficult, especially in agencies with limited resources and/or entrenched ways of working[9]. The fact that an agency has always calculated risk the same way for over 30 years, is in itself asking to be challenged and for implementation of new and innovative practices. It is vital to review existing practices against an evolving landscape to ensure that innovation through use of research and research based best practice is implemented to provide solutions that have a significant positive impact.

Regulatory and Compliance Pressures: The work environment for risk and emergency managers is often one of a complex environment of regulations and compliance requirements. These can often be at odds with each other, creating additional challenges for collaboration. A focus on compliance driven risk assessments may not leave enough room for the flexibility and adaptability in emergency management[10]. Agencies need to acknowledge that both compliance and flexibility are required in the current and future environments. Compliance is paramount, but in a dynamic and changing environment, policy changes at a rapid pace, but practice is sometimes slow to catch up. Once rural areas are now thriving suburbs so the same rules that existed twenty years ago, do not apply to the environment now.

The Role of Collaboration in Disaster Resilience (Case Studies)

In acknowledging the importance of collaboration between risk and emergency management practitioners, it is highlighted best through real life examples of disaster resilience. The response to Hurricane Katrina (2005), whilst now a little dated, exposed significant shortcomings in both risk management and emergency response with a lack of coordination between federal, state and local agencies contributing to the severity of the crisis. Post crisis, significant efforts have been made to improve collaboration and communication between risk and emergency management professionals. This has led to a more integrated planning and response strategies being in place for subsequent disasters[11]. In particular evacuation management strategies.

This integration between risk and emergency practitioners needs to occur at the front end of planning for development sites within communities. Through adoption of a risk integration model, developers and responsible agencies would come together to develop appropriate risk and mitigation strategies that would benefit the community.

The COVID -19 pandemic is still fresh in everyone’s minds. There has now been a recognition that this pandemic changed (some would say forever) the way in which we view our work circumstances. Working from home is acceptable along with online meetings accepted as the norm. COVID-19 highlighted the need for a coordinated approach to risk and emergency management. The pandemic was a complex, multi-faceted crisis that required both proactive risk management (identification and mitigation of the risk of virus transmission) and an effective emergency management response (management of surges in healthcare demand). In many instances, agencies that had existing collaboration between risk and emergency management functions were better able to navigate the challenges presented by the pandemic[12]. These agencies also adopted a flexible approach to a changing environment and challenges presented.

The Future of Risk and Emergency Management Collaboration

Looking into the future, the evolution between risk and emergency managers will continue in response to the emerging challenges. The risk of complex, interconnected risks, such as those associated with climate change, will necessitate even closer collaboration between the two disciplines[13]. Advancements in technology, such as predictive analytics and real time data sharing will provide new opportunities for risk and emergency management professionals to work together more effectively[14]. Agencies cannot keep doing what they have always done in response to risk.

With risk comes opportunities to improve the management of situations. Agencies need to question existing practices, seeking to improve their management of risk. To fully realise the benefits of this collaboration, agencies must invest in building a culture of resilience that values both risk and emergency management. This includes the provision of ongoing training and development opportunities for practitioners, fostering open communication and collaboration and ensuring that risk and emergency management functions are fully integrated into agency decision making processes[15].

As global populations continue to grow and migrate towards urban centres, the trend of migration and urbanisation is projected to persist in the coming decades. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for urban planning and emergency management. With more people residing in densily populated areas, the potential impact of disasters becomes increasingly severe. Therefore, there is a pressing need for emergency management strategies to evolve and adapt to these changing circumstanes to ensure the safety, security and resilience of urban populations.

The integration of Smart City technologies and digital twins into emergency management frameworks is one promising approach. Smart Cities leverage advanced data analytics and real time monitoring to create more responsive and efficient urban environments. By integrating these technologies, cities can enhance their ability to manage resources, monitor infrastructure and respond to emergencies with greater precision.

Digital twins, virtual replicas of physical assets, systems or processes, take this a step further by enabling cities to simulate and analyse complex scenarios in a controlled  environment. These digital models allow for ‘what if’ scenario building, where different variables and potential disaster scenarios can be tested to predict outcomes and assess the effectiveness of various response strategies. This capability is crucial for improving preparedness and reducing the risks associated with unforeseen events.

The use of Smart City technologies and digital twins facilitates better community collaboration. By providing stakeholders (community, governments and government agencies) with access to real time data and predictive models, these tools can foster a more inclusive approach to emergency management. It is Risk and Emergency managers working with the community through scenario planning and decision making processes that lead to more resilient and cohesive responses to emergencies. This participatory approach strengthens community trust and cooperation which is vital during times of crisis.

Conclusion

The connection at all levels of risk and emergency management practitioners is essential in building resilient communities and agencies. Through working together, these professionals can identify and mitigate risks before they become emergencies and respond more effectively when a crisis does occur. While the challenges will remain, the trend towards greater collaboration between these disciplines is both necessary and inevitable in the increasingly complex and uncertain world in which we now live. As the risk landscape continues to evolve, so too must the relationship between risk and emergency management, ensuring that we are better prepared to face the challenges that we will be presented with in the future[16].

About the Author

David Owens APM has worked at the highest level of both Response and Recovery which gives him a unique perspective about the evolution of emergency management, policy and technology over many years. He was Deputy Commisisoner with the NSWPF, whilst concurrently holding the position of State Emergency Operations Controller. In 2012 he founded Risk-e Business Consultants and held the positon of State and Region Recovery Controller. He was also co-chair of the 2019/20 NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry. He holds a Master of Emergency Management, Master of Leadership and Management, Diploma of Security and Risk Management and in 2022 was the Risk Management Institute of Australasia Consultant of the Year. He is a Subject Matter Expert in Risk, Emergency Management, Strategic Leadership and Recovery.

References

1. Kapucu, N., & Özerdem, A. (2022). Managing Emergencies and Crises: A Guide for Emergency Managers and Risk Managers. Routledge.

2. Coppola, D. P. (2021). Introduction to International Disaster Management (4th ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann.

3. Tierney, K. (2019). Disaster Response and Recovery: Strategies and Tactics for Resilience (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

4. Comfort, L. K., Boin, A., & Demchak, C. C. (Eds.). (2020). Designing Resilience: Preparing for Extreme Events. University of Pittsburgh Press.

5. Paton, D., & Johnston, D. (2017). Disaster Resilience: An Integrated Approach (2nd ed.). Charles C Thomas Publisher.

6. UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). (2020). Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2020. United Nations.

7. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). (2021). National Response Framework (4th ed.).

8. Alexander, D. E. (2022). Principles of Emergency Planning and Management. Dunedin Academic Press.

9. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). (2018). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision.

10. International Telecommunication Union (ITU). (2021). The Role of Digital Twins in Smart Cities.

11. Meijer, A., & Bolívar, M. P. R. (2016). Governing the Smart City: A Review of the Literature on Smart Urban Governance. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 82(2), 392-408

12. Patterson, M. S., & McGuire, B. (2020). Community Resilience and the Role of Smart Cities. Journal of Emergency Management, 18(3), 189-198.