Volume 2, Number 2
October 2022
Welcome to Volume 2, Number 2
It is my pleasure to introduce the Canadian Journal of Emergency Management’s newest edition. This edition contains three peer reviewed academic articles as well as a book review on a new emergency management textbook.
We at CJEM would first like to thank the 12 researchers and writers who contributed their work to this edition. Through publishing their work with CJEM, these individuals have made important contributions to the field of disaster and emergency management. It is our collective hope that these contributions will be put to good use by practitioners for the benefit of all Canadians.
We would also like to thank our readers and subscribers for taking the time to read this edition. Whether you are an emergency management practitioner, a researcher, or simply curious about emergency management in Canada, we hope the articles contained in this edition further your understanding of emergency management.
Finally, I would like to thank CJEM’s team of volunteer staff. Without our team of dedicated volunteers, this edition would not have been possible. Thank you for dedicating your time end efforts towards this endeavour.
Alexander Fremis
Editor in Chief
Canadian Journal of Emergency Management
A collaborative governance framework for risk assessment of critical systems in a changing climate
Benoît Robert, Yannick Hémond, Geneviève Baril, and Marie-Christine Therrien
The fall 2021 climate events in British Columbia raise questions about the resiliency of communities, but also of critical systems, in terms of how roads, telecommunications, drinking water, electricity, etc. are affected. The interdependence of these systems quickly generates serious consequences for the population and the socio-economic activities that local and regional authorities must manage. The diversity and number of stakeholders require these authorities to coordinate well. How then can we better appreciate the risks to which they are exposed? How can we ensure coherence in the measures put in place in terms of planning, preparation and response?
Building new relationships and connections in Emergency Management: The role of Social Work Practitioners and Human Service Professionals in disaster recovery
Julie Drolet, Eva Angelyna Bogdan, Kamal Khatiwada, Martin Gendron, Bonnie Lewin, et Elladee Windsor
Spurred by the climate crisis, disasters are growing in frequency and severity around the world. In Western Canada, the impacts of the 2013 floods, 2016 wildfires, and the Covid-19 pandemic have devastated communities. Social workers and human service professionals are increasingly involved in the mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of disasters. However, their role is not always visible or understood by emergency management professionals. Social work is a practice-based profession that responds to the needs of individuals, families, groups, and communities, and addresses barriers and injustices in organizations and society.
Photo credit: Jh12 / Wikimedia. Accessed under Creative Commons license.
Department-level planning and preparedness: A toolkit to assist in full-facility hospital evacuations
Charles-Antoine Duval & Mary Wendylane Oberas
A full-facility hospital evacuation is highly complex and disruptive to ongoing patient care. In certain emergency situations and after careful consideration and exhaustion of other options, the decision to fully evacuate a hospital facility should be made to ensure the safety of all staff, patients, and visitors. Current literature suggests that staff are unprepared for these situations due to a lack of training and experience. Authors of this article created a departmental-level toolkit to supplement current hospital evacuation policies in order to assist clinical leaders with planning and preparedness for full-facility evacuations. With the support of evidence-based literature from various countries, this paper analyzes key concerns when creating such a toolkit that addresses shortcomings identified in previous hospital evacuations including staff shortages, limited formal partnerships, and availability of appropriate resources. Each challenge can play an integral role in the success of a hospital evacuation. Additionally, this paper outlines recommendations for training and exercises programs to further prepare the staff for full-facility evacuations. In the growing field of emergency management, the implementation of additional resources built on evidence-based research is necessary to increase hospital preparedness in the face of emergencies.
Book Review
Collins & Blackburn (Eds.). (2022). Introduction to Emergency Management in Canada. Toronto, Ontario: Emond Publishing.
ISBN 978-1-77255-678-0. $86.00 CAD.
Reviewed by Alexander Landry, Canadian Journal of Emergency Management
Read our review of the newest publication on Canadian emergency management, from Emond Publishing in Toronto, Ontario.