Assessment of evacuation training needs: Targeting instruction to meet the requirements of local communities and agencies

Karl Kim, PhD; Brian Wolshon, PhD; Pradip Pant, PhD; Eric Yamashita, MURP; Jiwnath Ghimire, PhD

doi:10.5055/jem.2020.0518

Authors

Karl Kim, PhD
Brian Wolshon, PhD
Pradip Pant, PhD
Eric Yamashita, MURP
Jiwnath Ghimire, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2020.0518

Keywords:

evacuation, training, emergency management, transportation agencies

Abstract

As the need to prepare for, respond to, and recover from major disruptive events continues to become more critical, the use of evacuation as a protective action strategy when confronted with life-threatening disasters is a key component of community resilience planning. While the basic concepts of evacuations are straightforward and consistent across locations and hazard types, the details of planning and managing an evacuation are more varied and complex. To improve evacuation preparedness, the training of emergency managers, police, and transportation agencies becomes key. This study assesses the need for evacuation training among key governmental agencies. A national survey of evacuation planning training needs among emergency managers and those involved in transportation management and operations was undertaken in 2016. This paper summarizes key findings of this survey, which included 727 respondents across 136 cities and 48 states and 2 territories, to reveal the results of this training-needs self-assessment. Based on this analysis, training needs and other recommendations for the development and delivery of curriculum on evacuation planning are presented.

Author Biographies

Karl Kim, PhD

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii

Brian Wolshon, PhD

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Pradip Pant, PhD

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii

Eric Yamashita, MURP

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii

Jiwnath Ghimire, PhD

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii

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