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The study examined library personnel awareness of the availability of emergency response plans, their forms and roles in safety routine preparedness and control in federal and state university libraries in Southwest Nigeria.

The survey research design alongside a multi-stage sampling procedure comprising purposive, randomisation and total enumeration techniques guided the study. The population consisted of 327 library personnel drawn from 12 federal and state university libraries (i.e., six each). The questionnaire and structured interview methods were used for data gathering. Of the 327 copies of the questionnaire administered, 249 copies, representing 76.1%, were duly completed and found valid for analysis. Whereas the acceptance threshold of ≥90% response rate and a criterion mean of 2.50 were adopted for making judgements regarding the research questions, while the hypothesis was tested using chi-square statistics with cross-tabulation.

The state university libraries in the studied region are extremely lagging behind their federal counterpart in terms of emergency preparedness, judging by the availability of emergency response plan (ERPs). However, documenting the plans for routine emergency response is not widespread among the university libraries; thus, the extent of response preparedness is both simplistic and doubtful. Despite the seemingly proactive nature of the federal university libraries over their state counterpart, librarians in both settings do not perceive effectiveness and preference in either the written emergency response plan (WERP) or unwritten emergency response plan (UERP) as an emergency preparedness and control measure.

The research increases knowledge of emergency preparedness in university libraries beyond the mere availability of ERPs. Through a comparative empirical analysis, the desirability of the WERP as a measure of emergency response preparedness in university libraries has been strengthened.

Bill Freudenburg’s concept of recreancy is used as a frame for explaining processes that perpetuate questionable regimes of emergency response planning. The specific instance of tar sands upgrading in Alberta, Canada, is used as a case in point. When recreancy is institutionalized so that the results correlate across permitted hazardous facilities, it must be concluded that recreancy is less of a situational response than a normative dynamic.

Flood Emergency Response Plan (ERP) is a plan that guides responsibilities for proper operation of Sultan Abu Bakar (SAB) dam in response to emergency incidents affecting the dam by high water storage capacity. Based on this study, four major responsibilities are needed for SAB dam owing to protect any probable risk for downstream which can be Incident Commander, Deputy Incident Commander, On-scene Commander and Civil Engineer. Having organisation charts based on ERP exercise can be helpful for decreasing the probable risks in any projects such as Abu Bakar Dam and it is a way to identify and suspected and actual dam safety emergencies. A dam safety emergency is an event, which could potentially lead to dam break and need to be taken care of a massive plan. To mitigate the hydro hazard due to dam break, UNITEN has developed a new application software known as INSPiRE (Interactive Dam Safety Decision Support System). INSPiRE, as an intelligent dam safety software, is developed to address emergencies, which demand fast, decision making and effective multi-agency collaboration due to SAB dam break event. INSPiRE will contribute towards the sustainability of SAB dam’s owner as corporate reputations can be ruined through dam structural failures that can affect the economy of the nation and enhance the quality of life of the people.

The purpose of this paper is to provide some definition and foundation principles regarding disaster management. The paper also tests the Malaysian major hazard installations through the awareness and application of the Malaysian National Security Council (MNSC) directive 20.

Questionnaire was circulated on 177 MHIs throughout Malaysia. Respondents of various demographic characteristics answered the questionnaires. It is believed that people of different age, sex, educational level, experience, and management levels are expected to have different perception and response to disaster management questions. A total of 65 completed questionnaires were answered.

The analysis of the disaster management questionnaire highlighted that more than half of the MHIs in Malaysia are multinational installations. The analysis revealed that 61 per cent of the Safety, Health and Environment Managers were aware of the MNSC directive 20 and 62 per cent said that the MNSC directive 20 is relevant to their facilities. The analysis further showed that 62 per cent of the respondents think the MNSC directive 20 is essential to their MHIs. However, 31 per cent of the respondents said that the emergency response plan (ERP) is used as an alternative to the MNSC directive 20. In the light of this, more than half of the MHIs are not local organizations; the Safety and Health Managers apparently are familiar with the safety guidelines of their parent organizations. Therefore, the authorities that are responsible for the enforcement of the MHIs' relevant regulations should be vigilant and follow up the MHIs to apply the relevant regulations, which suit the safety culture of Malaysia.

This paper presents an overview on technological disaster prevention. The paper also shows the results of testing of the Malaysian major hazard installations which are aware of the MNSC directive 20. The Malaysian experience can be beneficial.

Crisis management, reputation and brand management, corporate communication, logistics, organization strategy.

Post-graduate and executive education.

The Eyjafjallajökull Iceland Volcano erupted on April 14, 2010, causing an estimated loss of US$1.7 billion for the aviation industry. At one stage in this weeklong event, 1.2 million passengers were affected with 100,000 flights being grounded across Europe. This case documents the way Etihad, a leading global airline company managed the crisis and continues to learn for future scenarios.

Adaptation strategies, reputation management, brand management, crisis planning and implementation, communication and stakeholder management, scenario analysis.

Teaching notes.

Malaysia plans to be a fully developed and industrialized country by year 2020. Malaysia has achieved good progress in the industrial sector. The industrial sector is operating plants and factories using and storing hazardous substances in quantities exceeding the threshold quantities. The plants that are dealing with hazardous substances exceeding the threshold quantity are classified as major hazard installations (MHIs). Some MHIs are located in heavily populated areas. Experience shows that MHIs pose a risk to the workers and the neighbors of the plants. Malaysia has taken the preventive measures to protect the workers and the public. The preventive measures have been taken through establishment of authorities to set major hazard control regulations, enforcing the regulations, assessing the safety reports and emergency plans, conducting audits and accident investigations. This paper reviews, in brief, the international regulations and guidelines of major hazard control. The paper also reviews the Malaysian experience of major hazard control.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a conceptual model that integrates multi-disciplinary research in relation to crisis management, and to consider its application for international human resource managers in preventing and managing the evacuation of expatriate staff during crises.

The paper critically reviews and distils research into crisis and evacuation management, and examines its relevance to a generic framework of international human resource roles. The paper evaluates this body of literature and suggests potential research avenues from an international human resource perspective.

The review reveals a dearth of research on emergency evacuation of expatriates from a human resources perspective. The paper articulates a framework that delineates what role human resource managers could, or should, play during crisis preparation and response. This framework aims to establish a basic “roadmap” for use by practitioners and researchers.

Focusing on the human (rather than business) implications of crises, the paper links crisis management literature to the role of international human resource managers in supporting the health, safety, and security of international assignees during crises. A framework is presented which enables managers to map their current (and potential) contributions to preventing and managing expatriate evacuation. From this, several avenues of future research are drawn.

The purpose of this paper is to provide some definition and foundation principles regarding emergency and emergency management and to give an overview on the emergency response effectiveness at an offshore installation in Malaysia.

The primary approach used is retrieval of the archived historical complex B emergency drills exercise records from 1997 to 1999. Retrieval of the historical records was made aimed at establishing a baseline information on the level of compliance with the required standards on emergency drills exercise of all the exercise conducted in the complex B for the three years. The secondary data required to complement the primary data are the level of competency gained by the complex B platform personnel as a result of their participation in their platform emergency drills exercise. A questionnaire survey was conducted where the objective of the survey was to map out the sample of general attitude profile and knowledge competency.

The emergency drills on the Baram B complex are only partially adequate in nurturing effective emergency response preparedness. To achieve completeness and effective emergency drills performed as a conditioning process for an emergency response, the human resources knowledge and competency must be maintained and continuously enhanced. Continuous review for improvement purposes is required. The continuous improvement process should be parallel, covering both human resources and physical infrastructure.

This paper presents an overview on the emergency response effectiveness at a complex B offshore platform. Benefits can be gained from the Malaysian experience.

This paper aims to provide a framework to guide tourism and hospitality businesses, tourism organizations and their communities to collaboratively develop a proactive, capabilities-based continuity plan for disaster or crisis. The framework provided incorporates the existing research and existing business continuity standards to provide actionable steps building community resilience and disaster preparedness. This plan offers the stakeholders a roadmap to adapt when faced with disaster and persist in the pursuit of a strong tourism and hospitality industry.

A summary of the key literature is presented alongside international guidance for developing business continuity plans. Incorporating the literature and business continuity standards, this framework offers actionable steps that stakeholders can take to develop preparedness plans for their business, organization and/or community that support disaster resilience for the tourism and hospitality industry.

The majority of tourism and hospitality businesses are micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses that often lack the capabilities and resources to dedicate to disaster preparedness planning. The available research offers important and meaningful data, yet also finds that businesses fail to plan. The available literature that guides tourism and hospitality businesses to move to action in preparing for disaster is sparse.

This paper brings together theoretical research literature with existing business continuity best practices to create a new framework specifically designed for the tourism and hospitality industry. The result is a practical roadmap to guide stakeholders to build community resilience that benefits tourism and hospitality businesses, tourism organizations and the wider community to build resilience, shorten recovery times and sustain a strong industry/community despite disaster. It will be of value to practitioners, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders involved in the travel and tourism industry.

There has been a considerable effort over the last decade to increase awareness of the tsunami risk in coastal Washington, USA. However, contemporary research on warning systems spawned by the recent Indian Ocean tsunami tragedy highlights the need for development of an effective tsunami warning system for both residents and transient populations, including visitors and tourists. This study sets out evaluate staff training for emergencies, emergency management exercises (including drills and evacuation), and hazard signage within motels and hotels in Ocean Shores, Washington, USA.

Data were collected from interviews with reception staff and managers at 18 hotels, motels, and other accommodation establishments.

Levels of staff training and preparedness for tsunami and other hazards were found to be generally very low, although examples of “best practice” were found at a select few establishments. Larger hotels already had orientation or general training programmes set up which had the potential to incorporate future tsunami and hazard training, while smaller “owner‐operator” businesses did not.

Suggestions on how to improve preparedness are discussed, including undertaking training needs analyses and conducting workshops, simulations and employee training to empower both businesses and employees.

This case study provides an insight into the challenges faced by emergency managers and the tourism sector in improving the effectiveness of warning systems in areas with high transient populations.