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This paper presents a comprehensive safety assessment of hydrogen production using Alkaline Water Electrolysis (AWE). The study utilizes various risk assessment methodologies, including Hazard Identification (HAZID), What-If analysis, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Event Tree Analysis (ETA), and Bow Tie analysis, to systematically identify and evaluate potential hazards associated with the AWE process. Key findings include the identification of critical hazards such as hydrogen leaks, oxygen-related risks, and maintenance challenges. The assessment emphasizes the importance of robust safety measures, including preventive and mitigative strategies, to manage these risks effectively. Consequence modeling highlights significant threat zones for thermal radiation and explosion risks, underscoring the need for comprehensive safety protocols and emergency response plans. This work contributes valuable insights into hydrogen safety, providing a framework for risk assessment and mitigation in hydrogen production facilities, crucial for the safe and sustainable development of hydrogen infrastructure in the global energy transition. • Comprehensive safety assessment of hydrogen production via Alkaline Water Electrolysis. • Identification of critical hazards including hydrogen leaks and oxygen-related risks. • Consequence modeling for unignited hydrogen releases and jet fire scenarios. • Emphasis on robust safety protocols and emergency response measures. • Provides practical insights for risk mitigation in hydrogen production facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion The predicted rise in weather‐related disasters indicates that many Australian children and their families will be affected by these events in the future. Play therapy, an emerging profession in Australia, may provide valuable support to children exposed to these events.A scoping review was designed to map the existing literature and the role of the play therapist in supporting children (aged 3–12 years) and families following natural disasters, and to formulate a model to guide play therapists in the future.A systematic search of the literature was performed and a total of 25 articles were identified as relevant to the role of the play therapist in response to natural disasters.Play therapists must be mindful of the different phases of natural disaster response and how their role may vary across these phases. In the early stages post‐disaster, a play therapist may be involved in psychoeducation, facilitating therapeutic play and community involvement. More formal clinical play therapy interventions that focus on the individual child or family are better suited to the latter stages of disaster response. There is a need for further research into the impact of natural disasters on children and families and interventions that aid mental health and well‐being, especially for children who may be more vulnerable and potentially overlooked in the wake of such disasters. Further research is also needed into the effectiveness of play therapy as a post‐disaster intervention for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study aims to explore the collective grief manifested on the first anniversary of the earthquake that occurred in Türkiye on February 6, 2023, through the analysis of 10,000 posts on platform X. Designed with qualitative methodology, thematic analysis was conducted, revealing two main themes: “collective grief as a ground for social solidarity” and “politicization of collective grief.” The results indicated that the sharing of emotions as well as rituals, commemoration ceremonies, etc. made collective grief a ground for social solidarity, collective sense-making, and healing. Likewise, the public’s positive or negative reactions to the government’s disaster management emerged as one of the factors politicizing the grief. The reactions to the Syrians and Hatay’s people reveal the public’s perception of “the subject of grief” and “acceptable grief practices.” The study’s main recommendations include but are not limited to, increasing infrastructure work, and developing psycho-social support and social cohesion services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The police sergeant, or equivalent supervisor, is the glue that binds police units together, assigns workloads, and distributes organisational power from ‘above’ to ensure that those in the field play fairly and by the rules. Yet very little empirical research has been undertaken to examine the work of sergeants or consider how these roles impact the ability of police and their partners to manage critical incidents, including complex disasters. Drawing on a case study of disaster policing during Australia’s Black Summer bushfires, this paper examines how police sergeants with two distinct emergency management roles leveraged their authority, relationships, and knowledge to support the effective management of this incident. Using composite accounts, it illustrates how both sergeants drew upon and adapted traditional understandings of their role to negotiate the perceived deficiencies of command-and-control and networked features of complex disaster management systems. The case studies illustrate how the officers’ positionalities (organisationally, geographically, and systemically) enhanced their sensemaking abilities during the crisis, and they utilised their recognised authority, relationships, and soft skills to inform, nudge, and influence a wide range of stakeholders. The paper reveals that police sergeants may be uniquely positioned to assist with the coordination of increasingly complex disaster management assemblages at a time when the neoliberal state’s ability to even ‘steer’ these effectively is increasingly called into question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of global warming, the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwave events have markedly increased, bearing profound implications for both natural ecosystems and human societies. To effectively cope with this challenge, it is imperative to accurately identify and comprehensively assess the risks posed by heatwaves. This study undertakes a systematic approach and robust methodology to assess heatwave risks by leveraging a diverse array of data sources—encompassing remote sensing, statistical analyses. The methodology integrates the risk triangle theory alongside established risk assessment frameworks laid out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Employing a three‐dimensional evaluation framework encompassing hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, we unravel spatial–temporal patterns, high‐risk zones, and dominant dimensions of heatwave risks contributing to potential disasters. Results indicated that during 1999–2008, roughly 27% of the study areas were affected by high and above risk levels of heatwaves, and the areas with high and very high hazard, exposure, and vulnerability accounted for approximately 19.5%, 10%, and 32.5%, respectively. During 2009–2018, the proportion of areas with high and very high risk, hazard, and exposure increased to about 31%, 26%, and 14%, respectively, while the percentage of areas with high and very high vulnerability decreased to about 24.43%. Notably, Xinjiang and the western part of Northwestern China are characterized by hazard‐dominant conditions, while Southern China's risk profile has shifted from 1999–2008 to 2009–2018 from high hazard and vulnerability conditions to a more complex interaction involving hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Moreover, Northern China and the northern segment of Southwestern China exhibit simultaneous high‐risk rankings across hazard, exposure, and vulnerability dimensions, forming a comprehensive high‐risk zone. These findings characterize heatwave risk patterns and offer critical insights for risk management decisions, guiding effective disaster prevention and relief measures to ensure socio‐economic stability and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and response severely impacted people living with non-communicable diseases (PLWNCDs) globally. It exacerbated pre-existing health inequalities, severely disrupted access to care, and worsened clinical outcomes for PLWNCDs, who were at higher risk of morbidity and mortality from the virus. The pandemic's effects were likely magnified in humanitarian settings, where there were pre-existing gaps in continuity of care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We sought to explore factors affecting implementation of NCD care in crisis settings during the COVID-19 pandemic and the adaptations made to support implementation. Methods: Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, we undertook an online survey of 98 humanitarian actors from multiple regions and organization types (March-July 2021), followed by in-depth interviews with 13 purposively selected survey respondents (October-December 2021). Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while interview data were analysed thematically, using both deductive and inductive approaches. Results: Initially, humanitarian actors faced challenges influenced by external actors' priorities, such as de-prioritisation of NCD care by governments, travel restrictions and supply chain interruptions. With each infection wave and lockdown, humanitarian actors were better able to adapt and maintain NCD services. The availability of COVID-19 vaccines was a positive turning point, especially for the risk management of people with NCDs and protection of health workers. Key findings include that, despite pre-existing challenges, humanitarian actors largely continued NCD services during the crisis. Enabling factors that supported continuity of NCD services included the ability to quickly pivot to remote means of communication with PLWNCDs, flexibility in medicine dispensing, and successful advocacy to prioritize NCD management within health systems. Key lessons learned included the importance of partnerships and cooperation with other health actors, and the mobilisation or repurposing of community health workers/volunteer networks. Conclusions: The COVID-19 experience should prompt national and global health stakeholders to strengthen inclusion of NCDs in emergency preparedness, response, and resilience planning. Key lessons were learned around remote care provision, including adapting to NCD severity, integrating community health workers, providing context-adapted patient information, combating misinformation, and strengthening cross-sectoral partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Patients presenting at the emergency room (ER) with headache often encounter a hostile atmosphere and experience delays in diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this study was to design a protocol for the ER with the goal of optimizing the care of patients with urgent headache to facilitate diagnosis and expedite treatment.A narrative literature review was conducted via a MEDLINE search in October 2021. The “Code Headache” protocol was then developed considering the available characteristics and resources of the ER at a tertiary care center within the Spanish National Public Health system.The Code Headache protocol comprises three assessments: two scales and one checklist. The assessments identify known red flags and stratify patients based on suspected primary/secondary headaches and the need for pain treatment. Initial assessments, performed by the triage nurse, aim to first exclude potentially high morbidity and mortality etiologies (HEAD1 scale) and then expedite appropriate pain management (HEAD2 scale) based on scoring criteria. HEAD1 evaluates vital signs and symptoms of secondary serious headache disorders that can most benefit from earlier identification and treatment, while HEAD2 assesses symptoms indicative of status migrainosus, pain intensity, and vital signs. Subsequently, ER physicians employ a third assessment that reviews red flags for secondary headaches (grouped under the acronym ‘PEACE’) to guide the selection of complementary tests and aid diagnosis.The Code Headache protocol is a much needed tool to facilitate quick clinical assessment and improve patient care in the ER. Further validation through comparison with standard clinical practice is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The recent crises of bushfires, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic on the southeast coast of Australia were unprecedented in their extent and intensity. Few studies have investigated responses to cumulative disasters in First Nations communities, despite acknowledgement that these crises disproportionately impact First Nations people. This study was conducted by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers in partnership with Waminda, South Coast Women's Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO). It investigated the collective experiences of people affected by cumulative disasters to identify the practices that support healing, and recovery for Aboriginal communities. The study addresses a knowledge gap of how Waminda, designs, manages and delivers responses to address complex health and social issues in the context of cumulative disasters. Methods: Underpinned by practice theory this study employed Indigenous-informed, narrative inquiry. Culturally-appropriate, multiple interpretive methods were used to collect data including: observations; yarns with Aboriginal community members, yarns with Waminda practitioners, management and board members; interviews-to-the-double, visual images and documentation. The data were collated and analysed using the phases of reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The paper articulates a suite of culturally safe and place-based practices that enhance social, emotional and spiritual well-being following cumulative disasters. These practice bundles include: adopting a Country-centred conception of local communities; being community-led; viewing care as a collective, relational, sociomaterial accomplishment and having fluid boundaries. These practice bundles 'hang together' through organising practices including the Waminda Model of Care, staff wellbeing framework and emergency management plan which orient action and manage risks. The paper demonstrates the need for disaster responses to be community-led and culturally situated. ACCHOs are shown to play a crucial role, and their local responses to immediate community needs are grounded in contextual knowledge and use existing resources rather than relying on mainstream system-wide interventions. Conclusions: The paper suggests crafting responses that focus on assisting communities (re)gain their sense of belonging, hope for the future, control over their lives and their capacities to care for and to be cared for by Country, are key to both enhancing healing, health and well-being and harnessing the strengths of communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Method Result Conclusion Many governments aim for transparency for accountability. Transparency and its processes contribute to governing climate. The transparency agenda focuses on sharing records to inform the public. In the United States, accessible records also add to decision‐making processes since records are useful to contest decisions. Few people put together the two kinds of transparency, sharing and challenging. Analyzing both is critical as calls for acting on climate‐related disasters grow.In the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shares records. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is one route to access FEMA's records. To assess transparency, I coded FEMA's 2019 FOIA log for requester and record requested. Years of damaging, notable disasters preceded 2019, but 2019 precedes pandemic disruptions.Requesters can make requests likely to be useful instrumentally, concerning assistance and insurance. Journalists and scholars request records useful to conceptualizing governing disaster to include both individual political officials and aggregate bureaucratic policy. Instrumental requests dominate, as they do for other agencies.This article answers the call in recent studies of transparency, policy, and of disaster governance to track how policies embed power. Assessing record requests contributes to understanding the accountability in freedom of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Accessibility between fire hydrants and buildings is paramount in emergency response, significantly influencing the efficiency and effectiveness of firefighting operations in the event of an incident. However, assessing this relationship within a geographic information system (GIS) framework presents challenges on two fronts. Obtaining the path avoiding building and parcel obstructions to hydrants is not trivial. Further, determining the furthest extent around a building exterior from hydrants is complicated, yet it is critically important given the spatial limitations of equipment reach. To assess furthest extent, an analytical framework is introduced based on the Euclidean shortest path problem. The proposed approach offers a comprehensive, automated GIS‐based methodology tailored to evaluate the dynamic relationship between hydrants and buildings. The developed methods are able to accurately and precisely identify the furthest point around a building structure from hydrant, facilitating risk assessment as well as fire code compliance. This enables a comprehensive evaluation of potential loss and structure vulnerability at property, street, neighborhood, and regional levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Technological disasters in Asia have significant public health and environmental implications, but there is limited epidemiological analysis of these events. This study aims to characterize the epidemiological profile of technological disasters in Asia from 2000 to 2021, focusing on morbidity and mortality trends.A retrospective descriptive observational analysis was conducted using data from emergency events database (EM‐DAT), DesInventar, NatCAt, and Sigma. The study categorized disasters into transport, industrial, and miscellaneous accidents. Statistical analyses were used to examine frequencies, trends, and correlations among the different disaster types.From 2000 to 2021, Asia experienced 2333 technological disasters, with transport accidents being the most frequent (55.77%), followed by industrial (26.10%) and miscellaneous accidents (18.13%). The overall trend showed a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of these disasters and in average mortality and injury rates. The study highlighted the varying impact of different disaster types, with industrial accidents causing the highest fatality and affected rates despite being less frequent than transport accidents.The study indicates a declining trend in the frequency and severity of technological disasters in Asia, reflecting improved safety measures and disaster management. However, the high impact of industrial accidents underscores the need for targeted prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disasters and catastrophes are increasing in frequency and devastation meaning that emergency management in the United States will remain a vital, though currently male-dominated, career-field. This underrepresentation has a significant and detrimental impact on the efficacy and development of theory, policy, and practice as the related body of knowledge does not adequately reflect the diversity of the communities that practitioner’s serve. This study, therefore, critically evaluates the impact of group identity and self-concept on female student experiences of gender bias within emergency management-related higher education programs which act as gateways to the career field. The findings indicate that gender bias within these programs primarily occurs from male peers with female students feeling pressured to work harder than male students to succeed. Occurrences were, however, less frequent than in other male-dominated fields such as construction, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Barriers remain so efforts to promote educational inclusivity and career field representation are necessary to address United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Five which seeks to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence suggests that coordination of care for people affected by rare diseases is poor. In order to improve the way that care is coordinated it is necessary to understand the preferences of people affected by these conditions, and providers. The aim of this study was to examine patient, parent and carer, and health care professional preferences for different attributes of care coordination for people affected by rare diseases. We conducted a discrete choice experiment using online surveys. There were no restrictions on participants in terms of rare conditions, demographic factors other than age, or geographical location within the UK. Choice scenarios were based on the following attributes: annual cost of attending appointments; access to health records; access to clinical expertise; support of a care coordinator; access to a specialist centre; and, the existence of a documented plan for emergency care. Data were analysed using alternative-specific conditional logit regression models. Results: Valid responses were obtained from 996 individuals (528 patients, 280 carers, 188 health care professionals) between August and December 2019. All attributes significantly influenced the type of service respondents preferred. Patients, carers and health professionals' preferences for care coordination were influenced by: the cost of attending appointments; access to health records; clinical expertise; role of care coordinators; access to specialist centres; and the existence of plan for emergency care. There were no statistically significant differences in the preferences between patients and carers. Preferences of health professionals differed to those of patients and carers. Both patients and carers selected responses which granted them a greater degree of autonomy in relation to the role of care coordinators, whereas health professionals preferred services where care coordinators had more autonomy. Health care professionals also expressed a stronger preference for a documented formal emergency plan to be in place. Conclusions: The findings highlight that people value better coordinated care, in line with policy documents emphasising commitments to coordinated care for people affected by rare diseases. This study highlights the factors that could be included in service provision as ways of improving the coordination of care for people affected by rare diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: On 6 February 2023, an Mw 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Türkiye and north-western Syria, affecting the lives of 4.6 and 2.5 million children, respectively. In such crises, infants who are dependent on commercial milk formula (CMF) face increased vulnerability to diseases and malnutrition as safe preparation of CMF becomes difficult and sometimes impossible. The Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE) provides guidance on protecting and supporting recommended infant and young child feeding and minimizing the risks that come with CMF feeding. In addition, the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code) ensures adequate nutrition for infants by protecting and promoting breastfeeding and ensuring the proper usage of CMF. This study aims to document violations of the Code and the OG-IFE during the earthquake relief efforts to help strengthen infant and young child feeding emergency responses and inform future disaster relief policies. Methods: Data was collected from 6 February to 10 March 2023 through Internet sources. Social media, news websites, and the Emergency Nutrition Network forum were used for data collection. Turkish content was translated into English for analysis, with a focus on donation-related information and Code violations related to baby food and infant feeding. Results: A total of 40 reports on CMF, complementary food, and feeding equipment donations were collected. Three main types of violations of the OG-IFE and the Code were identified, with the majority of them being incidences of individuals, humanitarian organizations, and government agencies seeking or accepting donations. Infant formula companies continued to violate the Code by donating large quantities of CMF and feeding equipment to the Turkish Red Crescent, government agencies, and disaster relief infant and young child feeding (IYCF) coordination authorities. Conclusions: These incidents reflected a systematic violation of the Code and non-compliance with the OG-IFE. Globally accepted IYCF standards and recommendations were not consistently followed due to fragmented early responses. There is a critical need to step up efforts to ensure appropriate and safe IYCF practice protecting and supporting breastfed and non-breastfed infants in emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disasters can cause casualties and significant financial loss. In accordance with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, areas affected by disasters must be built back better. Accurate post-disaster damage and loss assessments are critical for the success of recovery programs. This scoping review aimed to identify the components and entities of the healthcare sector's post-disaster damage and loss assessment program. Methods: An comprehensive search for relevant literature was performed using several databases, including the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and Magiran. The search was limited to papers published between 2010 and 2022. In addition, we searched the grey literature for resources related to post-disaster damage and loss assessments. Study selection and data extraction were evaluated by a third reviewer. The main themes were determined through a consensus process and agreement among team members. Results: A total of 845 papers were identified, 41 of which were included in the review. The grey literature search yielded 1015 documents, 23 of which were associated with the study's purpose. The findings were classified into five main themes, 20 subthemes, and 876 codes. The main-themes include the following: Concepts and Definitions; Post-Disaster Damage and Loss Assessment Procedures; Healthcare sector procedures; Assessments Tools, and Methods; Intra-sectoral, Inter-sectoral, and cross-cutting issues. Conclusions: The existing corpus of literature on post-disaster damage and loss assessment programs within the healthcare sector offers only limited insights into the entities and components involved. It is of great importance that stakeholders have an extensive grasp of these pivotal concepts and principles, as they are fundamental in enabling effective responses to disasters, informed decision-making, and facilitating rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. Consequently, there is a considerable scope for further investigation in this area. Scoping review registration number: https://osf.io/nj3fk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An estimated 2.5 million people have been internally and externally displaced in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia in conflict and post-conflict settings. This induced a loss of access to basic and essential healthcare services. The situation was overwhelming, causing service inaccessibility, inadequate health facilities, unstable security to access the services, shortage of supplies and drugs, and medical equipment's in the region. The regional public health emergency management is one service delivery set up for the critically ill. It is characterized by weak emergency management capacities, poor coordination and integration. In addition, the system falls in to two independent sectors in the Tigray Health Bureau (THB), Tigray Health Research Institute (THRI). This leads to a fragmented system, an unclear leadership and governance role and a poor service delivery setup and tracking mechanism. The situation leads to resource duplication and poor business practice. Indeed, this type of service delivery setup secures personal and professional interest more than community interest. The situation exacerbated the occurrence of recurrent outbreaks in the region, with, for instance, zoonotic diseases (anthrax and rabies), acute watery diarrhoea, measles, malaria, yellow fever, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) approaching to their level of epidemic. Moreover, they will spike as an epidemic in the future. All these circumstances made it evident that the system need reform to adhere with legal global, national, and regional frameworks, guidelines and proclamations. The system should have one service delivery set up at regional level. It must fall into regional public health institutes (PHIs) to adhere its service packages to the current advancements. Furthermore, integrated effort need from program implementers, relevant stakeholders and policy-makers should be committed and work together in the review and reform process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate post-disaster damage and loss assessment is critical for the success of subsequent recovery programs. A comprehensive and systematic damage and loss assessment process involves evaluating the physical damage and financial impact of an event on individuals, communities, and assets. To ensure effective recovery, the various components and entities included in the program must be developed appropriately and efficiently. This study aimed to identify the components and entities of the Iranian healthcare sector's post-disaster damage and loss assessment program. Methods: A qualitative study employing purposive sampling and semi-structured individual interviews was conducted with 18 participants between October 2022 and July 2023, with continuing until data saturation was achieved. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and observational notes with experts, including representatives from the National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO), the Iranian Red Crescent Society, and the Disaster Risk Management Department of the Ministry of Health and Medical Sciences Universities. The interviews were conducted in the workplace of the participants. Thematic analysis, a conventional qualitative method, was employed for the analysis of the data. Following the transcription of the recorded interviews, the initial codes were extracted, reviewed for accuracy, and classified. Results: The results of this study are based on the insights and experiences of a diverse group of qualified experts in their respective fields. The findings were analysed and classification into ten main themes, 29 sub-themes, and 1,058 codes. The main themes were key concepts and principles of assessment; assessment stages; health system measures in assessment; roles and responsibilities; team composition; information and communication; coordination and collaboration; data collection and analysis; assessment tools and methods; and reporting, documentation, and recommendations. Conclusion: An understanding of key concepts and principles enables stakeholders to respond effectively to disasters, make informed decisions, and facilitate recovery and reconstruction efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic negatively affected the diagnosis and treatment of several cancer types. However, this pandemic's exact impact and extent on bone and soft tissue sarcomas need to be clarified. We aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency declaration by the local government on consultation behavior and clinical stage at diagnosis of bone and soft tissue sarcoma. A total of 403 patients diagnosed with bone and soft tissue sarcoma who initially visited three sarcoma treatment hospitals between January 2018 and December 2021 were included. The monthly number of newly diagnosed soft tissue sarcoma patients was reduced by 25%, and the proportion of soft tissue patients with stage IV disease at diagnosis significantly increased by 9% during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the monthly number of new primary bone and soft tissue sarcoma patients significantly decreased by 43% during the state of emergency declaration. The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on soft tissue sarcoma patients' consultation behavior and increased the proportion of advanced-stage patients at initial diagnosis. An emergency declaration by the local government also negatively affected primary bone and soft tissue sarcoma patients' consultation behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different geographical zones have regional heterogeneity in underlying earth surface structure and microclimate which result in different evolution trends and their response to climate change varies in extreme rainfalls in these zones. In the Guizhou province of China, there are complex landforms, which lead to spatial redistribution of rainfall, frequent extreme rainfall, and disasters high risk of geologic disasters. Research on extreme climate in Guizhou mostly paid attention to its spatio-temporal characteristics and modeling, but lack of analysis on its characteristics of extreme rainfall variability and response to temperature changes under different subsurface conditions. This study investigated the characteristics of the extreme rainfall spatiotemporal and recurrence periods in Guizhou province and discussed the relationship between the response of extreme rainfall to temperature change. Daily rainfall data from 1990 to 2020 and 2021–2100 at 31 meteorological observation stations throughout the province were collected to calculate extreme precipitation. This research had the following results. (1) Both historical and future periods show an upward trend in extreme rainfall in Guizhou province, with a spatial distribution pattern of "high in the south and low in the north, high in the east and low in the west" and "high in the southeast and low in the northwest", respectively; the spatial distribution of extreme rainfall under each recurrence period is consistent with the non-recurrence period. (2) Both historical and future periods show an upward trend in temperature in Guizhou province, with a spatial distribution consistent with that of the extreme rainfall in the corresponding period. (3) The change in extreme rainfall intensity with increasing temperature is almost always greater than the C–C rate for different periods and underlying earth surface structure; Extreme rainfall has a Hook response structure to temperature change, and the climate response structure shifts to the right with climate warming. The results of the study can provide a basis for decision-making on regional disaster prevention and mitigation in the context of temperature change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first-order second-moment checking point method was introduced to judge the instability probability and evaluate the stability of the TCURM. The frequency–response stability calculation and the reliability results were compared, and a frequency–response stability and reliability analysis method was proposed. Taking the Zengziyan W12# unstable rock mass in Nanchuan, Chongqing, China, as an example, the calculation shows that the dynamic indexes and geological indexes decrease as the stiffness of the deterioration area decreases. According to the statistical data of the laboratory test and the field investigation, reliability theory is used to evaluate the stability of the TCURM, and the failure probabilities are 80.3% and 96.27% under natural and saturated conditions, which correspond to states of poor stability and instability, respectively. The reliability evaluation results are consistent with the conclusion of the frequency–response stability analysis. The new method can provide a theoretical basis for developing the dynamic monitoring and early warning indicators of the TCURM and disaster prevention and mitigation in mountainous areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparing with cities, rural communities especially those declining rural communities have become vulnerable to natural disasters owing to their backward socioeconomic conditions. Taking Xun County of China's Henan Province as the study area, the paper aims to evaluate rural community resilience to flood by unveiling the connection between individuals' cognition, follow-up actions and the community resilience. Research results show that: (1) The logic chain exists as individual's cognition to disaster leads to their constructive actions to cope with disaster, which contribute to community resilience. (2) At the cognition dimension, individual's knowledge reserve of disaster prevention and their recognition to local authority are playing an important role in their decision making and follow-up behaviors when disaster occurs. (3) At the action dimension, individual's familiarity with the disaster preparedness, efficient information transmission when disaster occurs and villagers' following order and their unity of action all contribute to community resilience to disaster. The paper proposes ways to improve rural community resilience to disasters based on the research findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the differential effect of the US-Mexico border on the lived experience of children exposed to flooding risk in an urbanized transborder watershed. The central argument is that this geopolitical border is an institution generative of social and spatial processes that create and thrive on differences and expose children on both sides of the border to high but unequal hazard levels. We pose that children’s bifurcated experiences with rain evince the border’s structuring power as a supra institution producing a socio-spatial regime that enables environmental inequities producing disparate representations of place. Understanding children’s lived experiences is critical to reducing their vulnerability in a highly integrated cross-border urbanization. Framed as a case study based on qualitative data obtained through narratives and visual elicitation techniques, the analysis reveals children’s experiences with flooding and associated hazards that have not been exposed in prior border research and have important implications for integrated disaster management, environmental justice, and resilience in border regions and cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Background Methods Results Discussion Conclusion Implications for nursing and health policy We evaluated Saudi Arabian nurses’ willingness to engage in nuclear and radiological disaster response.In the face of rising nuclear and radiological threats, it is essential that nurses are fully prepared to handle the health consequences of such emergencies. As frontline responders, nurses play a critical role in managing high‐stakes situations, making their readiness a key factor in ensuring public safety during these crises.A cross‐sectional survey was conducted among 612 registered nurses in Saudi Arabia. The survey used a structured questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior, identifying behavioral intentions as the primary outcome and attitudes toward these behaviors, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as influencing factors. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Most respondents lacked specialized training and reported strong behavioral intentions. Attitude and perceived behavioral control were key drivers of these behavioral intentions, with less impact from subjective norms. Behavioral intentions were also shaped by education, the perceived likelihood of nuclear and radiological emergencies in their region, peer influence, perceived self‐efficacy, and family concerns. Younger and married nurses showed significantly stronger behavioral intentions.Although most nurses lacked specialized training, their strong engagement intentions and positive responses to active learning and training indicate a desire to close this gap through further education. However, inadequate institutional support, trouble communicating with family, and concerns about personal radiation exposure emerged as potential barriers.Targeted educational initiatives and support systems are needed to enhance nurses’ confidence, competence, and willingness to engage in radiological and nuclear emergency scenarios.Policymakers should prioritize the development of specialized training programs and support mechanisms for nurses, ensuring they are adequately prepared to respond effectively to increasing radiological and nuclear threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is driven by the Sendai Framework, which serves as a guide for mitigating global disaster risk. Within the ASEAN context, this framework is encapsulated in the form of a collective agreement among ten countries. AADMER serves as the foundation for ASEAN member states to establish and enhance coordination and collaboration in the field of disaster management. This research examines how the AHA Centre effectively communicates and disseminates the regional disaster management mechanisms to National Disaster Management Organisations in the Philippines and Malaysia through the One ASEAN One Response Roadshow programme, and how one country's approaches are different from another by considering certain local contexts. This study explores the critical factors contributing to the success of these communication efforts and highlights the importance of intercultural communication in enhancing understanding and collaboration among stakeholders in each country. The findings reveal that effective communication strategies are vital for fostering mutual understanding and cooperation, thereby strengthening regional disaster management capacities. This research contributes to both academic and practical domains by offering insights into successful strategies for disseminating disaster management information in a multi-cultural and multi-sectoral regional context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of 2019, the whole world was exposed to a major health crisis, which the Coronavirus, which went out of the control of all countries, including Iraq, The negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues to this day on the construction industry sector in Iraq. This research aims to study and find the most common risk factors for the Coronavirus crisis and analyze them using the descriptive analysis method (HEAT MAP), in addition to identifying, analyzing and evaluating response procedures after Covid-19 by finding the relative importance index (RII). The factors of the Covid-19 crisis were extracted and the most common different response procedures were found from the archives of (24) completed construction projects in the projects of the University of Kufa, Karbala and Babylon. The current practice and the possibility of occurrence of risk factors, their severity and the possibility of their occurrence were diagnosed by conducting interviews accompanied by an open questionnaire with (15) Iraqi experts concerned with construction project management and then directing a detailed closed questionnaire to (140) others. All the results obtained were subjected to statistical tests to verify their validity, and the results showed the presence of (37) factors related to the Coronavirus, with the identification of their characteristics and the most affected project objectives, as well as the most affected contracting parties. When using the (HEAT MAP) method, it was found that the group of political risk factors is dominant and that the most harmful factors are the curfew and changes in the current government policies followed to combat the epidemic, curfew decisions and changes in the current government policies followed to combat the epidemic, political division, conflicting decisions, and the absence of plans and preparation for such crises. The delay in state funding for funded projects in the Middle Euphrates due to strict measures in the Middle Euphrates by the government that has existing projects was the most harmful. When applying (RII) to find the most important response measures, it was holding regular working sessions to discuss COVID-19 policies and response mechanisms, imposing a state of emergency due to the Corona virus as a force majeure, and finally cooperating with regulatory bodies to facilitate policy changes as well as enhancing scientific advice. Through this study, the project reached many conclusions and recommendations that would reduce or mitigate the impact of the Corona pandemic or any future events on the objectives of any construction project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017, Yongji County, which is located in Jilin Province, China, was devastated by its worst floods for generations. Consequently, the people of Yongji County suffered losses due to both the natural disaster and the deficiencies of disaster management. The aim of this research was to evaluate the factors that influenced the experiences of victims to provide insights into the performance of disaster management. Statistical analysis was employed to describe the functions and role of disaster management in the 2017 Yongji County flood. The Logistic regression also was adopted to explore the association between the performance and outcomes of disaster management experienced by victims, and gender, age, profession, frequency of disasters, the efficiency of defense measures, the efficiency of rescue, the loss of property, the degree of normal life and productivity recovery, the satisfaction of governmental compensation, the degree of disaster information disclosure, the government attitudes, the mechanism of accountability, and public safety education. This paper is among the first studies to identify the factors that affect victims' perceptions in assessing the performance of disaster management hosted by local government. Hence, this research makes an important contribution in assisting policymakers and officers in local government to improve performance in dealing with natural and environmental disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal mining in the Loess Plateau can very easily generate ground cracks, and these cracks can immediately result in ventilation trouble under the mine shaft, runoff disturbance, and vegetation destruction. Advanced UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) high-resolution mapping and DL (Deep Learning) are introduced as the key methods to quickly delineate coal mining ground surface cracks for disaster prevention. Firstly, the dataset named the Ground Cracks of Coal Mining Area Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (GCCMA-UAV) is built, with a ground resolution of 3 cm, which is suitable to make a 1:500 thematic map of the ground crack. This GCCMA-UAV dataset includes 6280 images of ground cracks, and the size of the imagery is 256 × 256 pixels. Secondly, the DRA-UNet model is built effectively for coal mining ground surface crack delineation. This DRA-UNet model is an improved UNet DL model, which mainly includes the DAM (Dual Dttention Dechanism) module, the RN (residual network) module, and the ASPP (Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling) module. The DRA-UNet model shows the highest recall rate of 77.29% when the DRA-UNet was compared with other similar DL models, such as DeepLabV3+, SegNet, PSPNet, and so on. DRA-UNet also has other relatively reliable indicators; the precision rate is 84.92% and the F1 score is 78.87%. Finally, DRA-UNet is applied to delineate cracks on a DOM (Digital Orthophoto Map) of 3 km2 in the mining workface area, with a ground resolution of 3 cm. There were 4903 cracks that were delineated from the DOM in the Huojitu Coal Mine Shaft. This DRA-UNet model effectively improves the efficiency of crack delineation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the problem of ignoring unpaved roads when planning off-road emergency rescue paths, an improved A* algorithm that incorporates road factors is developed to create an off-road emergency rescue path planning model in this study. To reduce the number of search nodes and improve the efficiency of path searches, the current node is classified according to the angle between the line connecting the node and the target point and the due east direction. Additionally, the search direction is determined in real time through an optimization method to improve the path search efficiency. To identify the path with the shortest travel time suitable for emergency rescue in wilderness scenarios, a heuristic function based on the fusion of road factors and a path planning model for off-road emergency rescue is developed, and the characteristics of existing roads are weighted in the process of path searching to bias the selection process toward unpaved roads with high accessibility. The experiments show that the improved A* algorithm significantly reduces the travel time of off-road vehicles and that path selection is enhanced compared to that with the traditional A* algorithm; moreover, the improved A* algorithm reduces the number of nodes by 16.784% and improves the search efficiency by 27.18% compared with the traditional 16-direction search method. The simulation results indicate that the improved algorithm reduces the travel time of off-road vehicles by 21.298% and improves the search efficiency by 93.901% compared to the traditional A* algorithm, thus greatly enhancing off-road path planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-object tracking in satellite videos (SV-MOT) is an important task with many applications, such as traffic monitoring and disaster response. However, the widely studied multi-object tracking (MOT) approaches for general images can rarely be directly introduced into remote sensing scenarios. The main reasons for this can be attributed to the following: (1) the existing MOT approaches would cause a significant rate of missed detection of the small targets in satellite videos; (2) it is difficult for the general MOT approaches to generate complete trajectories in complex satellite scenarios. To address these problems, a novel SV-MOT approach enhanced by high-resolution feature fusion and a two-step association method is proposed. In the high-resolution detection network, a high-resolution feature fusion module is designed to assist detection by maintaining small object features in forward propagation. By utilizing features of different resolutions, the performance of the detection of small targets in satellite videos is improved. Through high-quality detection and the use of an adaptive Kalman filter, the densely packed weak objects can be effectively tracked by associating almost every detection box instead of only the high-score ones. The comprehensive experimental results using the representative satellite video datasets (VISO) demonstrate that the proposed HRTracker with the state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods can achieve competitive performance in terms of the tracking accuracy and the frequency of ID conversion, obtaining a tracking accuracy score of 74.6% and an ID F1 score of 78.9%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong earthquakes often bring amounts of loose material, disrupting the balance of material transportation within a watershed and severely impacting the restoration of the ecological environment and human safety downstream. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the frequency and scale of these debris flow events, as well as to explore their long-term development and impact on internal and external channels. Using multi-source remote sensing images from four perspectives, hillslope, channel, accumulation fan, and their relationship with the mainstream, we reconstructed a debris flow event dataset from 2008 to 2020, explored a method for identifying these events, and analyzed their impacts on channels and accumulation fans in Mozi Gully affected by the Wenchuan earthquake. Loose matter was predominantly found in areas proximate to the channel and at lower elevations during debris flow events. Alterations in channel width, accumulation fans downstream, and their potential to obstruct rivers proved to be vital for identifying the large scale of debris flow event. Finally, we encapsulated the evolution patterns and constraints of post-earthquake debris flows. Determination in frequency and scale could offer valuable supplementary data for scenario hypothesis parameters in post-earthquake disaster engineering prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudden mountain landslides can pose substantial threats to human lives and property. On 4 June 2023, a landslide occurred in Jinkouhe District, Leshan City, Sichuan Province, resulting in 19 deaths and 5 injuries. This study, drawing on field investigations, geological data, and historical imagery, elucidates the characteristics and causes of the landslide and conducts a reverse analysis of the landslide movement process using Massflow V2.8 numerical simulation software. The results indicate that rainfall and human engineering activities are key factors that triggered this landslide. Numerical simulation shows that the landslide stopped after 60 s of sliding, with a movement distance of approximately 286 m, a maximum sliding speed of 17 m/s, and a maximum accumulation thickness of 7 m, eventually forming a loose landslide debris accumulation of approximately 5.25 × 103 m3. The findings of this study provide significant reference value for research on landslide movement characteristics and disaster prevention and mitigation in mountainous areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation resilience, as a component of city sustainability, plays a crucial role in the daily management and emergency response of urban road systems. With coastal cities becoming increasingly vulnerable to typhoons, rainstorms, and other disasters, it is essential to assess the resilience of urban road transportation in a refined and differentiated approach. Existing resilience assessment methods often overlook significant biases, neglecting the dynamic response of road traffic and non-stationary characteristics of traffic systems. To address these limitations, we develop a quantitative resilience assessment method for urban road transportation during rainfall that is based on the improved Resilience Triangle. The method is applied to DiDi urban traffic speed and meteorological data of Shenzhen, China, from April to September 2018, with a focus on Typhoon Mangkhut as an extreme weather case. By analyzing transportation resilience variations across road densities, road hierarchies, and rainfall scenarios, we found that road densities and rainfall intensities explain resilience variations better than road hierarchies. Specifically, as accumulative precipitation exceeds 100 mm, a substantial surge in loss of performance is observed. Typhoon rainfalls result in a greater loss in urban road traffic compared to general rainfalls. The results offer valuable insights for urban road planning, traffic emergency management, and transportation resilience construction in the face of increasingly severe weather challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating tropical cyclone (TC) intensity is crucial for disaster reduction and risk management. This study aims to estimate TC intensity using machine learning (ML) models. We utilized eight ML models to predict TC intensity, incorporating factors such as TC location, central pressure, distance to land, landfall in the next six hours, storm speed, storm direction, date, and number from the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship Version 4 (IBTrACS V4). The dataset was divided into four sub-datasets based on the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases (Neutral, El Niño, and La Niña). Our results highlight that central pressure has the greatest effect on TC intensity estimation, with a maximum root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.289 knots (equivalent to 0.663 m/s). Cubist and Random Forest (RF) models consistently outperformed others, with Cubist showing superior performance in both training and testing datasets. The highest bias was observed in SVM models. Temporal analysis revealed the highest mean error in January and November, and the lowest in February. Errors during the Warm phase of ENSO were notably higher, especially in the South China Sea. Central pressure was identified as the most influential factor for TC intensity estimation, with further exploration of environmental features recommended for model robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides are most severe in the mountainous regions of southwestern China. While landslide identification provides a foundation for disaster prevention operations, methods for utilizing multi-source data and deep learning techniques to improve the efficiency and accuracy of landslide identification in complex environments are still a focus of research and a difficult issue in landslide research. In this study, we address the above problems and construct a landslide identification model based on the shifted window (Swin) transformer. We chose Ya'an, which has a complex terrain and experiences frequent landslides, as the study area. Our model, which fuses features from different remote sensing data sources and introduces a loss function that better learns the boundary information of the target, is compared with the pyramid scene parsing network (PSPNet), the unified perception parsing network (UPerNet), and DeepLab_V3+ models in order to explore the learning potential of the model and test the models' resilience in an open-source landslide database. The results show that in the Ya'an landslide database, compared with the above benchmark networks (UPerNet, PSPNet, and DeepLab_v3+), the Swin Transformer-based optimization model improves overall accuracies by 1.7%, 2.1%, and 1.5%, respectively; the F1_score is improved by 14.5%, 16.2%, and 12.4%; and the intersection over union (IoU) is improved by 16.9%, 18.5%, and 14.6%, respectively. The performance of the optimized model is excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bridges are fundamental links for the movement of goods and people and bridge damage can thus have significant impacts on society and the economy. Earthquakes can be extremely destructive and can compromise bridge functionality, which is essential for communities. Evaluation of bridge functionality is thus fundamental in the planning of emergency responses and socioeconomic recovery procedures. It is especially useful to define parameters to assess investments in bridge infrastructure. Resilience is a key parameter that can identify decision making procedures necessary for recovery investments. In this regard, resilience can be defined as the rapidity of a system to return to pre-disaster levels of functionality. This aim of this work was to assess the lack of robust analytical procedures for quantifying systematic restoration for earthquake-damaged bridges, to provide a link between the assessment of resilience and its application in decision making approaches. The proposed methodology (called seismic resilience for recovery investments of bridges) uses functionality–time curves that allow quantification of resilience along with readable findings for a wider range of stakeholders. The results presented in this paper should be of interest to multi-sectorial actors (i.e. bridge owners, transportation authorities and public administrators) and could drive interdisciplinary applications such as the assessment of recovery techniques and solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to analyze the clinical features, symptoms, laboratory findings, and treatment approaches of patients presenting to the emergency department with elevated INR due to warfarin overdose. Methods: The study was conducted retrospectively from August 1, 2023, to June 1, 2024, in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in a city with a population of 5 million. Patients aged 18 and over with an INR value of 3.5 or above were included. Data were obtained from electronic health records and patient files. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics. Results: A total of 121 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 71.85±12.28 years, with 53.7% female and 46.3% male. The most common diagnoses were atrial fibrillation (33.1%) and valve replacement (31.4%). The main reasons for emergency admission included general condition disorder (22.3%) and abdominal pain (16.5%). The bleeding rate was 47.9%, with the gastrointestinal system being the most common bleeding site (49.2%). The mean INR value was 9.27±5.45. Vitamin K was administered to 47.1% of patients and fresh frozen plasma to 28.1%. The discharge rate was 38.8%, and the mortality rate was 2.5%. Conclusions: Patients presenting to the emergency department with warfarin overdose are at significant risk of severe bleeding, requiring careful management. Close monitoring and accurate dose adjustments are essential, especially in elderly and comorbid patients. Antidotes such as vitamin K, fresh frozen plasma, and prothrombin complex are effective in managing bleeding complications. Future studies should aim to standardize and enhance the effectiveness of these treatment protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asbestos sector is unique within the built environment. The history of asbestos extends well beyond the 100 years that we are commonly aware of. It is known to be one of the most devastating workplace killers, with figures released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) demonstrating a current trend of approximately 5,000 deaths annually attributed to diseases caused by exposure to asbestos fibres. This paper looks at the highly specialised job roles that the industry struggles to attract fresh talent into. It summarises some of the statistics and make observations as to how asbestos continues to be a prevailing hazard affecting management, maintenance and modernisation of aging buildings across the UK. The aim is to continue to help educate the built environment sector about a unique culture of highly specialised persons that float between and around the realms of inspection, testing, certification, occupational hygiene, health and safety, and construction and demolition. The paper comments on the position of the industry in the current economic climate and proposes a change of attitude and understanding to progress and ensure the risk to human health posed by asbestos continues to be reduced and quality of service delivery improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mass disaster events, forensic DNA laboratories may be called upon to quickly pivot their operations toward identifying bodies and reuniting remains with family members. Ideally, laboratories have considered this possibility in advance and have a plan in place. Compared with traditional short tandem repeat (STR) typing, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be better suited to these disaster victim identification (DVI) scenarios due to their small genomic target size, resulting in an improved success rate in degraded DNA samples. As the landscape of technology has shifted toward DNA sequencing, many forensic laboratories now have benchtop instruments available for massively parallel sequencing (MPS), facilitating this operational pivot from routine forensic STR casework to DVI SNP typing. Herein, we present the commercially available SNP sequencing assays amenable to DVI, we use data simulations to explore the potential for kinship prediction from SNP panels of varying sizes, and we give an example DVI scenario as context for presenting the matrix of considerations: kinship predictive potential, cost, and throughput of current SNP assay options. This information is intended to assist laboratories in choosing a SNP system for disaster preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate individuals' disaster literacy levels, their thoughts on disaster management services, and related factors. Method: The descriptive research was conducted with a total of 480 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 living in a province in the first‐degree earthquake zone in Turkey. The data were collected with the Disaster Literacy Scale and the Disaster Management Services Evaluation Form. Results: In this study, it was found that more than half of the participants had inadequate/moderate disaster literacy. The total disaster literacy score and all subscale scores were found to be higher in individuals who had an earthquake kit at home, had an emergency plan, and had received disaster‐related training (p <.05). The majority of the participants found the services provided for disaster management inadequate or very inadequate. Conclusions: In this study, it has been found that a significant portion of the society lacks the desired level of disaster literacy, and the services provided for disasters are deemed insufficient therefore, there is a need for multi‐disciplinary national prevention programs to enhance disaster literacy and preparedness in the community, as well as urgently supporting policies to improve disaster‐related services. Additionally, due to their comprehensive knowledge of the general structure of society, public health nurses need to play an active role in disaster preparedness and increasing disaster literacy levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study was carried out to investigate the perception of the main competencies of disaster management in Iranian emergency department nurses in 2023 in hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. The present study was conducted to explore the perceived core disaster competencies in nurses of hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2023. Background: Due to the rise in natural disasters, their escalating severity and associated regulatory response necessitate a closer look at the preparedness and core competencies of nursing personnel. The main competencies of nurses are necessary to deal with disasters in unexpected events, and they are expected to use their professional expertise to provide the required nursing services to reduce the risks caused by disasters. Methodology: This descriptive‐analytical study was conducted cross‐sectionally between May and September 2023. In the study, a sample of 384 nurses working in the departments of four hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences was selected through a random stratification. The data collection instrument was a 45‐item scale of nursesʼ perceived core competencies (NPDCC) in handling disasters. The data were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U‐test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and independent samples t‐test. The significance level was set at 5%. Results: The mean total score of perceived core disaster competencies was 139.11 ± 37.65. The technical skills subscale got the highest score (51.81 ± 11.28) and critical thinking skills received the lowest (9.74 ± 3.92). Also, "technical skills" had the highest average and "critical thinking skills" had the lowest average in all three age groups. The results found a significant difference between the scores of nurses in perceived core disaster competencies in age groups, work environments, education degrees, marital statuses, and experiences of attending disaster workshops (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: The results showed that nurses had different levels of core disaster competencies in the department. There are gaps in the core disaster nursing competencies that need to be filled. Nursing managers should consistently evaluate the core nursing competencies to achieve efficacious disaster preparedness. To this aim, it is recommended that authorities implement training courses and programs to enhance the preparedness of nurses in responding to disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic hazards are unrelenting threat to lives and property, with human irresponsibility emerging as a leading source of urban as well as industrial fires. The complexity of urban structures and crowded layouts make these kinds of fires more lethal. This paper presents an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based framework designed for smart buildings as a solution to the devastating obstacles caused by fire crises. Our system creates a 3D model of the building using floor plans and the A* algorithm for escape route identification. The proposed framework includes a YOLO-based smart monitoring system for the identification and counting of people caught in a fire, with the ability to distinguish between conscious and unconscious persons. The proposed system informs inhabitants in the case of a fire and directs them to the closest exit for a safe evacuation. Moreover, fire and rescue officials receive real-time information on affected persons, such as the number and location of adults and children who are conscious and unconscious. Perhaps most significantly, the suggested framework performs exceptionally well, scoring 96% for precision and 98% for recall in the detection of fire and humans. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the model in locating people within infrastructures affected by fire. The framework considerably outperforms the most advanced algorithms in terms of speed and efficiency for shortest path detection, greatly improving the ability of fire rescue teams to quickly find and aid residents who are trapped in a fire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to determine nurses' views of their competence in disaster nursing management. Background: It is an important responsibility of nurses to have the necessary knowledge and skills for the management of disasters and to be prepared for disasters. For this responsibility to be effectively demonstrated, it is important to determine the disaster management competencies of the nurses. Methods: A descriptive, cross‐sectional, and comparative research design was used in this study. The study population consisted of all nurses in Turkey (N = 227 292). According to the power analysis, the goal was to recruit 599 nurses working between March and April 2021 using a simple random sampling method. However, 530 nurses answered the questionnaire. The response rate is 88.5%. Data were collected online using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire and the Competencies for Disaster Nursing Management Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences at a significance level of 0.05. Results: There was a positive correlation between nurses' duties and responsibilities in disaster management, barriers to developing basic competencies, and nurses' basic competencies in disaster management (p < 0.001). Nurses have inadequate competencies in disaster management for various reasons. The study was reported with the STROBE checklist. Conclusion: Although nurses think they have core competencies, they are not prepared for disasters for various reasons. Implications for nursing and nursing policy: Hospitals should provide nurses with more duties and responsibilities regarding disaster management. Administrators should involve nurses in plans, decisions, and practices regarding disaster management. Decision‐makers should develop policies and training programs to remove the barriers preventing nurses from acquiring competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster operations management (DOM) seeks to mitigate the harmful impact of natural disasters on individuals, society, infrastructure, economic activities, and the environment. Due to the increasing number of people affected worldwide, and the increase in weather-related disasters, DOM has become increasingly important. In this survey, we focus on the post-disaster stage of DOM that involves response operations. We review studies that propose optimization models to supporting the following four relief logistics operations: (i) relief items distribution, (ii) location of relief facilities and temporary shelters, (iii) integrated relief items distribution and shelter location, and (iv) transportation of affected population. Optimization models from 127 articles published between 2013 and 2022, focusing on relief logistics operations during natural disasters, are categorized by disaster type and thoroughly analyzed. Each model provides a case study illustrating its application in addressing key relief logistics operations. We also analyse the extent to which these studies address the critical assumptions and methodological gaps identified by Galindo and Batta (Eur J Oper Res 230:201–211, 2013), Caunhye et al. (Socio-econ Plan Sci 46:4–13, 2012), and Kovacs and Moshtari (Eur J Oper Res 276:395–408, 2019) and the neglected research directions noted by the authors of other relevant review papers. Based on our findings, we provide avenues for potential future research. Our analysis shows a slow increase in the total number of papers published until 2018–2019 and a sharp decrease afterwards, the latter most likely as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of the papers in our selection concern earthquakes while less than ten papers deal with wildfires, cyclones, or tsunamis. The majority of the stochastic optimization models consider uncertainty in the demand and supply of relief items, while some other crucial sources of uncertainty such as funding availability and donations of relief items (e.g., blood products) remain understudied. Furthermore, most of the papers in our selection fail to incorporate key characteristics of disaster relief operations such as its dynamic nature and information updates during the response phase. Finally, a large number of studies use exact commercial software to solve their models, which may not be computationally efficient or practical for large-scale problems, specifically under uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel online optimization approach to tackle the ambulance routing problem on a road network, specifically designed to handle uncertainties in travel times, triage levels, required treatment times of victims, and potential changes in victim conditions in post-disaster scenarios. We assume that this information can be learned incrementally online while the ambulances get to the scene. We analyze this problem using the competitive ratio criterion and demonstrate that, when faced with a worst-case instance of this problem, neither deterministic nor randomized online solutions can attain a finite competitive ratio. Subsequently, we present a variety of innovative online heuristics to address this problem which can operate with very low computational running times. We assess the effectiveness of our online solutions by comparing them with each other and with offline solutions derived from complete information. Our analysis involves examining instances from existing literature as well as newly generated large-sized instances. One of our algorithms demonstrates superior performance when compared to the others, achieving experimental competitive ratios that closely approach the optimal ratio of one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe clinical characteristics of young children presenting to the emergency department (ED) for early recurrent wheeze, and determine factors associated with subsequent persistent wheeze and risk for early childhood asthma. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of Medicaid-enrolled children 0–3 years old with an index ED visit for wheeze (e.g. bronchiolitis, reactive airway disease) from 2009 to 2013, and at least one prior documented episode of wheeze at an ED or primary care visit. The primary outcome was persistent wheeze between 4 and 6 years of age. Demographics and clinical characteristics were collected from the index ED visit. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between potential risk factors and subsequent persistent wheeze. Results: During the study period, 41,710 children presented to the ED for recurrent wheeze. Mean age was 1.3 years; 59% were male, 42% Black, and 6% Hispanic. At index ED visits, the most common diagnosis was acute bronchiolitis (40%); 77% of children received an oral corticosteroid prescription. Between 4 and 6 years of age, 11,708 (28%) children had persistent wheeze. A greater number of wheezing episodes was associated with an increased odds of ED treatment with asthma medications. Subsequent persistent wheeze was associated with male sex, Black race, atopy, prescription for bronchodilators or corticosteroids, and greater number of visits for wheeze. Conclusions: Young children with persistent wheeze are at risk for childhood asthma. Thus, identification of risk factors associated with persistent wheeze in young children with recurrent wheeze might aid in early detection of asthma and initiation of preventative therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]