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Background: Every year, people in Canada are evacuated due to wildland fires to avoid death, injury, and illness from fire and smoke events. Aims: In this paper, we provide an overview of evacuations recorded in the Canadian Wildland Fire Evacuation Database between 1980 and 2021. Methods: Our analysis covers evacuations in Canada from 1980 to 2021. We provide summary statistics including number of evacuations and evacuees, evacuation duration, seasonality, evacuation causes, community types, structure losses, and fatalities. We also investigate temporal and spatial patterns. Key results: Between 1980 and 2021, there were 1393 wildland fire evacuation events with 576,747 people evacuated. During this period, there was an overall increase in frequency of evacuations, number of evacuees, and duration of events. Structure loss occurred during 194 evacuation events, with 4105 homes burned. We estimate wildland fire evacuations cost at least CAD3.7 billion (excluding structural losses), jumping to CAD4.6 billion if we include productivity losses. Indigenous peoples are disproportionately impacted in wildfire evacuations compared to the general Canadian population. Conclusions: Wildland fire evacuations continue to occur across Canada and are increasing. Implications: The findings from this study give us a better understanding of the characteristics of wildland fire evacuations, which can help guide emergency management. This paper summarises data on wildland fire evacuations in Canada between 1980 and 2021. There were 1393 wildland fire evacuation events with 576,747 people evacuated, costing approximately CAD4.6 billion CDN including productivity losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burn mass casualty incident (BMCI) preparedness is lacking across Canada. A focused exploration of the current policies, protocols and practices in Alberta that address the response to a BMCI was conducted. In this case study, data were gathered from documents outlining the health system response to a mass casualty incident and health care professionals directly involved. Interviews were conducted online, recorded and transcribed. Qualitative description was used to code common themes across documents and transcripts. Fifteen documents and nine participant interviews were included in this study. Overall, the current policies, protocols and practices in place were limited to all-hazards mass casualty incident planning and did not address the specialized needs of burn patients. Deficiencies included no burn-specific plan at each of the two burn centres, a lack of provincial-level recognition of the unique challenges associated with a BMCI and no established Canadian burn disaster communication plan. Suggestions of strategies for a burn plan included forward triage, patient movement, use of telemedicine, partnering skilled and non-skilled staff, and procuring additional supplies. For best patient outcomes the provincial health authority needs to provide dedicated time for burn care experts to develop BMCI response plans to better address this unique hazard. • All hazards mass casualty (MC) plans do not work for multiple burn injured patients. • Participant communication and decision-making practices deviated from the MC plan. • Participants expressed concerns about the overall ability to respond to a burn MC. • Creating burn capacity includes strategies for space, staffing, and supplies needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past major earthquakes have demonstrated that a significant proportion of existing residential buildings are vulnerable to seismic hazards, resulting in economic and social losses. The assessment of earthquake‐induced losses is crucial for devising strategies aimed at enhancing seismic resilience through mitigation plans and emergency response measures. This study intends to provide an analytical methodology for evaluating economic losses for existing residential concrete shear wall buildings in Eastern Canada seismic zones based on Canadian‐compatible seismic capacity parameters. A sampled data set related to residential buildings in Montreal was analyzed and statistical distributions were developed that represent the proportion of buildings in different seismic design code levels and number of stories. Vulnerability analyses were performed, which involved estimating buildings' response under seismic hazard inputs according to the 2020 National Building Code of Canada and conducting loss assessment for structural components, nonstructural displacement‐sensitive components, nonstructural acceleration‐sensitive components, and contents. The results of vulnerability analyses in terms of loss ratio curves showed that the seismic performance varies between mid‐rise and high‐rise concrete shear wall buildings with different seismic design code levels, and nonstructural displacement‐sensitive components exerted the most significant influence on overall economic losses among building components. In addition, a comparison was conducted between Canadian‐compatible economic loss ratio curves and those developed based on the standard seismic capacity parameters in the Hazus technical manual and differences in predicted loss ratios were discussed. The developed loss ratio curves can be integrated into regional scale loss assessment tools for rapid estimation of earthquake‐induced economic losses for concrete shear wall buildings as a function of seismic intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate crisis significantly impacts the health and well-being of older adults, both directly and indirectly. This issue is of growing concern in Canada due to the country's rapidly accelerating warming trend and expanding elderly population. This article serves a threefold purpose: (i) outlining the impacts of the climate crisis on older adults, (ii) providing a descriptive review of existing policies with a specific focus on the Canadian context, and (iii) promoting actionable recommendations. Our review reveals the application of current strategies, including early warning systems, enhanced infrastructure, sustainable urban planning, healthcare access, social support systems, and community engagement, in enhancing resilience and reducing health consequences among older adults. Within the Canadian context, we then emphasize the importance of establishing robust risk metrics and evaluation methods to prepare for and manage the impacts of the climate crisis efficiently. We underscore the value of vulnerability mapping, utilizing geographic information to identify regions where older adults are most at risk. This allows for targeted interventions and resource allocation. We recommend employing a root cause analysis approach to tailor risk response strategies, along with a focus on promoting awareness, readiness, physician training, and fostering collaboration and benchmarking. These suggestions aim to enhance disaster risk management for the well-being and resilience of older adults in the face of the climate crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: COVID-19 impact on the population's mental health has been reported worldwide. Predicting healthcare workers' mental health and life stress is needed to proactively plan for future emergencies. Design: Statistics Canada has surveyed Canadian healthcare workers and those working in healthcare settings to gauge their perceived mental health and perceived life stress. Setting: A cross-sectional survey of healthcare workers in Canada. Subjects: A sample of 18,139 healthcare workers respondents. Analysis: Eight algorithms, including Logistic Regression, Random Forest (RF), Naive Bayes (NB), K Nearest Neighbours (KNN), Adaptive boost (AdaBoost), Multi-layer perceptron (MLP), XGBoost, and LightBoost. AUC scores, accuracy and precision were measured for all models. Results: XGBoost provided the highest performing model AUC score (AUC = 82.07%) for predicting perceived mental health, and Random Forest performed the best for predicting perceived life stress (AUC = 77.74%). Perceived health, age group of participants, and perceived mental health compared to before the pandemic were found to be the most important 3 features to predict perceived mental health and perceived stress. Perceived mental health compared to before the pandemic was the most important predictor for perceived life stress. Conclusion: Our models are highly predictive of healthcare workers' perceived mental health and life stress. Implementing scalable, non-expensive virtual mental health solutions to address mental health challenges in the workplace could mitigate the impact of workplace conditions on healthcare workers' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an overview of various extreme weather events that occurred in 2023. It attributes the global heat to El Niño and global warming, resulting in record-breaking temperatures and droughts in some areas. The year began with extreme heat and cold, accompanied by major flooding in Africa, the Philippines, and New Zealand. The article also mentions the "Zombie Cyclone" that caused heavy rain, high winds, and flooding as it traveled from Indonesia to Madagascar and Mozambique. It further discusses Canada's historic wildfire season, extreme summer heat in North America and Asia, and other notable events such as record-breaking temperatures in Algeria, Morocco, and Albania, scorching temperatures in China, historic flooding in the eastern Mediterranean, deadly monsoon flooding in South Asia, Hurricane Otis in Mexico, and storms in Europe causing flooding and power outages. The article concludes by mentioning the forecasted dissipation of El Niño in 2024, which may result in lower global temperatures. [Extracted from the article]

This paper utilizes a conceptual analysis and targeted literature review to explore public administrative collaboration models in the context of Canadian fire department interagency relationships. It proposes that effective emergency planning and response links are formed and maintained by the use of thoughtful and tailored communication. Numerous working examples of stakeholder relationships for fire departments are explored including other first responding organizations, various government levels, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), media and the public — including special considerations for specific subsets of the population. Operational recommendations are made based on the review of numerous public management and administration research for the creation of effective interagency relationships. These recommendations, while based in Canada, could easily be adapted to analogous fire departments or other first responding organizations internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent disaster experiences can motivate communities to initiate risk management as part of their resilience mechanism if there is appropriate support to assist their shared commitment and goals. This scenario was evident in the City of Brandon's (Manitoba, Canada) response to the 1-in-300-year high-water event during the spring of 2011. This study examined how this small prairie city/community achieved the creation and preservation of locally driven flood risk management practice, and the critical role of the Brandon Emergency Support Team (BEST), a community-based disaster risk management organization, in facilitating enhanced risk awareness towards protecting the city from flooding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, governmental responses to homelessness in Canada have defaulted to the most basic of services such as food and shelter. Even under exceptional circumstances, such as the current coronavirus pandemic, governments still demonstrate reluctance to guarantee permanent, adequate and affordable housing to all. In this policy review we argue that this pattern suggests that reticence is an apt term for describing homelessness responses in Canada and that this condition is rooted in the continued dominance of liberalism in Canadian society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased physician burnout beyond high baseline levels. We aimed to determine whether pandemicrelated factors contribute to physician burnout beyond known organizational factors. This was a cross-sectional survey of Canadian physicians using a convenience sample. Eligible participants included any physician currently holding a license to practice in Canada. Responses were gathered from May 13 to 12 June 2020. Risk factors measured included the newly developed Pandemic Experiences and Perceptions Scale (PEPS) subscales, contact with virus, pandemic preparation, and provincial caseload. The primary outcome was the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The primary outcome was completed by 309 respondents. Latent profile analysis found 107 (34.6%) respondents were burned out. In multivariate analysis, exhaustion was independently associated with PEPS adequacy, risk perception, and worklife subscales (adjusted R2 = 0.236, P < 0.001). Cynicism was associated with exhaustion, and PEPS worklife (adjusted R2 = 0.543, P < 0.001). Efficacy was associated with cynicism, PEPS worklife, and active cases (adjusted R2 = 0.152, P < 0.001). Structural equation modelling showed statistically significant direct paths between PEPS areas of worklife and all MBI subscales. Contact with virus, preparation, and PEPS risk perception added to the prediction of MBI exhaustion. Among a sample of Canadian physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, adequacy of resources, risk perception, and quality of worklife were associated with burnout indices. To mitigate physician burnout organizations should work to improve working conditions, ensure adequate resources, and foster perceived control of risk of transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing flood risk through disaster planning and risk management requires accurate estimates of exposure, damage, casualties, and environmental impacts. Models can provide such information; however, computational or data constraints often lead to the construction of such models by aggregating high‐resolution flood hazard grids to a coarser resolution, the effect of which is poorly understood. Through the application of a novel spatial classification framework, we derive closed‐form solutions for the location (e.g., flood margins) and direction of bias from flood grid aggregation independent of any study region. These solutions show bias of some key metric will always be present in regions with marginal inundation; for example, inundation area will be positively biased when water depth grids are aggregated and volume will be negatively biased when water surface elevation grids are aggregated through averaging. In a separate computational analysis, we employ the same framework to a 2018 flood and successfully reproduce the findings of our study‐region‐independent derivation. Extending the investigation to the exposure of buildings, we find regions with marginal inundation are an order of magnitude more sensitive to aggregation errors, highlighting the importance of understanding such artifacts for flood risk modelers. Of the two aggregation routines considered, averaging water surface elevation grids better preserved flood depths at buildings than averaging of water depth grids. This work provides insight into, and recommendations for, aggregating grids used by flood risk models. Key Points: Through a novel framework, we show analytically that hazard grid aggregation leads to bias of key metrics independent of any study regionThis aggregation is shown to always positively bias inundation area when water depth grids are aggregatedFor example, aggregating from 1 to 512 m resolution resulted in a doubling of the inundated area for a 2018 flood in Canada [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the context of emergency management in Canada and identifies some of the key factors that have contributed to public emergency preparedness initiatives reaching a saturation point. Readers will gain insight and actionable suggestions from the proposed Community Resiliency Framework. Readers will learn how emergency management agencies can engage and collaborate authentically with communities and leverage existing preparedness initiatives with new methodologies to increase community resiliency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the cannabis industry has adapted to public health emergency orders which had direct and indirect consequences on cannabis consumption. The objective of this scoping review was to describe the patterns of consumption and cannabis-related health and safety considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Methods: For this scoping review, we searched four electronic databases supplemented with grey literature. Peer-reviewed or pre-print studies using any study design and grey literature reporting real-world data were included if published in English between March 2020 and September 2021 and focused on cannabis and COVID-19 in Canada. A content analysis was performed. Results: Twenty-one studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Study designs included cross-sectional surveys (n = 17), ecological study (n = 1), conceptual paper (n = 1), longitudinal study (n = 1), and prospective cohort study (n = 1). Most were conducted solely in Canada (n = 18), and the remaining included global data. Our content analysis suggested that cannabis consumption during the pandemic varied by reasons for use, consumers' age, gender, and method of consumption. Health and safety impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemics included increased mental illness, increased emergency visits, and psychosocial impacts. Discussion: This scoping review suggested that the impact of the pandemic on cannabis consumption in Canada is more complex than simplistic assumptions of an increase or decrease in consumption and continues to be difficult to measure. This study has explored some of those complexities in relation to reasons for use, age, gender, method of consumption, and health impacts. This scoping review is limited by focusing on the breadth compared to depth. Conclusions: Legalizing nonmedical use of cannabis in Canada in 2018 has had its challenges of implementation, one of which has been the changing context of the society. The findings of this study can help inform cannabis policy updates in Canada as the country is reaching its fifth year of legalizing nonmedical use of cannabis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the spring of 2020, remote Indigenous communities in the far northwestern region of Saskatchewan, Canada, experienced a COVID-19 outbreak that required the collaboration of local leaders, Indigenous governments, and other multi-sectoral organizations. This study shares the stories of those involved in the response and illustrates the challenges, successes, and recommendations for future emergency preparedness. A total of 22 participants were interviewed from the impacted communities, government agencies, and organizations in public health, public safety, and law enforcement between May and August of 2021. Qualitative interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis resulting in the following themes: 1) Challenges, 2) Consequences, 3) Successes, and 4) Recommendations. A final knowledge translation event was held with key stakeholders, including public health professionals and community members, to co-create final recommendations for future public health responses in remote Indigenous communities. Our findings underscored the importance of community leadership, local investment, public health preparedness, and relationship-building between organizations and jurisdictions. Lessons and recommendations from these stories can be applied to future pandemic preparedness in the province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canadian Prairies are a major grain production region, producing most of the wheat for export in Canada. Global warming and the associated changes in extreme precipitation and temperature events pose significant risks to agriculture on the Canadian Prairies. Compound hazards can cause higher crop failure than isolated events, especially in the main grain production regions in western Canada. To achieve informed climate risk management, it is critical to characterize the threats posed by compound hazards in current and future climates in western Canada. In this study, return periods of events were computed to assess the potential changes in the hotspots for agriculturally relevant compound events in western Canada using two convection‐permitting climate simulations: current (CTL) climate and future climate under the RCP8.5 scenario based on a pseudo‐global‐warming (PGW) approach. Specifically, our study analyzed agricultural drought, low precipitation, heatwaves, and cool waves related to cool‐season crops. The results showed the overall good performance of the CTL simulation in capturing spatial patterns of these compound events in western Canada. In the current climate, droughts and heatwaves co‐occur mostly in southeastern parts of the prairies. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, they are likely to increase in frequency and expand to cover the major croplands of western Canada. This study provides information that policymakers in the fields of climate change adaptation and agricultural disaster management will find useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This qualitative study examined the COVID-19 pandemic as experienced by healthcare-based social workers in relation to practice, and personal and professional impacts of providing care in this context, with recommendations for pandemic preparedness and response. A total of 12 focus groups were convened between June 2020 and March 2021, comprising 67 hospital social workers across multiple hospitals and other care facilities in western Canada. Findings: Based on an Interpretive Description approach, themes emerged reflecting practice shifts; increased work and changing roles; imposed restrictions; problems in communication and decision-making; distress, fear, and demoralization; and co-existing silver linings amid challenges. Applications: The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially impacted social workers and their delivery of service. Addressing concerns through proactive responsiveness, both during and beyond the pandemic, are important in nurturing patient-centered care and a supported workforce. Along with that of interdisciplinary colleagues in health care, social workers' practice has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article explores the experiences of social workers in healthcare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite well-documented increased demands and shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) during previous disease outbreaks, health systems in Canada were poorly prepared to meet the need for PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the primary care sector, PPE shortages impacted the delivery of health services and contributed to increased workload, fear, and anxiety among primary care providers. This study examines family physicians' (FPs) response to PPE shortages during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic to inform future pandemic planning. Methods: As part of a multiple case study, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with FPs across four regions in Canada. During the interviews, FPs were asked to describe the pandemic-related roles they performed over different stages of the pandemic, facilitators and barriers they experienced in performing these roles, and potential roles they could have filled. Interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis approach was employed to identify recurring themes. For the current study, we examined themes related to PPE. Results: A total of 68 FPs were interviewed across the four regions. Four overarching themes were identified: 1) factors associated with good PPE access, 2) managing PPE shortages, 3) impact of PPE shortages on practice and providers, and 4) symbolism of PPE in primary care. There was a wide discrepancy in access to PPE both within and across regions, and integration with hospital or regional health authorities often resulted in better access than community-based practices. When PPE was limited, FPs described rationing and reusing these resources in an effort to conserve, which often resulted in anxiety and personal safety concerns. Many FPs expressed that PPE shortages had come to symbolize neglect and a lack of concern for the primary care sector in the pandemic response. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic response, hospital-centric plans and a lack of prioritization for primary care led to shortages of PPE for family physicians. This study highlights the need to consider primary care in PPE conservation and allocation strategies and to examine the influence of the underlying organization of primary care on PPE distribution during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and exacerbated inequities in health for structurally marginalised Canadians. Their location on society's hierarchies constrained their ability to access healthcare and follow recommended health behaviours. The aim of this article is to identify, from the perspective of marginalised populations, factors influencing the acceptance or rejection of COVID-19 countermeasures by structurally marginalised Canadians. Interviews were conducted with Canadians 18 + who identified as Black (n = 8), First Nations, Métis, or Inuit (n = 7) and low-income (<40,000 annual household income) (n = 8) between August and December 2021. Measures were said to impact well-being and interfere with revenue generating activities. Longstanding unfavourable living and environmental conditions as they relate to structural marginalisation was said to fuel anger toward the government and lead to a greater reluctance to accept countermeasures. Participants described concerns about government decisions being made without considering their unique contexts, or knowledge of the experiences of the population for whom these decisions were being made. Effective proactive action from government is important to foster trust with marginalised populations to support acceptance of health information and address growing inequities. Action that demonstrates government competence and commitment to the interests of marginalised populations is critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Following the SARS pandemic, jurisdictions around the world began developing ethical resource allocation frameworks for future pandemics-one such framework was developed by Thompson and colleagues. While this framework offers a solid backbone upon which decision-makers can rest assured that their work is driven by rigorous ethical processes and principles, it fails to take into account the nuanced experiences and interests of children and youth (i.e., young people) in a pandemic context. The current COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to re-examine this framework from young people's perspectives, informed by advances in childhood ethics and children's rights.Main Body: In this paper, we revisit the Thompson et al. framework and propose adaptations to the ethical processes and values outlined therein. This work is informed by expertise in clinical ethics and literature related to impacts of COVID-19 and other pandemics on the health and well-being of children around the world, though with particular attention to Canada. During the processes of drafting this work, stakeholders were consulted-aligned with the approach used by Thompson and colleagues-to validate the interpretations provided. We also propose a new principle, namely practicability, to indicate the complex balance between what is possible and what is convenient that is required in ethically sound decisions in the context of services affecting young people. We outline and discuss the strengths and limitations of our work and indicate next steps for scholars in the areas of childhood studies and child health.Conclusion: Efforts to ensure frameworks are truly child-inclusive should be the status-quo, so pandemic impacts and policy implications can be considered in advance of emergency preparedness contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, youth have been acknowledged as agents of change in the fight against climate change, and more recently in disaster risk reduction. However, there is a need for improved opportunities for youth to participate and have their voices heard in both contexts. Our Photovoice study explores youth perceptions of the capability of youth to participate in disaster risk reduction and climate change action. We conducted six focus groups from February 2019 to June 2019 with four teenaged youth participants in Ottawa, Canada, hosting two virtual Photovoice exhibitions in 2021. Our results highlight 11 themes across a variety of topics including youth as assets, youth-adult partnerships, political action on consumerism, social media, education, accessibility, and art as knowledge translation. We provide four calls to action, centering youth participation and leadership across all of them, to guide stakeholders in how to improve disaster risk reduction and climate change initiatives by meaningfully including youth as stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responding to disastrous wildfires traversing geographical scales requires multi‐actor collaboration to address a series of interdependent operational tasks. While this type of distributed collective action problem is salient across governance contexts, less is known about if and how collaboration helps individual actors effectively address their tasks. Applying a novel network‐centric method to wildfire responder networks in Canada and Sweden, this study shows that when actors working on the same tasks collaborate, and/or when one actor addresses two interdependent tasks, effectiveness increases. The number of collaborative ties an actor has with others does not enhance effectiveness. Furthermore, when the chain of command is unclear, and/or when actors lack recent disaster management experience and/or pre‐existing collaborative relationships, effectiveness only increases if multiple actors collaborate over multiple interdependent tasks. The results have implications for disaster response agencies, and they provide valuable insights for collaborative responses to significant societal and environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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COVID-19 prompted an abundance of independent and collaborative quick response disaster research (QRDR) initiatives globally. The 2020 federal COVID-19-driven granting opportunities initiated the first official QRDR effort in Canadian history, engaging social scientists to rapidly address the pandemic-related societal influences. This study aims to portray the landscape of this nascent social science QRDR workforce through the first round of federal COVID-19-specific grant recipients. A case study approach was employed to analyze 337 social science projects with 1119 associated researchers, examining the demographic structure of these COVID-19-driven social science researchers and their research projects' characteristics. Accordingly, the findings are presented through the following two streams: (1) From a researcher perspective, this case study describes researcher typology, geographic location, primary discipline, and educational background, highlighting the diverse characteristics of social sciences researchers, and uneven research development across Canada. (2) From a research project perspective, this case study identifies and synthesizes research project subjects, themes, collaborations, and Canadian distinctions, emphasizing the need for galvanizing cooperation and focusing on uniquely Canadian contexts. The case study illustrates challenges associated with data curation that pose barriers to developing a nuanced understanding of the Canadian social science community COVID-19 research landscape. Consequently, the case study develops three recommendations to improve QRDR development in Canada: promoting information transparency, dissemination, and updates; improving hazards and disaster research workforce evaluation; and enhancing multi-stakeholder cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From an out-of-province/state and international post-secondary student perspective, this article (a) explores mass email risk communication facilitation during the COVID-19-triggered campus-wide evictions in Canada and the United States; and (b) develops relative recommendations to improve mass email risk communication strategies for future emergency response. Investigating mass email risk communication-related impacts on students in a tertiary educational context has revealed a significant deficit in emergency response research, practice, and policymaking. Mandatory temporary university and college closures during the COVID-19 first wave provided an opportunity to address this research and practice deficit, as most Canadian and American universities/colleges administered their eviction communication via daily mass email chains. Through a phenomenological lens, this study interviewed twenty out-of-province/state and international students, ten from each country respectively, to examine student eviction experiences associated with intensive mass email risk communication. This research identified four factors linked to mass email risk communication: email chain characteristics, student interpretation, interdepartmental cooperation, and frontline voices. Synthesizing these findings, four evidence-based recommendations were developed: to efficiently convey risk information to students, to understand student perceptions and to inform their behaviors, to enhance interdepartmental cooperation, and to enable mutual dialogue in decision making. These recommendations could assist post-secondary institutions, and other organizations, in strengthening their mass email risk communication strategies and advancing organizational emergency response plans for future extreme events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster risk reduction is central to managing the risks of climate change at global, national, and sub-national levels. The operationalization of disaster risk reduction, however, has been met with challenges that have restricted successful policy implementation. Drawing from document analyses and Delphi studies with government practitioners, this article examines the policy context for disaster risk reduction in Canada and Australia and investigates the state of flood and drought planning and preparedness. Results are organized around two central themes: risk (ownership and sensitivity) and engagement (stakeholder involvement and capacity-building). The findings show that public policies on disaster risk reduction in Canada and Australia reflect international discourse that advocates for a whole-of-society, risk-sensitive, and risk-informed approach. However, implementing this approach in household planning and preparedness, cross-sector planning and policy integration, terminology, and socio-cultural representation, has been hampered by several factors. Government practitioners in both countries argued that while disaster risk reduction and climate risk management continue to evolve in multi-level governance, policy implementation is constrained by the legacies of past governance arrangements that have enabled disaster risk creation and accumulation. The results presented herein suggest a need for institutional reform that better reflects the holistic and systemic relationships between disaster risk, climate change, and other policy problems. We argue that disaster risk reduction and climate risk management policies require bridging governance arrangements between these and related policy domains to foster effective multi-level implementation. Key policy insights Implementing disaster risk reduction has been inconsistent, exacerbating exposure to climate change and increasing socio-economic vulnerabilities to disaster impacts. Managing climate and disaster risk requires a holistic approach that targets vulnerable groups, tackles underlying drivers of risk, and builds capacities to support disaster risk reduction. Although disaster risk reduction and climate risk management policies continue to evolve, implementation is hindered by legacy governance arrangements that favour economic growth over sustainable, climate-sensitive disaster risk management. Transformation through the integration of disaster risk reduction and human development offers potential pathways to reduce vulnerabilities via a holistic disaster risk and climate policy approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of nurse managers during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background: There is a growing body of knowledge about the experiences of clinical nurses during COVID‐19. However, there is less evidence about the experiences of nurse managers during the pandemic. Methods: Eight nurse managers, from acute care and outpatient settings, completed semistructured interviews about how their roles had changed during the pandemic, how they felt about these changes, and what had gone well or been difficult. Each participant was interviewed once, for 20–60 min. We used thematic analysis methods to analyse the interview transcripts. Findings Nurse managers had to coordinate care in a context of uncertainty and guidance that changed frequently. Participants found that their roles and responsibilities either expanded to include more duties, or they were asked to take on a completely new role, with no orientation or training. Nurse managers were expected to provide support to their staff and patients, but did not necessarily receive support themselves. Participants were expected to plan simultaneously for care during the pandemic and for a return to normal working conditions. These factors contributed to challenging and difficult participant experiences of managing during COVID‐19. Conclusion: Nurse managers' experiences during COVID‐19 are influenced by changes to their roles and the support they received. Nurse managers continue to support high‐quality care despite working a difficult context. Implications for nursing management: Where possible, nurse managers can be supported to extend their roles or receive additional education and support if they are required to take on new responsibilities. Nurse managers require support in order to be a resource for their staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UNIQUE PREPARATIONS FOR POTENTIAL BLOOD SHORTAGES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC A summary of RBC and platelet supply and demand determinants during the COVID-19 pandemic is shown in Figure 1. The sentinel implementation element of the Plan is the potential to convene the National Emergency Blood Management Committee (NEBMC), a congress of approximately 50 people, consisting of NAC members, provincial and territorial government official, and leadership from CBS medical, supply chain, and government relations groups (see Appendix S1 for the NEBMC Terms of Reference). Keywords: blood inventory; blood operator; blood shortage; COVID-19; pandemic response; transfusion service EN blood inventory blood operator blood shortage COVID-19 pandemic response transfusion service 3258 3266 9 11/05/21 20211101 NES 211101 Abbreviations ADRD Average Daily Red Cell Demand CBS Canadian Blood Services DoH Days on Hand IVIG intravenous immune globulin NAC National Advisory Committee on Blood and Blood Products NEBMC National Emergency Blood Management Committee PEBMC Provincial Emergency Blood Management Committee PPRP plasma protein and related products P/T provincial and territorial RBC red blood cell INTRODUCTION Security of supply is a priority for the blood system and must include consideration of inventory held by the manufacturer and held and utilized by hospital transfusion laboratories. Blood shortages planning in Canada: The National Emergency Blood Management Committee experience during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: This study aims to improve understanding of how coastal maritime transport system of Vancouver Island would be disrupted in disaster events, and the strategies could be used to address such risks. Any transport disruption at the maritime leg of the supply chain can affect the needs of vulnerable residents and thus, the supply of many goods to coastal communities. Design/methodology/approach: This case study focuses on the disruption that can be expected to occur for ferries that serves coastal communities of Vancouver Island in Canada. A landslide scenario in the Fraser River (which connects coastal communities) is developed, and interviews and focus groups are used to gain understanding of the vulnerability and resilience of shipping. Findings: The findings show that the maritime leg of the supply chain for the coastal communities of Vancouver Island is resilient to a landslide disruption of ferries. Besides, there would be no impact on the operability of tugs and barges. This study also offers suggestions for creating the conditions for increasing resilience of maritime supply chains to any such disruption. Research limitations/implications: A research gap exists with respect to minimizing disruption in maritime supply chains, mainly in regard to lessening the impact on the vulnerable residents of coastal communities. This study contributes to filling this gap in the literature. Practical implications: The findings have significant implications for maritime service providers and for people working on disaster preparedness, emergency response and recovery. Originality/value: Studies which focus on alleviating the impact of disruptions in the maritime supply chains and the mitigation strategies for coastal communities are scarce in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs) are rare but devastating events that require extensive planning in order to minimize morbidity and mortality. There are two broad categories limiting a hospital's response: physical assets (e.g., critical care beds, operating rooms, food, communication devices) as well as operating procedures (e.g., MCI committees, regional coordination, provider training). The purpose of this study is to provide an examination of MCI preparedness according to these categories in Level 1 Trauma Centre across Canada.Methods: This study surveyed all Level 1 Trauma Centres across Canada in order to assess the physical assets and operating procedures they had in place in the event of a hypothetical MCI on one of the busiest days of the year for trauma care.Results: Of the 28 Trauma Centres contacted, 13 completed surveys (46%). Most hospitals had sufficient food (9/13) water (9/13), fuel (7/13), and communication assets (8/13) for a hypothetical MCI. A median of 38 mechanical ventilators could be mobilized. No hospitals mandated physician training for MCIs, and 6/13 centres were certain that they had a Strategic Emergency Management Plan (SEMP). Only 6/13 hospitals had dedicated MCI committees, Overall, 4/13 hospitals had explicit plans developed with community hospitals.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that physical assets are generally less limiting than operating procedures. Four key areas of potential improvement have been identified: 1) provider training (especially physicians), 2) coordination with small hospitals, 3) mechanical ventilator availability, and 4) MCI committees with explicit Strategic Emergency Management Plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to respond to three questions: Are Canadian organizations committed to sustainability? Are there any links between sustainability and records management and archives programs? And, to what extent are records managers, archivists and technologists engaged in climate action? The paper also provides background on climate change in the Canadian and global contexts, defines relevant terminology, and presents a literature review that positions sustainability, adaptation and mitigation in relation to records management and archives. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on qualitative participatory research involving expert interviews in 24 government agencies, universities and businesses located in 10 Canadian cities. Findings: The organizations in the study are committed to sustainability and have developed significant programs and activities in support of this aim. Although the records managers, archivists and technologists interviewed are involved in related activities, there is a gap between what they are doing as a matter of course and the wider sustainability efforts of their parent organizations. As resources are tight, sustainability measurement entails more work and there are no real incentives to add sustainability components to programs, the participants are focused on delivering the programs they are hired to do. As a result, there is a sense of serendipity around outcomes that do occur – "sometimes, green is the outcome". Research limitations/implications: This paper presents the results of research conducted at 24 organizations in 10 Canadian cities, a small but meaningful sample that provides a springboard for considering climate action in records and archives. Based on the discussion, there is a need for a records and archives agenda that directly responds the United Nation's climate action targets: strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters; integrating climate change measures into policies, strategies and planning; and improving education, awareness-raising and human institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning. In support of this aim, the paper charts possible material topics from the literature and compares these with research findings. Practical implications: From a top-down perspective, organizations need to expand sustainability programs to address all business areas, including records and archives. From a bottom-up perspective, records managers and archivists should include adaptation in disaster planning and consider the program benefits of developing economic, environmental and social sustainability initiatives to mitigate climate change. Originality/value: The paper defines resilience, sustainability, adaption and mitigation and positions these terms in records management and archives. The paper examines how records managers, archivists and technologists think about sustainability; where sustainability intersects with records and archives work; and how records managers and archivists can engage in climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise GTA Unified was a functional, multi-agency, cross-jurisdictional, health-sector focused mass casualty preparedness exercise conducted in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) on 28th November, 2019. With over 1,000 unique paper-based and electronic injects and 34 participating agencies, including 22 separate hospital sites, Exercise GTA Unified is likely the largest health-sector focused mass casualty preparedness exercise ever conducted in Canada. The exercise design approach supported a successful, objective-based functional exercise, with elements of marked realism for participants. The exercise offered a unique opportunity to collect data for future analysis and the insights gained will have a transformative impact on interagency engagement and cooperation for emergency response planning. Furthermore, the approach adopted for the exercise is affordable, reproducible, scalable and transferrable to sectors beyond the health system. This paper provides a detailed review of the key planning and design components adopted in the development and implementation of the exercise, as well as practical insights for the design and conduct of multi-agency, cross-jurisdictional functional exercises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degree to which exercises improve the collaboration among different organizations during an emergency is under debate. This study aims to contribute to the scarce research on this topic by giving insight into the perceived effects of exercises on collaboration, learning, usefulness and interorganizational trust. In particular, this quantitative study looked into the differences between the effects of tabletop and full‐scale exercises. A questionnaire assessing collaboration, learning, usefulness and trust—the CLUT instrument—was developed. Data were collected from 173 full‐time emergency management personnel in Norway and Canada. Usefulness, learning and collaboration outcomes were perceived to be high for both types of exercises, but full‐scale exercises were perceived to have greater learning and usefulness outcomes than tabletop exercises. Stronger relationships were identified between the perceived effects on learning and usefulness, collaboration and trust in tabletop compared to full‐scale exercise, whereas the relationship between the perceived effects upon collaboration and trust was stronger in full‐scale exercises. Multiple regression analysis showed that the variables used to measure exercise usefulness can better predict tabletop exercise outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a city‐wide seismic risk assessment of single‐family wooden houses in Victoria, British Columbia, and Canada. The novelty and uniqueness of this study include considerations of detailed building‐by‐building exposure model for residential houses, current national seismic hazard model for Canada, and rigorous seismic fragility modeling of wooden houses based on nonlinear dynamic analysis of structures subjected to mainshock‐aftershock sequences. A full consideration of stochastic event scenarios in probabilistic seismic risk analysis allows the identification of critical scenarios from overall regional seismic risk perspectives and provides valuable insights in informing earthquake disaster risk management actions. Outputs from the developed catastrophe model for Victoria are compared with the empirical model that was developed based on insurance claim data from the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Results of the seismic loss calculations highlight the importance of seismic resistance of the existing houses and of aftershock effects. The integrated use of the outputs from the advanced catastrophe model facilitates risk‐based identification of critical earthquake scenarios, which are useful for different stakeholders for earthquake risk management purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to advance knowledge on multi-hazard damage to shallow foundation bridges subjected to simultaneous scour, earthquake, and vehicular loads. While most water-crossing bridges have deep foundations, still, a significant number of water-crossing bridges have shallow foundations. In addition, there is limited research focusing on damage assessment of bridges with shallow foundations under multi-hazard scenarios. Therefore, this study proposes a probabilistic multi-hazard damage assessment framework for bridges with shallow foundations exposed to seismic, scour, and vehicular loadings. The proposed framework includes steps for hazard modeling, multi-hazard finite element modeling, non-linear time history analysis, and multi-hazard fragility modeling, and it was showcased on Chemin des Dalles Bridge, which is a typical bridge located in the Province of Quebec in Canada. Demand and fragility models parameterized on hazard and soil parameters were developed for the bridge components and a system fragility model was also developed using a series system assumption. The results from the analysis of these damage and fragility models indicated that scour notably increases component- and bridge-level response in typical shallow foundation bridges. However, until the scour depth is lower than the foundation height, the increased damage does not impose a significant threat to the bridge's safety. It was observed that earthquakes had the highest influence on the bridge components' response followed by scour and vehicular loads. Overall, the proposed framework can be used to facilitate policy-making toward informed bridge maintenance and retrofitting to aid in disaster mitigation planning and emergency response. • Novel framework for multi-hazard damage assessment of shallow foundation bridges. • Uniform scour around foundation had little impact on shallow foundation bridges. • Influence of hazards, high to low, was Earthquake, Scour, Vehicular load. • Soil quality's effect was greater than scour depth on shallow foundation bridge's response. • 3D Finite-element modeling of scoured shallow foundation bridges was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed life and work patterns and reshaped the healthcare industry and public health strategies. It posed considerable challenges to public health emergency operations centers (PHEOCs). In this period, digital technologies such as modeling, simulation, visualization, and mapping (MSVM) emerged as vital tools in these centers. Despite their perceived importance, the potential and adaptation of digital tools in PHEOCs remain underexplored. This study investigated the application of MSVM in the PHEOCs during the pandemic in Canada using a questionnaire survey. The results show that digital tools, particularly visualization and mapping, are frequently used in PHEOCs. However, critical gaps, including data management issues, technical and capacity issues, and limitations in the policy-making sphere, still hinder the effective use of these tools. Key areas identified in this study for future investigation include collaboration, interoperability, and various supports for information sharing and capacity building.

In the article, the authors discuss the intrinsic social dilemmas that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic planning, as well as the invisibility of the personal support workers (PSW) despite the key role they play in healthcare systems. Also cited are the gendered dynamics of risks that were seen during the pandemic, and how the pandemic showed the limits of biomedicine and the fragility of the for-profit healthcare systems.

Quick response research conducted by social scientists in the aftermath of a disaster can reveal important findings about hazards and their impacts on communities. Research to collect perishable data, or data that will change or be lost over time, immediately following disaster has been supported for decades by two programs in the United States, amassing a collection of quick response studies and an associated research culture. That culture is currently being challenged to better address power imbalances between researchers and disaster-affected participants. Until recently, Canada has not had a quick response grant program. In order to survey the state of knowledge and draw from it in helping to shape the new program in Canada, this article systematically analyzes the body of research created by the two US programs. The results reveal a wide-ranging literature: the studies are theoretically, conceptually, topically, and methodologically quite unique to one another. This diversity might appropriately reflect the nature of disasters, but the finding that many studies are not building on previous quick response research and other insights indicate opportunities for how a new grant program in Canada can contribute to growing a robust subdiscipline of disaster research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes discourses of preparedness and public safety in the context of the colonial history of emergency measures in Canada. An argument is made for how current measures of pandemic preparedness produce the social responsibilization of public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Using the example of a large exercise programme developed by the government of Canada in preparation for several large special events in 2010, this article provides an argument as well as recommended practical strategies for incorporating a realistic simulated public response to an emergency event, to be utilised by both government organisations and the private sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cataclysmic COVID-19 pandemic erupted silently causing colossal impact worldwide, the repercussions of which indicated a lackadaisical vigilance in preparation for such a pandemic. This review assessed the measures taken by nations to contain this pandemic. A literature review was conducted using Medline, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, and WHO website. There were 8 nations (selected from the GHS index list) appraised for containment strategies. This was achieved by using mortality rate (per million) as the primary endpoint. The nations which were proactive, initiated scientific strategies earlier with rigor, appeared to have succeeded in containing the pandemic, although it is still too early to arbitrate a verdict. The so called "pandemic war" mandates international, interdisciplinary, and interdepartmental collaboration. Furthermore, building trust and confidence between the government and the public, having transparent communication, information sharing, use of advanced research-technology, and plentiful resources are required in the fight against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our objective was to establish a sustainable educational partnership and clinical exchange between the trauma services at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) and the Mexican Red Cross hospital in Mexico City (Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja [HCCR] Polanco).Methods: In 2017, a general surgery resident in postgraduate year 4 travelled from VGH to HCCR Polanco for the initial exchange, followed by a trauma fellow. The surgical case volumes in a month at VGH and a month at HCCR Polanco were compared. At the end of the exchange, a 36-item Likert style questionnaire was administered to the Mexican surgeons and residents who interacted with the Canadian resident and fellow during the exchange.Results: The most commonly performed procedures on the VGH acute care surgery service were laparoscopic cholecystectomy (35%) and laparoscopic appendectomy (17%). The most commonly performed procedures on the VGH trauma service were chest tube insertions (24%) and tracheostomies (24%). The most commonly performed procedures at HCCR Polanco were surgery for penetrating abdominal trauma (19%) and extremity trauma (13%). The survey results indicated that the costs of travel and accommodation were obstacles to future exchanges. All survey respondents wanted to continue collaborating with Canadians on clinical and research endeavours, felt that hosting Canadian residents was a valuable experience and felt that visiting VGH would also be valuable.Conclusion: Canadian surgical trainees gained valuable exposure to operative trauma during the exchange. The mix of operations performed at VGH and HCCR Polanco was vastly different; therefore, the exchange broadened the trainees' surgical experience. There was a unanimously positive response to the exchange among the Mexican survey respondents. This exchange is part of a long-term collaboration between our surgical centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost every year, First Nations are evacuated in Canada because of wildfire proximity and smoke. Dynamics of wildfires, and remote locations, unique sociocultural characteristics, and limited emergency management resources present challenges for evacuation organizers and residents. This study explores how Dene Tha' First Nation evacuated their Taché community in July 2012 due to wildfire smoke and how the evacuation process affected evacuees. Interviews were completed with 31 evacuation organizers and residents to examine the factors that helped and hindered the evacuation process. Lack of information about the nearby wildfire, smoke, and evacuation of the nearby small community of Zama City, combined with a generic evacuation plan, delayed and posed challenges during the evacuation of this Dene Tha' community. Strong leadership and its role in community organizing, keeping families together, providing the social support they needed, and using familiar host communities, demonstrated and contributed to the community's resilience during the evacuation. Measures to improve evacuations and emergency management in the community and other First Nations in Canada are identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]