The Noggin Blog

Disaster relief agencies might be heartened by the volunteer recruitment spikes they experience during moments of crisis, like the rolling bushfire disasters. But according to the data, those spikes are temporary. In other words, organizations relying on long-term resource gains from reliable volunteers will probably have to look elsewhere. Where to? The answer might surprise you. 

According to CNBC reporting, the average number of yearly billion-dollar disasters totalled 15 events from 2016 to 2018. The average yearly total for the previous 38 years: 6.2 events. And this year’s disaster season, with its deadly storms, heatwaves, and, of course, wildfires, is all but certainly trending in the wrong direction.

No doubt about it, volunteer disaster and emergency response agencies have seen enormous strides in emergency and incident management technology. But have those gains kept up with the unprecedented rise in natural disasters and other emergencies?

Been involved in large-scale disaster response? Then, you know all about the unique challenges of interagency operations, from delays in getting assistance and rescue underway to lack of clarity in command and control structures once on the ground, plus variable decision making throughout.

Just last month, Hurricane Dorian cut a destructive path through the Bahamas. As a historic category-5 hurricane, the storm leveled the Abaco Islands, leaving a rising death toll of 53 with more than 1,000 people missing.

During an incident, emergency managers need to deploy materials, supplies, technologies, and people to the emergency site as quickly and efficiently as possible. Unfortunately, getting resources to the right place at the right time is only half the battle.