AFAC 2013* Wildfire Response & Recovery in Texas (USA): Networks and Performance (#252)
This paper evaluates response and recovery operations during wildfires in Texas (USA). In 2011, the people of Texas endured a historic drought that, in part, led to devastating wildfires largely in rural areas. Over 25,000 separate fires burned nearly four million acres and destroyed 5,599 structures, including 2,862 homes (United States Forest Service 2011).
How did government, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations respond to this widespread problem? What were the immediate results of these individual and collaborative strategies for action? The authors identify the capacity of emergency managers and their communities to identify risk and coordinate with other actors across levels of government and social sector to reduce that risk. First, the paper reviews the National Incident Management System, which has been adopted in the United States to provide an overarching approach for large-scale disaster response across levels of government and social sectors. The authors then evaluate its application in Texas during the wildfires.
This paper also identifies a variety of approaches used to manage “out of scale” events by public, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. In doing so, the authors identify, in part, the levels of resilience demonstrated by emergency managers and their communities. In addition, by exploring multiple performance indicators, the paper illustrates the complexity of the action arena and considers a wide range of strategies required to manage future incidents. Policy recommendations are developed to augment future preparedness and response operations.
How did government, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations respond to this widespread problem? What were the immediate results of these individual and collaborative strategies for action? The authors identify the capacity of emergency managers and their communities to identify risk and coordinate with other actors across levels of government and social sector to reduce that risk. First, the paper reviews the National Incident Management System, which has been adopted in the United States to provide an overarching approach for large-scale disaster response across levels of government and social sectors. The authors then evaluate its application in Texas during the wildfires.
Using social network analysis, the authors model the structure of these response and recovery efforts at the macro, meso, and micro-levels and make propositions that link these network structures to performance. Data are derived from state situation reports, which serve as official records of action and interaction during major incidents. The authors employ an innovative data coding and analysis strategy, which integrates multiple techniques from existing studies.
This paper also identifies a variety of approaches used to manage “out of scale” events by public, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. In doing so, the authors identify, in part, the levels of resilience demonstrated by emergency managers and their communities. In addition, by exploring multiple performance indicators, the paper illustrates the complexity of the action arena and considers a wide range of strategies required to manage future incidents. Policy recommendations are developed to augment future preparedness and response operations.