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Purpose: This article discusses the professional status of civil defense and protection agents and coordinators in Brazil, their working conditions and demands for professionalization in disaster risk management. Design/methodology/approach: Two online surveys with operators and civil defense and protection managers and documentary analysis based this research. The first survey engaged 1,933 participants who provided information about the working conditions at municipal civil defense, while the second involved 1,344 civil respondents who assessed their roles and duties in disaster risk management. Findings: Civil defense and protection agents pointed to the high turnover in these positions as the main factor for setbacks in disaster risk reduction, allied to precarious working conditions, lack of training, and unclear responsibilities in disaster risk management. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the international debate on the professionalization of civil defense and protection and disaster risk management, bringing some insights from the sociology of professions. It has a policy impact of suggesting pathways to the inclusion of civil defense and protection in the Brazilian Occupational Classification to advance professional patterns and public recognition of disaster risk management careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study an articulated warning system that provides information about the heritage at risk and encourages a dialogue between the heritage sector, civil defense agencies and local communities. Design/methodology/approach: The databases from the National Heritage Institute, National Civil Defense, National Geological Service and National Early Warning System were investigated and the local community provided input which helped form a participatory risk mapping strategy for a warning system in the heritage sector. Findings: There is little knowledge of the Brazilian heritage that is at risk and a lack of coordination between the cultural heritage and DRR sectors. This means that there is a need to organize the geo-referenced databases so that information can be shared and the public provided with broader access. As a result, there can be a greater production, dissemination and application of knowledge to help protect the cultural heritage. Practical implications: The findings can be included in the debate about the importance of framing disaster risk management (DRM) policies in the Brazilian heritage sector. Social implications: The findings and maps of the case study in the town of São Luiz do Paraitinga involve the heritage sector, civil defense agencies and local people and can be used for disaster risk preparedness. Originality/value: A DRM program is being formulated in Brazil. However, the kind of strategy needed to incorporate the heritage sector in this program stills needs to be planned, and the knowledge of the cultural heritage at risk is a key factor when faced with this new social and scientific challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology for assessing and characterising the state of development of a civil protection (emergency preparedness) system, with particular attention to the local level, where such systems are rooted. Design/methodology/approach – Groups of indicators are suggested as a means of evaluating each component of the system. The paper proposes a means of using these to identify which parts of the system are most in need of development and additional resources, something that will also depend on local hazards, vulnerabilities and priorities. In order to illustrate the methodology, an example is presented from the town Teziutlán in the central Mexican state of Puebla. Findings – The civil protection system of Teziutlán is in the midst of a long, difficult and uneven phase of growth, in which there are both encouraging developments and seriously neglected elements. Analysis of Teziutlán using the indicators listed in the preceding methodological section enables a model to be proposed for the emergence of a system of emergency preparedness and response at the local level. Research limitations/implications – This paper proposes a simple methodology and uses one very modest example to illustrate it. However, civil protection systems at many scales and in many countries would benefit from evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses. Practical implications – It is hoped that this will be of use to those who wish to evaluate the development of local and regional civil protection elsewhere in the world. Social implications – Improvement of response capabilities is crucial to the development of a better civil protection system and the protection of the population against disaster. Originality/value – Although assessment is widely used in science, technology and business, it has rarely been applied systematically to emergency management and civil protection systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to encourage graduate students to facilitate a participatory mapping activity with high school students, to have their voices heard in the disaster risk reduction (DRR) agenda. Design/methodology/approach: A participatory mapping, youth-led session, was conducted with 22 high school students, where they had to identify flood and landslide-prone areas. Then, they were asked to propose and plan DRR measures in collaboration with local partners in São Luiz do Paraitinga, Brazil. Findings: The participatory method engaged the graduate students and the high school students in the DRR debate, allowing them to map hazards and vulnerabilities, and to discuss five incubation projects for enhancing DRR in the city. Originality/value: This research highlights the importance of involving young people in DRR formulation and planning to build local capacities in younger generations. The outputs were shared with the local civil defense and a local non-governmental organization (NGO), who suggested recommendations to improve the five incubation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article aims to address the need for a more structured partnership between civilian and military healthcare, particularly in the context of cross-border threats in the EU. While both systems are driven by the same goal of providing high-quality healthcare services and achieving optimal patient outcomes, they operate under different national approaches and resources. Design/methodology/approach: Two recent crises are presented as examples that highlight the necessity of cooperation between civilian and military medical systems. The Covid-19 Pandemic and the Ukrainian Conflict are described based on the experience gathered by the author as a member of the NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine and form the base to shape a broader perspective on the future of civil-military interaction in healthcare at the European Union level. Findings: The ability to deliver coordinated responses during crises depend on the level of interoperability, preparation and mutual understanding. To improve synergies, a structured partnership should be established, prioritizing common standards of care and shared best practices. Integrating military and civilian healthcare pathways can be especially beneficial in situations where patients are moved from the point of injury or sickness across different military and civilian structures to receive the most appropriate treatment and rehabilitation for their conditions. Originality/value: The relationship between military and civilian healthcare systems is often discussed at multinational level, but a clear focus is lacking concerning their shared mission, distinct functions and potential for cross-border collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to explore the relationship between local women''s relief initiatives and international relief workers in Batticaloa, eastern Sri Lanka, during the post-tsunami emergency. Design/methodology/approach - Interviews with representatives from women''s organizations in the tsunami-affected town of Batticaloa, local and national nongovernment organizations (NGOs) based in Batticaloa, as well as international aid agencies are discussed in relation to theories on resilience, vulnerability, gender and humanitarianism. Findings - Observing that women in a disaster-affected area often represent important knowledge and resources, this paper documents how international relief workers failed to connect and cooperate with local women''s organizations in post-tsunami Batticaloa. It suggests that the reasons behind the disconnection can be linked to "us and them" undercurrents of international relief work - the lingering remnants of a colonial heritage. The disconnection may have led to a disempowerment of local capacities, flaws in the international relief activities, and reduced resilience among Batticaloan women in relation to the Sri Lankan civil war. Research limitations/implications - Despite a growing volume of policies and guidelines on the importance of involving local capacities, there are inadequacies in the way international relief agencies operate vis-à-vis disaster-affected communities, including women''s established relief networks. Practical implications - The paper points at some reasons why international relief organizations struggle to engage local women''s resources in their emergency operations. It suggests that cultural, social, and linguistic barriers are among those that need to be addressed if relief workers are to provide effective and sustainable assistance to crisis-affected communities. Originality/value - Coupling theories of resilience, vulnerability, gender, and humanitarianism, this paper argues that women in disaster-affected areas must be involved in international relief operations in a way that reflects their actual knowledge and resources. Presenting original interview material and documents collected during the first six months of the post-tsunami operation, as well as through a follow-up study in 2008, the paper points at international aid agencies'' apparent inability to acknowledge local women''s resilience and take their capacities into account. It also points at some of the ways in which this compromised the effectiveness and sustainability of international relief work in post-tsunami Batticaloa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose ? The purpose of this paper is to discuss how long term risk prevention and civil protection may enter in university programs for environmental engineers and urban and regional planners. Design/methodology/approach ? First the distinction between long term risk prevention and emergency preparedness is made, showing that while the first has entered in university programs the second is still considered too practical. The opposite is sustained by the author, providing as an argument the demand coming from the same civil protection officials who are aware of the capabilities that are required to face large emergencies. They want to learn how to make recourse to the large knowledge acquired in risk studies and to experiences and models so as to forecast the event's potential development. Findings ? The paper describes how this expertise has been enacted in special programs designed for EU and Italian professionals in the field of civil protection. The development of an external emergency plan for a hazardous installation in the vicinity of Bergamo (Italy) has been also described as a good example of training and knowledge acquirement in the field. Practical implications ? The examples provided above show the importance of matching practical experience gained on the ground with theoretical approaches, enhancing the capabilities to recognise links among various systems as well as value different types of knowledge in a transdisciplinary fashion. Originality/value ? The inevitable link between risk related issues and transdisciplinary approaches is discussed, indicating how a relatively new field of study may enter the academic arena, opening to new types of expertise and new forms of teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]