The construction industry and emergency management: towards an integrated strategic framework

Although most emergency events are not entirely unexpected and therefore can, to varying degrees, be mitigated for, the construction industry in the UK does not appear to play a sufficiently integrated role in emergency management. This paper reports on research that is developing a knowledge database and decision support framework to enable more effective emergency planning and response strategies from a built environment perspective. Questionnaire surveys were used to review the opinions of professionals involved with emergency management, construction, planning and insurance (amongst others) on issues related to emergency management in the UK. The early findings suggest that knowledge and awareness of integrated approaches is poor, that training needs to be more interdisciplinary, and the construction sector as a key stakeholder and potential resource is not being used sufficiently. Professions involved with the construction industry, and the expertise they can offer, need to become more integrated with emergency management if lessons are to be learnt from the past and a resilient built environment created in the future.