Adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by local emergency management agencies in the United States

Abstract

Although local emergency management agencies are increasingly using various technologies to improve disaster management, little research provides an understanding of the linkages between Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use and independent IT departments. Using a survey of local emergency managers in the United States of America, this study focuses on the relationship between the presence of an independent IT department within an emergency management agency and their adoption of three types of ICTs – emergency operations, risk communication, and social media technologies. The findings indicate that emergency management agencies are more likely to use all three types of ICTs when an independent IT department exists in-house. On the other hand, challenges of the ever changing ICTs are alleviated when there is no designated IT department. Implications for practice with regards to reducing barriers to ICT use for emergency management are discussed.

Keywords:

• Emergency management
• emergency management technology
• social media, risk communication
• information technology
• information and communications technology

Notes

1. During the Super Tuesday Tornado in 2008, an ‘EF4 tornado caused an estimated $120 million in damage to the state.’ In 2010, flash Floods killed 20 people and more than 20 others were reported missing.

2. In Texas, the chief elected official is the emergency management director by law. Therefore, if a city did not list an emergency manager, the mayor or County judge was used as a substitute.