Controlled chaos: examining collaborative response to the 2017 Hattiesburg tornado

Abstract

Hattiesburg, Mississippi experienced two tornados within a four-year span (2013–2017). Community members who participated in response and recovery to both disasters were interviewed to understand how coordination changed between the two events. The purposive sample included representatives from a variety of organizational types, sizes, and missions. Four findings emerged detailing how organizations used collaborative management networks to respond to the disaster. Respondents indicated the importance of coordination, communication facilitation, identification, and experience. Lessons learned in 2013 did not have to be learned in 2017 when resultant network coordination and effective responses were retained by actors and made a part of their routine responses to crises.

Keywords:

• Community
• disasters
• response
• tornado

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities [U54MD008602].