ING4009 Contingency Management

Contents and structure

The purpose of this course is to give the student an overview of the contingency discipline both from a practical and a research based point of view. A major accident can have both natural and technological causes, and efficient management under time pressure by a group of collaborating actors requires good established plans and collaborative relations. The structure of efficient contingency is based on systematic preparatory work. Understanding the connection between contingency planning and management of events is a key feature.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

The candidate:

• can explain the relevant laws and authorities for emergency preparedness
• can explain the structure of the Norwegian rescue system, the main actors and their respective roles
• describe how results of risk and vulnerability analysis and evaluation of exercises and events can be used in dimensioning, planning and improvement of readiness
• can explain the principles of proactive emergency management
• argue for the importance of evaluating and learning from exercises and real events, so that learning points that were identified are followed up
• have an understanding of stress factors and psychological reactions an emergency manager is subjected to during responses
• can explain the events that have changed the field's development

Skills

The candidate:

• can use proactive emergency management at the tactical, operational and strategic levels
• can use professional fire safety skills and knowledge about emergency management to help in the planning of safe and effective responses
• can analyze and evaluate responses to previous accidents with a focus on learning, and so make themselves able to contribute with informed, reflective and professional recommendations on preventive measures and during future responses
• can dimension the emergency response organization on the basis of risk and vulnerability analyzes and further develop contingency plans and design appropriate training and exercise programs
• can apply relevant national and international regulations and standards
• can identify weaknesses and limitations in emergency preparedness and suggest cost efficient improvements

Expertise

The candidate:

•  can analyze and evaluate the quality of fire preparedness, including whether the emergency response arrangement is in accordance to results from risk and vulnerability analyzes and experiences from exercises and incidents
• discuss human, technical and organizational factors that may affect the emergency preparedness and hence the response in a positive or negative direction
• can apply and compile principles, methods and models for planning of preparedness for major accidents and make decisions about preparedness based on individuals' requirements, technical solutions and organizational measures
• can suggest cost-effective emergency response arrangements which limits the risk for response personnel
• can critically evaluate performance of response measures in different phases, the use of contingency plans, working methods when handling events (primarily at management level), as well as evaluation and learning from exercises and real accidents

Entry requirements

Two of the courses ING4004 Advanced Fire Dynamics; ING4005 Fire Risk Assessment or ING4006 Advanced fire and Egress Modelling.

One of the courses ING4007 Industrial Fire Safety or ING4008 Building Fire Safety which is taught in the spring semester, must be taken in parallel with or before the course.

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

The course will be based on seminars with lectures, exercises, role play and problem-based learning. Groupwork and self-study with guidance will be used.

Compulsory learning activities

None.

Assessment

Part 1: Written Exam, 4 hours, counts for 60% of the final grade.

Part 2: Portfolio, counts for 40% of the final grade.

Both parts must be passed.

Examination support material

Portfolio: Access to all aids

Written exam: Lexicon

More about examination support material