Browsing by Author "Geoerg P"

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    A roadmap for the future of crowd safety research and practice: Introducing the Swiss Cheese Model of Crowd Safety and the imperative of a Vision Zero target
    (Elsevier B.V., 2023-08-29) Haghani M; Coughlan M; Crabb B; Dierickx A; Feliciani C; van Gelder R; Geoerg P; Hocaoglu N; Laws S; Lovreglio R; Miles Z; Nicolas A; O'Toole WJ; Schaap S; Semmens T; Shahhoseini Z; Spaaij R; Tatrai A; Webster J; Wilson A
    Crowds can be subject to intrinsic and extrinsic sources of risk, and previous records have shown that, in the absence of adequate safety measures, these sources of risk can jeopardise human lives. To mitigate these risks, we propose that implementation of multiple layers of safety measures for crowds—what we label The Swiss Cheese Model of Crowd Safety—should become the norm for crowd safety practice. Such system incorporates a multitude of safety protection layers including regulations and policymaking, planning and risk assessment, operational control, community preparedness, and incident response. The underlying premise of such model is that when one (or multiple) layer(s) of safety protection fail(s), the other layer(s) can still prevent an accident. In practice, such model requires a more effective implementation of technology, which can enable provision of real-time data, improved communication and coordination, and efficient incident response. Moreover, implementation of this model necessitates more attention to the overlooked role of public education, awareness raising, and promoting crowd safety culture at broad community levels, as one of last lines of defence against catastrophic outcomes for crowds. Widespread safety culture and awareness has the potential to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills that can prevent such outcomes or mitigate their impacts, when all other (exogenous) layers of protection (such as planning and operational control) fail. This requires safety campaigns and development of widespread educational programs. We conclude that, there is no panacea solution to the crowd safety problem, but a holistic multi-layered safety system that utilises active participation of all potential stakeholders can significantly reduce the likelihood of disastrous accidents. At a global level, we need to target a Vision Zero of Crowd Safety, i.e., set a global initiative of bringing deaths and severe injuries in crowded spaces to zero by a set year.
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    Decoding Hospital Evacuation Drills: Pre-movement and Movement Analysis in New Zealand
    (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2025-04-24) Geoerg P; de Schot L; Lovreglio R
    Hospital evacuations present unique challenges due to the dependency of patients on medical staff and specialized equipment, making the process particularly complex. This study investigates the pre-movement and movement phases during hospital evacuation drills conducted in New Zealand, providing rare and valuable data that are critical for improving evacuation modeling in healthcare settings. Eight evacuation drills were conducted across various hospital units, including General Ward (GW) spaces, a Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU), a High Dependency Unit (HDU), and a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), with detailed documentation and analysis of preparation times, pre-movement times, and evacuation speeds. The results reveal significant variability in pre-movement times, heavily influenced by the specific needs of different units and the evacuation methods employed (e.g., beds, wheelchairs, walking). High-acuity units like the HDU, where patients require extensive medical support, exhibited notably longer active preparation times due to the complexity of disconnecting medical equipment. Additionally, horizontal movement speeds were slower for patients evacuated on beds compared to those using wheelchairs or walking. Given the rarity of such data and the uncertainty about the applicability of findings from other building types, this study underscores the need for tailored evacuation strategies that consider the distinct requirements of hospital environments. The findings highlight the importance of accounting for the dependencies on medical personnel and equipment, contributing to more accurate and effective evacuation planning in healthcare facilities. Further, the findings highlight the nuanced behaviours observed during healthcare evacuations, and provide valuable inputs for fire and evacuation modellers when designing for healthcare occupancies.
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    Determinants of Gaps in Human Behaviour in Fire Research
    (Springer Nature, 2024-08-08) Ronchi E; Kapalo K; Bode N; Boyce K; Cuesta A; Feng Y; Galea ER; Geoerg P; Gwynne S; Kennedy EB; Kinateder M; Kinsey M; Kuligowski E; Köster G; Lovreglio R; Mossberg A; Ono R; Spearpoint M; Strahan K; Wong SD
    This short communication presents the findings of the work conducted by the human behaviour in fire permanent working group of the International Association for Fire Safety Science. Its aim is to identify determinants of research gaps in the field of human behaviour in fire. Two workshops were conducted in 2023 in which research gaps were identified and discussed by twenty experts. The workshops led experts through a series of questions to determine the reasons (or determinants) for these gaps in human behaviour in building fires and wildfires. Through the questions, the primary identified determinants were (1) researchers’ literacy in the variety of methods adopted in the field, (2) difficulties associated with recruitment of study participants, (3) multi-disciplinary barriers across different research sub-domains, and (4) issues in obtaining funding for addressing fundamental human behaviour in fire research questions. Two key issues emerged from an open discussion during the workshops, namely the difficulties in attracting and training new people in the field (given the limited educational offers around the world on the topic) and the need for more regular opportunities for the community to meet.