Hybrid Emergency Operation Center

Covid-19 has forced Swedish emergency responders to work remotely using the Internet. But how should this work be conducted if the Internet or electricity is disrupted?

Background

The Swedish crisis management system is based on a number of principles. The MSB (the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency) has prepared instructions for these principles and how they are to be operationalized. Crisis management takes place and is often led from a so-called Emergency Operation Center (EOC) or Situation room. During Covid-19, several organizations have had to re-evaluate the working method that has so far been seen as the de facto standard around crisis management, where management and collaboration take place in special rooms. As physical distance was necessary to reduce the spread of infection, special rooms were rather unsuitable.

Aim

The purpose of the project is to carry out a study on the area of leading a crisis fully or partly remotely from what could be defined as a Hybrid EOC. The aim is to identify how modern work in an EOC can be organized and to further identify the problems that work at a distance in a hybrid EOC can entail. The project will be based on a qualitative research approach where activity theory will be central to understanding the hybrid staff and its conditions. A number of people and organizations will be linked to the project as reference actors.