EL SECTOR SECUNDARIO: INDUSTRIA, TEXTIL, NAVAL Y CONSTRUCCIÓN LAS SALINAS

Following the lack of evidence of CP for ME in the UAE, this section aims to identify evidence of lessons learned and to evaluate the best practices or/and lessons learned that may exist in the UAE. The following questions were asked to explain the lessons learned from ME and if they think lessons learned from last ME will be used in managing any future ME. The majority of the interviewees listed the lessons that have been learned from ME, including training, renovation work, report, build emirates team, experience, use of resources, operation centre and planning shown in Figure 4.7.

Figure 4.7 list of lessons learned from past ME

Two of respondents reveal that the training is one of lessons learned. In this matter, interviewee B1 stated that “yes, the lessons are learnt: Intensify the training process and activating the role of field survey to cover the competence centers”, and interviewee C4 stated “we did workshop to study what went wrong and we studied and then improve our ability to respond another fire which happened later”. The renovation work is considered

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by two of respondents as one of the lessons learned from previous ME. In this context, one of interviewee mentioned that the renovation work of the fire stations in order to follow up on the needs and resources according to need areas (Interviewee B1). In the same subject, some respondent emphasised that report is one of the lessons have been learned from earlier ME.

Interviewee A1 says that the reports are done after each incident, and B2 has the same point of view: “Yes, there are opportunities for improvement and lessons learned. The need to also do report after each incident. (interviewee A1)”, Interviewee B2 said “do report after all incidents to identify all positives and negative things and put all recommendations. There is opportunity to improve process and operations from past incident.” In terms of building emirates team, four interviewees explained this as a lesson learned when the group of emirates rescue team were developed and their expertise where required for response to a cyclone.

In this context, interviewee C3 mentioned: “Yes, it is being used for preparedness procedures for the last cyclone. We sent emirates rescue team for water bodies and municipality and Red Crescent. And all these have been included based on lessons learned”, Interviewee B3 declared “we just have emirates team for water body, to be suitable to the difficult geographic nature to rescue people who are prone to water incidents. This team responded to last cyclone Ashoba which occurred in 2014. Although there was no major impact, there were teams activated to be on standby in case of severe impact of incident”. Expanding on the issue, only one interviewee stated the lesson they learned is to garner experience for controlling and responding during the golden hour (interviewee B4).

Moreover, two of respondents stated that resources needed for response is one of the lessons learned from ME. Interviewee B5 said: “Select the resources needed by emergency teams. There is lack of resources in the medical and ambulance team and failure to learn from the past”. Three of interviewee found that having an operation centres are one of most important lessons have been learned from ME. Interviewee C5 mentioned the need to have operation centres for all parties, he further declared: “yes, there is lessons there, we found that we need to have operation centres for other agencies and the response team and emergency management”.

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In relation to this, interviewee C1 pointed out to the importance of the need of operation centre for the civil authorities that can help them activate the plan and implement the plan. Another interviewee mentioned that they did use ready procedures and that is the guidance by national operation centre, but they need the other authority to have the same procedures for readiness (interviewee C2). Also, six of the interviewee considered developing plan as the most lessons learned from previous ME.

In this regard, C1 stated that: “…We developed plan to activate the operation centres in the supportive government authority in emergency. We’re making plan to have joint plan, procedures and practices to bring everyone to work together.” In the same manner, another interviewee A5 mentioned that “Yes in case of response for any events, the right action may be taken and security measures for any extreme event that can happen within limitation of liability. It has been updated procedure for the plan according to the result we found it during leading with extreme disaster and that not being mentioned in the plan”.

Interviewee C5 declared that they learned that they have to finish planning for all types of disasters, and identified and developed all the things that relate to the disaster. Figure 4.8 Shows NVivo analysis of interviewees answers when analysed within the context of lessons learned from literature review.

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As illustrated in figure 4.8, the lack of substantial evidence of lessons learned activities and mechanisms for using lessons learned inspire the importance of identifying challenges and drivers in the current practice. This confirms that in most cases, lessons are not being directly learned from past incidents and linked with current practice. It also further confirmed the assumption that challenges exist in the current practice and arrangements in the UAE.

4.3.2.1 Synthesis on Lessons Learned and best practices

In relation to parameters for identified in the literature review, the answers provided by the interviewees are far-fetched. To reinforce these deduction, three interviewees also made reference to this statement. First Interviewee B1 mentioned that lessons are not learned is activating the command system and training them in case of disasters or crisis or any emergency. Interviewee B3 stated that lessons are not learned, there should be a team for search and rescue in other emirates, not just in Abu Dhabi so that pressure can be reduced on the Abu Dhabi team to get quicker response. Lastly Interviewee C6 mentioned that there is no data or statistics archive on lessons, so that they are not learned. A further analysis of the overall data generated from this interview session indicated the main point that lessons are not learned, nor are mechanisms in place to ensure that lessons identified are learned and used, this is shown in Figure 4.9.

Figure 4.9 Text search query for evidence of lack of lessons learned

The analysis in Figure 4.9 indicates that strong recommendations are also needed in this area to ensure that lessons are being learned going forward in planning for ME in the

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UAE. However, it is possible that challenges and barriers exist in the current arrangements to prevent mechanisms for learning lessons and using them for planning for future ME. This awareness makes the explanations and analysis for the next section important, which is also key components of the third objectives.