title: Exploring community resilience in workforce communities of first responders serving Katrina survivors.
abstract: Community resilience activities were assessed in workplace teams that became first responders for Hurricane Katrina survivors. Community resilience was assessed by a survey, focus groups, and key informant interviews. On the survey, 90 first responders ranked their team's disaster response performance as high on community resilience activities. The same participants, interviewed in 11 focus groups and 3 key informant interviews, discussed how their teams engaged in community resilience activities to strengthen their ability to deliver services. Specifically, their resilient behaviors were characterized by: shared organizational identity, purpose, and values; mutual support and trust; role flexibility; active problem solving; self-reflection; shared leadership; and skill building. The implications for research, policy, practice, and education of professionals are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, USA. karenwyche@gmail.com
authors.forename: Karen Fraser
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Wyche
authors.forename: Rose L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Pfefferbaum
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pfefferbaum
authors.forename: Fran H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wisnieski
authors.forename: Hayden
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Younger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019058:Community Networks; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D054597:Disaster Medicine; D004190:Disasters; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055820:New Orleans; D018635:Rescue Work; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*