title: Education in Disaster Management and Emergencies: Defining a New European Course.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Unremitting natural disasters, deliberate threats, pandemics, and humanitarian suffering resulting from conflict situations necessitate swift and effective response paradigms. The European Union's (EU) increasing visibility as a disaster response enterprise suggests the need not only for financial contribution but also for instituting a coherent disaster response approach and management structure. The DITAC (Disaster Training Curriculum) project identified deficiencies in current responder training approaches and analyzed the characteristics and content required for a new, standardized European course in disaster management and emergencies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over 35 experts from within and outside the EU representing various organizations and specialties involved in disaster management composed the DITAC Consortium. These experts were also organized into 5 specifically tasked working groups. Extensive literature reviews were conducted to identify requirements and deficiencies and to craft a new training concept based on research trends and lessons learned. A pilot course and program dissemination plan was also developed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lack of standardization was repeatedly highlighted as a serious deficiency in current disaster training methods, along with gaps in the command, control, and communication levels. A blended and competency-based teaching approach using exercises combined with lectures was recommended to improve intercultural and interdisciplinary integration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The goal of a European disaster management course should be to standardize and enhance intercultural and inter-agency performance across the disaster management cycle. A set of minimal standards and evaluation metrics can be achieved through consensus, education, and training in different units. The core of the training initiative will be a unit that presents a realistic situation "scenario-based training."
authors.affiliation: 1Prehospital and Disaster Medicine Center,Department of Clinical Sciences,Sahlgrenska Academy,Gothenburg University,Gothenburg,Sweden.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khorram-Manesh
authors.affiliation: 2Bonn International Center for Conversion,Bonn,Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashkenazi
authors.affiliation: 3CRIMEDIM,Universita del Piemonte Orientale,Novara,Italy.
authors.forename: Ahmadreza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Djalali
authors.affiliation: 3CRIMEDIM,Universita del Piemonte Orientale,Novara,Italy.
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Ingrassia
authors.affiliation: 4NHCS,National Health Career School of Management,Hennigsdorf/Berlin,Germany.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Friedl
authors.affiliation: 4NHCS,National Health Career School of Management,Hennigsdorf/Berlin,Germany.
authors.forename: Gotz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Armin
authors.affiliation: 5URGENTA,Clinical Emergency Hospital,Bucharest,Romania.
authors.forename: Olivera
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lupesco
authors.affiliation: 6AFAM,Disaster Research Center,Istanbul Aydin University,Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: Kubilay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaptan
authors.affiliation: 7Hanover Associates,Teddington,London,United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arculeo
authors.affiliation: 8CROUMSA,Croatian Urgent Medicine and Surgery Association, Slav. Brod,Croatia.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hreckovski
authors.affiliation: 9SBC,General and Teaching Hospital Celje, Medical faculty Ljubljana,Slovenia.
authors.forename: Radko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Komadina
authors.affiliation: 10University Clinic Bonn,Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery,Bonn,Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: 11DLR,German Aerospace Center,Oberpfaffenhofen,Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.affiliation: 12Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health,Bethesda,MD,USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: 13Analytic Services, Inc.,Falls Church,VA,USA.
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gursky
mesh_terms: D002959:Civil Defense / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum; D054597:Disaster Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005062:European Union; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D011361:Professional Competence
keywords: disaster planning; education; emergency medicine; emergency preparedness; government; public health professional