Key challenges in multi-agency collaboration during large-scale emergency management

This paper reports the results of a workshop studying the challenges of collaboration during emergency response in Norway. The findings from the workshop reveal three categories of challenges linked to collaboration both within and across emergency agencies: (1) communicating within and across emergency agencies, (2) establishing and maintaining shared situation awareness, and (3) inter-organizational understanding. Underlying barriers hindering efficient collaboration are identified for each of the three categories. Against this backdrop, the paper discuss opportunities for ambient intelligence technology that can help mitigate the identified challenges.