Table 6 Contrasting competencies for... | Emerald Publishing

Table 6

Contrasting competencies for flood responders ^[7]

Deductively hypothesized competencies	Emergent competencies (from this study)
Identification and mitigation of hazards [pertinent to hard skills] Knowledge about potential risks and how to mitigate them Skill to perform the mitigation steps	[ALL pertinent to hard skills] Know proper physical labour safety protocols (e.g. heavy lifting techniques, situation awareness) Know how to safely operate around heavy equipment Understand hazards of working in contaminated water, limitations of PPE
Operation of specialized rescue equipment [pertinent to hard skills] Knowledge of any provincially led specialist functions Technical knowledge of how to operate specialized equipment (but only partial identification of which kinds of equipment) Skill to actually perform the operation of that equipment	[ALL pertinent to hard skills] Factual knowledge regarding the mission and responder’s role Knowing which expert responders to call upon (social capital) Know how to use PPE and basic hand tools Know how to properly handle and place sandbags as water barriers Know how to operate and/or safely operate around off-road capable logistical and combat vehicles Know how to operate inflatable, motor-operated watercraft Know how to operate heavy equipment Know which PPE/tools to use and when Capacity to apply above knowledge correctly
Intra- and inter-team coordination and management Communication skills are essential within teams and between various agencies (but precise skills neither identified nor prioritized)	[soft skills] Capacity to communicate effectively (internally and externally to the organization) Understanding how a chain of command works Know protocols for working as a highly interdependent team (e.g. conflict resolution, nonverbal communication)
Leadership Not evident from literature	[soft skills] Understanding how to meet and manage the basic needs of a large workforce (up to thousands) Knowing how to manage a task force and meet the needs of individuals Capacity to lead with reassuring confidence
Performance under duress Long hours and challenging conditions demand both physical and mental fitness	[soft skills] Physical fitness (important for injury prevention, heavy manual labour, extensive work hours) Mental fitness (important for self-regulation–staying calm under pressure and adaptability: adapting to new roles, instructions and techniques)

Deductively hypothesized competencies	Emergent competencies (from this study)
Identification and mitigation of hazards[pertinent to hard skills] Knowledge about potential risks and how to mitigate them Skill to perform the mitigation steps	[ALL pertinent to hard skills] Know proper physical labour safety protocols (e.g. heavy lifting techniques, situation awareness) Know how to safely operate around heavy equipment Understand hazards of working in contaminated water, limitations of PPE
Operation of specialized rescue equipment[pertinent to hard skills] Knowledge of any provincially led specialist functions Technical knowledge of how to operate specialized equipment (but only partial identification of which kinds of equipment) Skill to actually perform the operation of that equipment	[ALL pertinent to hard skills] Factual knowledge regarding the mission and responder’s role Knowing which expert responders to call upon (social capital) Know how to use PPE and basic hand tools Know how to properly handle and place sandbags as water barriers Know how to operate and/or safely operate around off-road capable logistical and combat vehicles Know how to operate inflatable, motor-operated watercraft Know how to operate heavy equipment Know which PPE/tools to use and when Capacity to apply above knowledge correctly
Intra- and inter-team coordination and management Communication skills are essential within teams and between various agencies (but precise skills neither identified nor prioritized)	[soft skills] Capacity to communicate effectively (internally and externally to the organization) Understanding how a chain of command works Know protocols for working as a highly interdependent team (e.g. conflict resolution, nonverbal communication)
Leadership Not evident from literature	[soft skills] Understanding how to meet and manage the basic needs of a large workforce (up to thousands) Knowing how to manage a task force and meet the needs of individuals Capacity to lead with reassuring confidence
Performance under duress Long hours and challenging conditions demand both physical and mental fitness	[soft skills] Physical fitness (important for injury prevention, heavy manual labour, extensive work hours) Mental fitness (important for self-regulation–staying calm under pressure and adaptability: adapting to new roles, instructions and techniques)

Source:

Table created by the authors