Challenges for professionalism in civil defense and protection

PurposeThis article discusses the professional status of civil defense and protection agents and coordinators in Brazil, their working conditions and demands for professionalization in disaster risk management.Design/methodology/approachTwo online surveys with operators and civil defense and protect...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Disaster prevention and management 2022-11, Vol.31 (5), p.565-580
Main Authors: Bonelli, Maria da Glória, Damacena, Fernanda, Silveira Viana, Aline, Gambardella, Alice Dianezi, Marchezini, Victor
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Careers
Civil defense
Curricula
Disaster management
Disaster risk
Disasters
Emergency preparedness
Focus groups
Occupations
Pattern recognition
Planning
Polls & surveys
Professionals
Professions
Protection
Risk
Risk management
Risk reduction
Sociology
Surveying
Surveys
Working conditions
World War II
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Summary:PurposeThis article discusses the professional status of civil defense and protection agents and coordinators in Brazil, their working conditions and demands for professionalization in disaster risk management.Design/methodology/approachTwo online surveys with operators and civil defense and protection managers and documentary analysis based this research. The first survey engaged 1,933 participants who provided information about the working conditions at municipal civil defense, while the second involved 1,344 civil respondents who assessed their roles and duties in disaster risk management.FindingsCivil defense and protection agents pointed to the high turnover in these positions as the main factor for setbacks in disaster risk reduction, allied to precarious working conditions, lack of training, and unclear responsibilities in disaster risk management.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the international debate on the professionalization of civil defense and protection and disaster risk management, bringing some insights from the sociology of professions. It has a policy impact of suggesting pathways to the inclusion of civil defense and protection in the Brazilian Occupational Classification to advance professional patterns and public recognition of disaster risk management careers.
ISSN:0965-3562
1758-6100
DOI:10.1108/DPM-03-2022-0057