Challenges of measuring quality in emergency management

This paper describes the challenges and importance of measuring quality within the field of emergency response. Using quality as a standard of measurement to evaluate response efforts of trained personnel in emergency situations is necessary to increase effectiveness in the response phase of an emergency event. The intended outcome of utilizing quality as a tool of measurement is to save additional lives, property, and resources. The adoption of a system to measure quality can be utilized by multiple professions under the broader field of emergency response services. Quality is discussed in terms of how it can be measured, defined, perceived, and used to benefit emergency responders and the citizens they strive to protect.