Just Evaluation Services, LLC, Vail, Arizona. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0224-1444.
J Emerg Manag. 2021;19(7):39-48. doi: 10.5055/jem.0607.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed numerous challenges in the emergency management (EM) response system. The article contends that had EM deliberately and systematically engaged in systems thinking; it would have been better able to anticipate and respond to many of the challenges. Reasons for EM not fully embracing systems thinking are discussed, including the perception that it is complex and theoretical. This article attempts to dispel these beliefs by first demonstrating how many systems-thinking concepts are already embedded in the EM ethos and then by illustrating the application of system principles in the context of the COVID-19 response. This article concludes by recommending EM invest in training to encourage the systematic application of system principles in emergency preparedness and response.
新冠疫情暴露出应急管理（EM）应对系统中存在的诸多挑战。本文认为，如果 EM 系统地、有目的地进行系统思考，就能够更好地预测和应对许多挑战。文章讨论了 EM 未能全面接受系统思考的原因，包括认为它复杂且理论化。本文首先通过展示许多系统思考的概念已经嵌入 EM 精神，然后通过说明系统原则在 COVID-19 应对中的应用，试图消除这些误解。最后，本文建议 EM 进行培训投资，以鼓励在应急准备和响应中系统地应用系统原则。
