SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Doğal Afetler ve Çevre Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 12 Sayı: 1

Core Skills and Assessment Parameters for Disaster Response Training in Flood Rescue Teams: A Delphi Study

Sel Kurtarma Ekiplerinde Afet Müdahale Eğitimine Yönelik Temel Becerilerin ve Ölçme Parametrelerinin Belirlenmesi: Bir Delphi Çalışması

Mehmet Kokoç(TRABZON ÜNİVERSİTESİ, UYGULAMALI BİLİMLER YÜKSEKOKULU, YÖNETİM BİLİŞİM SİSTEMLERİ BÖLÜMÜ)0000-0002-1347-8033
Abdulkadir Gündüz(KARADENİZ TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-8591-9769
Perihan Şimşek(TRABZON ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-0216-3968
Salih Akyıldız(TRABZON ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-8569-7411
Pages
216–231
Publication Date
2026-01-25
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings revealed that effective flood disaster response requires not only technical competencies but also critical operational capabilities such as incident site management, personal safety, intra-team communication, and coordination.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study was conducted using a modified Delphi method to identify the core skills and measurement parameters required for search and rescue teams responding to flood disasters.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Through two Delphi rounds and a final consensus meeting with 30 experts from the fields of disaster medicine, search and rescue, UMKE, AFAD, and educational technologies, consensus was achieved on 93 skills and measurement indicators.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The findings revealed that effective flood disaster response requires not only technical competencies but also critical operational capabilities such as incident site management, personal safety, intra-team communication, and coordination.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Afet Eğitimi ve Yönetimi · Arama ve Kurtarma Becerileri · Delphi Yöntemi

Abstract

This study was conducted using a modified Delphi method to identify the core skills and measurement parameters required for search and rescue teams responding to flood disasters. Through two Delphi rounds and a final consensus meeting with 30 experts from the fields of disaster medicine, search and rescue, UMKE, AFAD, and educational technologies, consensus was achieved on 93 skills and measurement indicators. The findings revealed that effective flood disaster response requires not only technical competencies but also critical operational capabilities such as incident site management, personal safety, intra-team communication, and coordination. In particular, first aid skills related to hypothermia, drowning, and trauma management emerged as priority areas, aligning with the most common medical complications observed during flood events. Conversely, lower consensus was reached on advanced rope systems and complex water-crossing techniques, highlighting the need for training curricula to focus on practical, context-appropriate, and field-applicable skills. This study makes an original contribution by presenting a systematically developed, evidence-based list of skills and measurement parameters specific to flood disasters, which has been largely absent in the literature. Furthermore, the identified parameters can be integrated into the training curricula of institutions such as AFAD, UMKE, and AKUT, enabling standardized, objective, and replicable performance evaluation in disaster exercises. In addition, the integration of these parameters into simulation-based immersive training environments, including virtual and mixed reality applications, as well as AI-driven learning analytics, has the potential to enhance training quality and support the personalized and evidence-based disaster preparedness programs.

Özet

Bu çalışma, sel afetlerinde görevli arama ve kurtarma ekiplerinin sahip olması gereken temel beceri ve ölçüm parametrelerini belirlemek amacıyla modifiye Delphi yöntemiyle gerçekleştirilmiştir. Afet tıbbı, arama kurtarma, UMKE, AFAD ve eğitim teknolojileri alanlarından 30 uzmanın katılımıyla yürütülen iki Delphi turu ve son değerlendirme toplantısı sonucunda 93 beceri ve ölçüm parametresi üzerinde uzlaşı sağlanmıştır. Elde edilen bulgular, sel afetlerinde etkili müdahale için yalnızca teknik becerilerin değil, aynı zamanda olay yeri yönetimi, kişisel güvenlik, ekip içi iletişim ve koordinasyon gibi operasyonel yetkinliklerin de kritik önemde olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Özellikle hipotermi, boğulma ve travma yönetimi konularında ilk yardım becerilerinin öne çıkması, sel afetlerinin en sık karşılaşılan sağlık sorunlarıyla doğrudan örtüşmektedir. Buna karşın, ileri düzey ip teknikleri gibi sahada uygulanabilirliği sınırlı becerilerde düşük uzlaşı sağlanmıştır. Bu sonuç, afet eğitimlerinde pratik ve bağlama uygun becerilere odaklanılması gerektiğini göstermektedir. Çalışma, mevcut literatürde eksik olan sel afetlerine özgü bilimsel temelli beceri ve ölçüm parametre listelerini sunarak alana özgün katkı sağlamaktadır. Ayrıca belirlenen parametrelerin, AFAD, UMKE ve AKUT gibi kurumların eğitim müfredatlarına entegre edilmesi, tatbikatlarda standart ve nesnel performans değerlendirmesi yapılmasına imkân tanıyacaktır. Bunun yanı sıra, parametrelerin sanal/ artırılmış gerçeklik tabanlı sarmalayıcı simülasyonlar ve yapay zekâ destekli öğrenme analitikleri ile bütünleştirilmesi, afet eğitiminin kalitesini artırarak bireyselleştirilmiş ve kanıta dayalı öğrenme deneyimlerinin geliştirilmesine olanak sağlayacaktır.

🔖

Cite This Article

Kokoç, M., Gündüz, A., Şimşek, P., Akyıldız, S. (2026). Core Skills and Assessment Parameters for Disaster Response Training in Flood Rescue Teams: A Delphi Study. Doğal Afetler ve Çevre Dergisi, Cilt: 12 Sayı: 1, 216–231. https://doi.org/10.21324/dacd.1812625

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (58)

  1. Adler, M., & Ziglio, E. (Eds.). (1996). Gazing into the oracle: The Delphi method and its application to social policy and public health. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
  2. Ahmad, M. N., Salahuddin, M., & Sultana, R. (2020). Mapping flood risk assessment by remote sensing in district Chiniot, Pakistan. International Journal of Economic and Environmental Geology, 11(2), 61–64. https://doi.org/10.46660/ijeeg.vol11.iss2.2020.447
  3. Alderman, K., Turner, L. R., & Tong, S. (2012). Floods and human health: A systematic review. Environment International, 47, 37–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2012.06.003
  4. Alshowair, A., Bail, J., AlSuwailem, F., Mostafa, A., & Abdel-Azeem, A. (2024). Use of virtual reality exercises in disaster preparedness training: A scoping review. SAGE Open Medicine, 12, Article 20503121241241936. https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121241241936
  5. Andersen, T. K., & Marshall Shepherd, J. (2013). Floods in a changing climate. Geography Compass, 7(2), 95–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/gec3.12025
  6. Angelakis, A. N., Capodaglio, A. G., Valipour, M., Krasilnikoff, J., Ahmed, A. T., Mandi, L.,. Zheng, X. (2023). Evolution of floods: From ancient times to the present times (ca 7600 BC to the present) and the future. Land, 12(6), Article 1211. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12061211
  7. Atalay, E., Torpuş, K., & Usta, G. (2024). Sel afetlerinde arama kurtarma operasyonlarının planlanması ve ekiplerin sahip olması gereken özellikler. In A. Gündüz, M. Kokoç, & P. Şimşek (Eds.), Sel afetlerinde arama ve kurtarma (pp. 36–53). Hipokrat Kitabevi.
  8. Bai, J., Lee, K. F., Hofmeister, M., Mosbach, S., Akroyd, J., & Kraft, M. (2024). A derived information framework for a dynamic knowledge graph and its application to smart cities. Future Generation Computer Systems, 152, 112–126.
  9. Barnette, J. J. (1978). Delphi methodology: An empirical investigation. Educational Research Quarterly, 3(1), 67–73. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ187951
  10. Benito, G., & Hudson, P. F. (2011). Flood hazards: The context of fluvial geomorphology. In I. Alcántara-Ayala & A. S. Goudie (Eds.), Geomorphological hazards and disaster prevention (pp. 111–128). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511807527.010
  11. Bęś, P., & Strzałkowski, P. (2024). Analysis of the effectiveness of safety training methods. Sustainability, 16(7), Article 2732. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072732
  12. Bogue, R. (2016). Search and rescue and disaster relief robots: Has their time finally come? Industrial Robot, 43(2), 138–143. https://doi.org/10.1108/IR-12-2015-0228
  13. Brown, N., Margus, C., Hart, A., Sarin, R., Hertelendy, A., & Ciottone, G. (2023). Virtual reality training in disaster medicine: A systematic review of the literature. Simulation in Healthcare, 18(4), 255–261. https://doi.org/10.1097/SIH.0000000000000675
  14. Clayton, M. J. (1997). Delphi: A technique to harness expert opinion for critical decision-making tasks in education. Educational Psychology, 17(4), 373–386. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144341970170401
  15. De Villiers, M. R., De Villiers, P. J., & Kent, A. P. (2005). The Delphi technique in health sciences education research. Medical Teacher, 27(7), 639–643. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611260500069947
  16. Department of Environment Food & Rural Affairs. (2019). Flood Rescue Concept of operations - November 2019. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5faa9ca5e90e0730666d4162/frco-november-2019a.pdf
  17. Duan, Y. Y., Zhang, J. Y., Xie, M., Feng, X. B., Xu, S., & Ye, Z. W. (2019). Application of virtual reality technology in disaster medicine. Current Medical Science, 39(5), 690–694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-019-2093-4
  18. Emergency Events Database. (2025). Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters: The International Disaster Database [Data set]. Em-DAT. Retrieved September 30, 2025, from https://public.emdat.be/
  19. Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2020). Hazard Mitigation Planning. FEMA. https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk/hazard-mitigation-planning
  20. Fish, L. S., & Busby, D. M. (1996). The Delphi method. In D. H. Sprenkle & S. M. Moon (Eds.), Research methods in family therapy (pp. 469–482). Guilford Press.
  21. Glago, F. J. (2021). Flood disaster hazards: Causes, impacts and management: A state-of-the-art review. In E. Noroozinejad Farsangi (Ed.), Natural hazards – impacts, adjustments and resilience. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95048
  22. Gout, L., Hart, A., Houze-Cerfon, C.-H., Sarin, R., Ciottone, G. R., & Bounes, V. (2020). Creating a novel disaster medicine virtual reality training environment. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 35(2), 225–228. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X20000230
  23. Grime, M. M., & Wright, G. (2016). Delphi method. Wiley StatsRef: Statistics Reference Online. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118445112.stat07879
  24. Hsu, C.-C., & Sandford, B. A. (2007). The Delphi technique: Making sense of consensus. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 12(10), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.7275/pdz9-th90
  25. Hosken, M. J., & O'Sullivan, S. L. (2025). Defining performance and competency requirements for army responders to domestic flood response operations. Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 15(3), 256–275.
  26. Humphrey-Murto, S., Varpio, L., Wood, T. J., Gonsalves, C., Ufholz, L.-.A., Mascioli, K., Foth, T., 2017. The use of the Delphi and other consensus group methods in medical education research. Academic Medicine, 92(10), 1491–1498. IAEM. (2025). The International Association of Emergency Managers. https://www.iaem.org/
  27. Inland Water Rescue and Emergencies (2019). Inland Water Rescue and Emergencies Manual (2nd ed.). https://www.nvers.org/system/files/2020-02/Inland%20Water%20Rescue%20and%20Emergencies%20Manual%20Second%20 Edition%20%282019%29.pdf International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (2024). IFRC Annual Report 2023. https://www.ifrc.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/IFRC_Annual_Report2023.pdf
  28. Javadinejad, S. (2022). Causes and consequences of floods: Flash floods, urban floods, river floods and coastal floods. Resources Environment and Information Engineering, 4(1), 173–183. https://doi.org/10.25082/REIE.2022.01.002
  29. Jung, Y. (2022). Virtual reality simulation for disaster preparedness training in hospitals: Integrated review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(1), Article e30600. https://doi.org/10.2196/30600
  30. Kapucu, N., Özerdem, A., & Sadiq, A.-A. (2022). Managing emergencies and crises: Global perspectives (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
  31. Kokoç, M., & Pala, İ. T. (2024). Sel afetlerinde görevli arama ve kurtarma ekiplerinin eğitimi ve tatbikatlar. In A. Gündüz, M. Kokoç, & P. Şimşek (Eds.), Sel afetlerinde arama ve kurtarma (pp. 119–130). Hipokrat Kitabevi.
  32. Kokoç, M., Şimşek, P., Gündüz, A., & Akyıldız, S. (2025). Enhancing Preparedness and Response to Flood Disasters: A Scoping Review of Training Activities for Response Staff. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 19, Article e263. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2025.10195
  33. Lacher, S. (2024). Exploring disaster preparedness: A scoping review of adult and continuing education approaches in international civil protection research. Journal of Risk Research, 27(10), 1273–1289. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2024.2447252
  34. Li, N., Sun, N., Cao, C., & Hou, S. (2022). Review on visualization technology in simulation training system for major natural disasters. Natural Hazards, 112, 1851–1882. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05277-z
  35. Linstone, H. A., & Turoff, M. (Eds.). (2002). The Delphi method: Techniques and applications. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
  36. Malone, D. C., Abarca, J., Hansten, P. D., Grizzle, A. J., Armstrong, E. P., Van Bergen, R. C., Duncan-Edgar, B. S., Solomon, S. L., & Lipton, R. B. (2004). Identification of serious drug–drug interactions: Results of the partnership to prevent drug–drug interactions. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 44(2), 142–151. https://doi.org/10.1331/154434504773062591
  37. Mandych, A. F. (2009). Classification of floods. Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS). https://www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C07/E4-06-02-05.pdf
  38. Mbola, P., Nkosi, D. V., & Morakinyo, O. M. (2024). Disaster management training for environmental health: A narrative literature review. Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies, 16(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.4102/jamba.v16i1.1706
  39. Mfon, I. E., Oguike, M. C., Eteng, S. U., & Etim, N. M. (2022). Causes and effects of flooding in Nigeria: A review. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 1(9), 1777–1792. https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v1i9.1261 Moore, C. M. (1987). Group techniques for idea building. Sage Publications, Inc.
  40. Mugisho, G. M., Swedi, D. P., Enock, P. M., Kalembu, M. I., Lukeba, F. N., & Ngezirabona, S. V. (2024). Urban anthropization: Community vulnerability and resilience to flood hazards in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Environmental Research Communications, 6(2), Article 025003. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad23f3
  41. Murry, J. W., Jr., & Hammons, J. O. (1995). Delphi: A versatile methodology for conducting qualitative research. The Review of Higher Education, 18(4), 423–436. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.1995.0008
  42. Needham, R. D., & de Loë, R. C. (1990). The policy Delphi: Purpose, structure, and application. Canadian Geographer/Le Géographe canadien, 34(2), 133–142. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-0064.1990.tb01258.x
  43. Paterson, D. L., Wright, H., & Harris, P. N. (2018). Health risks of flood disasters. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 67(9), 1450–1454. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciy227
  44. Paton, D., & Johnston, D. (Eds.). (2017). Disaster resilience: An integrated approach (2nd ed.). Charles C. Thomas Publisher Ltd.
  45. Rowe, G., & Wright, G. (1999). The Delphi technique as a forecasting tool: Issues and analysis. International Journal of Forecasting, 15(4), 353–375. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-2070(99)00018-7
  46. Saccò, M., Mammola, S., Altermatt, F., Alther, R., Bolpagni, R., Brancelj, A., Brankovits, D., Fišer, C., Gerovasileiou, V., Griebler, C., Guareschi, S., Hose, G. C., Korbel, K., Lictevout, E., Malard, F., Martínez, A., Niemiller, M. L., Robertson, A., Tanalgo, K. C., …& Reinecke, R. (2024). Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem. Global Change Biology, 30(1), Article e17066. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17066
  47. Saulnier, D. D., Brolin Ribacke, K., & von Schreeb, J. (2017). No Calm After the Storm: A Systematic Review of Human Health Following Flood and Storm Disasters. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 32(5), 568–579.
  48. Schumacher, R. S. (2017, May 24). Heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Natural Hazard Science. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199389407.013.132
  49. Skulmoski, G. J., Hartman, F. T., & Krahn, J. (2007). The Delphi method for graduate research. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 6(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.28945/199
  50. Şahin, A. E. (2001). Eğitim araştırmalarında Delphi tekniği ve kullanımı. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 20, 215–220.
  51. Talbot, C. J., Bennett, E. M., Cassell, K., Hanes, D. M., Minor, E. C., Paerl, H., Raymond, P. A., Vargas, R., Vidon, P. G., Wollheim, W., & Xenopoulos, M. A. (2018). The impact of flooding on aquatic ecosystem services. Biogeochemistry, 141(3), 439–461.
  52. WaterConnect. (2025). What are the impacts of floods? Retrieved September 30, 2025, from https://www.waterconnect.sa.gov.au/Flood-Awareness/SitePages/What%20are%20the%20impacts%20of%20floods.aspx
  53. Westman, A., Kurland, L., & Hugelius, K. (2024). Non-technical skills needed by medical disaster responders–A scoping review. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 32(1), Article 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-024-01197-y
  54. Wiedemann, M., Schütte, M., Loer, K., Gerdes, A., & Thate, S. (2024). Evaluation of the incident management system of a bigger city during the winter flood 2023/24 in northern Germany: Organized (ir)responsibility in the pre-disaster phase. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 113, Article 104821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104821
  55. Tokioka, T., & Kawaguchi, J. (2025). The evaluation of a large-scale flood-fighting exercise: Capacity development of flood fighting in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Water, 17(11), Article 1564. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111564
  56. Zhu, Y., Liu, Y., Zhu, L., Liu, M., Xie, Z., Chen, J., Fu, X., Wang, Q., Wang, Z., & Du, Q. (2025). Natural or man-made disaster? Lessons from the extreme rain and flood disaster in Zhengzhou, China on “2021.7.20”. Sustainable Cities and Society, 118, Article 105999. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2024.105999
  57. Zhuge, R., Ruzieva, A., Chang, N., Wang, X., Qi, X., Wang, Q., Wang, Y., Kang, Z., Liu, J., & Wu, Q. (2024). Evaluation of emergency drills effectiveness by center of disease prevention and control staff in Heilongjiang Province, China: An empirical study using the logistic-ISM model. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, Article 1305426. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1305426
  58. Angelakis, A. N., Capodaglio, A. G., Valipour, M., Krasilnikoff, J., Ahmed, A. T., Mandi, L.,. Zheng, X. (2023). Evolution of floods: From ancient times to the present times (ca 7600 BC to the present) and the future. Land, 12(6), Article 1211. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12061211