The crisis representation between heterogeneous stakeholders in avalanche management : Exploratory study

Abstract

The avalanche management can be characterized as the 'management of a dynamic risk'. By taking information and communicate with others, the stakeholders try to construct the actual representation of the situation and the possible evolutions.
In the literature, we have different definition of "crisis" notion. The aim is to identify the different risk representation that the stakeholders involved in the avalanche issue have got of the crisis.
We have conducted 14 interviews with actors which have a role in avalanche prevention and management in the Northern French Alps: associations, high mountain police, mountain experts, local authorities and mountain guides.

Full text

The crisis representation between heterogeneous
stakeholders in avalanche management
Aurélie PEILLON1
Sandrine CAROLY2,
Yann LAURILLAU3,
Didier RICHARD4
aurelie.peillon@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
1LIP, University Grenoble Alps
2Univ. Grenoble Alps, CNRS, Science Po Grenoble, PACTE, 38000
Grenoble, France
3Univ. Grenoble Alps, CNRS, LIG, 38000 Grenoble, France
4IRSTEA, Grenoble
Context: The avalanche management can be characterized as the ‘management of a dynamic risk’.
By taking information and communicate with others, the stakeholders try to construct the actual
representation of the situation and the possible evolutions.
Figure 1 : Levels in the magnitude of the avalanche
Objective of the study
In the literature, we have different definition
of “crisis”notion.
The aim is to identify the different risk
representation that the stakeholders
involved in the avalanche issue have got of
the crisis.
Methodology
We have conducted 14 interviews with actors
which have a role in avalanche prevention
and management in the Northern French
Alps: associations, high mountain police,
mountain experts, local authorities and
mountain guides.
The questions were about their activities
before, during and after avalanches.
Results –Expected Applications
Several interviews show that there are a lot of dimension to increase the crisis: the event size (number of victims,
duration to find people, bad weather…), the resources available (equipment and staff), the lack of communication
between different stakeholders and the lack of practitioners training.
But the stakeholders representation of the crisis in the avalanche context varies according to two elements: depending on
the level of responsibility (e.g. Mayor) of each stakeholder and their room for maneuver to develop their activity (e.g.
Rescuers) (Fig, 1).
The bigger the avalanche, the higher the level of response is. For Example, in 1999 in Chamonix, the Prefect took in charge
the relief operations.
So, understanding people’s representations helps to improve avalanche management and develop knowledge about
system of activity (Rogalski, 2004) and collective work (Caroly, 2010). Finally, we can propose a groupware to offer a
common operational picture for all stakeholders and improve communication between them.
Caroly, S. (2010). Activité collective et réélaboration des règles: des enjeux pour la santé au travail. Document d'habilitation à diriger des
recherches en ergonomie, Université de Bordeaux II. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00464801/fr/
Rogalski, J. (2004). 32. La gestion des crises. In P. Falzon, Ergonomie (1r éd., p. 531-544). https://doi.org/10.3917/puf.falzo.2004.01.0531
Fig.1 : Stakeholders crisis representation