Knowledge management as a tool to ensure public safety in emergencies

Abstract

KnOwleDge mAnAgement AS A tOOl tO enSure puBlic SAfetY in emergencieS purpose. The purpose of this article is to determine the theoretical and practical bases for knowledge management, which is a tool to ensure public safety during emergency response in Ukraine.methodology. This paper highlights the issue of knowledge management to achieve the goals of protecting the population and territories against natural and manmade hazards. When investigating the issue, the authors used basic research methods, namely statistical analysis (to represent the variables of the impact of emergencies on the lives of the population, economy and environ ment of the country); logical and systems analysis (to describe knowledge development and management, to determine the content of knowledge management to ensure public safety); generalization, analysis and synthesis (to study the existing knowledge man agement system). Method of individual expert estimation was used during interviews with emergency management experts, which resulted in development of relative importance of knowledge factors.findings. It has been found that knowledge management is a vital process to fulfill the purpose of protecting civilians and ter ritories against natural and manmade disasters. Key knowledge factors on ensuring the safety of the civilian population in emer gencies are classified in the main categories: legal, infrastructural, financial and economic, resourcebased, organizational, social and political, and time. As a result of expert research, indicators of relative importance of the studied knowledge factors have been found out, which affect the safety of the civilian population during disaster management in Ukraine.Originality. Based on logical analysis, the phenomenon of knowledge management to ensure public safety during emergency response in Ukraine has been clarified. The concept of "knowledge management for the safety of the civilian population during an emergency" is specified as a process in which any authorities or enterprises (institutions, organizations) being stakeholders in the field of civil protection generate and accumulate knowledge for the benefit of the safety of life and activities of the civilian popula tion. Key knowledge factors on ensuring the safety of the civilian population during emergency response (legal, infrastructural, financial and economic, resourcebased, organizational, social and political, and time) have been identified and it has been found that they can influence all the stages of the emergency management cycle. It has also been determined that the following knowledge factors, such as social and political, organizational and resourcebased ones are very important for emergency response.practical value. Research findings can be taken into account by the heads of authorities, enterprises (institutions, organizations) whose work relates to organizing and running events in civil protection during emergency response, which will enhance the safety of the civilian population.