Perspective Matters: The Challenges of Performance Measurement in Wildfire Response Networks
While the field of evaluation and measurement performance is well established, evaluating network performance in the context of disaster response is rare. The complexity and scope of disaster incident response necessitates a focus beyond the performance of single organizations or agencies. Research suggests that multilevel and multiperspective approaches are necessary to truly understand networks and how they perform. In this study, we employ the concept of "pluralism" to conceptualize and measure network performance in large-scale wildfire events. We use multilevel modeling to examine the variation in network performance measures within and between 21 complex wildfire incidents in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Findings suggest responders within the same incident varied significantly in their perceptions of how well the network performed. Given the degree of pluralism that was evident, it is clear that we need to better understand the factors that help to explain differences in evaluations between responders.
