Reconceptualizing Virtual Operations Support Teams (VOSTs) as an experiential learning tool for emergency management education

Virtual Operations Support Teams (VOSTs) have proliferated across the United States and abroad as a means of addressing the informational needs of emergency management agencies. These groups of trusted agents act as “force multipliers” by monitoring social media to extract actionable information, including on‐the‐ground impacts, public sentiment, misinformation and gossip, and calls for assistance. However, while these teams have been credited as a resource‐efficient means of improving situational awareness, issues pertaining to recruitment and retention, trust, and legitimacy continue to be a challenge. This research utilizes a case study approach to examine how academic institutions might leverage VOSTs as a tool for emergency management education and in doing so, address some of the challenges outlined above. In this paper, we present the participation of a university‐affiliated VOST in two state‐level activations: the 2022 Texas wildfires and the 2022 NYC marathon. These case studies are then contextualized with the results of semistructured interviews conducted with emergency managers in both states. The results demonstrate that VOSTs facilitated through and supported by academic institutions can address many of the challenges outlined above, while also providing valuable experience for students. The paper concludes with a discussion on lessons learned and opportunities for future research. 摘要 虚拟操作支持团队(VOST)已在美国和国外激增，作为满足应急管理机构信息需求的一种手段。这些值得信赖的代理人群体通过监测社交媒体来提取可操作的信息，包括实地影响、公众情绪、错误信息和八卦、以及寻求援助的呼吁，从而发挥“力量倍增器”的作用。然而，虽然VOST被认为是提高态势感知的资源有效手段，但与“招募和保留、信任、以及合法性”相关的问题仍然是一个挑战。本研究采用案例研究方法来分析学术机构如何利用VOST作为应急管理教育的工具，并在此过程中应对上述的一些挑战。本文中，我们介绍了一个附属于大学的VOST在两次州级活动中的参与:2022年德克萨斯州野火和2022年纽约马拉松。然后将这些案例研究与“对这两个州的应急管理人员进行的半结构化访谈的结果”结合起来。结果表明，通过学术机构推动和支持的VOST能应对上述诸多挑战，同时为学生提供宝贵的经验。本文最后探讨了经验教训和未来研究方向。 Resumen Los equipos de apoyo a operaciones virtuales han proliferado en los Estados Unidos y en el extranjero como un medio para abordar las necesidades de información de las agencias de gestión de emergencias. Estos grupos de agentes confiables actúan como “multiplicadores de fuerza” al monitorear las redes sociales para extraer información procesable, incluidos los impactos sobre el terreno, el sentimiento público, la desinformación y los chismes, y las llamadas de asistencia. Sin embargo, si bien se ha reconocido que los VOST son un medio eficiente en el uso de recursos para mejorar el conocimiento de la situación, las cuestiones relacionadas con el reclutamiento y la reten