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14 inspections to identify the initial cause before it recurs or progresses undetected. Emergency Response/Management Human factors also play a large role in how an emergency situation is managed from the initial notification to completion of the final repair. It is human nature to either “fight or flight.” As an owner, owner’s engineer, or regulatory agency it is a notification that we hope never comes, but, when it does how will human factors influence the outcome? Stress Management Individuals placed in emergency response situations are impacted by psychological stressors that can impact their mental and physical health. These stressors can ultimately have an effect on one’s ability to make critical judgments and decisions during a crisis. The first line in combating stress is preparation. Training, planning, and reviewing available information will better prepare you for an emergency. Preparation is the best “cure” for anticipatory stress [2]. Most important is to remain calm, take a deep breath, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Communication Styles During an emergency situation the effective sharing and transmittal of information is critical. Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) are available for most, if not all, significant to high hazard dams and contain scripted procedures for making notifications. However, what the EAP doesn’t contain is a guide for the different types of communicating styles that will be necessary to use during an emergency situation. Communicating to different groups of people requires different styles and techniques to convey the appropriate information in an appropriate manner. Therefore, different individuals may be assigned to communicate to the different groups. The various groups of people that will be in the communication loop include: • Media • Public • Emergency managers • On-site owner representative(s) • Owner decision makers • Regulatory agencies • Contractors Initial conversations with the media or public may not be best handled by the owner or engineer, as they are under the duress of figuring out the problem and deciding on a path forward. However, almost any emergency management team has a designated Public Information Officer (PIO) available. PIO's can be city, county or state personnel who have been trained to take technical verbiage from experts and convey it to the public in a manner that can be understood. Owners and engineers do not have an obligation to speak to the public or media. They do, however, have an obligation to get the appropriate information out to the public. With a simple request for assistance from the local emergency management team, the closest or designated PIO could assist. Information provided to the public should be concise, accurate, and delivered in layman terms to limit the potential for misquotes or fake news. Emergency managers may not comprehend the technical issues that are influencing the decision making process, and therefore need information conveyed in a manner which describes the likelihood of various scenarios and the associated implications to the public. Therefore, information provided to emergency managers should be non-technical in nature, but provide a clear picture of the developing situation and potential consequences. FEMA maintains a listing of state emergency management agencies: Emergency Management Agencies. The local city or county may also have emergency management representatives and resources. When briefing owners and regulatory agency representatives, the information should be provided in a technical manner to present a clear understanding of the incident.  Budget constraints  Complacency and overconfidence  Insufficient technical expertise  Categorization of significant repairs as “routine maintenance”  Access limitations HUMAN FACTORS IN MAINTENANCE