Risk management for emergency decisions in Natural Disasters Triggering Technological Disasters (NATECH)

Natural disasters are a common disaster that causes much damage. However, this type of disaster can trigger secondary disasters of technology and produce NATECH disasters, which stand for natural-hazard triggering technological accidents. NATECH emergencies frequently happen in other countries but not in Malaysia. The common natural and technological disasters that hit Malaysia can be a greater NATECH catastrophe in the future. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between risk management features (risk awareness, training. preparedness, and risk communication) and effective NATECH emergency management decisions. The philosophy for this study is epistemology. This quantitative study employs a non-experimental correlational research design where 727 valid and usable questionnaires were answered randomly by the Malaysian community on their perception of managing the NATECH disaster. The level of risk awareness, training, preparedness, risk communication, best practices, and effective NATECH emergency management decision is high. In addition, there is a direct relationship between risk awareness and risk communication with effective NATECH emergency management decisions. However, there is no direct relationship between training and preparedness with effective NATECH emergency management decisions. There is a mediating effect of best practices on the relationship between all risk management features and effective NATECH emergency management decisions. Therefore, leaders are recommended to be responsible for educating the best practices of risk management features, such as training to enhance risk awareness and reduce risk communication as the preparation for NATECH emergency management.