National Disaster Management Brief
- Significance:
- Catastrophic events, though unpredictable in their particularity, are absolutely foreseeable as periodic occurrences. From weather disasters like tsunamis and hurricanes, to industrial accidents, to terrorist attacks to health pandemics, we are sure to be buffeted from time to time by some sort of catastrophic event(s) that will threaten and/or take large numbers of lives and/or cause significant property damage and/or economic disruption.
- Interesting, Challenging, Provocative:
- Opinions on how we should manage these episodes of disaster vary widely. Some believe weighing costs and benefits should be of paramount consideration in charting courses of action. Others argue that comprehensive disaster management is worth any price if it will save lives. Still others would argue that individual common sense and decision-making should be our first and most relied upon line of defense to face, if not avert, many potential disasters.
Given the complexity of issues, the appropriateness of our levels of planning, preparedness, response, rescue, recovery, relief, and reconstitution efforts is certainly worthy of investigation, analysis, and debate.
- Educational:
- While most of us are aware we have an emergency management system (after all, we see and hear the tests on broadcast stations), few of us understand the depth and breadth of operations needed to manage even the most localized disaster. 911, Katrina and Rita, and the feared Bird Flu pandemic all indicate that this lack of understanding may reach to the highest levels of government. In order to understand how such operations can either achieve tremendous success or fail so miserably is essential knowledge in the post-911, post-2005 hurricane season in which we now live. Exploring the needs that exist when disaster strikes and how best to manage them would be highly educational and, perhaps, even practical.
- Sample Sources:
- Blair, John D., Myron, D. Fottler, and Albert C. Zapanta (2004). Bioterrorism, preparedness, attack and response.
- Landesman, Linda Young (2005). Public health management of disasters: the practical guide.
- Levy, Barry S., and Victor W. Sidel. Editors (2003). Terrorism and public health: a balanced approach to strengthening systems and protecting people.
- Platt, Rutherford (1999). Disasters and democracy: the politics of extreme natural events.
- Smith, Keith (2004). Environmental hazards: assessing risk and reducing disaster.
