The Management of Disasters

Abstract

Disasters have adversely affected humans since the dawn of our existence. In response, individuals and societies alike have made many attempts to decrease their exposure to the consequences of these disasters. All of these efforts have the same goal: disaster management. The motivating concepts that guide disaster management—the reduction of harm to life, property, and the environment—are largely the same throughout the world. Whether due to political, cultural, economic, or other reasons, the unfortunate reality is that some countries and some regions are more capable than others at addressing the problem. Furthermore, the emergence of a global economy makes it increasingly difficult to contain the consequences of any disaster within one country's borders. This chapter examines basic concepts of disaster management and expands upon those concepts to specifically address the management of international disasters, which is a complex discipline. Like disaster management on the national level, it involves actions that seek to mitigate the effects of hazards, ensures that populations are prepared for disasters should they occur, facilitates the response to disasters that do occur, and helps nations and people recover in the months and years following disaster events. The chapter provides a brief history of disaster management. To illustrate the disparity in the effects of disasters around the world, an examination of the global impact of disasters has also been carried out.