BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
Hunger and History: The Impact of Changing Food Production and Consumption Patterns on Society, Edited by Robert I. Rotberg and Theodore K. Rabb. Medical Consequences of Natural Disasters by Lazar Benin
Imposing Aid: Emergency Assistance to Refugees by B.E. Harrell-Bond
Too Many, Too Long: Sudan's Twenty-year Refugee Dilemma by John R. Rogge. Rowman and Allanheld
Disaster Preparedness and the 1984 Earthquakes in Central Italy by David Alexander
Famine as a Geographical Phenomenon, Edited by Bruce Currey and Graeme Hugo. Published by D. Reidel, Dordrecht/Boston/Lancaster, 1984
Violent Forces of Nature Edited by R.H. Maybury     

Flood management in Canada at the crossroads

Abstract

Although Canadian flood management efforts have gained worldwide recognition, flood damages continue to increase. The current practice for preventing, responding to and recovering from floods in Canada is described by focusing attention on the 1997 Red River and 1996 Saguenay River floods. A set of cultures is identified that contribute to the trend of increasing flood damages. These include a culture of conflict, a culture of land development, a culture that impeded native people from easily implementing flood management programs, a culture of institutional fragmentation and a culture of dependency. These foster an inevitable cycle of increasing flood damages. The potential of recent proposals made by Emergency Preparedness Canada and the Insurance Bureau of Canada to address these cultures is assessed. While these documents represent significant progress, they continue to adopt an intermittent project rather an ongoing program perspective, fail to identify the need to adopt specific initiatives tailored for aboriginal communities, and ignore the need to enhance the operational capacity of relevant public and private participants. Addressing these requirements will further reduce future losses and vulnerability.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
World Atlas of Geomorphic Features, by Rodman E. Snead, Robert E. Krieger and Van Nostrand Reinhold
Disaster Preparedness, Risk Zone Mapping and Vulnerability Analysis for Disaster Preparedness by M. Tag-Eldeen.     

新沂地震台监测环境保护区的建立与管理

新沂地震台依据《中华人民共和国防震减灾法》和中国地震局《地震及前兆数字化技术规范》,向新沂市政府提出"建立地震监测保护区"的建议,经过积极努力,征得地方政府的批准,最终成功地划定了台站监测保护区范围,并制定了保护区管理方案。     

Conferences

Second Caribbean Conference on Science, Hazards and Hazard Management; Kingston, Jamaica, 9-12 October 1996
Mitigating the Millennium: Seminar on Community Participation and Impact Measurement in Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Programmes; Overseas Development Institute, London, 9 October 1996     

基于计算机网络技术的天津市防震减灾技术系统

随着计算机的普及和网络技术的不断成熟,建立以计算机网络为依托的防震减灾地震快速响应系统已成为可能。“九五”期间,天津市地震局就计算机网络技术在防震减灾技术系统建设中的应用方面进行了尝试。通过计算机通信网络的建立,将地震监测预报、震后快速速报、早期趋势判定等工作环节有机地联系起来,在实际中发挥了重要作用。     

Disaster mental health training programmes in New York City following September 11, 2001

The need for mental health resources to provide care to the community following large‐scale disasters is well documented. In the aftermath of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster on September 11, 2001, many local agencies and organizations responded by providing informal mental health services, including disaster mental health training for practitioners. The quality of these programmes has not been assessed, however. The National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's School of Public Health reviewed disaster mental health training programmes administered by community‐based organizations, professional associations, hospitals, and government agencies after September 11. Results indicate that the quality and the effectiveness of programmes are difficult to assess. A wide range of curricula and a widespread lack of recordkeeping and credentialing of trainers were noted. Most of the training programmes provided are no longer available. Recommendations for improving the quality of disaster mental health training programmes are provided.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: A History of Persian Earthquakes by N.N. Ambraseys and C.P. Melville The Geography of Famine, by William A. Dando Nepal in Crisis: Growth and Stagnation at the Periphery , by Piers Blaikie Emergency Vector Control After Natural Disaster Future Worlds , by John Gribbin     

Facilitating disaster preparedness through local radio broadcasting

The 2008 Disaster Mitigation Preparedness (DMP) study took place in Aceh province, Indonesia. It sought to help develop radio programmes and messages to increase resilience to disasters. The role of radio was evaluated during and after the 2004 Asian tsunami disaster. The study team interviewed 984 tsunami survivors from nine sub-districts of Banda Aceh, and local nongovernmental organisations convened eight focus groups around the area of Aceh Besar. Six key informant interviews were held with government disaster management agencies. The DMP survey is the first of its kind to interview a representative random sample of Banda Aceh residents. It reveals the importance of community and social networks, during disaster situations, when essential communications are down. A disaster warning information system based on a multi-media approach needs to be developed. The wider community should be involved in the planning, education and training of Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar residents to facilitate appropriate personal and community survival strategies.     

Disaster preparedness and regional training on nine Caribbean islands: A longterm evaluation

This paper presents an analysis and evaluation of emergency preparedness and regionalized training on nine Caribbean islands during the period of 1980 to 1985. Preparedness on the islands is measured in numerous ways, including the existence and comprehensiveness of the disaster plan; existence and adequacy of district organizations; existence of an emergency operations centre; frequency of drills; adequacy of communications; and various other indicators. The regionalized training, which was provided out of a small, internationally-funded unit in Antigua, is evaluated in terms of the contribution it made to Caribbean preparedness during the period. Various management difficulties are analyzed and recommendations made for future, similar programs.     

Then and now: A 30-year journey from the ‘leading edge’

A fledgling disaster management organization in 1984, Jamaica's Office of Disaster Preparedness (ODP) hosted the pioneering international disaster mitigation conference to share information and to contemplate how vulnerability to disasters from natural hazards could be reduced. Over the period 1979–2009, the overall focus of the agency was response, given the plethora of extreme events, and the priority of the Government of Jamaica. The organization was associated with several efforts at disaster mitigation, but the need for building the agency's capacity to lead national efforts to integrate mitigation planning into development did not seem to gain traction among the policy makers. Growing losses since 2004, the evidence of climate change and the need for adaptation, and the regional and international disaster risk management agenda have brought attention to the need for review and development of Jamaica's disaster risk management capacity. This paper examines highlights of the 30-year journey of disaster management in Jamaica, and highlights proposals for strengthening the national framework and the organizational structure of ODPEM.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
Mass Casualties: A Lessons Learned Approach (Proceedings of the First International Assembly on Emergency Medical Services, 1982), edited by R.A. Cowley.
Geological Implications of Impacts of Large Asteroids and Comets on the Earth edited by Leon T. Silver and Peter H. Schultz
Tin Aicha – Nomad Village
The Ash Wednesday Bushfires in Victoria, 16th February 1983 by J. Oliver, N.R. Britton and M.K. James, Disaster Investigation Report No. 7     

THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRACTICE OF EMERGENCY AND DISASTER MEDICINE IN THE UNITED STATES

Accidents and sudden illness constitutes a major public health problem in many countries. Emergency medicine had developed as a vigorous new specialty in the U.S. and has fully integrated itself within the American medical and hospital system to provide improved emergency medical care. Emergency medicine plays a central role in disaster medical services, planning, and management and is the only specialty in American civilian medicine that includes disaster medicine as a primary field within its domain. Now that the basic framework of emergency medicine has been established, the American College of Emergency Physicians is implementing a nationwide training program on disaster planning and management for emergency physicians.     

Protecting cultural assets from bushfires: a question of comprehensive planning

Cultural heritage sites form an unrenewable asset that is threatened by natural disasters. Given the high bushfire risk, mandatory Bush Fire Risk Management Plans have been drawn up throughout New South Wales, Australia. We compared their mandatory provisions for the protection of heritage assets with an 'Ideal Heritage Disaster Plan', containing a series of non-negotiable elements. The examined plans fell well short of the ideal. Preparedness Plans generally lacked a discussion of suppression techniques (for historic heritage), prevention, prescribed drills and communication procedures. None of the Response Plans or Recovery Plans contained any of the required core elements, such as rapid suppression techniques and stabilisation procedures. Where aspects were covered, they were addressed in an inadequate level of detail. The overall quality of the cultural heritage components of the plans is judged to be poor. Suggestions are made on how to improve the situation if heritage assets are to have a future following bushfire events.     

深圳市高层建筑地震安全指数判定系统

以深圳市高层建筑为研究实例,介绍了香港大学的城市灾害损失评估及应急反应管理系统,并采用此系统内置的建筑易损性分析模块,结合泛珠三角地区灾害危险性概率模式,场地特征及高层建筑实地调查分析结果,从建筑安全性角度对深圳市的标志性建筑进行危险性分析,进而对深圳市应对突发性灾难事件的管理建设提出建议。作为应用实例,模拟一定概率条件下的灾难事件发生时的建筑物损坏情况,归纳出高层建筑的损坏模式,总结深圳市高层建筑的安全性隐患,提出目前防灾减灾急需实施的相应步骤:建议在一元化的城市灾害预警和应急指挥体系下,整合各个灾种防灾减灾管理部门的资源,以科学分析软件为灾情模拟和决策预案制定的工具,使危机处理的理念由领导决策型转向科学分析型,加强城市应对面对突发事件的能力,保障经济与社会的持续稳定发展。     

Religious narratives and their implications for disaster risk reduction

The role of religious factors in the disaster experience has been under‐investigated. This is despite evidence of their influence throughout the disaster cycle, including: the way in which the event is interpreted; how the community recovers; and the strategies implemented to reduce future risk. This qualitative study examined the role of faith in the disaster experience of four faith communities in the Hawaiian Islands of the United States. Twenty‐six individuals from the Bahá'í, Buddhist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints (LDS), and United Methodist Church communities participated, including 10 faith leaders and 16 laypersons. The results suggest that religious narratives provide a framework for interpretation of, preparedness for, and responses to disasters. Preparedness varied widely across faith communities, with the LDS community reporting greater levels of preparedness than other communities. Recommendations include the development of collaborative efforts between disaster managers and faith leaders to increase preparedness within faith communities, which may facilitate community‐wide disaster risk reduction.     

Perceptions of personal and governmental actions to improve responses to disasters such as Superstorm Sandy

Superstorm Sandy made landfall in New Jersey on 29 October 2012, leaving tens of thousands homeless, businesses destroyed, and 90% of New Jersey residents without electricity. Widespread infrastructure and property damage, health-related issues, and social dislocations still remain among the challenges. We interviewed 756 people in central and coastal New Jersey to ascertain damage levels, what they would do differently next time, and what governments should do differently. To deal with future events, people thought that they should prepare, buy generators and other supplies, and evacuate sooner. Their actions dealt with preparedness, rather than recovery or resiliency. However, the subjects felt that governmental agencies also had a responsibility for emergency actions, recovery, and resiliency. Preparedness included better warnings and helping to prepare homes for the impending storm. During the storm, people thought government should have faster evacuations, communications, and provide shelter, security, and supplies. Recovery included providing gas and generators, restoring electricity, providing money, and quicker response by FEMA and insurance companies. People thought the government should ensure resiliency of their communities by allowing no beach-front homes, having better building standards, and restoring dunes. Coastal people suffered greater damage for longer, and voiced a higher sense of wanting government actions.     

Modeling flooding extent from Hurricane Floyd in the coastal plains of North Carolina

Abstract

In this article two modeling approaches were developed based on the use of US Geological Survey digital elevation model (DEM) data. These models were utilized to delineate the extent of flooding induced by precipitation from Hurricane Floyd in a portion of Pitt County, North Carolina. The patterns of flood extent derived from the two models were compared to the extent of flooding indicated on a digital aerial photograph taken two days after peak flood levels had been reached. In addition, floodplain boundaries based on Federal Emergency Management Agency Q3 maps were compared to the extent of flooding on the aerial photo. Actual emergency response operations undertaken through the Pitt County Emergency Operations Center during the flood event are described, and are used to provide a context for evaluating the potential utility of these models. The flood extents produced by the modeling methods performed well at representing the actual extent of the flooding.     

Risk communication in emergency response to a simulated extreme flood

Risk communication in flood incident management can be improved through developing hydrometeorological and engineering models used as tools for communicating risk between scientists and emergency management professionals. A range of such models and tools was evaluated by participating flood emergency managers during a 4-day, real-time simulation of an extreme event in the Thamesmead area in the Thames estuary close to London, England. Emergency managers have different communication needs and value new tools differently, but the indications are that a range of new tools could be beneficial in flood incident management. Provided they are communicated large model uncertainties are not necessarily unwelcome among flood emergency managers. Even so they are cautious about sharing the ownership of weather and flood modelling uncertainties.     

Risk communication in emergency response to a simulated extreme flood

Risk communication in flood incident management can be improved through developing hydrometeorological and engineering models used as tools for communicating risk between scientists and emergency management professionals. A range of such models and tools was evaluated by participating flood emergency managers during a 4-day, real-time simulation of an extreme event in the Thamesmead area in the Thames estuary close to London, England. Emergency managers have different communication needs and value new tools differently, but the indications are that a range of new tools could be beneficial in flood incident management. Provided they are communicated large model uncertainties are not necessarily unwelcome among flood emergency managers. Even so they are cautious about sharing the ownership of weather and flood modelling uncertainties.