Author: Rick Bissell, Ph.D.

Based on a popular course for the FEMA Higher Education project, Preparedness and Response for Catastrophic Disasters provides important insight into plans to mitigate and respond to the devastation caused by large-scale catastrophic events. Hurricane Katrina provided clear evidence that these occurrences are both qualitatively and quantitatively different from other disasters. Recent tragedies, like the 2004 South Asia tsunami, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and resulting nuclear plant meltdown in Japan further illustrate that we are not prepared for such events.

Table contents:
What Is a Catastrophe, and Why Is This Important?

Understanding Catastrophes: A Discussion of Causation, Impacts, Policy Approaches, and Organizational Structures.

Ethics in Catastrophe Readiness and Response.

Political and Legal Issues.

Economics of Catastrophes and Disasters.

Logistics and the Management of Critical Supplies Following Catastrophes.

Overview of Critical Infrastructure in Catastrophes.

Public Health Role in Catastrophes.

Catastrophes, Mass Displacement, and Population Resettlement.

Emergent Organizations and Networks in Catastrophic Environments.

Methods of Planning and Response Coordination.

Catastrophic Disaster Recovery: An Institutional Network Perspective.

Pandemic Scenario.

Training and Exercises for Catastrophes.

Catastrophes in Haiti and Japan.

Summary and Call to Action.

Index.