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In this article, the author focuses on the effective plans to avoid damage and loss of life from natural disasters with reference to the volcano Vesuvius in Italy. He informs that Vesuvius has erupted violently several times in history and is certain to erupt again. He adds that the Italian Civil Protection Agency implemented a Vesuvius Evacuation Plan that warns about two weeks before an eruption on the basis of seismicity, ground deformation, geochemistry of gas, and gravitometry.

Governments around the world are forced to react to disasters caused by weather. The agricultural sector is particularly susceptible to weather extremes and adverse climate conditions. In the US, agricultural disaster payments account for a significant part of total agricultural subsidies. The payments, and their distribution, are more important in the areas most affected by disastrous weather events, usually coinciding with areas of pronounced impact of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In this article, the impact of weather and climate, as well as some economic variables, on disaster payments is analysed using county level data from four states in the southeastern United States. The results suggest that weather and climate variables explain most of the crop disaster payments at the county level while socioeconomic variables do not, suggesting that advancements in weather and climate forecasts could be helpful in planning for disaster compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Flood Insurance Program was created as a means to provide low-cost flood insurance and encourage responsible floodplain management while avoiding the costs associated with traditional disaster relief. However, outdated policies and poor management led to massive debt and programmatic shortcomings, and without major structural reform the program would fail, leaving millions underinsured. After years of delay and associated economic turmoil, Congress recently implemented a massive reform of the program and its policies in an attempt to ensure its near-term viability. These amendments address the majority of the issues raised by the public and the insurance industry, and constitute a significant and successful overhaul of an ailing program. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article suggests that natural disasters can produce a ripe moment for conflict resolution because governments faced with the demand for effective disaster relief have incentives to offer concessions to separatist challengers. An analysis of the prevalence of new negotiations, ceasefires, and peace agreements during 12-month periods before and after natural disasters for separatist dyads 1990–2004 reveal some support for this proposition. Natural disasters increase the likelihood that parties will initiate talks or agree to ceasefires but have less effect on the signing of peace agreements. In line with the proposed mechanism, these results are particularly strong in democracies and following more severe disasters where the need to provide relief is most acute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coordinating organizational activity across different sectors is crucial in disaster management. We analysed the response of 291 aid workers to the Haiti earthquake in 2010 and found that common incentives and a high degree of equality among aid organizations positively affected perceived network coordination. Large and public organizations were more likely to take leadership roles and high numbers of public organizations involved in the disaster response network led to improved network coordination. These results indicate the need for mechanisms that enable smaller and non-profit organizations to participate in network coordination and leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cyclone Sidr, a Category 4 storm, struck the southwestern coast of Bangladesh on 15 November 2007. Despite early cyclone warnings and emergency evacuation orders for coastal residents, thousands of individuals stayed in their homes. This study examines Sidr victims’ responses to cyclone warnings and evacuation orders, and explores the factors that would explain why the victims did or did not comply with the orders. Based on survey data collected from 277 Sidr survivors living in the four most severely impacted coastal districts, this study found that more than 75 percent of all respondents were aware of the cyclone warnings and evacuation orders before Sidr's landfall. Despite the efforts of the Bangladesh government, there were lapses in cyclone warnings and evacuation procedures. Field data also reveal several reasons cited by respondents for not complying with evacuation orders. Multivariate analyses of survey data show that trust in warning messages was the most important determinant in the decision to seek refuge in safer shelters, followed by distance to nearest shelter and annual level of education. Several recommendations have been made to improve cyclone warnings and the use of public shelters for similar future events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's observations and speculations concerning the practices of folk performance art in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. The author focuses on both the annual and incidental traditional folk ritual practices of Japan for mourning the dead. Accounts are given noting ways in which these rituals were performed during the reconstruction period, how some traditions have been adapted or changed due to the logistics of the earthquake damage, and the psychological value of the rituals for the survivors. Discussion is also offered regarding initiatives to preserve cultural practices in regions that were devastated by the earthquake, such as the deer dance of the Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures.

In this paper I discuss anthropological approaches to natural disaster. Based on a review of the literature and my experience after the Great East Japan Earthquake, hereafter referred to as 3.11, I argue that responding (in the emergency period), bridging (in the early rehabilitation period), and writing (in the long-term reconstruction period) can be anthropological ways of dealing with natural disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lessons from the SARS Epidemic, Southern Snowstorm, and Wenchuan Earthquake led to a second generation disaster management policy framework by integrating different components and building emergency capacity in terms of problem solving. However, some policy changes, like broadening the focus to include multiple disaster types, extending the emergency life cycle, and establishing professional rescue teams, are effective in clarifying responsibility, developing institutional procedures, and enabling faster and more professional response, while other policy changes are not effective due to the structural constraints of China's political system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

During periods before and after the beginning of the new century, Japan has experienced many natural disasters, including the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. Lessons have been learned from past disasters to reduce future disasters. Based on these lessons, a common framework needs to be devised for comparative study of disaster cases to extract common wisdom to help reduce future disasters. This article reviews changes that have been made in disaster policy and education in Japan since the 1995 Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and also global changes in disaster reduction through activities of the United Nations, based on white papers published by the Japanese central government, 1995–2010. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper analyzes the voluntary involvement of two Red Cross organizations engaged in post-disaster cross-sector collaborative efforts for the 2004 Asian Tsunami and the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake. Using Bryson, Crosby, and Stone's expanded model for nonprofit collaboration as a framework, I compare and contrast the disaster management collaborated by both voluntary organizations. The findings illuminate the strengths of voluntary involvement in disaster collaborative management, as well as its limitations during extreme events. Implications of the findings for cross-border voluntary contributions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The provisioning of real-time applications such as voice and video over Mobile Ad Hoc Networks has been the subject of a significant amount of research due to increasing user demand. The efficient deployment of these services presents challenges due to capacity requirements and stringent delay constraints. Therefore, the design of an efficient and reliable routing scheme providing Quality of Service (QoS) support for such applications is a major objective. This paper provides an up-to-date survey of salient QoS routing approaches based on the interaction with the Medium Access Control layer. A brief outline of the operation, as well as the strengths and limitations of each scheme is presented. In addition, the open issues that must be addressed in the design of QoS-aware routing algorithms are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geospatial technologies can be used in many intervention stages, from adaptation to disaster relief, and also in disaster response situations. These technological tools have been shown to have a transformative power on the quality and efficacy of response efforts. This paper focuses on the risk reduction phase. This phase is a continuous endeavor aimed at increasing resilience. For example, in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, groups of remotely stationed volunteers remapped Haiti using satellite imagery. Forces on the ground used this imagery to print maps using OpenStreetMap (OSM). Using cell-phone text messages, Short Message Service (SMS) response forces were able to locate and rescue citizens. The Ushahidi platform and OSM created a new paradigm for disaster response in which residents take the lead in operations. Unfortunately, this was able to happen only after the disaster hit. The following paper suggests a roadmap for the integration of crowd-sourcing tools and geospatial collaboration for the disaster preparedness phase. This multitiered proposal connects proper planning processes that engage the community, reduce risk, and ultimately provide for a more resilient community. The paper also aims to take the new disaster response paradigm and use it in the urban planning process. Rather than being a separate process, the disaster preparedness phase should enhance and strengthen communities, resulting in their becoming stronger and more resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale evacuations from major cities during no-notice events - such as chemical or radiological attacks, hazardous material spills, or earthquakes - have an obvious impact on large regions rather than on just the directly affected area. The scope of the impact includes the accommodation of emergency evacuation traffic throughout a very large area and the planning of resources to respond appropriately to the needs of the affected population. Compared to events with advance notice, such as evacuations based on hurricanes approaching an affected area, the response to no-notice events relies exclusively on pre-planning and general regional emergency preparedness. In this paper we present the design, methodology and results of a survey which was conducted in order to obtain empirical data on individuals' responses to no-notice evacuation which can be used to calibrate an evacuee behavior model for planning purposes. The results of the survey show that people are more likely to evacuate if they see others evacuating and whether the evacuation ordered or recommended making little difference. When the event risk is moderate evacuees are more likely to evacuate to a shelter than when the risk is high, in this case people are more likely to evacuate to friends or family house and hotels. The area covered in the sample mostly includes the Chicago Metropolitan Area. However, we argue that the regional differences in the response to a no-notice evacuation are likely to be negligible, in contrast to advanced-notice evacuations where conditioning may occur. Thus, the results of the survey could be applicable nation-wide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the motivations behind the provision of disaster aid. Is this aid provision driven more by ‘humanitarian’ variables such as the severity of the political or natural emergency in the recipient state or ‘political’ variables such as the economic or strategic interest of the donor state? Through a statistical analysis of the aid activity of 22 donor states between 1997 and 2008, it is found that, contrary to much of the literature on humanitarian aid in general, humanitarian variables are consistently significant predictors of disaster aid provision. However, certain political variables are also significant, in that donor states provide more disaster aid to trading partners, former colonies, and military allies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using original post-disaster household survey data gathered in rural Fiji, this article explores the disaster–gender nexus. Female-headed households are disadvantaged, not because of bias against them in disaster damage or relief, but because of a newly emerging gendered division of labour for dwelling rehabilitation that tightens their constraints on intra-household labour allocation. Female-headed households with damaged dwellings resort to female labour activities connected with informal risk sharing – augmenting production of handicrafts for kava rituals in exchange for male-labour help. Female-headed households without male-adult members resort to such activities more than those with them, because of their distinctly different decision-making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: It is likely that calls for disaster medical assistance teams (DMATs) continue in response to international disasters. As part of a national survey, the present study was designed to evaluate the Australian DMAT experience and the need for logistic support. Methods: Data were collected via an anonymous mailed survey distributed via State and Territory representatives on the Australian Health Protection Committee, who identified team members associated with Australian DMAT deployments from the 2004 Asian Tsunami disaster. Results: The response rate for this survey was 50% (59/118). Most of the personnel had deployed to the South East Asian Tsunami affected areas. The DMAT members had significant clinical and international experience. There was unanimous support for dedicated logistic support with 80% (47/59) strongly agreeing. Only one respondent (2%) disagreed with teams being self sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours. Most felt that transport around the site was not a problem (59%; 35/59), however, 34% (20/59) felt that transport to the site itself was problematic. Only 37% (22/59) felt that pre-deployment information was accurate. Communication with local health providers and other agencies was felt to be adequate by 53% (31/59) and 47% (28/59) respectively, while only 28% (17/59) felt that documentation methods were easy to use and reliable. Less than half (47%; 28/59) felt that equipment could be moved easily between areas by team members and 37% (22/59) that packaging enabled materials to be found easily. The maximum safe container weight was felt to be between 20 and 40 kg by 58% (34/59). Conclusions: This study emphasises the importance of dedicated logistic support for DMAT and the need for teams to be self sufficient for a minimum period of 72 hours. There is a need for accurate pre deployment information to guide resource prioritisation with clearly labelled pre packaging to assist access on site. Container weights should be restricted to between 20 and 40 kg, which would assist transport around the site, while transport to the site was seen as problematic. There was also support for training of all team members in use of basic equipment such as communications equipment, tents and shelters and water purification systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Calls for disaster medical assistance teams (DMATs) are likely to continue in response to international disasters. As part of a national survey, this study was designed to evaluate Australian DMAT experience in relation to the human resources issues associated with deployment. Methods: Data was collected via an anonymous mailed survey distributed via State and Territory representatives on the Australian Health Protection Committee, who identified team members associated with Australian DMAT deployments from the 2004 South East Asian Tsunami disaster. Results: The response rate for this survey was 50% (59/118). Most personnel had deployed to the Asian Tsunami affected areas with DMAT members having significant clinical and international experience. While all except one respondent stated they received a full orientation prior to deployment, only 34% of respondents (20/59) felt their role was clearly defined pre deployment. Approximately 56% (33/59) felt their actual role matched their intended role and that their clinical background was well suited to their tasks. Most respondents were prepared to be available for deployment for 1 month (34%, 20/59). The most common period of notice needed to deploy was 6–12 hours for 29% (17/59) followed by 12–24 hours for 24% (14/59). The preferred period of overseas deployment was 14–21 days (46%, 27/59) followed by 1 month (25%, 15/59) and the optimum shift period was felt to be 12 hours by 66% (39/59). The majority felt that there was both adequate pay (71%, 42/59) and adequate indemnity (66%, 39/59). Almost half (49%, 29/59) stated it was better to work with people from the same hospital and, while most felt their deployment could be easily covered by staff from their workplace (56%, 33/59) and caused an inconvenience to their colleagues (51%, 30/59), it was less likely to interrupt service delivery in their workplace (10%, 6/59) or cause an inconvenience to patients (9%, 5/59). Deployment was felt to benefit the affected community by nearly all (95%, 56/59) while less (42%, 25/59) felt that there was a benefit for their own local community. Nearly all felt their role was recognised on return (93%, 55/59) and an identical number (93%, 55/59) enjoyed the experience. All stated they would volunteer again, with 88% strongly agreeing with this statement. Conclusions: This study of Australian DMAT members provides significant insights into a number of human resources issues and should help guide future deployments. The preferred 'on call' arrangements, notice to deploy, period of overseas deployment and shift length are all identified. This extended period of operations needs to be supported by planning and provision of rest cycles, food, temporary accommodation and rest areas for staff. The study also suggests that more emphasis should be placed on team selection and clarification of roles.While the majority felt that there was both adequate pay and adequate indemnity, further work clarifying this, based on national conditions of service should be, and are, being explored currently by the state based teams in Australia. Importantly, the deployment was viewed positively by team members who all stated they would volunteer again, which allows the development of an experienced cohort of team members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the importance of the therapeutic relationship and the need for cultural competence in adventure therapy. Cultural differences between therapist and client can sometimes result in possible misinterpretation and conflict, which can lead to problems in the therapeutic relationship and negatively affect treatment outcomes. This paper builds on current research in adventure education and therapy examining the therapeutic relationship, cultural competence and multicultural factors, and emphasizes the need for cultural bridging through shared adventure. A framework is presented for using shared adventure to develop the therapeutic relationship cross-culturally in adventure therapy. An example of a Taiwanese adventure therapy initiative is presented highlighting the use of shared adventure to create a cultural bridge following a natural disaster in the Szechuan province of China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Effective response and preparedness plans are important for successfully coping with environmental emergencies. ‘Quickness’ and ‘accuracy’ are the most important requirements of environmental emergency response and preparedness planning. We propose the use of case-based reasoning (CBR) technology to develop response and preparedness plans using these principles. Taking into account the characteristics of a real environmental emergency, the development is presented using the example of a CBR – Oil Spill Response and Preparedness System. This paper introduces the methodology, which includes system architecture, inputs and outputs, case structure, case retrieval, case adaptation, case evaluation and retention, and management of the case base. The following methods are presented to meet the requirements of environmental emergency response and preparedness planning: the Frame method for defining case representation; the modified Heterogeneous Euclidean-Overlap Metric method for defining the similarity function; and the Attribute Hierarchical Model method for assigning relative weights to attributes. The effectiveness and uncertainty of the methodology are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe natural disasters encourage the international community to donate humanitarian aid (materials and personnel) to the affected country, which is critical for its human security. Some authoritarian regimes, however, rationally reject such aid despite the dire situation of their people. When an authoritarian regime decides whether to accept foreign humanitarian aid for severe natural disasters or not, it considers two political factors: (1) the risk and (2) the need to accept aid, which is a type of exogenous shock that may threaten the stability of the regime and its survival. This paper considers the factors of risk (regime type, domestic struggle, and international pressure) as inherent and contingent determinants of regime stability, and the need factors by looking at the different types of sources from which the regime gains its legitimacy (electoral mandate, economic development, or ideology). If the risk is less and the need is more, the regime is more likely to accept the aid, otherwise not. The two authoritarian regimes hit by severe natural disasters - the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China and the 2008 Cyclone Nargis-caused floods in Myanmar - are considered as salient cases for the external variation between authoritarian regimes. This paper also finds some critical internal variation within an authoritarian regime and its differing responses during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and two other disasters - the 1976 Tangshan earthquake and the 2010 Qinghai earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the British Broadcasting Corporation's (BBC) decision to deny a request to air a Disasters Emergency Committee Appeal for Gaza in January 2009. The BBC argued that airing the appeal would threaten its impartiality. Despite the centrality of impartiality to the BBC, the concept's meaning is anything but unequivocal. An exploration of a media offensive, which BBC executives launched in response to public outrage over the decision, seeks to reconstruct what definition of impartiality is inferred by the BBC's rationale behind not airing the appeal. The analysis illustrates how the BBC's justification engages dialogically with the critical position of others and, by doing so, draws on diverse understandings of impartiality. We argue that this 'semantic plasticity' of impartiality does not point at institutional confusion, but rather at BBC's executives capitalising on the rhetorical potential this plasticity affords. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In January 2009, the BBC refused to broadcast an appeal by the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) for humanitarian relief for refugees in the Gaza region on the grounds that it would compromise BBC impartiality. This study highlights three issues raised by the decision: the blurring of the lines between news and non-news; the journalistic norm of impartiality and its utility and consequences; and the need for greater theorizing on the responsibilities that media institutions have to 'faraway others.' This study uses this decision by the BBC to spur a broader epistemological critique that will seek to map out a vision for a globally-conscious and responsible media practice, spur future theorizing on matters of media ethics, globalization, humanitarianism, and the intersections within, and to call for media practice that is responsive to, and compassionate towards, the needs of people across the world, not just those within the borders within which they operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the author's views on social work for older people related to disaster relief. The author discusses the vulnerability of older people following natural disasters such as the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand and the Sendai earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Information is provided on government emergency responses, as well as on social workers and disaster preparedness.

Prior research evidence shows that strategic and managerial utility motivation explains corporate philanthropic contribution efficiently in western countries. An important question arises, however, regarding whether the corporate philanthropic contribution model is equally appropriate for all types of corporate social responsibility (CSR) (e.g. donation) in all business settings (e.g. Chinese listed firms' philanthropic responses to disaster). In this paper, we consider the unique two-tier board structure of Chinese listed firms and argue that firms with women on the board of directors (BOD) and the supervisory board (SB) are able to challenge this model. Data collected from Chinese listed firms' philanthropic responses to disaster extended the finding that the agency theory with moderators explains corporate philanthropic disaster response much better in the Chinese context. Specifically, the relationship between agency costs and corporate philanthropy (e.g. the likelihood of donation and extent of corporate contributions) weakens in listed firms with a higher vs. lower number of women on the SB. However, women on BODs do not have a similar effect. This constructive replication provides the first examination of the moderating role of women on BODs and SBs on corporate philanthropic behavior. In addition, the findings have important managerial implications for how to enact CSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the messages conveyed to the public by the local media coverage of the relief efforts of firefighters and volunteers from the floods in Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota in Spring 2009. It states that photographs and articles in "The Forum" reflected human dominance over natural disasters. Moreover, the coverage also perpetuated the hegemonic view that men are the ones to save the community from floods and other natural disasters.

The world was shocked by the terrible earthquake that hit Haiti on 12 January 2010 and by the subsequent humanitarian needs. The Prince Claus Fund immediately contacted its network in Haiti and was astonished by the courage and strength of the people dealing with this terrible situation. Signs of resilience arose from amid the rubble, and stories of hope and survival fed people's readiness to fight. Bolstered by their religion and culture, people in Haiti are still facing challenges every day, challenges they face with pride. In order to support the people in Haiti, the Prince Claus Fund has put its Cultural Emergency Response programme into action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina displaced the largest number of public school children ever affected by any disaster. Approximately 370,000 children, including 15,000 Latino/Hispanic children from Louisiana, were scattered throughout the 48 U.S. states (Landrieu, 2010; Louisiana Department of Education, 2004). Although much of the media attention, policy, and research have focused on the effects of race-primarily Black/White-in New Orleans disaster relief, Latino immigrant children were the silenced, invisible victims of the evacuation, policy, relief, and recovery services. The largely unreported immigrant evacuation from Louisiana was along a silent underground railroad of sorts, using a network of relatives and countrymen whenever they could (Plocek, 2006). The findings of this article illustrate the theoretical implications and consequences of identifying immigrant children as racially White. This study documents the intersections of local, state, and federal policy regarding schools and recovery relief showing that access to disaster relief and recovery were framed in context of immigration status often placing citizen children in at-risk conditions. Children have become the victims of anti-immigrant sentiment rising from the much symbolic and actual harassment that constitute the daily, shadow lives of the undocumented population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful disaster response is an exercise in managing human resources under very difficult conditions. Catastrophic disasters can disrupt both the physical communication networks and the social networks critical to efficient response and recovery. While a well-designed disaster plan serves as a framework, it often requires communication and collaboration between responders to adapt it to the situation at hand. Displacement of library staff adds to the chaotic nature of post-disaster communications, increasing the need for collaborative Web spaces to adapt to changing situations. Using case studies of catastrophic disaster response at libraries, this article begins with an analysis of human resource management problems common to disaster response coordinators worldwide. It then discusses Auburn University Libraries' uses of free Web 2.0 applications in support of library disaster preparation, response, and recovery. While Auburn University's location on the coastal plain of Alabama is vulnerable to both hurricanes and tornadoes, Auburn has so far only needed to respond to small-scale disasters. The devastation suffered by libraries in the paths of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita served to propel Auburn toward a more comprehensive preparedness stance. Disaster planning at Auburn has embraced Web 2.0 applications, such as Google Documents and Google Talk, to introduce redundant communication channels and to allow for efficient collaboration regardless of the location of library responders. By identifying key Web 2.0 applications and properties that are useful for response and recovery efforts, the research in this article may assist other libraries in improving their disaster preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sociological research emphasizes that personal networks offer social resources in times of need and that this capacity varies by the social position of those involved. Yet rarely are sociologists able to make direct comparisons of such inequalities. This study overcomes this methodological challenge by examining network activation among residents of two unequal neighborhoods severely devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Results indicate that local network capacities of Lower Ninth Ward residents relative to those of the more affluent Lakeview neighborhood dissipated before, during, and after the disaster to erode the life chances of individual residents and the neighborhood they once constituted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From United Nations emergency responses involving tent camps, to the reconstruction approach of FUNDASAL in El Salvador and the post-disaster provision of housing by Caritas in Asia, it is clear that a giant step has been taken in thinking about emergency shelter, as well as about how prevention and reconstruction are managed. This article evaluates some current good practices in Asia and Latin America in post-disaster emergency shelter that use local skills, materials, and tools, and participatory processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early stages of post-disaster response, a quick and reliable damage assessment map is essential. As time is a critical factor, automated damage mapping from remotely sensed images is the expected solution to drastically reduce data acquisition and computation time. Recently, high-resolution satellite images, such as QuickBird data, have been in high demand by damage assessment analysts and disaster management practitioners. However, the existing automated mapping approaches hardly accommodate such high-resolution data. This research aims at developing a new context-based automated approach for earthquake damage mapping from high-resolution satellite images. Relevant contextual information (including structure, shape, size, edge texture, spatial relations) describing the damage situation is formulated and up-scaled on a morphological scale-space. Speed optimization is achieved by parallel processing implementation. The developed approach was tested with two QuickBird images acquired on 26 June 2005 and 3 June 2008 over YingXiu town, Sichuan, China, which suffered the devastating 12 May 2008 earthquake. In comparison to the reference, the developed mapping approach could achieve over 80% accuracy for computation of the damage ratio. Future research is planned to test the approach on various disaster cases for both optical and radar images using a grid-computing platform towards a cost-effective damage mapping solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few frameworks exist to guide home health nurses during the response and recovery phases of disasters such as flooding. The Double ABCX Model of Family Adaptation is offered as an example of a guiding framework for nurses in postflood management. Phases of the model are linked to the nursing process, and management strategies are applied to individuals and families living in the community. Postcrisis decision-making is detailed through the discussion of nursing diagnoses, interventions, and evaluation. Implications highlight the value of using a theoretical framework to guide practice, develop knowledge, and clarify the home health nurse's role in postflood management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a study of the increasingly common phenomenon of developing states refusing some or all international aid following serious natural disaster. Aid refusal by the Myanmar junta following a 2008 cyclone is only the most recent prominent example of this practice, and I present here an original dataset of all cases of disaster aid refusal occurring between 1982 and 2006. Through quantitative analysis, I show that although poorer states are indeed less likely to refuse aid than wealthier states, recipient need does not alone drive the decision-making process. Nor are autocratic regimes any more or less likely to refuse aid than democratic regimes. Rather, just as recently transitioned states have been shown by other scholars to be particularly likely to engage in military conflict, I find that they are also particularly likely to publicly and explicitly refuse aid and insist on their own ability to handle disaster relief and recovery. Aid refusal, much like aid provision, is at its core a political act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster case management is an important but under-researched aspect of disaster recovery. This study explored the perspectives of case managers and supervisors about the needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors. Telephone interviews with 168 case managers and supervisors in 32 states identified client motivation and availability of resources as key factors in successful cases. Conversely, lack of client motivation perceived or resources were key factors in challenging cases. Housing, employment, and transportation were identified as survivors' greatest needs. Further research is needed to develop best practices in enhancing client motivation, addressing cultural differences, and improving post-disaster resource development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnitude of the December 2004 tsunami disaster generated a massive outpouring of donations in support of the people affected. The media attention generated, combined with the magnitude of the funds involved, presented major challenges for organizations responding to this disaster. This paper draws primarily on a project in Tamil Nadu that utilized funds from a Canadian International Development Agency, as channeled through four churches in Canada to an Indian nongovernmental organization, to address the relief and rehabilitation challenges faced by 12 coastal villages. Specifically, the challenges of a transition from relief to development in these low-income fishing villages will be analyzed to assess whether this tsunami has had longer-term effects on how development assistance is transferred to deserving participants affected by low, unstable income as well as disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wenchuan earthquake is the largest devastating earthquake striking China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. In this catastrophe, loss payments were mainly from the government and public endowment. The insurance industry is expected to take more responsibility in the future, since earthquake insurance is one of the most effective and equitable instruments to disperse earthquake losses. In this article, earthquake risk management and the development of earthquake insurance in China are reviewed. Earthquake insurance is suggested as an instrument in earthquake risk management, where the premium rate of earthquake insurance is a key factor that needs to be determined reasonably. Seismic hazard is analyzed for the Wenchuan earthquake-stricken area, and is combined with primary loss estimation to construct the exceeding probability curve. Earthquake insurance premium rates are calculated for buildings in the area, including RC (Reinforced Concrete), frame, and brick, corresponding to two kinds of insurance deductible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of mass collaboration in risk management was studied during the Sichuan earthquake under a Web-based “PeopleFinder” project, where information is contributed and shared among mass contributors. The case study is provided by a great earthquake that happened in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, of southwestern China at 2:28 p.m. on May 12, 2008. We witnessed and experienced the rescue and relief efforts for the great earthquake. In this article, two fundamental frameworks are developed to study the mechanism of mass collaboration. Mass collaboration is proven to be effective in a big public crisis such as the Sichuan earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters by definition are surprises, causing a great deal of damage and inconvenience. Earthquakes are among the most terrifying and destructive natural disasters threatening humans. Emergency management has been described as the process of coordinating an emergency or its aftermath through communication and organization for deployment and the use of emergency resources. This special section of HERA provides the state of the art studies of risk and emergency management related to the Wenchuan earthquake that occurred in China in May 2008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluate effects of low socioeconomic position (SEP) and social networks among Black Hurricane Katrina victims on access to and processing of evacuation orders, and abilities to evacuate before the storm hit. We also explore whether SEP, moderating conditions, and communication outcomes affected risk perceptions of the storm's severity and compliance with evacuation orders. We conducted stepwise logistic regression analyses using survey data collected in September 2005 among Black respondents in shelters throughout Houston, TX. Having few social networks, being unemployed, and being of younger age were significantly associated with having heard evacuation orders and whether victims' perceived having heard clear orders. This study provides implications for targeted public health emergency campaigns and future research to understand the effects of sociodemographic influences on communication inequalities and public health preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overwing exits are installed on a number of smaller transport aircraft. With a traditional overwing exit, once released, the hatch is not attached to the fuselage and will fall into the cabin. To operate, the hatch has to be brought inwards, manoeuvred and placed in a location where it does not obstruct egress. Accidents and experimental studies have shown that the hatch is not always disposed of into an appropriate location. Evacuation trials from a smaller transport aircraft cabin were conducted. The placement of the exit hatch was manipulated. The results indicated that hatch placement had a significant effect on passenger evacuation rates from a smaller transport aircraft, with the internal placement tested resulting in slower evacuation rates. The study has highlighted the importance of operators disposing of the hatch into a location whereby it does not impede egress. One way to ensure this would be the installation of an automatically disposed hatch. Statement of Relevance: It is important that all occupants can evacuate an aircraft rapidly if required. The influence of overwing hatch placement on evacuation from smaller transport aircraft was addressed Evacuation trials concluded that an inappropriately placed hatch can negatively influence evacuation rates. Improvements to exit design and passenger education were suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the use of risk and resilience theory to understand how individuals and communities respond to natural disasters that present ongoing developmental challenges to personal and collective well-being. In the past two to three decades, mental health workers have developed numerous disaster relief strategies; while economists have become expert at estimating risk. These develops are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of humanitarian assistance, sport and play have recently gained attention as innovative instruments to support a psychosocial rehabilitation process in post-disaster and post-conflict situations. The project 'Sport and play for traumatized children and youth', implemented by the Swiss Academy for Development after the earthquake in Bam, Iran, was a pilot project conducted in this field. This essay discusses the experiences gained and lessons learnt from the project, indicating the advantages and limitations of using sport and play as tools to support psychosocial rehabilitation in a post-disaster situation. Positive effects of the project were identified on both group and individual levels, but they cannot be attributed to the use of sport alone. The findings rather suggest that the coaches and their efforts to create a supportive environment have played a crucial role for the success of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores social workers' involvement in the relief and reconstruction efforts that followed the Wenchuan earthquake. Two surveys were conducted nine months after the earthquake to determine the views of both earthquake victims and social workers themselves on the efficacy of the social workers' involvement in post-disaster relief and reconstruction. In addition, 26 social workers were interviewed regarding the problems and difficulties they encountered during disaster assistance. It was found that social workers perform various services in post-disaster relief and reconstruction, and that social workers encounter many difficulties in their efforts to provide disaster assistance. Based on the research findings, recommendations are provided for social work development in mainland China. [image omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The earthquake which struck Sichuan Province left a trail of destruction in Wenchuan. Like others who had rushed there to assist in delivering relief as well as rehabilitation, there was much to learn and reflect on, particularly as a director of an International NGO in China and a postgraduate student of social work. This paper is a documentation of this reflective journey. [image omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories and practices of self-organization have spread broadly in recent decades, through academia to business management to software development to disaster relief planning to progressive political activism, and so on. The question this paper addresses is whether self-organization can also become a viable mode of cultural analysis. Using the experience of January 2007, when a varied group of scholars convened in Las Vegas to 'swarm' the Consumer Electronics Show, I examine in detail this question of swarm-as-method. The 'swarm scholarship' we road-tested at the convention is suggestive on a number of levels, but foremost for the way it challenges fundamental norms and expectations surrounding authorship. A mode of scholarship such as our swarm stands little chance in the University, I argue, because it requires a different environment of rewards and incentives than currently dominant in the research culture of academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using framing theory to examine hundreds of press releases posted to the Web by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), this study asserts that FEMA provided useful information on survival and assistance, but that the organization emphasized good deeds and optimism while essentially ignoring social, political, and cultural issues that publicly defined the hurricanes and damaged FEMA's image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twitter is a free, platform-independent, Web 2.0 communication application that allows users to send short (up to 140 characters) electronic messages to other individual users and user groups. Twitter users can send messages to one another via most internet-enabled devices capable of text messaging. This new and unique service offers great potential for rapid and integrated response to disasters. We explore the upsides and the downsides of this free service as a modern communications tool in the hands of disaster response professionals, government agencies, crisis management organizations (CMOs), organizations, and victims of disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article documents how Japan's governing elites confronted the enormous tasks of restoring order over the disaster area of the Great Kantō Earthquake and providing relief and recovery assistance to approximately two million people. It also explores how and why numerous commentators evoked the imagery of war in constructing the 1923 catastrophe. They employed comparisons to war not only to describe the totality of destruction meted out by the earthquake and fires, but also to communicate the commitment that they believed the people of Japan would have to make to expedite recovery, rebuild the capital, and reconstruct the nation. Such an effort, many concluded, would require the mobilized efforts of all Japanese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]