In response to the unacceptable loss of life and property from recent natural disasters, and the awesome prospect of even greater, catastrophic loss in the future, the National Mitigation Strategy (NMS) was developed to provide a conceptual framework to reduce these losses. Hazard mitigation involves recognizing and adapting to natural forces and is defined as any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to human life and property. Contents: why a NMS? designing the strategy; basic principles and goals of the NMS; major elements and strategic objectives of the NMS; mitigation action plan. Tables.

Initial priorities for U.S. participation in the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, declared by the United Nations, are contained in this volume. It focuses on seven issues: hazard and risk assessment; awareness and education; mitigation; preparedness for emergency response; recovery and reconstruction; prediction and warning; learning from disasters; and U.S. participation internationally. The committee presents its philosophy of calls for broad public and private participation to reduce the toll of disasters.

In the past few years the United States has experienced a series of disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which have severely taxed and in many cases overwhelmed responding agencies. In all aspects of emergency management, geospatial data and tools have the potential to help save lives, limit damage, and reduce the costs of dealing with emergencies. Great strides have been made in the past four decades in the development of geospatial data and tools that describe locations of objects on the Earth's surface and make it possible for anyone with access to the Internet to witness the magnitude of a disaster. However, the effectiveness of any technology is as much about the human systems in which it is embedded as about the technology itself. Successful Response Starts with a Map assesses the status of the use of geospatial data, tools, and infrastructure in disaster management, and recommends ways to increase and improve their use. This book explores emergency planning and response; how geospatial data and tools are currently being used in this field; the current policies that govern their use; various issues related to data accessibility and security; training; and funding. Successful Response Starts with a Map recommends significant investments be made in training of personnel, coordination among agencies, sharing of data and tools, planning and preparedness, and the tools themselves.

This book focuses on problems encountered in areas of high risk for seismic events. It introduces the essential aspects of carrying out vulnerability assessments and applying practical measures to mitigate damage in hospitals addressing structural and nonstructural aspects as well as administrative and internal organization. In a period of only 15 years between 1981 and 1996 93 hospitals and 538 health care centers in Latin America and the Caribbean were damaged as a consequence of natural disasters. The direct cost of these disasters has been enormous; just as devastating has been the social impact of the loss of these critical facilities at a time when they were most needed. For these reasons special consideration must be given to disaster planning for these facilities. Assessing and reducing their vulnerability to natural hazards is indispensable. Principles of Disaster Mitigation in Health Facilities is an updated compilation of various documents on the topic already published by PAHO/WHO. Sections of previous publications have been revised to address the needs of professionals from a variety of disciplines particularly those involved in health facility planning operation and maintenance. Figures and photographs illustrate situations that can increase disaster vulnerability in health facilities. Examples are given of how countries in Latin America have conducted vulnerability assessments and applied specific disaster mitigation measures in their hospitals and health centers.

Losses of life and property from natural disasters in the United States-and throughout the world-have been enormous and the potential for substantially greater future losses looms. It is clearly in the public interest to reduce these impacts and to encourage the development of communities that are resilient to disasters. This goal can be achieved through wise and sustained efforts involving mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Implementing such efforts, particularly in the face of limited resources and competing priorities, requires accurate information that is presented in a timely and appropriate manner to facilitate informed decisions. Substantial information already exists that could be used to this end, but there are numerous obstacles to accessing this information, and methods for integrating information from a variety of sources for decision-making are presently inadequate. Implementation of an improved national or international network for making better information available in a more timely manner could substantially improve the situation. As noted in the Preface, a federal transition team is considering the issues and needs associated with implementing a global or national disaster information network as described in the report by the Disaster Information Task Force (1997). This National Research Council report was commissioned by the transition team to provide advice on how a disaster information network could best make information available to improve decision making, with the ultimate goal of reducing losses from natural disasters. The report is intended to provide the basis for a better appreciation of which types of data and information should be generated in an information program and how this information could best be disseminated to decision makers.