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Strategical Disasters: Some Significant Trends in US Emergency Planning and Mitigation
Author(s) -
Sullivan James D.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of contingencies and crisis management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.007
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1468-5973
pISSN - 0966-0879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-5973.1993.tb00108.x
Subject(s) - natural disaster , emergency management , business , environmental planning , operations research , geography , engineering , economic growth , economics , meteorology
This paper examines some apparent trends in various types of emergencies, both human and natural. Specifically, fires, plant emergencies and earthquakes are the target areas of this discussion. The focus is further limited to those types of emergencies which occur in the United States; however, it is likely that similar trends are true for disasters throughout the world. In general, we appear to be spending more on emergencies, yet have not been able to mitigate them as well as we could a decade ago. Chemical plant emergencies appear to be increasing at least at a high linear rate and, possibly, exponentially. These trends will create major problems for the insurance industry over the next few years. It is also possible to forecast major disasters by such trend analysis. Based on additional research in the growing field of disaster statistics, appropriate levels of funding may need to be established for carrying out successful strategies against emergencies.