Introduction to Emergency Management, Third Edition

by Jane Bullock, Jane Bullock, Damon P. Coppola

Introduction to Emergency Management, Third Edition provides a comprehensive update of this foundational text on the background components and systems involved in the management of disasters and other emergencies. The book details current practices, strategies, and the key players involved in emergency management, especially in the U.S. but also around the world. Expanded coverage of local and state issues, particularly as they need to interact and work with FEMA and other federal agencies, adds value to public administrators locally tasked with protecting their community. The Third Edition is fully updated to cover FEMA's continually changing role within the Department of Homeland Security and the impact and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Lessons including proper planning, mitigation, in-crisis decisions, evacuation, and recovery shed light on how managers can avoid devastating breakdowns in communication and leadership during an event. Not only terrorist events but many such natural disasters require similar preparedness planning. Emergency planning is vital to the security of entire communities and thus an essential focus for research, planning and training. This new edition continues in its tradition of serving as an essential resource for students and young professionals in the discipline of Emergency Management.

Genres: Nonfiction, School

496 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Christopher Saul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comprehensive guide to how emergency management works in the United States. It also explains why EM is the way it is in the US.

Great book for a survey class for a Public Admin post-bac who works in local government.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent introduction to the field of emergency management as of about 2005. This volume is pitched at a level for newcomers to the subject. One problem: Its positive evaluation of the current American system looks silly when one adds Hurricane Katrina (the book was published before the hurricane struck). Obviously, the system was not in the state described in this volume.

Nonetheless, this is a nice work. It begins with a general introduction, including a history of emergency management in the US. The second chapter makes a critical point--the importance of an all hazards approach. Emergency management is not just about responding to terrorists--it is also about response to national disasters. The chapter does a fine job at emphasizing this.

Then, subsequent chapters consider the key issues of mitigation, response, recovery, and preparedness. We can try to reduce the odds of disasters and their consequences--but we must also plan on how to respond if such events actually occur. There follow chapters on communication, international disaster management, responding to the new terrorist threat, and the future of emergency management.

This book is quite useful for those who want an introductory analysis to the subject. As such, it performs pretty well, despite its overly optimistic view of the state of the system, at the time the book was published (recall the miserable performance of FEMA with Hurricane Katrina).

[Haileyjett]

For a textbook, this is actually a great read. Anyone looking into homeland security and emergency managment and needing an introduction to it - this is by far one of the best reads my professors have picked!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While easy to read, I rarely cracked the spine of this book for my Master's level class. It was a little too simplified for use as anything other than an introduction to terms. Perhaps it is better used as a Bachelor's level intro book.

[Hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Textbooks are generally good for what they are designed for and not much more. They help give some structure to a subject that otherwise would remain a choatic mix of ideas.

[Christina]

still reading

[John Purdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read everything except appendix. Wish I hadn't. The entire book can be summed up in one word: Bureaucracy. That is all. Read for DSEM class. The parts about terrorism were interesting.