Planning for Emergencies and Disasters

The consequences of disastrous events are escalating across the world, for example, in terms of lives lost, injuries, adverse social conditions, economic costs and environmental destruction. Furthermore, the rapidity of action required when an emergency arises poses unique challenges to traditional planning and the provision of public services. This course introduces students to the discipline of disaster risk management, particularly regarding natural disasters, in order to better understand planning and public service approaches necessary to prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate future disaster impacts. The course also includes assessments of social and individual behaviors that serve as a foundation for understanding how people act in disasters, how behavioral changes may save lives and property, and how risks are or should be communicated at every stage.