Abstract
This paper explores the possibilities for increased awareness, preparation and response to natural disasters, given the recent history of these events around the world. The paper gives a general overview of natural disasters and discusses the ability of private citizens and local, state and federal agencies to prepare for them. The paper goes into detail about some aspects of Hurricane Katrina and what could have been done differently to prepare for her.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Natural Disaster Overview
Community Preparedness for Disaster
Katrina, an Exercise in Ineffective Preparedness
Recommendations by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Disaster Preparedness
Early Warning Technology
The Future

From the Paper
"There is only one thing for certain; disaster will strike again. Meteorologists have noted that the period of reduced activity that occurred between 1971 to 1994 ended, and predict that three or more major hurricanes, rating Category 3 or higher, can be expected each year in the Atlantic, Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico (Beardsley, 2005). Earthquakes will continue to occur, as will tsunamis, wildfires, flooding, and the plethora of other disasters that affect communities around the world. Only through increased preparedness will the citizens of the world be protected from these unavoidable, inevitable events."

Tags:hurricane, tsunami, microelectromechanical, monitoring

Abstract
This paper explores both past and current methods of disaster management when volcanic activity occurs. The paper focuses on monitoring and detection as approaches to handling potentially disastrous situations. Various methods of detection are explained, such as seismic monitoring. The author concludes that new methods offer hope for better predictions of volcanic activity, yet more must be done for disaster preparation. This is imperative in order to better predict volcanic events and save the lives of those who witness such a natural disaster.

From the Paper
"Seismic monitoring is one of the most common ways to keep track of volcanic activity (Choi, 2004; Mileti, 1999). Seismometers monitor earth movement, including the earthquakes and tremors that sometimes indicate volcanic activity like underground magma movement (Choi, 2004). Though seismic activity is often linked to volcanic events successfully, not all seismic events indicate a coming eruption (Kerr, 2003). For this reason, seismometer readings do not always provide accurate predictions (Choi, 2004)."

Tags:volcanoes, eruptions, explosions, population, evacuation, hazards, geology, natural, disasters, disaster, management

Abstract
The paper examines the role to be played by the US Federal government and its responsibility in matters relating to disaster response and relief within the United States. The paper briefly discusses types of possible disaster before concentrating on natural disasters. The paper contends that Federal agencies are not adequately prepared for natural disasters and postulates that it is might be preferable for local agencies to handle disaster relief and to only turn to Federal agencies when there is a real need. The paper also contends that local communities should take more responsibility for their safety and reaction to disaster situations.

From the Paper
"It is no secret that many people believe the National Response Plan (NRP) failed drastically during and after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana in 2005. This plan was created by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be implemented when just such a disaster occurred (Dunham, 2002). The Department of Homeland Security is designed to protect the country against various threats (Eggen, 2003; Eggen & Mintz, 2003). Most notably, though, it is designed to protect the United States from terrorism on American soil and is not really set up for natural disasters in the way that people hoped it would be. This particular department was created after the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001. It is a cabinet-level post and the need for it was seen after the attacks.
"Originally, it appeared that very few, if any, people in the United States, in the government or otherwise, thought that the United States would be or could be vulnerable to terrorists. Natural disasters seemed more likely."

Tags:hurricane, nrp, homeland, security, nature, mississippi, louisiana, katrina, disaster

Abstract
This paper explains that the disaster of Hurricane Katrina should not be blamed on natural causes but rather on the after effects, which were caused by man. Even though officials knew of the vulnerability of New Orleans and of its problematic demographics, the author relates, preparation orders were delayed or not executed. For, example, evacuation was left to individuals, most of whom could not afford private transportation. The paper relates that, for several days after the hurricane hit, the government failed to provide the infrastructure to insure security and to prevent physical suffering and loss.

From the Paper
"The mayor called a news conference the morning of Aug 28 after Katrina was upgraded to a Category 5 storm, to issue an order to evacuate the city for the first time ever. However, 23.7% of the residents of the city lacked access to cars and fell below the poverty line. They did not have transportation nor could they pay for it, not that there was insufficient public transportation available to evacuate quickly whether residents had the money or not. Further, many of those with the resources to leave decided to stay, rationalizing that they had made it through other storms."

Tags:communication, levees, flooding, fema, looting

Abstract
This paper examines local, state and federal responsibility in maintaining emergency management services in preparation for natural disaster. A tornado is used as an example to demonstrate the varying levels of responsibility involved. An analysis of New York City's level of readiness is presented.

From the Paper
"Emergency management departments throughout the nation train year round in preparation for natural disasters. The more prepared the emergency management operation is in any town the more prepared, protected and secure the town residents feel. Emergency management holds responsibilities at several government levels in any disaster. The local, state and federal emergency management teams work together to coordinate the most effective and thorough plan possible in the event a natural disaster occurs.
HYPOTEHTICAL TOWN SITUATION
In the event of a tornado in Pleasant Town USA the emergency management office has several avenues it must travel to ensure all of its responsibilities are met. The federal, state and local teams all have connections and interactions with each other when a natural disaster occurs. The extent of the involvement of the state and federal offices is directly dependent on the amount of damage being done by the natural disaster. If a tornado hit Pleasant Town USA several things would occur at each level.""

Tags:NYC, federal, state, local, preparation, coordination, plan, protect, broadcase, communication, phone

Abstract
The paper discusses that America is spending heavily on defense and the extra expenditure is being funded at the expense of another important sector, emergencies in the US. America is ill prepared to effectively and expeditiously handle natural disasters and other emergencies on its soil. The paper concludes that the government has been adamant about increased funding for war, completely ignoring every kind of castigation . The paper says that this goes to show that public voice has little impact on the President's obstinate, albeit dangerous, resolve to win at all costs.

From the Paper
"Katrina and Rita victims were handled is enough to support this claim. Another major reason why we must cut down our spending on wars is because clearly those wars in foreign lands have not been able to buy us security. An average American today feels as vulnerable to attacks as he did 7 years ago and similarly an average Iraqi and Afghani is still worrying about the same problems as they did before the war. They like the Americans wanted security but none has been able to get what they bargained for. This is evident from number of surveys and polls as one sources explains: "The public's view that the federal government is spending too much on the military has increased substantially this year, to its highest level in more than 15 years. Gallup's annual World Affairs poll finds more than 4 in 10 Americans now saying the government is spending too much for national defense and the military. Despite this, in recent years, Americans have also become increasingly likely to say the nation's military is not strong enough, with slightly less than half currently expressing this sentiment. Republicans are slightly more likely than Democrats to say the country's military is currently not strong enough; Democrats are much more inclined to feel the government spends too much on the military."

Tags:budget, emergencies, defense, security, emergency, management

Abstract
This paper attempts to understand how people respond to technological disasters as opposed to natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. It examines two specific instances of such a catastrophe, the Exxon Valdez wreck and the Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown. It evaluates the psychological aspect of the way in which people prepare for catastrophes since technological disasters are human created and we understand when faced with them that we are (at least as a species if not as individuals) responsible for their occurrence. It looks at how these two specific incidents were chosen because they were thoroughly witnessed and documented, allowing us to examine how individuals, communities and social institutions " including governments " have responded in the case of such accidents. It evaluates how both of these disasters were embedded in political, social and economic contexts and how they would not have occurred if the historical events leading up to them had been different.

From the Paper
"Susan Cutter, in her book Living with Risk, suggests that public response to technological hazards is often ambiguous, resulting in over-reaction, under-reaction, and often no reaction at all. People have learned to prepare for and how to respond to tornadoes (for example). They know where tornadoes may be expected to occur, during what time of the year, what kind of weather produces them, how they sound when they are approaching. People have learned what an individual can do to increase his or her chances of survival, including having access to an underground shelter and seek that shelter rapidly when bad weather threatens."

Tags:exxon, valdez, wreck, chernobyl, nuclear, reactor, catastrophes

Abstract
This paper discusses the impact that disasters have on infrastructure in a networked world. It analyzes disasters that are technological such as the 2003 Blackout, intentional such as the September 11th terrorist attacks and natural such as Hurricane Katrina. The paper shows, through these disasters, how the networked nature of our critical infrastructure systems has made disaster planning and preparation that much more difficult.

From the Paper
"The critical infrastructures in the world, and in the U.S. in particular, have become increasingly dependent on one another. Disasters that singly affect one critical infrastructure will have cascading negative effects for all of the other interdependent infrastructures. In those cases in which energy infrastruc-tures are damaged from the outset, the impacts on the rest of the network of in-terdependent systems and infrastructures are especially dramatic. Without ac-cess to energy, recovery after any disaster is difficult and since all infrastruc-tures depend on energy inputs in one form or another, the collapse of an energy infrastructure can be especially devastating. Nonetheless, the important lesson to retain from these disasters discussed above is that all of our existing critical infrastructures are increasingly dependent on each other to operate and, as a re-sult, increasingly susceptible to collapse and damage as a result of seemingly unrelated disasters."

Tags:recovery, planning, devastation

Abstract
The paper discusses how the twenty-first century brought with it some challenging disasters; man made, technological, and natural. The paper notes that the worst of these in the minds of the public starts with Hurricane Katrina, and its devastating effects on the Gulf region and the City of New Orleans. There was, too, the technological "blackout" of much of the eastern seaboard in 2003, when circuits overloaded and crashed, leaving millions of people without electricity during one of the worst heat waves of the summer. The paper continues and looks at what has become the most visible and lasting disasters, a man made one, when the events of September 11, 2001, unfolded in New York City, Washington, D.C., and in Pennsylvania. The paper looks at how each of these events tested and tried the existing infrastructures of the places where the events took place. This paper examines whether or not American infrastructures have improved and are better prepared to deal with these kinds of events today.

Outline:
September 11, 2001
Hurricane Katrina
2003 Blackout

From the Paper
"Looking at the events of September 11, 2001, beginning in New York City; two commercial jetliners bound for destinations outside of New York were commandeered by terrorists, who then turned those passenger jets into flying weapons of mass destruction. Two planes hit the north and south towers of the World Trade Center, igniting jet fueled fires that completely destroyed both towers "

Tags:commercial, the, infrastructure, jetliners, economy, destinations, terrorists

Abstract
Public Health: The public health organization is prepared to an average degree to respond to natural or manmade disasters. It would appear, however, that the response by the organization may be limited, as there is a great focus on local health care needs, with no indication of ongoing preparedness planning.

From the Paper
The Development of Buddhism and Confucianism The Eastern religious traditions of Confucianism and Buddhism are structured around the experiences of the key figures of religious authority in these traditions, Confucius and Siddhartha Gautama. In comparing and contrasting these two traditions, it is evident that Confucian and Buddhist communities filled the gap left by their "founders" in a variety of ways, primarily by retaining the basic teachings and principles of their founders while interpreting them at times in

Tags:public, global, health