Response to disaster : fact versus fiction and its perpetuation : the sociology of disaster / Henry W. Fischer, III.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fischer, Henry W.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Disasters--Social aspects.

Disasters.

Disasters--Psychological aspects.

Disaster relief.

Disasters--Press coverage.

Physical Description:

xiv, 238 pages ; 23 cm

Edition:

Third edition.

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : University Press of America, [2008]

Summary:

Response to Disaster combines the original research of author Henry W. Fischer, III with the literature used today to describe behavioral and organizational challenges commonly experienced before, during, and after disasters. Actual problems are presented and compared to those often misperceived to occur, known as disaster mythology. Fischer examines case studies conducted during the post-impact and long-term recovery periods of major and minor disasters worldwide. He asserts that the role of the mass media assists in eliciting needed help with an effective response, but also perpetuates disaster mythology.

Fischer presents striking comparisons between the perception of disaster in the eyes of the general public, the actual situations emergency responders face, and the way mass media reporters broadcast information. Additionally, the problems encountered by emergency response organizations are compared and contrasted with general public and media perceptions of disaster response. Fischer presents the response to September 11, 2001, the south Asian tsunami, and Hurricane Katrina in this comprehensive third edition.

Contents:

Chapter 1 What is a Disaster? 1

A Disaster Scale 3

Frequency of Disaster Events 12

Types of Disasters 13

Disaster Time Periods 15

Four Phases of Emergency Management 16

Sociological Theory 18

How Do We Come to Know What We Know About Disasters? 26

Integration with Theory 26

Chapter 2 Who Does Disaster Research? 29

Several U.S. Centers of Disaster Research 32

Who's Who in Disaster Research? 34

Several Key Journals in Disaster Research 47

Chapter 3 Behavioral Response to Disaster 49

The Public Perception of How People Behave In a Disaster 49

First Case Study: Evacuation Behavior: Why Do Some Evacuate, While Others Do Not? A Case Study of the Ephrata, Pennsylvania Evacuation 57

The "Looting" Myth and the Reality 66

Second Case Study: Terrorism & September 11, 2001: Does the "Behavioral Response to Disaster" Model Fit? 69

Chapter 4 Why We Believe the Disaster Mythology 75

Mass Media as a Source of Information on Disasters 75

First Case Study: Disastrous Fantasizing in the Print Media: How Disasters Have Been Portrayed in Newsmagazine Reporting over a Forty Year Period 79

Second Case Study: Hurricane Gilbert: The Media's Creation of the Storm of the Century during September 1988 87

Chapter 5 Organizational Response to Disaster 115

Emergency Organizations 116

First Case Study: LEMA Myth Survey: Has Anything Changed in 20 Years? What the Professionals Believe & the Role of Experience 119

Second Case Study: Media's Impact on EOC Response: EOC Preoccupation with Media: Dorothy's Experience 130

Third Case Study: The Role of Education & Experience in Mitigation Planning 142

Fourth Case Study: Earthquake Hazard Risk Reduction & Seismic Vulnerability: Low Risk + No Experience with An Agent = No Mitigation 156

Fifth Case Study: The 2004 Boxing Day South Asian Tsunami: Mass Fatalities Management-Observations of the Field Team in Thailand 175

Sixth Case Study: The Emergency Management Response To Hurricane Katrina: As Told by the First Responders-A Case Study of What Went Wrong & Recommendations for the Future 182

Chapter 6 Future Research Needs 199

Disaster Historians & Disaster Janitors 199

Necessary Research Advances 200

New Disaster Agents-Old Socio-Political Challenges 218.

Notes:

Previous ed.: c1998.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [229]-238).

ISBN:

0761841172

9780761841173

OCLC:

233142604