Disaster response

Abstract

Different types of emergency and disaster endanger life and personal wellbeing. They may be caused by nature, technical or human failure or acts of crime and can leave heavy casualties in their wake. Typically the vast majority of disaster victims die within the first 72 h, and so a quick and effective response to the catastrophic event is crucial. Depending on the scale of the emergency, various agencies at different levels of public administration, including governmental and non-governmental organisations, have to act and cooperate on emergency relief. In a coordinated effort, initial responders are supplemented by secondary emergency services, eventually from farther away. Their capabilities are increasingly being improved by a range of technological solutions and innovations.