By Erik Auf der Heide, M.D., F.A.C.E.P. (1989, 363 pages)

"Most disaster response problems are not failures of the individual. More often, they are systems problems. That is, the usual organizational systems (procedures, management structures and designation of responsibilities) established by various organizations to cope with routine, daily emergencies, are not well adapted for use in disasters. Accordingly, this text emphasizes not so much what the individual can do to influence disaster response, but what can be done on an organizational and inter-organizational level.

"Disasters are the ultimate test of emergency response capability. The ability to effectively deal with disasters is becoming more relevant because of factors that tend to increase risk. Unfortunately, there are recurring difficulties with disaster response. Lessons learned in previous disasters are not always being applied in other communities. Sometimes this is because accurate information regarding the basic underlying causes of the difficulties is not readily available to emergency and disaster responders. The purpose of this text is to summarize what the research on disasters has revealed about these underlying causes."

AUDIENCE: Contingency planners; disaster responders; community emergency management; emergency medical technicians; firefighters; police officers; physicians.

Dr. Erik Auf der Heide, MD, FACEP, is an Emergency Physician with Auburn Faith Community Hospital in Auburn, California.