Natural disasters are increasing in frequency and impact due to both climate change and increasing urbanization. Business as usual could lead us to a disaster so great that we will no longer be able to effectively respond. Our only hope is to learn the lessons of past disasters and improve our response systems, knowing that what is coming will be worse than what has been. This book brings together case studies of the significant events of the American 21st century so we can learn from our mistakes and do better. It should be required reading in every emergency management program.
Lucile M. Jones, Founder and Chief Scientist, Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society
The field of emergency management is continually evolving as a consequence of focusing events and their responses, in the form of new legislation, executive orders, and other policy interventions. This impressive new edition, which includes chapters by experts in the field, looks in detail at recent disaster events, the COVID-19 pandemic, trends fueled by the climate change crisis, and politics at the federal level, that are once again altering the landscape of the field.
Kathleen Tierney, Research Professor, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder
This excellent and essential book is more relevant than ever. Since the first edition of U.S. Emergency Management in the 21st Century: From Disaster to Catastrophe was published in 2020, the field of emergency management has faced profound changes. Through powerful case studies written by experts with firsthand experience, this second edition vividly captures how pivotal events like the COVID-19 pandemic, tornados, wildfires, extreme heat waves, and accelerating climate impacts have reshaped emergency management. The authors reveal how these events and shifting federal policies present critical gaps in the nations emergency management system. This timely and compelling analysis emphasizes the urgent need for adaptable management systems to confront the rapidly changing landscape of hazards and disasters. It is a must-read for emergency management professionals, researchers, and students dedicated to advancing the field.
Philip Berke, Research Professor, Department of City & Regional Planning, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill