Definition

Disaster management is the body of policy, administrative decisions and operational activities required to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and repair the effects of natural or man-made disasters (adapted from a definition by the United Nations Development Programme Disaster Management Training Program).

Discussion

Topics of interest within disaster management include health planning and policies, health facilities management, public health workforce training, communicable disease control, emergency medical services, psychological preparedness and response, risk management, health information systems (including early warning, surveillance and communication systems), and laboratory diagnosis and characterization.

Scope and emphasis

NLM collects scholarly and professional works on the health aspects of disaster management, including the management of man-made threats to the public such as bioterrorism and the use of chemical weapons. NLM may select examples of broader works on disaster management to document the public response to specific events or the social, political and cultural context of public health. See the policy statement on Public Health for a complete discussion.

Special considerations

NLM collects examples of rescue literature (handbooks, guides, etc.) written for first responders.