Emergency Management after a Natural Disaster

Organization of a National Emergency Committee

* NGO = Nongovernmental organizations (also called voluntary agencies)

Coordination of Health Relief Activities

In the event of a natural disaster, a nation, region, community or individual will return to normal more quickly if there has been advance planning on the use of available resources.

A plan to mobilize a country's resources for disaster management is a complex undertaking, as illustrated above.

The health sector must cooperate with other groups involved in the overall plan. In addition, they must work within the framework and priorities established by those in higher authority. Within the overall plan is a section dealing specifically with health and subplans for various units of the health sector. (See illustration at right.)

Acknowledgements

The Disaster Management Center at the University of Wisconsin-Extension thanks the Pan American Health Organization for early support of course development. In particular, Dr. Claude de Ville de Goyet and Ellen Wasserman deserve special recognition for their understanding of this innovative educational process. In addition the thoughtful reviews of Pierre Léger and Fred Reiff were of great help in the preparation of this guide. At the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Linda Hook, Darrell Petska, Susan Kummer, Lolette Guthrie, and Connie Quamme must be thanked for their efforts in editing, design and production. The course development process is never over, and each of these people understands that very well.