Disaster Management and Human Health Risk VII : Reducing Risk, Improving Outcomes (Wit Transactions on the Built Environment)

Research presented at the 7th International Conference on Disaster Management and Human Health: Reducing Risk, Improving Outcomes is contained in this volume. These contributions from academics and experts focus on public health, security and disaster management with the goal to assess the potential risk from various types of disaster and highlight ways to prevent or alleviate any damage. There is a need for academia and practitioners to exchange knowledge and experience on the way to handle the increasing risk of natural and human-made disasters. Recent major earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods and other natural phenomena have resulted in huge losses in terms of human life and property destruction. A new range of human-made disasters have afflicted humanity in modern times; terrorist activities have been added to more classical disasters such as those due to the failure of industrial installations for instance. It is important to understand the nature of these global risks to be able to develop strategies to prepare for these events and plan effective responses in terms of disaster management and the associated human health impacts. The papers included in this volume cover such topics as Public health risk; Socio-economic issues; Environmental issues; Emergency preparedness and risk mitigation.