Handbook of Emergency Response: A Human Factors and Systems Engineering Approach

Despite pre-emptive preparations, disasters can and do occur and are a fact of life. Whether natural disasters, catastrophic accidents, or terrorist attacks, the risk cannot be completely eliminated. A carefully prepared response is your best defense. This fully updated second edition of the Handbook of Emergency Response presents practical advice and guidelines on how to plan the coordinated execution of emergency response.

This handbook incorporates human factors and a systems engineering approach to emergency response project management. It provides cutting-edge research in developing a systematic structure for communication, cooperation, and coordination. Managing a project in the wake of a tragedy is complicated and involves various emotional, sentimental, reactive, and chaotic responses. This is the time when a structured communication model is most needed. This second edition includes important lessons learned and developments since the first edition was published, as well as additional information devoted to systems thinking and industrial engineering in planning for responses to emergencies. The reader will develop a thorough understanding of how to handle an emergency response using a systems approach.

The handbook is an ideal purchase for any student or practitioner of human factors, safety, systems engineering, events management, local or federal governance, or those in the emergency services.

LeeAnn Racz is a Supervising Engineer at ToxStrategies LLC in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Prior to this initiative, she was President and Founder of ClearView Environmental Engineering and Consulting, and she served for 23 years as a bioenvironmental engineer and civil engineer in the US Air Force. Dr Racz is a licensed professional engineer, certified industrial hygienist, and board-certified environmental engineer. She earned a BS in Environmental Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, an MS in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from the University of Idaho, and a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Utah. She has authored dozens of refereed journal articles, conference proceedings, magazine articles, and presentations, and edited six handbooks. Dr Racz is a member of several professional organizations and honor societies and has received numerous prestigious teaching and research awards.

Adedeji B. Badiru is Dean Emeritus and a retired Professor of Systems Engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). He is a registered professional engineer and a fellow of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, as well as a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering. He has a BS degree in Industrial Engineering, an MS in Mathematics and an MS in Industrial Engineering from Tennessee University, and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida. He is the author of several books and technical journal articles and has received several awards and recognitions for his accomplishments. His special skills, experience, and interests center on research mentoring of faculty and graduate students.