Abstract
In the event of a disaster, communities become the targets of specialist organisations and a concentration of activities. The complex unstructured activities and routines of daily life are disrupted and even totally overwhelmed by a single catastrophic event that requires a redirection of priorities, resources and people to deal with all aspects of the disaster impact as rapidly as possible. The whole community must be mobilised to restore functions and meet needs, to return to the normality of the pre-disaster state. This latter purpose is least likely to be achieved, as the destroyed community can seldom rebuild to the same complex, but randomly haphazard state that existed before the disaster. The mobilisation of the whole community to the single purpose of recovery requires a high level of organisation. Response to a disaster demands that there be purposeful organisations ready to provide leadership and action. Emergency management is predicated for the existence of such purposeful organisations. However, while organisations are at the core of emergency management response and recovery, they are by no means simple or singular. Disaster generates a plethora of organisations, which interact with the community rather than simply organising disaster response. The community also organises itself, re-assigning priorities and using existing organisations and networks.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alexander C (1966) A city is not a tree. Architectural Forum, April 1966; reprinted in Design, No. 6, February 1966. Revised (1986) for Zone ½, New York; revised version reprinted in Thakara J (1988) Design after modernism, Thames and Hudson, London. Cited in Broadbent G (1996) Emerging Concepts in Urban Space Design. Spon, London, pp 38–47, 143–145
Benini AA (1999) Network without centre? a case study of an organizational network responding to an earthquake. J Contingencies Crisis Manage 7, issue 1
Britton NR (2001) A new emergency management for the new millennium? Aust J Emerg Manage 16(4):44–54
Comfort LK, Sungu Y, Johnson D, Dunn M (2001) Complex systems in crisis: anticipation and resilience in dynamic environments. J Contingencies Crisis Manage 9(3):144–148
Crondstedt M (2002) Prevention, preparedness, response, recovery—an outdated concept. Aust J Emerg Manage 17(2):10–13
Douglas R (1999) Administrative law and response to emergencies. Aust J Emerg Manage 14(2):1–10
Emergency Management Australia (1998) Australian emergency manuals series. Part 1. Manual 3. Australian emergency management glossary. EMA, ACT, Australia
Fahey C (2003) Working with communities to build social capital—reflecting on old and new thinking about volunteers. Aust J Emerg Manage 18(4):12–17
Juratowitch D, Daly KL, Smith NJ (2002) Reduction of stress and trauma in the delivery of disaster recovery services: the users decide—an exploratory study of the effects of delivering disaster recovery services. Aust J Emerg Manage 17(1):50–54
King D (2002) Post disaster surveys: experience and methodology. Aust J Emergency Manage 17(3):1–13
Loosemore M, Hughes WP (2001) Confronting social defence mechanisms: avoiding disorganisation during crises. J Contingencies Crisis Manage 9(2):73–87
Norman S, Coles E (2003) Order out of chaos? A critical review of the role of central, regional, and local government in emergency planning in London. Aust J Emergency Manage 18(2):98–107
Palmer M (2001) Doing it by the book: a paradox in disaster management. Aust J Emerg Manage 16(3):40–44
Prater C, Wu J-Y (2002) The politics of emergency response and recovery: preliminary observations on Taiwan’s 921 earthquake. Aust J Emerg Manage 17(3):48–59
Queensland Government (2003) State Counter-Disaster Organisation Act 1975. Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel, Brisbane
Silberbauer G (2003) Structural and personal social processes in disaster. Aust J Emerg Manage 18(3):29–36
Spillan JE (2003) An exploratory model for evaluating crisis events and managers’ concerns in non-profit organisations. J Contingencies Crisis Manage 11(4):160–169
Sullivan M (2003) Integrated recovery management: a new way of looking at a delicate process. Aust J Emergency Manage 18(2):4–27
Yates J (1999) Leadership in emergency services. Aust J Emerg Manage 14(2):66–69
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
King, D. Organisations in Disaster. Nat Hazards 40, 657–665 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-006-9016-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-006-9016-y