Course Description
Introduction to policies and practices intended to minimize losses from hazards and disasters. There is a growing demand for this knowledge and skillset. The costs to people and societies by hazards continue to challenge managers at all levels - from government and the private sector to NGOs and grassroots movements.
Athena Title
Disaster Policy
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
In this course, students will acquire the ability to: • Explore and discuss the evolution of hazard risk reduction, disaster management, and sustainability policies. • Identify the emotional, social, political, geographic, and economic contexts of disaster policy. • Describe the inter-organizational and intergovernmental challenges inherent in disaster policy and management. • Discuss how different disciplines engage with and inform disaster management. • Analyze the relationships between policies intended to address natural disasters and policies intended to address human-caused or terroristic hazards. • Apply skills learned to effectively communicate about hazard risk reduction, disaster management, and sustainability policies.
Topical Outline
1. Foundations of disaster management a. The eras of disaster management b. Foundations of mitigation c. Foundations of planning 2. All-Hazard Mitigation Planning (AHMP) - AHMP I: The planning process a. AHMP II: Hazard ID and profiling b. AHMP III: Risk assessments c. AHMP III: Community needs assessment d. AHMP IV: Mitigation strategies e. AHMP V: Integrating, adopting, implementing, and updating Plans 3. Foundations of emergency preparedness - Training exercises and drills a. Disaster simulations and modeling b. Foundations of response and recovery c. Actors and their collaboration 4. History of terrorism - Active shooter response and mitigation 5. ‘Natural’ disaster response - Global warming and climate change a. History of U.S. environmental policy b. Managing objects of carbon and pollution c. Sustainability and adaptation policies d. Hurricanes Katrina and Maria 6. Trauma-informed ethics of care
Syllabus