Dr McEntire is a professor in the Emergency Admin istration and Planning Program in the Department of Public Administration at the University of North Texas, USA. He teaches on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes on this subject. He has single authored this textbook.
The target audience for this book is practitioners and students of emergency management. While the majority of the book reflects on disasters in the USA, it also mentions other incidents such as the earthquake in Haiti, the tsunami in Japan in 2011 and the train derailment in Spain in 2013.
The book contains 13 chapters. Each has a pre-test, self-checks at intervals in each chapter and an assessment at the end of each chapter to evaluate knowledge gained. Early chapters deal with descriptions of events and what constitutes a disaster, the role of emergency management, types of hazard, roles and responsibilities of public, private, non-profit/charitable organizations and community and citizen groups. Chapter 3 on the impact of Hollywood and the media does a good job in debunking myths, exaggerations and media spin and comparing this with research evidence.
Thereafter, chapters follow a logical progression on management approaches, initial response measures, caring for injured, dead and distraught, managing public information, assessing damage, promoting recovery and mitigation, how to overcome typical challenges (such as transportation, special populations and assisting the vulnerable), making use of technology and the principles of emergency management centres and other systems available in the USA such as the National Disaster Recovery Framework.
Later chapters are very useful in looking at lessons learned and being prepared including managing hazardous material incidents, preparation for incidents and being able to plan spontaneously during an incident, being able to improvise and resolving issues creatively.
The text is relevant to occupational health practitioners who have responsibility for facilities that could result in a major accident in the USA. It would also be of real value to those who have responsibility for workers in the USA, even if there is no responsibility for a specific facility as natural disasters, transportation disasters and civil or conflict hazards may be experienced by workers. An understanding of the structures available in each state as suggested in this book is valuable information and part of the preparation for such incidents.
Overall, I consider that this book meets the needs of the target audience. It is well referenced, is well illustrated and provides a wealth of knowledge that informs and helps to learn a lot about this subject.
Rating
★★★✩ (Buy and keep for OH physicians/services with interests in USA)
★★✩✩ (Reference for others)
