Disasters and Public Health: Planning and Response

Citation

Clements, B.W. (2010), "Disasters and Public Health: Planning and Response", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 518-519. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2010.19.4.518.8

“Personal and home preparedness is the bedrock of a resilient community,” writes retired US Air Force Public Health Officer Bruce Clements in this comprehensive guide to public health planning for disasters. Clements looks at likely hazards individually – and alphabetically – from bioterrorism to winter storms. He outlines a representative case studies for each chapter – the 1953 Beecher Tornado, the 2007 California wildfires – then extrapolates generalized preparation and response lessons from each. If you can get through the first chapter – which is mostly lists and principles, essential but tedious – Clements has provided a readable and comprehensive look at dealing with the physical health threats posed by disasters.

Clements is also refreshingly clear about what he does not cover. “The mental aspect of some disasters may have a greater impact on long‐term morbidity and mortality than the immediate effects on physical health,” he writes in the preface. “While it is an extremely important consideration, it is not the focus of this book.” Nor does he discuss animal issues. In all, this is a well‐presented, in‐depth look at public health planning for and response to all types of disasters.