Modeling Disaster Response Planning

Most emergency management officials work in small organizations with limited resources. Formal disaster response planning is often given a back seat to other activities. If more tools were available to assist in the planning process the results would be better. This paper presents a model that can be used by emergency management officials to assist in the preparation of their disaster response and mitigation plans. The model builds on a geographic information system frame, giving a visual presentation to its users. The necessary databases are described and responsibilities assigned. Included is an example of how the model would be used and an assessment of it by emergency management officials.