Chapter 9 Can Merging the Roles of Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Management Increase the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Emergency Planning and Response?

Disasters-largely unpredictable, unpreventable and impersonal-take a devastating toll around the world. Since the start of the new millennium, earthquakes alone have claimed upwards of 300,000 lives in each of 2 years (2004 and 2010) and upwards of 100,000 lives in each of 2 more years (2005 and 2008). Cyclones/hurricanes/typhoons claimed upwards of 150,000 lives in 2008, the majority due to Cyclone Nargis, which struck Myanmar (Burma) with approximately 140,000 lives lost [1,2].