ABSTRACT
The problems we face in the twenty-first century with the protection of human life in the wake of catastrophe cannot be accomplished by governments alone. From wildfires to earthquakes to winter storms and human-induced disasters, there exists a history of public and private sector working together to reduce the impact of these disasters on society. The Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2010 Haitian earthquake demonstrated the need to improve the integration of private sector resources in cooperative relationships with public sector emergency management, law enforcement, rescue, medical, and public health emergency responders. The need to respond rapidly by providing vital supplies such as water, shelter, food, and clothing, and to ensure the viability of economic recovery, requires the collective resources and efforts of public and private entities.
