ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter provides an overview of the key issues that public officials must consider in any emergency or disaster response situation. It includes a detailed discussion of the basic framework of and the range of resources needed for disaster response. The chapter considers various intangible factors that can affect disaster response. It focuses on the special considerations that arise concerning museums, libraries and special collections. The chapter explores Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) National Disaster Recovery Framework to provide a macro-level view of the systemic functions that should always be considered when local officials try to recover from disasters. The communication plan should incorporate not only the information that the public administrator needs to transmit and receive, but also the mechanisms by which the information is to be transmitted and received. Medical supplies and resources will usually be in high demand when a natural disaster occurs.
