ABSTRACT

CONTENTS Disaster Preparedness Training at International Level ............................. 530

Monitoring of Warnings and Indicators ......................................... 532 Electronic Sources of Information .................................................. 533 Collecting and Interpreting Assessment Information ...................... 533 The Importance of Coordination and Information ........................ 534

Disaster Preparedness Training at the National Level in the United States............................................................................ 534

Disaster Preparedness Training by FEMA...................................... 536 Disaster Field Training Opportunities................................... 536 EMI Courses......................................................................... 537 FEMA Higher Education Project .......................................... 537 UHWO Certificate in Disaster Preparedness

and Emergency Management............................................ 538 Training Programs in the State of Hawaii ............................. 539

Emergency Preparedness and Response to Environmental Disasters in Hawaii............................................................................. 541

Coordination Seminars................................................................... 544 Survey of Emergency Managers on Role of Training .............................. 545

Results of the Survey...................................................................... 545 Adequacy of Training............................................................ 545 Improving Training............................................................... 549

Conclusion and Recommendations ......................................................... 550 References ............................................................................................... 551

The role of training in disaster management is essential to an effective response before, during, and after natural and man-made disasters. In such crisis situations, emergency knowledge, skills, and abilities are especially important for first responders to disasters at the international, national and state, or local level regardless of type or size of the disaster. On the basis of a meta-analysis and review of documents from relevant government agencies and organizations and a survey of emergency managers in the State of Hawaii, this research describes the important role of training in the preparation for, response to, and recovery from disasters.