ABSTRACT
CONTENTS Introduction.............................................................................................. 20 Disasters on the Rise ................................................................................. 20 The Concept of Vulnerability ................................................................... 23 Causes of Vulnerability ............................................................................. 25 Reducing Disaster Vulnerability ................................................................ 29 Conclusion................................................................................................ 33 References ................................................................................................. 34
Introduction Regardless of location, mankind is threatened by hazards of many types. This has been especially evident during the previous five years when terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, a tsunami hit Asia in 2004, and a record number of hurricanes hit U.S. coasts. In addition, over the previous century, hazardous events have occurred with increasing frequency around the world, impacting a greater number of people. Therefore, more must be done to address disaster vulnerability. This paper examines this concept as a way to identify how to safeguard life and property in the future. The paper seeks to provide a holistic approach to emergency management based on McEntire’s model of disaster vulnerability.1 It consolidates some of the major concepts of vulnerability that scholars have posed in prior research. To reach this goal, the chapter will review the rise of disasters over the previous century, the nature of the concept of vulnerability, the causes of vulnerability, and alternative approaches for addressing it.
