ABSTRACT
Changing intensities and characteristics of disasters, population, and environmental conditions are currently highlighting many unforeseen challenges to preparedness. Nevertheless, the acknowledgement of and knowledge from past experiences, together with the current improvements in information and communications technologies, are providing confidence in the management and understanding of the magnitude of existing risks and their potential countermeasures. This chapter therefore uses both a literature review and case study examples to trace this progression through an overview of the concept of preparedness and discusses the many challenges confronting the efforts. It also elaborates on certain positive initiatives that are enhancing the effectiveness of preparation to reduce risk and vulnerabilities to hazards and disasters.
