Sharing Emergency Planning Assumptions: Management Views Differ

Effective disaster management requires advanced planning. News media centers, public information hot-lines, and on-site volunteer procedures must be established in anticipation of large scale emergencies. In the following article, Kartez reviews the disaster planning programs and policies of 250 public agencies associated with disaster-prone communities. The study describes managerial perspectives of disaster planning policy. The article is a guide for planners concerned with the complexities of community crisis mitigation

Planning for Sustainability in Small Municipalities: The Influence of Interest Groups, Growth Patterns, and Institutional Characteristics

How and why small municipalities promote sustainability through planning efforts is poorly understood. We analyzed ordinances in 451 Maine municipalities and tested theories of policy adoption using regression analysis.We found that smaller communities do adopt programs that contribute to sustainability relevant to their scale and context. In line with the political market theory, we found that municipalities with strong environmental interests, higher growth, and more formal governments were more likely to adopt these policies. Consideration of context and capacity in planning for sustainability will help planners better identify and benefit from collaboration, training, and outreach opportunities

Measuring Tsunami Planning Capacity on U.S. Pacific Coast

Abstract: The U.S. Pacific coastal states are at risk from both locally and distantly generated tsunamis. This vulnerability can be reduced by effective hazard management plans, but no studies have been conducted to determine how local jurisdictions have incorporated tsunami hazard management into their planning frameworks. This paper analyzes the quality of hazard management plans from 43 coastal counties in these states. Plan quality was measured by a plan evaluation protocol defined by five components and 37 indicators. The results show that few Pacific coastal counties have prepared well for tsunamis. Most plans have a weak factual basis, unclear goals and objectives, weak policies, and few coordination and implementation mechanisms. The average plan quality score is 12.25 out of 50 points and 10 counties never mention tsunami risks in their local plans at all. This evaluation suggests that these jurisdictions need to build a solid factual basis about tsunami hazards, set appropriate goals and practical objectives, expand the array of tools used by planners, enhance interdisciplinary and interorganizational coordination mechanisms, and improve their mechanisms for plan implementation