Epidemic Risk Reduction: A Civil Protection Approach

Epidemic Risk Reduction: A Civil Protection Approach focuses  on disaster risk reduction (DRR) relative to epidemic outbreak and the  concept of civil protection and public safety. First and foremost, the  primary role of public officials and agencies―including police,  military, public health, and emergency management and response  professionals―must be the safety and security of citizens. The book  provides practical solutions and policies that can be enacted and  instituted to protect human life and health as well as property and  environment in the scope of human survival, providing essential  services, and providing for peoples’ basic needs.

The  author examines epidemics as disasters, similar to natural hazards or  other large-scale events that require planning, preparedness,  mitigation, and response. The approach is unique in looking at tools for  risk assessment and strategic planning formulated around civil  protection measures as a means to reduce and mitigate risk. Often,  preparedness and response planning is siloed with an epidemiological and  medical response at the forefront. While absolutely important and  essential, doing so―in conjunction with coordinated government efforts  to provide necessary supplies, security, and logistics―is equally  critical to meet the public’s needs and provide a coordinated response.

Key Features:

• Examines the phenomenon of epidemics and hazards, explaining that they are often multi-hazard
• Provides public leaders with various considerations to meet the challenge of managing the complexity of various threat vectors
• Details  universal terms and definitions―e.g., disaster, risk, and  epidemic―using diagrams, illustrations, and analogies to clearly explain  critical concepts
• Presents  epidemic risk reduction strategies―based on the lead role that  disaster, emergency management, and state/civil authorities need to  play―focusing primarily on individual health and security

Epidemic Risk Reduction: A Civil Protection Approach establishes  a common language which will help in overcoming barriers for more  coordinated efforts focused on epidemic management and operational  response. While drawing on current research, and based on theoretical  knowledge, the book also provides practical examples from around the  world that look at real-world response efforts. This includes  recommendations on how politicians, crisis response personnel, emergency  planners, and public administrators and health professionals can better  plan and prepare for future epidemics.