Disastrous Assumptions About Community Disasters
Date
1994
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Disaster Research Center
Abstract
Description
That there is a discrepancy between disaster planning efforts and the actual
response experience seems rather universal. That discrepancy is symbolized by
the graffiti which predictably surfaces on many walls in post disaster locations--
“First the earthquake, - then disaster. ” That contradiction is seldom reduced as
a result of post disaster critiques, since the most usual conclusion is that the plan
was adequate but the “people” did not follow it. Another explanation will be
provided here. A more plausible explanation for failure is that most planning
efforts adopt a number of erroneous assumptions which affect the outcome. Those
assumptions are infrequently changed or modified by experience.
Keywords
disastrous assumptions, community disaster