Disaster And Functional Priorities In Anchorage, Alaska

Abstract

This article is a brief summary of a monograph describing and analyzing human behavior during the five-day post-impact emergency following the great Alaskan earthquake of 1964, Behavior was analyzed in terms of seven community processes: , Preservation of life, What are the important emphases and priorities A third activity given attention Very striking was the suspension of typical economic activity, leisure and recreation, emergency welfare activity. Where data were available, extensive chronologies of events were developed to show the pace and sequence of activities, The authors pose the question: What are the important emphases and priorities which emerge in a disaster? Preservation of life as expressed in search-and-rescue, and medical treatment was given immediate and sustained attention. Restoration of utilities and communications received priority attention. A third activity given attention soon after impact was maintenance of public order. Very striking was the suspension of typical economic activity (manufacture, distribution, sales, finance) and leisure. Activity in both of these areas received little attention until the emergency was under control. Finally, in a brief epilogue, the contribution of the Alaskan "frontier spirit" is discussed. A chronology of the various response activities in Anchorage is presented in a final section.