THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY BETWEEN NIGERIA AND USA
THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN NIGERIA AND USA
O.M.A
PAD 6450/01
SPRING 2014
INTRODUCTION
1Disaster refers to an emergency caused by natural hazards or human induced actions resulting in a significant change in circumstances over a relatively short time period. Typical examples are death, displacement, disease, loss of crops, damage to physical and service infrastructure, depletion of natural and social capitals, institutional weakening and a general disruption of economic and social activity. A broad definition of disasters include the fact that they are dramatic, sudden, unscheduled events that are often accompanied by large losses of human life, suffering and affliction to a society or a significant part of it, and a temporary breakdown of prevailing lifelines and systems. Such events cause considerable material damages and interrupt the normal functioning of an economy and of society in general (Otero and Marti, 1995).
All communities face some risk of natural disaster or other emergency, and how it is handled at the local, state and national levels determines the impact of the aftermath of the disaster. Developing nations in particular, experience pervasive risk of devastation, human and property loss resulting from human and natural disasters. According to Henderson (2004), this level of risk can be attributed to socio-economic stress, aging and inadequate physical infrastructure, weak education and preparedness for disaster and insufficient fiscal and economic resources to carefully implement the preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery components of integrated emergency management. Disasters are clearly a development problem.
First, because certain natural phenomena, including those of hydro-meteorological, geodesic and vulcanological origin tend to have greater effects on developing countries than on developed countries. Second, because several factors
O.M.A
PAD 6450/01
SPRING 2014
INTRODUCTION
1Disaster refers to an emergency caused by natural hazards or human induced actions resulting in a significant change in circumstances over a relatively short time period. Typical examples are death, displacement, disease, loss of crops, damage to physical and service infrastructure, depletion of natural and social capitals, institutional weakening and a general disruption of economic and social activity. A broad definition of disasters include the fact that they are dramatic, sudden, unscheduled events that are often accompanied by large losses of human life, suffering and affliction to a society or a significant part of it, and a temporary breakdown of prevailing lifelines and systems. Such events cause considerable material damages and interrupt the normal functioning of an economy and of society in general (Otero and Marti, 1995).
All communities face some risk of natural disaster or other emergency, and how it is handled at the local, state and national levels determines the impact of the aftermath of the disaster. Developing nations in particular, experience pervasive risk of devastation, human and property loss resulting from human and natural disasters. According to Henderson (2004), this level of risk can be attributed to socio-economic stress, aging and inadequate physical infrastructure, weak education and preparedness for disaster and insufficient fiscal and economic resources to carefully implement the preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery components of integrated emergency management. Disasters are clearly a development problem.
First, because certain natural phenomena, including those of hydro-meteorological, geodesic and vulcanological origin tend to have greater effects on developing countries than on developed countries. Second, because several factors
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