Public Safety, Law, and Security

It is impossible to avoid the constant media barrage of reports detailing human-made and natural disasters and amplifying the threat of such disasters. Beyond the news headlines, recent disasters have prompted the restructuring of the U.S. government, namely, the formation of the Department of Homeland Security and the reorganization of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). With the ever-present prospect of disaster from hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, landslides, drought, winter storms, nuclear accidents, terrorist attacks, and chemical contamination, the role of government in protecting the population seems more important than ever. Disaster Response provides an overview of the history of the topic and issues surrounding it, ranging from natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, to terrorist attacks, such as those that occurred on September 11, 2001. Documents such as Disaster Assistance Available from FEMA and contemporary court cases such as Lyng, Secretary of Agriculture, et al. v. Payne, et al. are included. These and other documents provide multiple perspectives and decisions surrounding this issue while also plotting a course for the future of disaster response.

Fred C. Pampel is currently a professor of sociology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.