**2. Definitions**

From crisis to catastrophe, emergency to disaster, there is a spectrum of events that may threaten people and organizations. Not just the event, but the characteristics of the affected population define disaster. Risk and resilience are opposing forces that must be considered with disaster management.

#### **2.1 Emergencies**

Disasters and emergencies differ in quality and magnitude but are often and inaccurately used synonymously. "Disasters are not just 'big emergencies'" ([4], p. 293). Emergencies are time-sensitive, potentially harmful events that put life and well-being at risk. Resources are available at the local level to prevent, mitigate, or minimize the harm, and a single responding organization is responsible [5, 6]. Local resources, as a variable in the equation, can affect what constitutes an emergency,

**5**

**Figure 1.** *Spectrum of crises.*

*Disaster Management: A State-of-the-Art Review DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94489*

such an event.

**2.2 Disasters**

prepare for disaster.

**2.4 Catastrophe**

(**Figure 1**).

**2.3 Crisis**

and what goes beyond. An event of the same magnitude, in locations or situations with different capabilities and resources, may be managed within the organization (emergency) or need outside help (disaster). An example in a health care context might be a car crash involving one or two seriously injured people requiring prompt medical investigations and treatment, assuming the facility is equipped to deal with

Disasters are sometimes considered "hypercomplex emergencies" or "major emergencies" involving multiple people at risk of harm, multiple jurisdictions responding, and resources that are not immediately available locally ([5], p. 8; [7]). Coordination between agencies, many of whom have no prior relationships, becomes a challenge [5]. Plans for resource utilization must change when those resources are overwhelmed [8]. Preparations, planning, and training at the local level, within the abilities and available resources of a single agency, do little to

Crisis is a more generic description. A crisis is a "critical event or point of decision which, if not handled in an appropriate and timely manner (or if not handled at all), may turn into a disaster or catastrophe" [9]. We use the word *crisis*, then, nonspecifically, as an emergency event that has potential to evolve; *emergency* as time-sensitive event with potential harm; and *disaster* as an event larger and more harmful than an emergency, with many people at risk, and where management requires resources outside of the responding organization or department.

The word *catastrophe*, more severe than a disaster, completes the spectrum [5]. Many variations of the definition exist, but all suggest a magnitude of harm and inadequacy of response capabilities beyond what would be considered disaster [1] *Disaster Management: A State-of-the-Art Review DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94489*

and what goes beyond. An event of the same magnitude, in locations or situations with different capabilities and resources, may be managed within the organization (emergency) or need outside help (disaster). An example in a health care context might be a car crash involving one or two seriously injured people requiring prompt medical investigations and treatment, assuming the facility is equipped to deal with such an event.

### **2.2 Disasters**

*Natural Hazards - Impacts, Adjustments and Resilience*

*from washing away."*

*green foothills.*

nature and civilization [2].

**2. Definitions**

**2.1 Emergencies**

*Then the old man added, "unless it stops raining, the bridge stays above water, the power line's fixed, and we have enough sandbags for everyone to keep their houses* 

*It wasn't totally exaggerated. The rain had been the worst in decades. Many homes in the low-lying village were already flooded. Those that were a little higher than the rest were already overcrowded with friends and relatives who's houses were in a foot or two of water. And the bridge, the only land access to the village, was visible only as rail posts marking a dotted line through the sea between the village and the* 

Disasters require both a potentially harmful event and a component of vulnerability [1]. If an event overwhelms local response capacity, whether by insufficient material resources or by inadequate social systems or structure, outside help is needed. This is a disaster. Thus the magnitude of an event that causes a disaster will vary by organizational capacity. Many of the natural events described elsewhere in this textbook (earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.) create disasters. An earthquake in a remote, uninhabited area might be called a natural disaster, but it is not truly a disaster if people are not severely impacted. Disasters occur at the interface of

Emergency management is usually described in terms of planning, mitigation, response, and recovery. As we move along the spectrum of severity, from emergency to disaster, the same principles apply, with an emphasis on adaptability and collaboration. Specific to hospital disaster management, contextual issues such as triage, decontamination, and patient care are built upon a general and pervasive approach to disaster readiness. In resource-poor environments, the challenge is magnified as the impacts of natural disasters are greater, and the ability to respond and recover less. Education and training will be most effective if methods match the objectives. With all the uncertainty therein, training for disaster must include establishing relationships between organizations and allowing for flexibility in the

*Not every windstorm, earth-tremor, or rush of water is a catastrophe…So long as the ship rides out the storm, so long as the city resists the earth-shocks, so long as the levees hold, there is no disaster. It is the collapse of the cultural protections that* 

From crisis to catastrophe, emergency to disaster, there is a spectrum of events that may threaten people and organizations. Not just the event, but the characteristics of the affected population define disaster. Risk and resilience are opposing

Disasters and emergencies differ in quality and magnitude but are often and inaccurately used synonymously. "Disasters are not just 'big emergencies'" ([4], p. 293). Emergencies are time-sensitive, potentially harmful events that put life and well-being at risk. Resources are available at the local level to prevent, mitigate, or minimize the harm, and a single responding organization is responsible [5, 6]. Local resources, as a variable in the equation, can affect what constitutes an emergency,

face of events that can be predicted but never fully anticipated.

*constitutes the disaster proper. ([3], p. 211)*

forces that must be considered with disaster management.

**4**

Disasters are sometimes considered "hypercomplex emergencies" or "major emergencies" involving multiple people at risk of harm, multiple jurisdictions responding, and resources that are not immediately available locally ([5], p. 8; [7]). Coordination between agencies, many of whom have no prior relationships, becomes a challenge [5]. Plans for resource utilization must change when those resources are overwhelmed [8]. Preparations, planning, and training at the local level, within the abilities and available resources of a single agency, do little to prepare for disaster.

## **2.3 Crisis**

Crisis is a more generic description. A crisis is a "critical event or point of decision which, if not handled in an appropriate and timely manner (or if not handled at all), may turn into a disaster or catastrophe" [9]. We use the word *crisis*, then, nonspecifically, as an emergency event that has potential to evolve; *emergency* as time-sensitive event with potential harm; and *disaster* as an event larger and more harmful than an emergency, with many people at risk, and where management requires resources outside of the responding organization or department.

#### **2.4 Catastrophe**

The word *catastrophe*, more severe than a disaster, completes the spectrum [5]. Many variations of the definition exist, but all suggest a magnitude of harm and inadequacy of response capabilities beyond what would be considered disaster [1] (**Figure 1**).
