FLOOD03743

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: 25th Annual Celebration Hazards Research and Applications Workshop
• Date: 7/9/2000
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

PSOO-18

Claire B, Rubin
Claire B. Rubin & Associates e
P.O. Box 2208
Arlington, VA 22202
[phone]
[e-mail]

DISASTER TIME LINE (1965-2000)

A recently completed analysis and chart provides a useful historical perspective on the U.S.
emergency management system, The Disaster Time Line: Selected Milestone Events and U.S.
Outcomes (1965-2000), authored by Claire B, Rubin and Irmak Renda-Tanali, is a graphic
depiction of major disasters in the past 35 years, both natural and industrial, that have affected
emergency management policies. Major milestone events were analyzed and their outcomes
documented with respect to four categories of actions: a) major after-action anlllyses and reports,
b) legislation, c) executive actions, and d) major organizational changes. A systematic analysis
of major disasters considered defining events and their outcomes has important political and
policy implications for the US emergency management system, presently and in the future.

After completing the Disaster Time Line, we observed that the major after-action reports,
analyses, and recommendations resulting from one or more milestone events appear to contribute
significantly to the political pressure needed to drive changes in legislation, regulations, policies, ...
and programs which are made in an effort to better respond to future events of that type and size. ..
Most of the U.S. legislation policies and organizations were created in reaction to major defining
events and that after-actions reports and recommendations appear to play an important role in
identifYing and propelling changes. Two separate, major federal response plans have evolved for
dealing with natural and technological/industrial disasters in the U.S" the National Contingency
Plan and the Federal Response Plan.

As we enter the new century, the complexities of the existing systems, major response plans, and
organizational arrangements now in place for emergency management in the U.S. should be
reviewed and evaluated.. These steps will aid in making revisions, to the extent necessary, in
order to meet the new challenges and new threats expected.

The plenary session on Wednesday will address future issues and needs, Claire B. Rubin will
discuss the Disaster Time Line, in terms of process, outcome, and implications for the future of
emergency management at that session on Wednesday,

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