Improvements in Local Disaster Management

Experience with em ergency response following major earthquakes shows, that approximately the first three days after an earthquake event are essential for the performance of the relief efforts. Usually the time until help from outside the disaster area will be available takes too long and therefore one of the main efforts in disaster relief is to strengthen the local emergency response. One of the problems a local emergency planner is faced with in this context is to find good locations for relief resources like search and rescue equipment, first aid kits or emergency shelter. For best results the specific conditions arising from the threat of an earthquake have to be taken into consideration.