The scope of disasters ranges from man-made emergency to natural
calamity, from a kitchen grease fire to a hurricane or volcanic
eruption. It may be just one house that is destroyed, or perhaps a whole
infrastructure system is threatened. While each type of event requires a
very different scale and type of immediate response, the project
management challenges that face restoration and reconstruction
professionals after the emergency phase is complete are remarkably
similar. Using insights acquired through decades of real-world
experience, as well as from his academic research and teaching
responsibilities, the author explains pertinent requirements and methods
for the contractors and other professionals who bring order from chaos.
The first section of the book surveys the managerial skills required to
confront the range of disasters that might be encountered and the
different project environments involved. The second section examines the
details of project management and administration, from materials
management to health and safety. The third and final section provides an
overview of restoration techniques, from restorative drying to debris
management and demolition. This is the first systematic presentation of
the tools and skills needed for disaster recovery project management. It
is designed primarily for contractors (both large and small firms),
although it will also be of value for those who might hire them, the
communities they serve, and their organizational partners in the
disaster recovery effort. Those who are new to disaster restoration and
reconstruction will find the volume particularly useful. Focused on
informing the management of projects that recover the built environment,
after emergency conditions sufficiently stabilize, the volume
supplements and complements books devoted to conventional construction
or emergency relief management.
