The negative consequences of natural hazard events are staggering and
growing. Governments are acting to increase community resilience, reduce
losses, and facilitate recovery, but these actions do not always yield
anticipated consequences. This book is a compelling interdisciplinary
analysis of California's efforts to ensure that acute care hospitals
survive earthquakes and continue to function in the aftermath. The book
weaves together several threads essential to understanding the
effectiveness of public policies intended to reduce the consequences of
natural hazard events: public policy design and administration, the
hazard mitigation investment decision made by targeted organizations,
and contextual dynamics.
"A terrific study of shortfalls in the implementation of risk-reduction
policy -- highly readable, full of insights, and very policy relevant."
Peter J. May, Donald R. Matthews Distinguished Professor of American
Politics, University of Washington, Seattle USA
"This is an exceptional book by three of the leading hazard mitigation
researchers and must reading for both scholars and practitioners in the
field." William A. Anderson, National Research Council, National
Academy of Sciences.