A Safer Future

Initial priorities for U.S. participation in the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, declared by the United Nations, are contained in this volume. It focuses on seven issues: hazard and risk assessment; awareness and education; mitigation; preparedness for emergency response; recovery and reconstruction; prediction and warning; learning from disasters; and U.S. participation internationally.

The committee presents its philosophy of calls for broad public and private participation to reduce the toll of disasters.

• Front Matter
• Executive Summary
• 1. The U.S. Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
• 2. Hazard and Risk Assessment
• 3. Awareness and Education
• 4. Mitigation
• 5. Preparedness for Emergency Response, Recovery, and Reconstruction
• 6. Prediction and Warning
• 7. Learning from Disasters
• 8. U.S. Participation in the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
• 9. Organization of the U.S. Decade
• Appendix: Hazard Reduction Checklist
• Suggested Readings
• Additional Images