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AmeriCorps, the federal volunteer program developed in 1993, has won increasing political and cultural support since its development. Hurricane Katrina challenged program administrators to recruit and support volunteers in New Orleans, a uniquely devastated city. This qualitative study based on interviews with former volunteers examines the implications of AmeriCorps program policies for the recovery of post­Katrina New Orleans. Rooted in statements by the United Nations, the Federal Emergency Response Agency and local grassroots organizations, this study concludes that the AmeriCorps program was not effective in facilitating the return of displaced residents, appropriately utilizing city resources or maintaining strong accountability to those most affected by the disaster. Thus, the AmeriCorps program, which is not intended specifically for disaster relief, must be redesigned in order to accountably contribute to recovery in the cases of acute disaster.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago Dept. of Comparative Literature, June 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Canterbury, 2008. / Typescript (photocopy). Three col. maps in pocket. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-188). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. P. A.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / "Spring 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 52-53).

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1992. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-74). Also available via the Internet.

M.Ed. / The focus of this study is a community's response to and readiness during the occurrence of a natural disaster such as a flood. The particular emphasis is on the preparations for the continuation of 'emergency education'. The reason the study was undertaken was that floods have occurred in southern Africa with more frequency lately, and the readiness of communities to deal with the effects is questioned in this study. My personal experience as community member of the greater Giyani area and as school principal has shown me that most people, least of all the members, schools and the Education Department, have thought about emergency measures. I am referring not only to those measures that pertain to the immediate needs of a community, such as safeness, food, water, medical help and shelter, but the continuation of schooling in some format. The reason I focus on this is that I believe natural disasters can result in large-scale social disasters if all sections of society are not geared to continue life as 'normally' as possible. Youth, especially, need to be assisted not to become deviant in these times. That is why I undertook this study - to find out what happened to social life, and specifically schooling, during and in the aftermath of the great floods of 2000. I conducted the inquiry because I argued that the findings may reveal a way of dealing with regular schooling in the event of a repeat of the disaster. I based my study partially on some theory of community education, emphasising that community values and community cooperation are essential for dealing with such a disaster. In the field study I used a design that allowed me to capture people's experiences and views directly, using interviews. I had also observed what happened in the sampled villages during the floods, prior to the study. In addition, I had insight into some documents at government departments. I integrated these sources of information. I found that the way of life of the Tsonga-Shangaan people in this rural area was of such a nature that they are prone to great loss in the event of such a disaster. Not only are aspects of their traditional way of life, especially the way their huts are constructed, a barrier to coping, but the way they value school also plays a role. I found that there were no measures in place to assist learners to stay on track, and that some of them and also some teachers, viewed the floods as a license to stop teaching and learning. I also found that there were individuals who tried their utmost to help to get learners to remaining schools. The most important suggestion that comes from this inquiry is that some form of emergency schooling needs to be in place for times of natural disasters.

Natural disasters are a part of the ecological system, so they are beyond human control. To reduce devastating effects, researchers in Emergency Management seek to understand the causes and cycles of natural disasters so that warning systems may be improved and better advice may be given to the general public about protecting themselves and their property. Emergency management is a relatively new discipline, so much research is still needed to understand the complex interaction of human activity and the natural environment. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the impact of the 2009 flood on the healthcare system in Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, when many health facilities were evacuated. This research is unique because it examined the simultaneous evacuation of multiple healthcare facilities: two Fargo hospitals, all Fargo nursing homes, and the largest Moorhead nursing home. A qualitative approach was used: 27 in-depth interviews were conducted with leaders of the healthcare facilities and other involved parties (e.g., community officials, ambulance providers, public health personnel) to understand their decisions and actions as a record flood triggered evacuations. The researcher found that (1) the healthcare facilities had done minimal pre-planning and preparation for the flood, even though the area had been threatened by previous flooding, and (2) each facility wasted time and resources by working independently to arrange transportation and to locate alternative healthcare facilities to house their patients. The recommendation is made that healthcare facilities coordinate their efforts during natural disasters.

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No description available.