History, both collective and personal, often provides a stimulus for Southern poets and is useful in bridging the gap between the writers' personal memories and associations and those of the reading audience. The critical introduction to this collection explores connections between personal and shared history in the works of Natasha Trethewey, Betty Adcock, and Kathryn Stripling Byer. These poets convey their own connections to the past through reacting to historical photographs, relaying their own experiences during natural disasters, and setting private incidents within their larger historical contexts. These poets also suggest that time is concentric and malleable, and that history is essentially changed through its retelling. Poems offer a chance to rewrite one's own history. In the final section, I show that historical connections are treated similarly in my own work and that, through making associations with history, my poems also attempt to rewrite the past.

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Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Richard L. Hoag / Abstract On October 6, 2006 President Bush signed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS Act, Pub. Law No. 109-308). The Act ensures that state and local emergency preparedness operational plans address the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals following a major disaster or emergency (The Library of Congress, 109:H.R. 3858, 2006). This thesis identifies nineteen indicators to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the PETS program in the areas of economics and public health. This report gives specific examples of how each indicator can be used to measure, assess, guide, and monitor the outcomes of evacuating pets in state or local emergency preparedness operational plans.

A participação social é um elemento essencial para que se possa garantir legitimidade e governabilidade no planejamento e implantação de políticas públicas. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar a participação da população no processo de gerenciamento de riscos ambientais, e também avaliar se a percepção dos cidadãos pode contribuir para o diagnóstico da vulnerabilidade e riscos, e desta forma subsidiar a gestão do problema em nível local. O estudo foi realizado na bacia hidrográfica do rio Indaiá - Ubatuba, São Paulo Brasil, com área de 37,6 Km2, abrangendo os bairros do Perequê-açu, Barra Seca, Taquaral, Casanga e Sumidouro. Conforme o mapeamento realizado pelo Instituto Geológico do Estado de São Paulo (SÃO PAULO, 2006), esta bacia possui extensas áreas com riscos de inundações, escorregamentos de terra e queda de blocos. Para contextualizar a questão da participação social na gestão de riscos, foram analisados os instrumentos legais e políticas públicas em nível federal, estadual e municipal a partir da Constituição de 1988, tendo como foco principal a etapa de prevenção. O estudo da percepção ambiental teve como base teórica e conceitual as obras de Tuan (1983) e Del Rio e Oliveira (1996). Acompanhou-se também a tendência dos estudos da vulnerabilidade do lugar de Marandola Jr.; Hogan (2004a; 2004b; 2005). Para o levantamento das informações junto à população utilizou-se diversas metodologias. Na consulta junto à população foram aplicados 209 questionários, e realizadas entrevistas com educadores e lideranças locais. As atividades participantes incluíram a realização de um curso e de uma reunião comunitária sobre mapeamento e prevenção de riscos ambientais. Os resultados da análise da percepção dos participantes sobre elementos da vulnerabilidade e riscos foram representados cartograficamente e correlacionados com as informações do mapeamento técnico existente, sendo analisados seis casos específicos que demonstram problemas quanto à gestão de riscos. A falta de informações e orientações sobre a questão e o desconhecimento de grande parte dos entrevistados sobre os instrumentos de gestão e o mapeamento técnico existente, demonstram que a população local não participa do processo de gestão de riscos ambientais na área de estudo, comprovando-se a hipótese inicialmente formulada. Os recursos utilizados para coleta e espacialização dos dados se mostraram eficazes, propiciando o levantamento de informações relevantes sobre a vulnerabilidade, os perigos e riscos ambientais a partir do olhar da comunidade sobre o lugar. Estas informações podem subsidiar diretrizes e ações do poder público na prevenção de riscos ambientais. Recomenda-se a adoção de um processo participativo de gestão de riscos, com canais de diálogo e de educação aproximando a sociedade do Sistema de Proteção e Defesa Civil. / Social participation is an essential element that can ensure legitimacy and governance in the planning and implementation of public policies. This study aims to analyze the participation of the population in the process of environmental risk management, and evaluate the perception of the citizens can contribute to the diagnosis of vulnerability and risk, and thus support the management of the problem at the local scale. The study was conducted in the river basin Indaiá - Ubatuba, Sao Paulo - Brazil, with an area of 37.6 km2, covering the districts of Perequê-açu, Barra Seca, Taquaral Casanga and Sink. As the mapping done by the Geological Institute of the State of São Paulo (SAO PAULO, 2006), this basin has large areas at risk of flooding, landslides and land falling blocks. To contextualize the issue of social participation in risk management, the legal and public policy at the federal, state and municipal governments, were analyzed from the Constitution of 1988, focusing primarily on the prevention stage. The study of environmental perception was based on theoretical and conceptual works of Tuan (1983) and Del Rio and Oliveira (1996). It is also followed the trend of studies of the vulnerability of the place of Marandola Jr.; Hogan (2004a, 20 04b, 2005). For collecting the information on the population, 209 questionnaires and interviews were applied with educators and local leaders. The activities included the realization of a course and a community meeting on mapping and environmental risk prevention. The results of the analysis of the participants\' perceptions about aspects of vulnerability and risks were represented cartographically and correlated with technical information mapping existing, and six cases were analyzed that demonstrate specific issues regarding the management of risks. The lack of information and guidance on the issue and ignorance of most of the interviewees regarding the management tools and mapping existing technical, demonstrate that the local population does not participate in the process of environmental risk management in the study area, confirming the hypothesis initially formulated. The resources used for data collection and data mapping are efficient, providing a survey of relevant information about the vulnerability, hazards and environmental risks from the look of the community about the place. These informations can support policies and government actions to prevent environmental hazards. It is recommended the adoption of a participatory risk management, channels of dialogue and education society approaching Protection System and Civil Defense.

受到氣候極端變遷的影響，近年來，世界各地接二連三地出現許多重大天然災害，讓我們賴以生存的地球，正面臨著嚴峻環境災難的考驗。面對這個重要課題，除了政府必須肩負的責任外，非政府組織從環境保護、減災預防、災難準備、以致災難發生時的緊急救援，到災後的復建與重建工作等環節上，也扮演愈來愈重要的角色，近代各國政府都把積極參與人道救援的非政府組織視為災難救援和賑濟上的重要伙伴。 人道救援和一般社會服務工作的動員模式與服務取向不同，除了必須在短時間內滿足無法事先確定的大量需求外，人道救援的目的是在有限資源的前提下，公允地維持受災民眾必要的生存環境、條件與尊嚴。是以，人道救援組織從平時救災人員的訓練、養成，救災器材設備與救援物資的整備，到災難發生時可以快速反應的動員能量，甚至災後不管復原或重建階段各項專業領域的參與，都需要掌握相當實力的資源，才能在必要的時候派上用場。 目前國內主要從事海內、外人道救援的民間組織，其從事人道救援的財源幾乎百分之百依賴民間捐款，而因應每次災難事件的不同，其所募得款項的多寡差異非常大，但國內相關影響重大災難募款金額多寡的因素研究卻很少，為使有限、寶貴的社會資源可以更合理、妥切地被運用，研究者以紅十字會在九二一大地震之後十年來十五起賑災專案募款的結果，運用個案研究的深度訪談以及焦點團體的探討，嘗試彙整出影響國人重大災難捐款的因素。 是以，本研究從災難本身、捐款人、勸募者及社會政經情境等面向，歸納出可能影響重大災難募捐款項的二十個因素，藉以分析說明並對照實務上募款金額的多寡。此外，本研究也提供了幾項重大災難募捐的特性，希望可以做為國人或後續研究者參用。 最後，本研究建議國人應該深切體認資源有限，整體社會的資源不管來自何處、流向何處，其總和也是不變的，因此，無論是資源的擁有者、分配者、執行者，以及在這個過程中可能影響資源分配運用的關係人，如政府、媒體等，都應該珍惜這個寶貴的資源，善用它，讓它發揮應有的社會功能。尤其，人道救援是一個關乎生命，非常嚴肅的議題，很多人認為重大災難捐款是一種衝動性捐款，但研究者卻堅信捐款行為只是表象，其真正是人的「愛心」在驅動，因此，必須從理性、審慎的態度來探究愛心背後可能影響捐款人作為的因素，並進而提供國人的愛心一個更好的捐款與資源運用環境。 / As a result of extreme climate changes, the world has witnessed many major natural disasters. Hence, the earth on which we live is confronting severe environmental challenge. To cope with such a severe challenge, other than the governments which must take up the responsibilities, NGOs are playing more important roles which include environmental protection, disaster prevention, disaster preparedness, as well as in the event of occurrence of natural disasters, emergency relief, recovery and reconstruction. Nowaday, the governments treat NGOs as their indispensable partners in the efforts of disaster rescue and relief. Humanitarian relief is different from social working network. The former must within a short period mobilize resources to meet unpredictable yet huge amount of need. The objective of humanitarian relief is to provide the people who were adversely affected by the disasters with resources, however limited, to live with dignity and fairness. Therefore, NGOs doing humanitarian relief must prepare themselves not only in the training of rescue teams, securing adequate equipments so that they can respond promptly to disasters, but also be in command of substantial resource so as to meet the urgent need in emergency relief, recovery and reconstruction. The humanitarian organizations of Taiwan, whom undertake disaster relief in Taiwan and oversea, obtain funding almost 100% from the private sector. Since the amount of fund raised in different disasters can be vastly different, to help rational allocation of limited yet valuable resources in disaster relief, the author has made efforts to collect data from 15 disaster-fund-raising events since the 921 earthquake in 1999, and to analyse the factors that are relevant to the donors’ behavior. The author has also carried out analysis of the factors by in-depth case study and focus group interview. On the basis of such data, case study and interview, the author has identified 20 factors from such perspective as nature of disasters, donors, fund-raising organizers, social-economic- political situation, etc. This paper also enumerates a number of important characteristics of fund-raising in major disasters. To conclude, the author likes to point out that the sum total of resources available to any disaster effort project is a constant. Therefore, all players in any major disaster relief project, including the organizers, the media, the government and others, must carefully use the resources and to achieve maximum utility of the resource for the benefits of those who are in need, to recover and to re-live from the disaster. Such an observation is meaningful because humanitarian relief is a serious subject and donation is not merely an act of impulse, it is also an act of “love”. Therefore, we must carefully explore the relevant factors that contribute to the donors’ behaviors. Only by so doing, we can structure a better environment under which fund-raising motivated by “love” can be truly successful and meaningful use of such resources to the maximum benefit of the people affected by the disasters be assured.

Turkish Compulsory Earthquake Insurance (ZDS) introduced after the 1999 Earthquakes aimed to lower financial burdens of the State and to promote safer building construction. High earthquake risk in Turkey necessitates risk mitigation, in line with the priority of the new international policy. Yet, the ZDS system operates without regard to risk mitigation, and it is far from being a compulsory condition. The ZDS system has low penetration ratios due to expectations of State-aid in the event of a disaster, which arise from perceived attributes of ZDS, according to the findings of the Zeytinburnu household survey. The ZDS system generates social inequalities because purchase of the ZDS contracts is voluntary. This is related to higher social statuses and general insurance purchase behavior, whereas insured homeowners in middle-lower income levels are observed to differ significantly from un-insured homeowners in their perception of the ZDS purchase as &lsquo / compulsory&rsquo / and as a form of &lsquo / social solidarity&rsquo / . Operation of the ZDS disregarding risk mitigation seems to promote fatalistic attitudes andTurkish Compulsory Earthquake Insurance (ZDS) introduced after the 1999 Earthquakes aimed to lower financial burdens of the State and to promote safer building construction. High earthquake risk in Turkey necessitates risk mitigation, in line with the priority of the new international policy. Yet, the ZDS system operates without regard to risk mitigation, and it is far from being a compulsory condition. The ZDS system has low penetration ratios due to expectations of State-aid in the event of a disaster, which arise from perceived attributes of ZDS, according to the findings of the Zeytinburnu household survey. The ZDS system generates social inequalities because purchase of the ZDS contracts is voluntary. This is related to higher social statuses and general insurance purchase behavior, whereas insured homeowners in middle-lower income levels are observed to differ significantly from un-insured homeowners in their perception of the ZDS purchase as &lsquo / compulsory&rsquo / and as a form of &lsquo / social solidarity&rsquo / . Operation of the ZDS disregarding risk mitigation seems to promote fatalistic attitudes and reluctance to conform with requirements of risk mitigation. Low penetration ratio and high earthquake risk threaten efficiency of the ZDS system and does not reduce burdens of the State. Based on survey findings, a more appropriate strategy for the achievement of resilience against earthquakes could be possible through the collaboration of the ZDS system with local administrations. It is observed that by means of a &lsquo / Grant Program&rsquo / , there may be abundant reason and evidence to achieve convertion of the ZDS system from a post-disaster loss compensation mechanism to a predisaster risk reduction benefactor. Supporting municipalities to produce urban risk maps could reduce risks by more accurate estimation of potential losses, and an extended coverage of the ZDS system to urban risks. Relationship analyses between homeowners&rsquo / attributes, perceptions and tendencies toward alternative policies indicate the necessity of introducing policies based risk-rated premiums. Homeowners are observed as requiring technical and financial assistance to take mitigation measures, decisions under individualized conditions, on the other hand, seem to reinforce fatalistic attitudes and reluctance due to the disregard of risk mitigation benefits and ZDS purchase. Waste of public resources and creation of social inequalities could be prevented by enhancing the capacities of local authorities to implement urban risk mitigation plans and community-based projects via a Grant Program. &lsquo / Relationship analyses&rsquo / of the attitudes of homeowners for alternative policies with respect to their attributes and perceptions revealed that a Grant Program could result in the perception of the ZDS system as a form of social solidarity in risk mitigation. This is to reduce fatalistic attitudes, and curb reluctance compared to individualized conditions of insurance purchase. As a result, willingness to mitigate risks through active participation and purchase of ZDS contracts, particularly among homeowners in the middle-lower socio-economic statuses are likely to expand leading to a resilience society.

The tsunami in Thailand in 2004, 9/11 and hurricane Katrina in New Orleans 2005 are all reminders that no organization is immune to crises, which also means that all organizations should be prepared and know how to handle a crisis if one was to occur.   A case study has been conducted, on a crisis regarding a fire that occurred on the 31st of July 2014 in Västmanland, Sweden. Through Qualitative interviews empirical data was gathered and then analyzed together with our theories and previous research. The purpose of the study is to analyze how the municipalities affected and the County Administrative Board of Sweden handled and communicated with/to the public during the fire that spread in Västmanland 2014.   Our study shows that a risk analysis and analysis of surroundings is crucial in anticipating a crisis event and that it is essential for organizations to undergo training to prepare organization members on how to handle a crisis. Another conclusion is that the need for information is large during a crisis event and grows throughout the entire course of the crisis. The crisis that we studied had a lack of information, but at the same time the public’s need for information is a need that can’t be satisfied during a crisis. And if the organizations concerned do not satisfy the public’s need for information, rumors will start to disseminate to cater to the public’s needs. Rumors have always been a part of crisis communication but has with today’s technologies assumed a digital form which means that they can spread to a wider group of people. The digital and social media constituted of an essential tool for the affected stakeholders crisis communication and the local radio played an important role in managing the crisis.

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Natural disasters are increasing in both number and severity, causing the number of people being displaced by disaster to rise as well. Hurricane Katrina provides a particularly poignant example of the human impact of disaster, and of inadequate disaster response, especially where housing is concerned. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans exposed a gap in the approach to housing survivors of natural disasters, especially at the interim housing level. The FEMA trailer - which was only intended to house survivors temporarily but, in many cases, became a long term housing solution, - provided shelter for survivors, but did not account for their psychological well-being. The loss of one’s home can be a traumatic experience, as people identify their sense of self with their home. Therefore, it is crucial to reinstate this sense of home, and in turn provide continuity to the sense of self, early on in the recovery process. Rebuilding after a natural disaster is a long process. Because of this, disaster housing needs to be able to evoke a sense of home and ownership so that inhabitants can connect with their environment and reinstate their daily routines. This helps them to rebuild their lives. The proposed project attempts to do this by allowing for flexibility and choice in both the design and daily use of the house. The house transitions from temporary to permanent housing, allowing for a dialogue between inhabitant and environment to begin early on in the recovery process, and to persist. The design is informed by theories on place making, elements of home, dwelling, as well as loss and the grieving process.