The official Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) is a guide for use by transporters, firefighters, police, and other emergency services personnel who may be the first to arrive at the scene of a transportation incident involving a hazardous material. It is used by first responders in (1) quickly identifying the specific or generic classification of the material(s) involved in the incident, and (2) protecting themselves and the general public during this initial response phase of the incident. The ERG is updated every three to four years to accommodate new products and technology.

GAO-11-700. Cyclone Nargis hit Burma's impoverished Irrawaddy Delta on May 2, 2008, leaving nearly 140,000 people dead or missing and severely affecting about 2.4 million others, according to the UN. The Burmese military government initially blocked most access to the affected region; however, amid international pressure, it slowly began allowing international aid workers entry into the region. Since 1997, the United States has imposed sanctions to prohibit, among other things, the exportation of financial services to Burma and transactions with Burmese officials. In response to a congressional mandate, GAO (1) described the assistance UN and U.S. agencies have provided in response to Cyclone Nargis, (2) assessed USAID actions to help ensure funds are used as intended and do not benefit sanctioned entities, and (3) described the challenges responders experienced and the lessons learned. GAO reviewed financial and program documents; interviewed U.S., UN, and nongovernmental organization (NGO) officials; and traveled to Thailand and Burma. UN and U.S. agencies provided about $335 million for emergency response and recovery activities after Cyclone Nargis. Of that total, 11 UN agencies obligated roughly $288 million for assistance in various sectors, including food, health, water and sanitation, and agriculture. The U.S. government provided about $38 million of the UN's total as part of its roughly $85 million in obligations for emergency response and longer-term recovery activities. Of the $85 million U.S. response, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which led U.S. efforts, obligated about $72 million. The Department of Defense obligated about $13 million to procure and deliver emergency relief supplies. USAID took actions to help ensure U.S. funds were used as intended and did not benefit sanctioned entities, but had some monitoring weaknesses. USAID took actions prior to the delivery of assistance, including selecting partners experienced in working with USAID and in Burma and providing extra guidance to help ensure funds were not misused. To monitor assistance, USAID has conducted some site visits. However, USAID's monitoring contains little financial oversight and we found that two grantees charged USAID for unapproved international travel. Also, in some cases site visits were not sufficiently documented. USAID relies on external audits of grantees, but relevant USAID staff were not aware of audit findings related to one grantee's cash payments to villagers in Burma. The grantee subsequently addressed the audit findings. Lastly, U.S. and UN agencies said they examined reports of misuse of assistance in their programs and found no evidence that assistance had been misused. GAO's review of 16 after-action reports from donors, NGOs, and UN agencies, showed that those responding to Cyclone Nargis experienced similar challenges and developed lessons learned in four main areas: access, coordination, implementation, and limited in-country disaster response capacity. Responders found it difficult to reach affected areas because the Burmese government limited their travel and the infrastructure was poor. Responders also had difficulty coordinating between headquarters and field offices for several reasons, including limited telecommunication services. A U.S. report highlighted coordination challenges amongst U.S. agencies, stating that agencies' conflicting agendas resulted in difficulties related to the appropriateness, timing, procurement, and distribution of aid. Implementation challenges include supplies that were incompatible with local conditions, such as medicines with instructions printed in non-Burmese languages and difficulties monitoring aid.

Are You and Your Family Ready to Survive the Next Disaster? Power Outages. Blizzards. Floods. Mudslides. Earthquakes. Tornadoes. Hurricanes. No matter where you live, you are in a natural disaster prone area. There are natural disasters on an almost daily basis all around the world. Not to mention man-made disasters. There are threats of wars, terrorist attacks and jokes about zombie's taking over. The world economy is crumbling and if the disaster of Hurricane Katrina taught us anything, it's that we can't really depend on the government to help us. If you are interested in learning how to protect your family from any and all of the inevitable disasters that could potentially happen, this book is your first step to learning how to prepare for any emergency situation. Prepping 101: A Beginner's Survival Guide will teach you the fundamental rules of basic survival for helping you and your family survive no matter the situation, all in simple terms that even the most novice of beginners can understand and implement. In this book you will learn how to: - Understand the psychology of thinking like a survivor. - Pack an age appropriate Bug Out Bag for each member of your family. - Purify water and determine which foods you can dehydrate and store. - Build a fire and shelter in a wilderness survival situation. - Administer CPR and other common first aid necessities. - And much, much more Survivors are a unique group of people. Some people call us Survivalists, Doomsday Preppers, or Patriots. You may not consider yourself any of those things. Whatever you may want to call yourself, if you're reading this, you are on the first step to helping your family becoming an Emergency Prepared Survivors. Welcome to Prepping 101.

This book is truly the comprehensive biography of man-made ills and evils such as poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, crime, violence, economic chaos, terrorism, pollution, species extinction, global warming and climate change. These curses resisted extensive and very costly eradication efforts because humanity failed to address the real "secret" factor behind their origin. The author exposes that secret through this book, which explains the what, why and how of the above evils and the other disturbing diverse happenings around the globe. Controlling that hidden factor will gradually end all those evils and bring diverse humanity together as a global village. "The author has come out with revolutionary ideas which will bring to an end the long-standing ignorance of humanity and will help them to eradicate global ills. It is a must for every global citizen, and understanding these will soon become a prerequisite for rulers, bureaucrats, planners, and activists." - Dr. D. Peter, Ph.D., economist, educationalist, author, and activist - Dr. Ivy Peter, Ph.D., historian, educationalist and author "The most excellent book ever written on sustainable living." - Dr. R.S. Lal Mohan, Ph.D., scientist, nature conservationist, educationalist and author Dr. S.J.P. Thompson is a family physician in India and the grandfather of four. Publisher's website: http://sbpra.com/SJPThompson

On May 22, 2011, a massive multi-vortex EF5 tornado ripped through the heart of America, leaving the city of Joplin, Missouri in ruins. As a result of the tornado's devastation, more than one hundred sixty people lost their lives, with the injured numbering more than a thousand. More than eighteen thousand vehicles were destroyed and nearly seven thousand homes lost, with nearly a thousand more damaged. There were nearly five hundred businesses leveled or damaged, many of them medical facilities, affecting more than five thousand jobs. The high school was decimated along with five other school buildings and seven more damaged. One of the two main hospitals in the four-state area took a direct hit along with a nearby nursing home, destroying both. Several churches along the path of the tornado were also destroyed. Because of the staggering array of tragic statistics, it would be easy to see the events of that fateful Sunday as a tale of destruction, disparity, and death. Even though these statistics and tragedy are certainly a part of the events, I am convinced that the story that will be forever told will be one of the extreme outpouring and manifestation of faith, hope, and love. In the wake of the storm, a sea of volunteers from all over the country (and many parts of the world) descended upon the city, restoring life and vitality to the community. Hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children rushed to share the burdens of its citizens, easing their pain and suffering. The people who were monitoring and following the storm activity that day will tell you that the conditions were perfect for a devastating tornado. I am convinced that the conditions following the storm were perfect for a miracle. Not just one miracle, but countless miracles, the likes of which we have never before witnessed or experienced. The real story has less to do with damage, disparity, destruction, and death, and more to do with preservation, rebuilding, and healing. It's about renewed hope and faith, healed hearts and lives, spiritual and emotional growth, perseverance and determination, charity and compassion. It is the power of love, a story of triumph, and the miracle of the human spirit... the very heart of America One house that was hit hardest stood defiantly resilient to the storm, becoming an oasis of hope for the community and the people who came to serve. Thousands of volunteers wrote personal messages of hope, love, and encouragement on the remaining structure, transforming it into what the New York Times described as a love letter to Joplin. The house of hope withstood the ravaging storm and the deconstructive forces of the rebuilding efforts. After every house around it had been leveled to the ground, it remained standing as an ensign of faith, hope, love, and perseverance. The house was later rescued from the elements and saved as a historical artifact. Its placement into a museum will forever preserve the heart and soul of those who sacrificed so freely and gave so abundantly. Come and share in the lives of the family who lived in the house of hope. Feel the horror of the destruction and devastation as the family rides out the storm in their basement, taking a direct hit from the tornado. Meet some of the volunteers and hear their personal, life changing stories of triumph. Witness the transformation of the house from tornado debris to historic treasure. Learn the miraculous stories of angels and butterfly people. Experience the miracle of the human spirit through the eyes and hearts of those who were there

Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast with incredible power and fury, wreaking havoc in communities across the region. Entire neighbourhoods were flooded. Families lost their homes. Businesses were destroyed. Infrastructure was torn apart. After all the damage was done, it was clear that the region faced a long, hard road back. That is why President Obama pledged to work with local partners every step of the way to help affected communities rebuild and recover. On August 19, 2013, the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force released its Rebuilding Strategy for the Sandy impacted region. The Rebuilding Strategy included a long-term plan for rebuilding that guides Sandy supplemental spending to drive regional co-ordination and make communities more resilient to future disasters. The Rebuilding Strategy also aligns federal, state and local policies to achieve goals that are important to the long-term rebuilding of the region in the most economically efficient, ecologically robust and innovative ways possible. This book discusses the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy in detail.