This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. In today's world, there are new opportunities for disaster communications through modern technology and social media. Social network applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can connect friends, family, first responders, and those providing relief and assistance. However, social media and other modern communication tools have their limitations. They can be affected by disaster situations where there are power outages or interrupted cellular service. The research contained in this valuable compendium offers much-needed information for emergency responders, utility companies, relief organizations, and governments as they invest in infrastructure to support post-disaster communications. In order to make use of modern communication methods, as well as fully utilize more traditional communication networks, it is imperative that we understand how people actually communicate in the wake of a disaster situation and how various communication strategies can best be utilized. Communication during and immediately after a disaster situation is a vital component of response and recovery. Effective communication connects first responders, support systems, and family members with the communities and individuals immersed in the disaster. Reliable communication also plays a key role in a community's resilience. With research from internationally recognized experts, this volume provides an overview of communication challenges and best-practice analyses, looks at the internet and social media and mobile phones and other technology for disaster communication, and explores the challenges to effective communication. Presents a quality improvement project that gathered expert consensus on best practices used to improve disaster communication Analyzes the information dissemination mechanisms of different media to establish an efficient information dissemination plan for disaster pre-warning, including short message service (SMS), microblogs, news portals, cell phones, television, and oral communication Gauges the effectiveness of disaster risk communication Looks at the future of social media use during emergencies and afterwards Proposes a disaster resilient network that integrates various wireless networks into a cognitive wireless network in the event of disaster occurrences Effective Communication During Disasters: Making Use of Technology, Media, and Human Resources is an informative, multi-faceted resource on preparedness planning for effective communication before, during, and after a disaster occurs.

As large-scale emergencies continue to pose a threat to U.S. populations at the local, state, and national levels, the public and private sectors are demanding improved public health preparedness, response, and cooperation for such events. Emergency Public Health provides readers with important information and analysis of key public health crises threatening our local, state, and national jurisdictions. As the first text of its kind in the emerging field of emergency public health, it provides a framework for public health professionals, policy makers, first responders, and emergency healthcare providers to plan and implement effective measures to protect the public health of civilian populations during times of emergencies. Written by experts with both emergency healthcare and public health backgrounds, the case-based chapters provide valuable information on the preparedness, response, and mitigation of emergency public health topics. In addition, Emergency Public Health contains timely information of key areas such as public health law and the interactions among government jurisdictions. Each chapter also includes online resources for the reader to pursue additional web-based resources. Important features: - Chapters written by emergency physicians with public health degrees - Case-based chapters - Web resources provided - Covers large-scale issues such as public health law, government jurisdictions, NGO's, - Chapter devoted to specific needs of children - Chapter on mental health issues in times of public health emergencies - Specific chapters on public health tools such as surveillance and rapid needs assessment - Each chapter follows a consistent structure to maintain clarity and continuity throughout the text: A. Introduction B. Historical perspectives C. Preparedness D. Response E. Case study F. On-line resources Competitive features: - Covers natural emergencies - Covers key topics in terrorism - Covers primary topics for disaster medicine Questions for instructors - What are the key topics in your course? - How do you like to prepare your students for public health emergencies? - What management principles are addressed in your course? - Do you teach special issues such as children and mental health issues during emergencies?

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. In today's world, there are new opportunities for disaster communications through modern technology and social media. Social network applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can connect friends, family, first responders, and those providing relief and assistance. However, social media and other modern communication tools have their limitations. They can be affected by disaster situations where there are power outages or interrupted cellular service. The research contained in this valuable compendium offers much-needed information for emergency responders, utility companies, relief organizations, and governments as they invest in infrastructure to support post-disaster communications. In order to make use of modern communication methods, as well as fully utilize more traditional communication networks, it is imperative that we understand how people actually communicate in the wake of a disaster situation and how various communication strategies can best be utilized. Communication during and immediately after a disaster situation is a vital component of response and recovery. Effective communication connects first responders, support systems, and family members with the communities and individuals immersed in the disaster. Reliable communication also plays a key role in a community's resilience. With research from internationally recognized experts, this volume provides an overview of communication challenges and best-practice analyses, looks at the internet and social media and mobile phones and other technology for disaster communication, and explores the challenges to effective communication. Presents a quality improvement project that gathered expert consensus on best practices used to improve disaster communication Analyzes the information dissemination mechanisms of different media to establish an efficient information dissemination plan for disaster pre-warning, including short message service (SMS), microblogs, news portals, cell phones, television, and oral communication Gauges the effectiveness of disaster risk communication Looks at the future of social media use during emergencies and afterwards Proposes a disaster resilient network that integrates various wireless networks into a cognitive wireless network in the event of disaster occurrences Effective Communication During Disasters: Making Use of Technology, Media, and Human Resources is an informative, multi-faceted resource on preparedness planning for effective communication before, during, and after a disaster occurs.