The concept of this handbook is that modern disaster management is very much an ongoing national requirement which is important to governments and people alike. It has special significance today because of increasing dangers to the world environment.
To be effective, therefore, disaster management needs to be implemented as a comprehensive and continous activity, not as a periodic reaction to individual disaster circumsrances. Consequently, national representatives who are charged with disaster manaement responsibilities have to deal with a wide range of policy, planning, organisational, operational and othe matters. (cited from inductory notes)