Introduction

The third International Conference on Disaster Management is being reconvened following the success of the first two meetings, held at the Wessex Institute of Technology in the New Forest, UK, in 2009 and at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, USA, in 2011.

The world is facing an increasing number of natural disasters affecting millions of people, destroying property and resulting in loss of human life. These include major floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and many others.

Today we are facing unparalleled threats from human-made disasters that can be attributed to the failure of industrial and energy installations as well as deliberate sabotage from terrorists and vandalism during virulent political upheavals.

Added to this is the ever present threat from natural causes ranging from biological pandemics to earthquakes and tsunamis. All these events pose unprecedented risks to human health on a world scale which requires a massive effort by the international community. Because of this, the conference also focuses on current global health risks, and how best to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters in order to reduce human health impacts.

The proceedings will help participants to understand the nature of global risks, learn risk management strategies to prepare for disruptive events, and identify the best prevention methods in disaster management and public health. It will provide a forum for the exchange of information between leading academics and partners in disaster management.