Thursday, June 22, 2006

Welcome to the Disaster Center Blog!
Here we can share disaster mitigation news, ideas, information, theory, as well as reports of on going disasters.
Each of us exists within our own risk/threat universe. While some risk/threats are common to all, others are related to the kinds of persons we are, the places we live, the choices we make, and the societies that are born within. To understand individuals or societies, we must understand how they apprehend the risk/threat universe that they occupy. Understanding the risks/threats that are present to each of us is required if we are going to create sustainable economic and social developments.
The most humbling experience of my life has involved meeting with people who followed the rules, done everything right in their life, as god gave them to power to see the right, who lost all their material possessions in a disaster. Whether it was a young family or an old couple, what has affected me most has been the quality of their character.
At some point humanity is going to develop a science of disaster mitigation. The object of which will be to enable groups and individuals to secure a sound and stable future by providing them assess to the knowledge and tools needed to mitigate the risks and threats to their lives and livelihoods. I hope that in some way blog will help serve that end.
Christopher Effgen