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Emergency Preparedness

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Because natural and manmade disasters can occur at any time, individuals, communities, and governments must be prepared. RAND has developed guidelines for individual preparedness in response to terrorist attacks; evaluated, modeled, and enhanced preparedness policy options for government officials at all levels; and recommended actions that communities should take to prepare for bioterrorist attacks, pandemic flu outbreaks, and other large-scale emergencies.

Q&A
Keeping America Safe in an Age of Danger: Q&A with Andrew Hoehn and Thom Shanker
In their new book, Andrew Hoehn and Thom Shanker argue that America has entered an age of danger that may come to rival anything in its history. They explain why the national security system needs an overhaul as we face a growing array of threats, from cyber attacks to climate change.
Jun 26, 2023
Essay
An Early Warning System for Landslides Protects Sitka, Alaska
A 2015 landslide that killed three people in Sitka, Alaska, changed how residents looked at the steep hills all around them. The community worked with researchers to develop a warning system to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Mar 14, 2023

Explore Emergency Preparedness

Report
Which Countries Could Become Disease Hot Spots?
Identifying and focusing on vulnerable countries that could become hot spots for infectious disease could help in the fight against future outbreaks.
Sep 12, 2016
Journal Article
The Promise of Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth for Disaster Response and Recovery
This paper discusses several potential uses of direct-to-consumer telehealth during disaster response and recovery while noting the logistical, legal, and policy challenges that must be addressed to allow for expanded use.
Sep 12, 2016
Commentary
Can the Bioweapons Convention Survive Crispr?
Crispr is a biotechnology that's making genetic editing easier, cheaper, and far more accessible, but it has also been called a major security threat. Do such advances in biotechnology make the bioweapons convention obsolete?
Jul 29, 2016
News Release
Suicide Prevention Hotlines in California Could Expand Digital Offerings and Partnerships with Health Systems to ...
Suicide prevention hotlines in California respond to callers in need and reduce their distress. They could reach more people and improve services by expanding digital offerings such as chat and establishing programs to monitor and improve quality.
Jul 12, 2016
Report
Suicide Prevention Hotlines in California Could Improve Services
Suicide prevention hotlines in California respond to callers in need and reduce caller distress. But they could improve their services and reach more users by expanding digital offerings such as chat services and establishing better programs to monitor and improve the quality of their services.
Jul 12, 2016
Journal Article
Using Timely Survey-Based Information Networks to Collect Data on Best Practices for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response: Illustrative Case from the American College of Emergency Physicians' Ebola Surveys
Professional associations can use their member networks to collect timely survey data to inform best practices during and immediately after public health emergencies.
Jul 1, 2016
Report
Technological Lessons from the Fukushima Nuclear Accident
How was technology used to address the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan? Lessons from this event can help inform preparation for and response to future emergencies.
Jun 1, 2016
Report
Collaborative Disaster Preparedness: Vietnam, the United States, and Regional Experiences (Proceedings from Da Nang, Vietnam, August 18–20, 2015)
This report summarizes the workshop on Collaborative Disaster Preparedness that was conducted in August 2015 in Da Nang, Vietnam, and hosted by the Collaborative & Adaptive Security Initiative.
May 19, 2016
Commentary
What Is the Private Sector's Role in Supporting Disaster Recovery?
The scope and scale of disasters are changing. This has altered how disaster management and financing are addressed. Businesses and nonprofits are increasingly central to the process, supporting immediate disaster response and contributing redevelopment funding that supports community recovery.
May 18, 2016
Report
How Civil Institutions Build Resilience: Organizational Practices Derived from Academic Literature and Case Studies
This report summarizes key findings from a review of academic literature and case studies on building resilient missions that have broad application to any organization seeking to enhance resilience as well as specifically to the space community.
Apr 28, 2016
Tool
Improving the Role of NGOs in Disaster Response and Recovery
The ENGAGED toolkit assists public health and emergency planners and NGO stakeholders, including voluntary associations, philanthropic organizations, advocacy groups, community groups, and businesses, in determining capacity and capability for disaster response and recovery.
Apr 18, 2016
Commentary
Ransomware Hackers Are Coming for Your Health Records
Cyber criminals may be preying on hospitals because cyber protection measures likely have not kept pace with electronic data collection and because hospitals typically do not have backup systems and databases in place, even though such attacks can strain health care systems and potentially put patients' lives at risk.
Apr 11, 2016
Commentary
Rather Than Fearing 'Cyber 9/11,' Prepare for 'Cyber Katrina'
The United States needs a smooth, well-functioning mutual aid system for cybersecurity that provides all of the hard-won benefits of the nation's system for hurricanes and other emergencies.
Mar 30, 2016
Commentary
Countering Bioterror
While advances in biotechnology have brought a wide range of benefits, biological weapons are now within the reach of many rogue nations and possibly some terrorist groups. Reports show that the U.S. is ill prepared to address this threat.
Jan 18, 2016
Blog
State of the Union 2016: Insights on Obama's Last Address
RAND research, analysis, and expertise provide context for many of the issues discussed in President Barack Obama's final State of the Union address, including the threat of ISIS, global climate change, and bringing peace to Syria.
Jan 13, 2016
Journal Article
Wireless Emergency Alerts: Mobile Penetration Strategy
The objective of this analysis was to independently assess the coverage and penetration of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system.
Jan 5, 2016
Commentary
Saving Lives After Tragedy
Natural and man-made mass-casualty incidents are a growing threat. Evaluating successes and shortcomings after each crisis can contribute to the design and implementation of robust and resilient response systems and ensure the best possible outcomes for individuals and impacted communities.
Dec 14, 2015
Report
Improving DoD Support to FEMA's All-Hazards Plans
Reviews and analyzes how the U.S. Department of Defense and the Federal Emergency Management Agency work together to plan and execute disaster response activities, and recommends areas for improvement.
Nov 30, 2015
Journal Article
Exploring the Effect of the Diffusion of Geo-Targeted Emergency Alerts: The Application of Agent-Based Modeling to Understanding the Spread of Messages from the Wireless Emergency Alerts System
This report examines the effect of the diffusion of geo-targeted emergency alerts.
Nov 23, 2015
Commentary
Insights on the Paris Terror Attacks from RAND Experts
RAND experts weigh in on what the wave of coordinated terror attacks across Paris means for France, the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, the global refugee crisis, and more.
Nov 17, 2015

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RAND Topic:
Emergency Preparedness

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Michelle Woods

Associate Director, RAND Homeland Security Research Division

Michelle Woods is the associate director of the RAND Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD), which operates the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC). She is also a senior defense researcher at the RAND Corporation.
Andrew M. Parker

Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist

Andrew M. Parker is a senior behavioral and social scientist at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. His research applies core concepts in behavioral decision research to the understanding of decisions in complex, real-world situations. He has led or…

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