Shaping National Security

Shaping National Security: International Emergency Mechanisms and Disaster Risk Reduction presents international emergency mechanisms relative to disaster risk reduction (DRR). The goal is to share knowledge about existing frameworks, and utilize established DRR policies and programs, as another means to reinforce and strengthen national security in countries around the world.

The book outlines, in detail, the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC), the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) DRR programs. While these entities’ versions of DRR best practices are largely directed at decreasing the impact of disaster hazards, limiting relevant exposure, local vulnerabilities, increasing capacities to cope with disaster, the authors present these frameworks as potential tools, and effective means, to support national security efforts.

This is especially important in disaster circumstances when local, and national emergency resources, may be insufficient to face hazards and multi-hazards, and result in cascading effects to occur as hazard events transpire. Chapters present various resources available to them, through these programs, to encourage authorities from every country to effectively apply the mechanisms—and emergency mechanisms specifically—to offer domestic solutions. Due to these programs proven track records in providing organisational standards, the use of such mechanisms can serve as both the basis to foster sound DRR practices and, by extension, can supplement resiliency, security, and continuity within countries. This concept is based on the premise that the UNDAC, INSARAG, NATO and ECPM emergency mechanisms have been developed to be implementable (directly or indirectly) in every country in the world when disasters occur.

Shaping National Security takes a "big-picture," holistic view of DRR and national security to offer innovative ideas and solutions to professionals and officials working in disaster management, disaster risk reduction, emergency management, crisis management, civil protection, public security management, national security, criminal justice, international studies, and homeland security.