Major natural disasters inflict severe damages to property and present everlasting danger to human lives despite technological advances and increased capabilities to provide early warning and response. Developed countries incorporate lessons learned with traditional observable disaster trends in their area to create disaster management systems that provide the best model for mitigating the catastrophic effects of natural disasters. Historically, disaster management systems include more than one governmental organization across a span of hierarchical levels. Recognizing what impedes the response by those cross-organizational systems would offer a chance to address and mitigate observed deficiencies. This study is essential to both military organizations that contribute to the disaster management and to civilian authorities that establish, organize, equip, train, and mobilize disaster management system. The study reveals those impeding elements that are observable despite geographical, cultural, or ethical differences among selected disaster management systems.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)