Developing International Standards for Disaster Preparedness and Response: How Do We Get There?

In 2010, the earthquake and the subsequent development of a cholera epidemic in Haiti, along with the massive flooding in Pakistan, demonstrated, once again, that international disaster relief operations, though vigorous, lacked effective integration and coordination. Needless duplication of resources and response characterizes international relief efforts. This paper examines evidence of developing international cooperative efforts for more effective disaster preparedness and calls for specific actions needed to move toward international standards of disaster preparedness and response.