The heat is on …

No, not the 1980s soundtrack … though that was fun. As we move into summer, we are reminded of a chilling fact. Heat kills more people than other extreme events. The second point worth reflection here is that “natural disasters” are not natural. The extreme event might (or might not) be caused by “nature”, for… Read More

Old wine – New bottles

So on a reflective Friday morning over coffee, I have browsed through some of my early writing – partly for fun, and partly to see how well it still “stands up”. It may depend on how you measure it 😂 From my point of view – and context at the time – they were written… Read More

Move over “resilience”

Move over “resilience” – make room in the disaster management lexicon for “uninsurable enclaves”. It has been recognised for nearly five decades that disaster risk is a function of hazard and vulnerability. Our efforts have focused on supporting those at risk to be more resilient – more prepared. This focus – I suggest – has… Read More

Plans are nothing …

Emergency Planning for facilities is not straightforward. The “bog standard” linear, risk-based approach is a good start but context often brings complexities which require nuance. Layer over that the social and political dimensions (internal and external) and you start to explore the mire. Difficult questions arise – from the commitment of organisations to adequately resource… Read More