Citation

Harrald JR, Wallace WA. Ind. Crisis Q. 1988; 2(3-4): 257-270.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, Industrial Crisis Institute - Bucknell University)

DOI

10.1177/108602668800200305

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Major natural or accidental catastrophes are perhaps the most unstructured processes with which organizations must deal. Emergency management agencies historically have been controlled by individuals who rely on experience in delivering the services they manage. However, the rapidly rising costs of emergency services coupled with increasing constraints on all public budgets have forced many public managers to shift their attention from an exclusive focus on effectiveness to one that weighs efficiency as well. The authors develop a model to aid in planning responses to technological disasters such as releases of hazardous substances. They apply the model to chemical spills in New York Harbor.