Disasters in small communities: Researchers discuss how to help

Terra Daily: Whether it's springtime flooding, an infectious disease outbreak or a volcanic eruption, small or rural communities affected by natural disasters often suffer additional hardship because of their size, say organizers the of "Natural Disasters in Small Communities: How Can We Help?" conference. The conference was open to faculty, students, researchers and all stakeholders in the consequences of natural hazards.

"In the U.S. and around the world, smaller communities, clusters of less than 20,000-30,000 people, are generally less well-prepared to deal with extreme natural phenomena than are larger communities," said Michael F. Sheridan, Ph.D., director of the UB Center for Geohazards Studies, which organized the conference. "They often are caught by surprise by an event that probably has been brewing for a long time. Small communities generally lack the more sophisticated communication networks, hospital facilities, crisis rescue squads, emergency housing and other resources that larger communities have," he added. "They also are more remote, which means help takes longer to arrive."

To address the disaster and emergency management issues specific to small communities, the multidisciplinary conference featured presentations and case studies by researchers from across the U.S. and the globe focused on a broad range of hazards....

Collapsed Kinzua Bridge in Pennsylvania, shot by Nicholas, Wikimedia Commons