After the bombing - the long road to recovery

Few would dispute that the terrorist bombings of October 2002 precipitated a crisis for Kuta and Bali. Beyond the direct impacts, the tourism sector was devastated and the community that had become reliant on this revenue experienced significant socio-economic effects. Through a description of emergency response efforts and the local atmosphere both three and 18 months after the event, it is possible to understand some of the emergent issues and recovery strategies developed. While academics and practitioners generally recommend the use of an integrated crisis management plan, the Bali experience demonstrates some of the accomplishments and obstacles in achieving such sustainable and holistic participation. Beyond the tragedy, effective community recovery provides the opportunity to develop greater defence mechanisms and resilience. (AU)

Urban Search and rescue-developing Australia's capacity

Throughout the world full-time urban fire services are usually tasked with managing the equipment, organisation, personnel, training and deployment of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Task Forces. While fire services tend to form the core of Task Forces, by necessity they have a multi-agency, multidisciplined structure. A typical USAR Task Force comprises fire service rescue technicians, ambulance paramedics, trauma doctors, structural engineers, search dogs and handlers, fire service hazardous materials specialists, logistics specialists, and fire service commanders. Before terrorism came to prominence with the bombings of the World Trade Center in 1993 and the Alfred P Murrah building in Oklahoma City in 1995, USAR was perceived by many as a capability required solely for events such as earthquakes. Development of USAR capabilities in Australia received renewed impetus following the events of September 11 2001 in the USA, and October 2002 in Bali. Current deployable USAR capabilities are restricted to NSW, Melbourne and Brisbane. Smaller states and territories may be experiencing difficulty financing and supporting development of USAR capabilities. The Australian Government has provided welcome assistance to the states and territories to develop Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) capabilities, but decided not to provide any financial assistance for the development of USAR. It is timely that this decision be reviewed, as history suggests that the likelihood of a major structural collapse is higher than a CBR incident. (AU)

Bringing 'complex terrorism' and 'corporate malfeasance' into a classication schema for disaster

This article argues that a reappraisal of emergency management systems might be of assistance to organisations concerned with risk assessment in all phases of disaster. Taylor suggests a revised classification of disaster migt support risk organisations when managing the enormity and widespread effects of events such as those culminating in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and in the collapse of corporate empires. Taylor justifies his assertion by defining disasters, presenting a disaster classification system and identifying potential casualties in the aftermath of any major traumatic event. (AU)