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Review Of Disaster Definitions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

A. F. Al-Madhari  and
A. Z. Keller
A. F. Al-Madhari*
Affiliation:
King Fiasal University, Saudi Arabia
A. Z. Keller
Affiliation:
University of Bradford, United Kingdom
*
Assistant Professor, College of Management Science, P.O. Box 1760, AL-HASA 31982, SAUDI ARABIA
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Abstract

Researchers need accurate, explicit definitions of terms in order to discuss, search for or indentify the consequences of any particular phenomenon. The term “disaster” is no exception. The many definitions used for definition of disaster are outlined in general and by the discipline using them in this paper. Although the definitions used still seem somewhat specific to the discipline, there is one common element accepted by all: a disaster is seen to occur at a well-defined and easily identified time.

It is not feasible to formulate a universally acceptable definition of disaster that will satisfy all practitioners, but common and agreed upon definitions must be formulated in the various fields and areas concerned with disasters, and where there exist recognizable, common sets of objectives.

Keywords

definitionsdisasteretymology
Type
Theoretical Discussion
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , March 1997 , pp. 17 - 21
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 1997

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