LOCAL CIVIL DEFENSE IN NATURAL DISASTER: FROM OFFICE TO ORGANIZATION

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Abstract
The report considers the functioning of civil defense offices in natural disasters. The focus is on the actual operations of these units within the local community. In order to account for the role that civil defense offices assume following a natural disaster, the report looks at both pre- and post-disaster characteristics of these units. The report maintains that civil defense offices tend to be hampered by uncertainty with regard to many of their important organizational dimensions, such as authority relations, tasks, internal structures, and public support. These sources of uncertainty can generate operational difficulties for civil defense offices during disasters. In discussing the mobilization and expansion of civil defense, the report distinguishes between civil defense 'office' and civil defense 'organization,' the latter referring to the expanded post-emergency structure. The expansion personnel include regular and emergency volunteers and government employees from other agencies. Disaster tasks and activities of local civil defense organizations during disasters--both administrative-support tasks and operational tasks--are described.

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