Planning for Earthquakes: Risk, Politics and Policy - Hardcover

Berke

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801842557 ISBN 13: 9780801842559

Publisher: John Hopkins University Press, 1992

Synopsis

Until recently experts who studied risks, both natural and technological, focused mainly on how to avoid them. Today, with a growing awareness that certain natural risks are simply unavoidable, the emphasis is shifting toward ways of planning for them and of mitigating their consequences. High on any list of unavoidable natural risks is earthquake.
In Planning for Earthquakes Philip R. Berke and Timothy Beatley examine the experiences of 260 earthquake-prone communities across the United States, from the West Coast to the East. They give special attention to three areas of especially high risk--Palo Alto, California; Salt Lake County, Utah; and the lowlands of South Carolina (including historic Charleston). Berke and Beatley address topics that include citizen safety, ways of determining and maintaining the structural integrity of old and new buildings, mapping of quake-prone areas, and land-use (where to limit development). They also study the ways in which planners, politicians, and community residents can best work together in the decision-making process for earthquake planning.
The authors conclude that the greatest successes have been achieved when technological considerations are counterbalanced with consideration of the values and preferences of those most at risk--the residents of quake-prone areas. Planning for Earthquakes will interest students and scholars of hazards management as well as land-use planners and government officials.

About this title

Review

"The book is interestingly written, and presents clear and practical suggestions for changing local seismic policy. It should be of interest to geographers and other social scientists who study natural-hazards policy." -- Environment and Planning

Synopsis

Examines the earthquake preparations such as building codes, mapping quake-prone areas, and land-use decision in 260 communities across the country, focusing on areas that are earthquake prone. Concludes that planning works best when technological considerations are balanced by people's values and preferences. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. P

Edition details

• Publisher: John Hopkins University Press
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801842557
• ISBN 13: 9780801842559
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240