Author's note: 4/16/97

This paper was originally written in 1995, as part of the requirements for completion of the author's Masters of Science degree in Information  Resources Management at Syracuse University.  Since then, many similar  disasters have occurred, (notably the levy and dike related flooding  emergencies in the Midwest such as in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota,  and along the Ohio river, ect.) to current day in this spring of 1997.   Therefore, it is this author's hope that the ideas expressed in this  document should still be valuable as valuable jumping off points for  emergency managers and decision makers.

ABSTRACT:

This document seeks to identify and clarify the history and state of affairs  in the early 1990's, of some of the important issues that still need to be  addressed in the development of the United States Disaster Relief  Infrastructure.  Related legislation and government programs will be  identfied, and historical problems found within the disaster recovery  infrastructure will be highlighted via the exploration of four disaster  case studies from the early part of this decade.

The document is intended for three important audiences: the academic,  the public via publication through the internet, and agencies such as the  Chicago, IL and Washington D.C. branches of the Army Corp of Engineers who  have requested a copy of this paper.

The goal of this document is to identify and describe the issues listed  above such that they may be considered and discussed by these audiences.    It is the author's  desire that this document will be considered a convenient  summary of the federal situation in the 1990's, the disasters described, and  that some good or enlightenment of the disaster relief structures may be  obtained through their analysis and comparison.

(Updated  9/02/03  D.J. Russell)