Foreword Damon Coppola's book is a major contribution to understanding the universal principles of emergency management. Had it been available in 1978, it would have helped me become a better emergency man- ager. I joined the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) in 1978 after serving three years in Viet Nam and a year in Ghana with the development program of the Agency for International Develop- ment. My qualifications were that I had common sense and street smarts because I survived Viet Nam, had traveled the world, and worked in Africa. If I applied for the same disaster job today with those qualifications, I would be rejected, fortunately. Today's emergency managers have a wealth of information available to them and can benefit from the many academic courses offered to build a solid foundation of expertise in disaster prepared- ness and response. This know-how aids them in their profession and strengthens their decision-making capability. Damon has compiled an impressive collection of facts, statistics, and checklists that can help a motivated person become a skilled emergency management technician. Chapter 11, Special