EDITORIAL Epidemiologic Approaches to Disasters: Reducing Our Vulnerability

Disasters are an increasing global health concern. On average, one disaster per week requires external interna-tional assistance somewhere in the world. Recent events, most notably the tsunami of December 26, 2004, have emphasized mankind’s vulnerability to these events and the necessity for preparedness. These ecologic disruptions are emergencies of great magnitude that overwhelm existing resources, resulting in a call for outside help (1). A March 16, 2005, New York Times article outlined ‘‘15 Nightmares for Disaster Planning’ ’ (2). As could be predicted because of the tragic events of September 11th, the majority of those making the top 15 list were related to terrorist attacks, including bioterrorism as well as chemical, radiologic, and cyber attacks. Notably, natural disasters, including pandemic flu, hurricanes, and earthquakes, als