Presenting more than 50 case studies, this book illustrates the application of public administration theories and practices to real-life disasters. Arranged chronologically, the case studies involve incidents from the U.S. and worldwide, with topics including natural disasters, industrial accidents, epidemics, and terrorist attacks. The book demonstrates with the perspective of 20/20 hindsight how preventive planning measures are best practiced. The authors include a lengthy introduction that explains their case selection criteria and how the book can be used as a learning and reference tool for any current or future public manager faced with the complexities of a wide-scale emergency.