Managing urban disaster recovery

RMIT University researchers have contributed to a new book, Managing Urban Disaster Recovery: Policy, Planning, Concepts and Cases, co-edited by "recovery czar" Professor Edward Blakely.

In it, he reflects on his experience in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina and the need for a guide designed for recovery managers in disaster areas.

Edward Blakely is Honorary Professor of Urban Policy at the US Studies Centre.

His work brought him to Melbourne, assisted by RMIT and the Victorian Bushfire Recovery and Reconstruction Authority, to examine the recovery process following the 2009 Black Saturday bushfire tragedy.

Professor Michael Buxton and Associate Professor Dave Mercer from RMIT's School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning contributed to this with a section, "Planning for disaster mitigation: Reconstruction following the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, Australia".

RMIT Adjunct Professor Peter Fisher also contributed a chapter, "Restoring Infrastructure".

He used the natural disasters that have struck Britain, Australia and America in the past few years to highlight the importance of infrastructure.

"Re-establishing infrastructures are key to the safe and speedy restoring of communities after disasters have struck and rescue has finished or wound down," Adjunct Professor Fisher said.

"Indeed, even the initial rescues are critically reliant on infrastructure."

Adjunct Professor Fisher is a climate change adaptation specialist and has played a key part in presenting short courses for water professionals from south-east Asia. He is currently working on another edited compilation with Professor Blakely on sustainability.

Dr Iftekhar Ahmed, a Research Fellow in Sustainable Housing Systems in the School of Architecture and Design, also contributed to a chapter, on the recovery of housing.

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