Earthquake: Necessary Government Response

In regards to economic and qualitative research, little has been conducted on the overall effects of a major disaster on the public sector, much less on trying to project these impacts for a future catastrophic earthquake; nor do models or data bases exist in the status quo to estimate different types of economic costs to a government. Additionally, despite the fact that emergency service professionals have significantly expanded the effort on emergency-response planning for a powerful earthquake during the past 20 years, these plans have never been used to estimate governmental budgetary needs. These increased post-earthquake governmental costs include: debris removal and disposal, urban search and rescue efforts, fire-fighting, emergency medical services, provision of temporary shelter, overtime for salaried governmental workers for administrative services, and the inability to invest in new, productive projects because of repair and reconstruction costs associated with damaged publicly owned facilities.

Governments must invest in more modeling data and research to better allocate funds in event of an earthquake. Such data can be generated myriad ways in both the public and private sector.

In terms of relief to an already affected region, a significant necessity is hinged on the need of governments of countries highly prone to earthquake occurrence to develop economic guarantors to protect against a community’s financial destruction. The Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) of the United States has proposed a possible federal earthquake reinsurance fund to increase the insurance industry's ability to avoid a market failure in the event that a catastrophic earthquake occurs in a major metropolitan area. While such a program may not be fiscally pragmatic for all countries, some degree of economic security must be provided for individuals in jeopardy. Such action is vital insofar as earthquakes bear the capability to ravage certain areas, both economically successful and not. In addition to economic response, governments must also immediately deploy aid- a perfect example would be the international response to the recent earthquake in Pakistan. Even in politically turbulent times, adjacent countries were able to contribute aerial transport, heavy duty ground vehicles and vast amounts of food supplies. This course of action necessitates hasty (while rational) diplomatic endeavors by an afflicted country’s ambassadors to both nearby and distant countries seeking aid. Without a government willing to lay aside issues of pride to suit the needs of the people in a critical situation, damage will remain, more will lay wounded and dead and social rehabilitation will be impeded.

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