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Teacher training is significant for effective school disaster management. The purposes of this paper are: first, to set items for analysis of teacher training program of Armenia through identification of teacher training program of Emergency And Rescue Team by school staff in Hyogo (EARTH) to understand the characteristics of teacher training program of Armenia; second, to identify common points and different points of school disaster management and teacher training between EARTH and Armenia to understand the characteristics of one of training program of Japan; and third, to propose improvement of teacher training of Armenia through identification of problems to give suggestions to improve teacher training program of Armenia.

One of teacher training program for school disaster management in Japan can be considered as a good practice. The objectives are achieved through the comparison of teacher training program between Armenia and Japan.

In Armenia, there are three training targets. Training contents should be developed after the clear concept development of training for each target. This paper proposed the concept based on EARTH training program. Normalization of school including psychological care is the main contents for school directors and deputy directors. Disaster management system and disaster management drill are the contents for military science teachers. Disaster education is the main contents for general teachers.

This paper considered mainstreaming school disaster management from the aspect of teacher training and application of training program to other countries.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the challenges affecting disaster training in federal and state university libraries in Southwest Nigeria with a view to finding ways of overcoming them.

Having adopted the descriptive research design, 14 university libraries (seven each of federal and state) were selected from the Southwest geo-political zone of Nigeria. The total enumeration sampling technique was employed. Questionnaire and interview methods were used for data collection. The three research questions that guided the study were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation and ranking. Judgments were drawn using real limit of numbers and 2.50 as criterion mean.

Results emanated from the study showed that university libraries in the studied region are more equipped to fight fire disaster than any other emergency which is why fire drills and exercises are the prevailing disaster training received by library staff. It was also found that inadequate disaster facilities and equipment as well as poor funding were the greatest challenges confronting disaster training. The provision of adequate disaster facilities and equipment with the constitution of disaster prevention and response team was found as the most potent strategy for addressing the identified challenges.

The study lends strong empirical evidence for the underlining factors affecting disaster training in federal and state university libraries as well as academic libraries in general. The strategies for addressing the identified challenges are of more significance.

Multimedia, CD‐ROM, DVD, Internet, Web Sites and e‐mail are all part of a constantly changing, emerging array of the new information technologies which are being utilized in public education and are increasingly being applied to emergency planning and training activities to enhance emergency preparedness. Illustrations are presented which demonstrate the utility of multimedia, CD‐ROM, and Internet applications to this process. These technologies will be applied to demonstrate how emergency planners may more effectively accomplish their mission to educate the larger community on a variety of issues such as the need to adopt proposed mitigation strategies, to respond to disaster warnings and evacuation suggestions. These technologies will also be applied to demonstrate how response and recovery information can be readily disseminated to an impacted area. Applications will also be provided which demonstrate the utility of these technologies in enhancing training activities for emergency personnel as well as extending the opportunity for such training beyond the time and place of the original trainer.

Community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) initiatives have strong roots in Philippine society not only because of the country's contributory vulnerability to disasters but also because of a culture of community cooperation known as bayanihan and a history of social movement driven by the citizens’ discontent with bad governance leading to social injustice and environmental degradation (Heijmans, 2009). CBDRM in the Philippines has been a mechanism for change within civil society (Allen, 2006; Heijmans, 2009). In this way, community-based approaches are a fundamental form of empowerment of participants and a compelling strategy for enforcing the transmission of ideas and claims from the bottom up (Allen, 2006).

This paper aims to highlight the crucial role of decision makers and emergency managers in reducing the unpleasant consequences of disasters.

An attempt has been made to clarify the measures for planning and implementation of training issues in earthquake emergency response for the emergency managers as an essential part at various managerial levels.

The paper reveals that, although the high‐level managers such as ministers are authoritative bodies for managing the routine problems of the country, in situations such as a “major emergency”, specific knowledge and experience of emergency issues are required for the emergency management to be successful. It also explores the ways and opportunities for achieving successful training programmes for the emergency managers.

The existing challenges, including the lack of adequate background knowledge and experience in emergency management, insufficient time to train, the inadequacy of the required technical supporting tools, and other related issues, emerge, which need to be identified.

The research can be practically useful for emergency managers who are involved in response activities in disasters by providing suitable and appropriate recommendations for efficient training.

There are only a few works on training of earthquake emergency managers, especially in developing countries such as Iran.

Advances in disaster prevention and mitigation in Southeast Asia (SEA) have increasingly included plans for mental health and psychosocial support. However, substantial challenges remain, particularly in the areas of (a) disaster communication and preparedness, (b) institutionalized disaster education, (c) culturally adapted and evidence-based tools and interventions, (d) developing capacities and caring for disaster responders, and (e) enabling collective resilience. In addition, the impacts of poverty, lack of access to education, and other forms of marginalization result in less resources to prepare for hazardous event and increased vulnerability to environmental hazards for SEA countries. These issues highlight the need for SEA governments to address deeply rooted human development issues that put communities at risk and heighten vulnerabilities of SEA populations.

This paper aims to develop an appropriate earthquake disaster management system for Iranian schools with a main focus on non‐structural problems of schools during disasters.

A framework is proposed for disaster management planning regarding earthquakes in three phases: before, during, and after an earthquake. A detailed description of the proposed management system is also presented with special application to schools, focusing mainly on non‐structural problem.

There is a need to emphasise on a national‐level contingency planning that includes developing and designing detailed plans for a proper response and training of relevant personnel. Another important issue, which needs special attention is the material which should be taught to the commanders of emergency activities at various levels in order to help them to control an effective emergency situation.

By using the “emergency management system” proposed in this paper for Iranian schools the authorities can make sure that they have utilized all of their resources for an efficient disaster risk management. It is hoped that other developing countries can also benefit from the proposed programme.

The originality of this paper is in the comprehensiveness of the “emergency management system” proposed for the schools, and the approaches it suggests for constructing the “safety culture” in society.

The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss the main prerequisites which are deemed for successful disaster mitigation activities in megacities by considering various aspects related to disaster risk reduction.

The paper provides a general background with regard to the social and cultural patterns for involving local people to participate in the activities related to awareness raising before, and saving their lives and properties after the earthquakes. It then defines what is required for preparing disaster scenarios.

Prerequisites of comprehensive response plans, to be used in the aftermath of earthquakes in large cities, are discussed.

There is a lack of complete information, with regard to various social, and cultural aspects of disaster mitigation, in developing countries, such as Iran.

By following the steps mentioned and discussed in the paper for disaster mitigation planning and applying the proposed measures, the neighbourhoods in megacities can define and manage the activities better – which is crucial for saving lives in the aftermath of large earthquakes.

The paper details the requirements that are necessary for successful disaster mitigation activities in large cities and the difficulties and challenges which can be faced in encountering them.

Schools are vulnerable to strong-magnitude earthquakes. The purpose of this study is to develop a seismic evacuation safety index (ESI) to assess school’s safety as a function of the following parameters: means of egress, disaster preparedness and disaster response. Moreover, the study aims to simulate and study an evacuation model to estimate evacuation time for a realistic understanding of the evacuation processes.

The paper used a semi-quantitative risk assessment method in developing the ESI. This was used to evaluate schools and classify them according to their level of evacuation safety. To estimate the evacuation time of each school, cellular automata theory and static floor field were used.

The paper provides primary school stakeholders important parameters that they should consider in preparing pre-disaster plans to ensure safe evacuation of school children.

ESI focuses only on the means of egress, disaster preparedness and disaster response as the contributing factors. The structural conditions of each school building and assessment of non-structural elements are not considered.

The ESI and the evacuation model can be used as a basis for evacuation planning and decision-making. This can help building owners and administrators in strengthening their disaster risk management plan by enforcing mitigating measures.

ESI is an original idea and fills the gap regarding the safe evacuation of school children especially during a major seismic event.