at airports. Other types of weather modification have 
been less successful and more controversial. Although 
there has been little activity during the last 10 years, 
major attempts at hurricane modification will be 
carried out in the next few years. 
At the other end of the spectrum, there have 
been suggestions that the danger of major earth- 
quakes might be lessened along the San Andreas 
fault in California by setting off “controlled” quakes 
to release the tension where it has not been accom- 
plished through the occurrence of numerous small 
tremors. However, earthquake control appears to be 
beyond the knowledge and technical capabilities 
currently available. While modification of natural 
hazards may not be a major factor in the imme- 
diate future, the study of such possibilities will con- 
tinue, and the benefits accruing from such studies 
will continue to be available even if they do not 
accomplish their ultimate goal. 
Recent progress in understanding the mechanisms 
of earthquakes and identifying potential warning 
signs offer some hope of being able to predict earth- 
quakes from a few days to a few months before they 
occur. Routine operational predictions of large 
earthquakes are still a decade or more away; none- 
theless, predictions could give communities an addi- 
tional earthquake hazard reduction tool for taking 
such mitigative actions as identifying and strength- 
ening weak structures. 
Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation 
The fifth part of natural hazard management deals 
with the result of a natural disaster through relief 
and rehabilitation. Prediction and preparation influ- 
ence the relief and rehabilitation phase, because they 
help to determine how serious a catastrophe may be. 
Once a hazard has occurred, it is necessary to offer 
relief (meeting of immediate needs) and rehabilita- 
tion (helping the community regain its capacity to 
work as a socioeconomic system) as quickly and 
efficiently as possible. 
When a major disaster strikes and the necessary 
relief exceeds the resources of a State, a governor 
may ask the President to declare a “major disaster” 
or an “emergency.” The declaration, in turn, triggers 
Federal disaster relief programs which are coordi- 
nated by the Federal Disaster Assistance Administra- 
tion (FDAA) within the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development. As spelled out in the Federal 
Disaster Assistance Administration Program 
Guide:*° 
“After the President’s declaration of a 
major disaster, the Governor of an affected 
State and the appropriate FDAA Regional 
Director execute a Federal-State Agree- 
155 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
op. cit. note 154, p. 5. 
ment which prescribes the manner in which 
Federal aid under the Disaster Relief Act 
of 1974 is to be made available. The Agree- 
ment lists the areas within the state eligible 
for assistance and specifies the period 
which is officially recognized as the dura- 
tion of the disaster.” 
Under this system the relief program is coordi- 
nated by a Federal coordinating officer, who is 
charged with encouraging the maximum effectiveness 
of the assistance carried out by teams of disaster 
specialists from Federal agencies. Usually these 
services are offered through one-stop centers for 
individuals, where they may learn about all the 
different types of assistance available. A separate 
program is offered to State and local governments, 
Indian tribes and Alaskan native villages, rural 
communities and unincorporated towns or villages, 
or “qualifying private nonprofit institutions.” A wide 
variety of Federal departments and agencies are 
involved in these activities, based upon the nature 
of the particular disaster and the determination 
made by the coordinator and the governor as to the 
special needs of the disaster area citizens and 
governments. 
Even if the President does not declare a major 
disaster, assistance may still be obtained from the 
Federal Government and private organizations. The 
FDAA Program Guide**® lists the following exam- 
ples of the kinds of assistance available from Fed- 
eral and private agencies (not including State aid): 
Search and Rescue. The U.S. Coast Guard can 
assist in search and rescue operations, evacuate 
disaster victims, and transport supplies and equip- 
ment. 
Flood Protection. The U.S. Army Corps of Engi- 
neers has the authority to assist in floodfighting and 
rescue operations and to protect, repair, and restore 
federally constructed flood-contro!l work threatened, 
damaged, or destroyed by a flood. 
Fire Suppression Assistance. The Disaster Relief 
Act of 1974 authorizes the President to provide 
assistance, including grants, equipment, supplies, 
and personnel to a State fot the suppression of a 
forest or grassland fire on public or private lands 
that threatens to become a major disaster. 
Health and Welfare. The Department of Health, 
Education, and Welfare can provide assistance to 
State and local welfare agencies and to State voca- 
tional rehabilitation agencies. The Public Health 
Service can aid States and local communities in 
emergency health and sanitation measures. The Food 
and Drug Administration can work with State and 
local governments in establishing public health con- 
trols through the decontamination or condemnation 
of contaminated food and drugs. 
156 Ibid, pp. 11-12. 
IV-68 
