Assessment of Vulnerability to Natural Hazards: A European Perspective

Why are firefighters so universally valued? How is it that a home can burn to the ground, yet the owners still bring the responding firefighters milk and cookies, give them hugs, and tell them thank you? While much can be written about the fire service in a post-9/11 world, one truth is constant: their customers love them. Why is that? Are there lessons for leaders or managers that can be extracted from this profession and applied to general organizational life? What would your organization gain if your customers loved you, your products, and your services? Author and management consultant Kevin Baum explores these questions and more in Lessons from the Line. Adding his twenty years' experience as a professional firefighter and chief officer to his work with organizations around the world, Kevin drills into the unique profession of firefighting to build a practical tool for organizational and leadership development-the Firefighter Model. A unique blend of management and leadership practices, this innovative model can be applied to organizations of any size, with any mission, in any place. Lessons from the Line is a fast-paced, real-world look at organizational life from the firefighter's perspective that will give you the tools to create an organization of heroes.

What is fire? How are wildfires ignited? How do California's weather and topography influence fire? How did the California Indians use fire? In the spirit of his highly acclaimed Introduction to Air in California and Introduction to Water in California, David Carle now turns to another fundamental element of the natural world, giving a fascinating and concise view of this complex topic. His clearly written, dramatically illustrated book will help Californians, including the millions who live near naturally flammable wildlands, better understand their own place in the state's landscape. Carle covers the basics of fire ecology; looks at the effects of fire on wildlife, soil, water, and air; discusses firefighting organizations and land management agencies; explains current policies; and explores many other topics.