This book is intended as a history and survey of large-scale emergency management policy in the United States. The field of emergency management is relatively new, and rapidly changing as new technology and technology-dependent societal systems emerge. The impacts of past catastrophic events on policy development, and implications of older policy in new markets are discussed. The book also explores non-governmental policies as they relate to for-profit emergency management and professional associations of practitioners. For any person working in the field of emergency management who wonders "why do we do things the way we do?" this book is essential.