Book excerpt: Read a fascinating interview with editor Tener Goodwin Veenema! Tener Veenema Interview Disaster planning and emergency preparedness have never been more critical to the nurses who serve as our front-line response. Today's pandemic threats of global terrorism, disease, and natural disasters make this comprehensive handbook of best practices a necessity--meeting the need for a nursing workforce that is adequately prepared to respond to any disaster or public health emergency. In addition to a thorough update based on the most recent recommendations, this second edition contains six new chapters: Emergency Health Services (EMS and other first responders) Burn Assessment and Management Explosive & Traumatic Terrorism Caring for High-Risk, High-Vulnerability Patients Emerging Infectious Disease (avian and other flu pandemics) Chemical Decontamination All content reflects the guidelines provided in the Federal Disaster Response Plan and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and therapeutic recommendations from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disaster Nursing will prepare any nurse or EMS team to provide health care under a variety of disaster conditions.